Group Visits
As our culture in southern Maine shifts to an increasingly urban and suburban way of life, it is more important than ever to emphasize the vital role of agriculture and to foster the appreciation of our natural surroundings. We invite you and your group (of any kind or age) to join us for a visit on the farm.
Please keep scrolling to review our group visit program offerings and fill out this form to sign-up.
Click here to inquire about Weddings & Events or Recreational Group Events.
If you do not see an option below that meets your needs, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our education department to design the perfect visit for your group. education@pinelandfarms.org
Group Visit Programs
(groups of 15 or more)
Our programs are presented thematically by season.
Traditional Group Visits
Year Round
Dairy Discovery
Join us for a hands-on journey through our working dairy barns. While exploring our barns you will interact with our Holstein cows and enjoy a behind the scenes look at dairy farming. Our Dairy Discovery curriculum can be extended to include genetics, heredity and sustainability for grades middle school and up. Some hands-on activities may not be available at this time due to Covid-19.
Cool Chickens
While visiting our flock of organic hens you will investigate how eggs are made, collected, processed and sold. You will collect eggs, dissect an egg to see what a chick needs to grow and learn about the care, lifecycle and characteristics of our egg laying hens. Some hands-on activities may not be available at this time due to Covid-19.
Pineland Farms Tour
During your tour of Pineland Farms, you will examine the role of agriculture in Maine’s economy, visit our dairy and poultry operations and get a chance to meet the animals that provide so much of the food we consume daily.
Farmyard Exploration
During your guided tour of our farmyard you will discover the important role that farms play in our lives. You will learn how to safely interact with our farmyard animals and observe what the animal’s jobs are on the farm. You will learn how we care for our animals and a bit about their individual personalities.
Autumn
Pineland’s Past
The 100-plus year history of the Pineland
Campus prompts us all to examine the evolution of societies’ views on the
education, care, and social development of people with disabilities. This field trip includes a driving tour of Pineland Campus as well as a visit to the Pineland Cemetery and Malaga Island Memorial. For students and educators, this program partners well with the reading of Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt, a historical fiction relating to Malaga Island and its inhabitants.
Corn Maze Quest and Pumpkin Pursuit
Enjoy a fall day on the farm. Begin your visit with a short walk by the cows to our pumpkin patch where you will discover how pumpkins grow. Finish your visit by challenging your students to find their way through our four-acre corn maize.
Winter
Winter Wonderland
Explore and discover the beauty and wonder of Maine’s winter. You will learn how to be a winter wildlife detective in our cozy classroom before heading outside to practice your skills while learning about woodland creatures, winter survival, snow science, or tracking skills.
Spring
Habitat is Home
From ponds to forest, animals, insects, and plants have special places they call home. Our trip will begin at the pond. Here we will explore with nets, cups and buckets, where we will catch, release and identify pond organisms. We will then take a short hike through the woods to compare and contrast the forest habitat. Students will gain better observation skills, learn all about habitats, and have fun exploring the pond and woods.
From Seed to Harvest
We are excited for you to get your hands dirty as we plant, weed and harvest our crop. Through games and a variety of activities you will learn what seeds need to grow, the parts of a plant, and take a look at all the cycles on a farm here in Maine.
Connecting Activities
Pineland Farms’ educational field trips are offered year-round, Tuesday through Thursday and last 1.5 hours. Other days are available on a limited basis. Field trips are available to guests of all ages from pre-school to adults. School age guests will participate in activities that address grade level Next Generation Science Standards while adults enjoy trips tailored to their needs.
Each program can be modified to meet the curriculum and/or experiential needs of your group. Field trip experiences may vary due to the nature of a working farm.
Pineland Farms requests that all school groups contact the education department at education@pinelandfarms.org to reserve a date for your visit.
FEES:
There is a $7.00 fee per student/per program.
Teachers are admitted free of charge. One adult chaperone is admitted free with every 10 students, the fee for additional chaperones is $7 per person and attendance is dependent on group size. Limited scholarships are available.
Cancellation Policy: All field trips take place rain or shine. We will cancel during thunderstorms, school snow days and severe weather. If you need to cancel your field trip for any reason a one-week notice is required. If you cancel after this time you will be billed for the cost of your trip.
Confirmation and Directions: Upon confirmation of your reservation you will receive an email that will contain directions to where you will meet your educators, a letter for all chaperones who plan to attend and an invoice for your upcoming visit. We are a large facility, please review these directions and provide them to anyone who is driving to the farm on the day of your trip.
Changing your Group Size: Additional participants’ admittance is not guaranteed and is dependent on space and staff availability. If space is available, additional participants will be charged $7 per person.
If your group size changes after you make your reservation, you must notify us at least one week prior to your visit. Contact the Pineland Farms Education Department at 207.650.3031 or education@pinelandfarms.org. There are no refunds for dropped numbers on the day of your visit.