Field Trips

Authentic and meaningful learning experiences

Field trips at JVTF’s Center for Food Education are wrapped around our flagship program, Good School Food. Every Good School Food lesson and field trip aligns with the Alabama Course of Study. This hands-on education model connects students to food, farming, and the culinary arts through standards-based, cross-curricular lessons during the school day.

We are currently scheduling schools for the 2024-2025 school year.

DETAILS

We offer two field trip experiences: Farm and Culinary. Farm programming will see the students tour our cultivation fields with our staff and explore topics like the growing cycle, pollination, the benefits of growing food, etc., and will conclude with a taste test of some of the produce grown right here at the Center for Food Education. Culinary programming will primarily see students in our culinary studio where they will prepare a short recipe with our instructors, exploring topics like the history of soul food, fractions in the kitchen, food origins, etc., and will include a small farm activity like harvesting or a quick tour around the farm.

DATES + EXPERIENCES

  • Culinary: February, March

  • Farm: April, May, September, October, November

DAYS + TIMES

  • Tuesdays, Thursdays, & Fridays

  • 2 hours: 9:00–11:00am OR 12:00–2:00pm

PRICING

  • Student: $10

  • Chaperone: $15

  • Teachers: Free

  • Your field trip reservation covers access to our teaching farm and culinary studio. If your students need to eat lunch on-site, you may request to reserve our pavilion. Our staff will confirm our pavilion’s availability during the confirmation process. Please note that an additional fee of $25.00 will be added to your invoice to cover the use of this space.

CAPACITY

  • We can accommodate groups of up to 40 students per visit.
  • For groups larger than 40 students, additional reservations are required to complete the booking process.

Need more information? Read our Field Trip Programming Guide here.

* All programs are free to BCS students due to generous support from BCS and public and private partners.

Booking + Confirmation
  • Reservation requests must be made at least four weeks in advance, using the field trip request form linked below.
  • Please note, this request does not guarantee your reservation.
  • A confirmation email with the details of your visit will be sent within 2-3 business days of your reservation request.
  • Please review the confirmation email carefully. Contact us immediately if any changes are needed.
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ACCESSIBILITY

We strive to make our educational opportunities accessible to as many people as possible. Some farming and culinary instructional activities may include long periods of sitting, standing, bending, twisting, squatting, lifting, etc.  All restrooms and building entrances at the Center for Food Education are ADA accessible; the farm fields are not. Accessibility varies across the Teaching Farms on school grounds. If you aren’t sure if these activities are accessible, please let us know. Our instructors will work with you to identify different techniques and tools or to assign alternate tasks. We have staff trained to make experiences accessible to people of all physical abilities. We are KultureCity Sensory Inclusive certified.