Urban Youth Experience Rural Life

Harvest Moon Community Farm receives many positive comments from the children who participate in its programs. Statements like, “We could make a lot of things from nature,” “I like the farm! It’s fun,” or “I had a great time. I thought it was really neat when we got to go pick corn because it was my first time going into a cornfield” are not uncommon to hear.

Teachers who have brought their students to the farm also reinforce Harvest Moon’s work. For example, one teacher said, “For the past two years I have had the opportunity to bring 30 students to Harvest Moon. Each time we have visited the farm it has been an extraordinary experience. The students, who are usually surrounded by the sights and sounds of a city, are exposed to rural living. This new environment stimulates questions and discoveries not possible in their regular setting.”

Exploring Relationships

Harvest Moon Community Farm, located in beautiful Scandia, Minnesota, was founded in 1996 by Ann Rinkenberger, the current Executive Director. As a non-profit organization, Harvest Moon has been providing educational experiences about sustainable living to children and adults. Through a variety of innovative programs, Harvest Moon offers educational activities that explore the relationships between the arts, agriculture, and nature so children learn how to impact their lives, the lives of others, and the environment. Goals of preservation, awareness, and appreciation of natural and agricultural resources are an integral part of each program.

Originally Harvest Moon began as a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) farm that served local and Twin Cities families. In its first year Harvest Moon offered a variety of vegetables, herbs, and flowers. It also educated its members about how to use produce and about issues surrounding sustainable agriculture and the simple living movement.

Innovative Programs

Based on the success and interest generated by its educational programs a decision was made to focus on educating youth, teenagers, and adults about creating more sustainable lives that reduce impact on the environment. Currently, Harvest Moon offers a variety of very popular programs including:

“Arts in Agriculture and the Environment” Art Camp – provides 6-11 year old children with an opportunity to work with four artists each day for four days from various disciplines. The projects (1) use products that are sustainably-grown on a farm or gathered from nature, or (2) represent agriculture or nature in the final product. The program concludes with an art show that features the projects each child made, a music or theater performance, and hands-on arts activities and games for children. One camp focuses on projects that are accessible for visually-impaired youth.
Farm Camp – gives children ages 7-11 an opportunity to learn about sustainable agriculture, farm animals, environmental preservation, organic gardening, and the arts. ArtVenture – After-School Arts Program – educates Kindergarten through sixth grade students about:

• the arts,
• sustainable agriculture,
• nature,
• science,
• cooking,
• gardening and
• physical education.

Each week, the children receive instructions and materials for a project to be completed at home with their families. Each project has a different focus (e.g., arts, gardening, environment). The program is offered at two elementary schools during the 2000-01 school year, and will be offered in four elementary schools in Washington County during the 2001-02 school year.

Agricultural Education Mentorship Program – provides high school and college students with direct, hands-on experience in teaching children at the Farm and Art Camps. The students (referred to as camp educators) develop agricultural lesson plans, display materials, and projects for children as part of the Farm and Art Camps. They also assist the artists during the Art Camp.

Community Action Program – involves the youth from the camp and after-school programs who make personal care bags and birthday gift bags for low-income families and children in Washington, Ramsey, and Hennepin Counties.

Resources that Strengthen Community

In addition to these programs Harvest Moon publishes a newsletter, organizes and sustains a Good Living Resource Center, and maintains a website.

All of Harvest Moon’s activities focus around highlighting farming, rural communities, and homesteading lifestyles in the St. Croix River Valley. “As more people experience the many offerings of Harvest Moon and become aware of the beautiful sites, nature, recreational opportunities, shopping and dining facilities, the immediate community will become stronger,” said Ann Rinkenberger.

By integrating people into life on a farm, Harvest Moon hopes to continue, for many years to come, to help young people and adults develop stewardship values and skills and the ability to care for natural and human communities. Through this process Harvest Moon Community Farm aims to nurture the positive feelings of self-worth that come from making a difference in the world.