Capture the imagination of your students with a trip to the Bakerview EcoDairy! A first hand farm experience provides education for children on many levels. The Bakerview EcoDairy’s Student workbook is designed to connect to current curriculums on the study of food and nutrition at the grades 4 – 7 levels, with easy adaptability to high school programs. The student workbook and teacher's guide, funded by Fictorie Construction Management Ltd. and Clearbrook Iron Works, were written by Jim Wiese, a former teacher and author of ‘My World, My Choice and Food For Thought’.
For preschoolers to children in grade 3, we have a special EcoDairy activity/coloring hand-out that features Vicki the cow.
At the EcoDairy, students can observe goats on the roof, see the robotic milker, watch a witty, animated video in our Avalon Dairy Theater, taste our Vitala milk at the Nutrifoods Market and ask for a special on children's ice cream cones, touch the animals and picnic on the grounds. In addition to the lessons taught in our Workbook, disciplines such as agriculture, environmental stewardship, human and animal nutrition, renewable energy and more will be addressed by our educated team of Bakerview EcoDairy hosts.
More to see and do at the EcoDairy:
- Our loft allows students to do workbook activities in a classroom style setting preceding your tour.
- The Vitala dairy barn is also equipped with 5 webcams. Educators and students can now follow the cows’ activities from school or at home.
- The Nutrifoods Market provides an array of healthy food products, an indoor deli area and outdoor covered patio. With advanced notice, our Market staff would be happy to provide students with a short lesson on nutrition and healthy lifestyle choices.
- Our picnic area, with stunning views of Mt. Baker, provides students with a great place to enjoy their lunch.
- The Farm Start Incubator Program developed by Community Futures South Fraser. This program supports new student farmers by offering access to land, equipment, infrastructure and resources, along with business planning and mentorship. Look for crops popping up on site this Spring!