Ag Innovation
Explore the Arms of the Farm
Discover the programs and initiatives that connect agriculture, education, innovation, and community at Fox Chase Farm.
Ag Empowerment
Ag Empowerment engages students and educators in immersive, hands-on agricultural learning experiences that extend classroom instruction into real-world environments. Teachers from across the School District are trained to teach directly on the farm, positioning Fox Chase Farm as a true extension of the classroom—a living laboratory where science, environmental education, nutrition, and career exploration come to life. Through district-aligned professional learning and experiential instruction, Ag Empowerment builds educator confidence, student curiosity, and meaningful connections between academic standards and the food systems that sustain our communities.
Ag Innovation Academy
The Ag Innovation Academy is a selective, cohort-based professional learning program for educators committed to advancing rigorous, innovative agriculture education. Participating teachers work in focused cohorts, supported by Fox Chase Farm, to design, test, and refine high-impact instructional models that integrate agriculture, sustainability, technology, and career-connected learning. As educators deepen their practice, they have the opportunity to advance into Senior Fellow roles—expanding leadership capacity, strengthening instructional rigor, and mentoring peers. This model ensures sustained innovation by investing deeply in a core group of educators and providing the support necessary to scale excellence across the district.
Controlled Environmental Ag
Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) in our schools is a transformative strategy designed to address food insecurity, workforce development, and economic opportunity—starting in the neighborhoods that need it most. By situating CEA programs directly within schools located in the city’s most food-insecure communities, students gain hands-on access to advanced food production systems while producing fresh, local fruits and vegetables year-round.
These school-based CEA sites serve as workforce development hubs, creating clear pipelines into careers in agriculture, food systems, building trades, technology, and business. Students engage in every stage of the operation—from construction and system maintenance (including electrical and plumbing), to crop production, food safety, distribution, and sales—ensuring the experience is practical, credential-aligned, and adaptable to individual interests and strengths.
The food grown through these programs directly supports school meals, increasing access to fresh, nutritious produce for students and families. Surplus production fuels student-led farm markets, supports local food banks, and enters the wholesale and restaurant market—allowing students to learn real-world business operations while generating earned revenue. This diversified distribution model ensures sustainability while reinforcing lessons in entrepreneurship, supply chains, and community impact.
CEA in schools moves beyond education alone—it becomes a locally rooted economic engine. By aligning workforce pipelines, food access, and market participation, the program strengthens neighborhood food systems, builds career-ready talent, and drives long-term economic development—proving that schools can be powerful anchors for both learning and community resilience.
School Field Trips
Fox Chase Farm School Field Trips offer immersive, standards-aligned learning experiences that bring curriculum to life through hands-on exploration. Students engage directly with agriculture, animals, environmental science, and food systems—transforming abstract concepts into memorable, real-world learning. Designed for all grade levels, these experiences foster curiosity, critical thinking, and early career awareness, reinforcing the farm as an extension of the classroom and a powerful educational destination.
Internship Programs
Fox Chase Farm Internship Programs provide students with immersive, paid, real-world learning experiences both on the farm and through partner organizations across the region. These internships are intentionally designed to meet students where they are—adapting roles to individual interests, strengths, and career goals across agriculture, environmental science, food systems, business, and the skilled trades. On-site internships allow students to engage in daily farm operations, education programs, and production systems, while off-site placements connect students to industry partners, higher education, and workforce pathways beyond the farm. Together, these experiences build professional skills, confidence, and career clarity—preparing students to transition seamlessly into employment, postsecondary education, or advanced training.
Community Engagement
Community Engagement Programs and Weekend Events invite families, neighbors, and partners onto the farm to connect, learn, and celebrate agriculture together. From seasonal festivals and educational workshops to volunteer days and special events, these programs strengthen community ties while increasing awareness of food systems, sustainability, and local agriculture. By opening the farm to the public, Fox Chase Farm becomes a shared community asset—fostering pride, participation, and a deeper connection between people, food, and place.
Equine Therapy
Equine Therapy at Fox Chase Farm harnesses the unique human–animal connection to support student well-being, social-emotional learning, and personal growth. Through guided, therapeutic interactions with horses, students build confidence, emotional regulation, communication skills, and trust—within a calm, outdoor environment that promotes healing and reflection. The program is intentionally designed to support social emotional learners and students facing emotional or behavioral challenges, demonstrating how agriculture and animal-assisted experiences can play a powerful role in education, wellness, and whole-child development.
Market Franchise
Franchise Farmers Markets expand the Fox Chase Farm model beyond the farm gates—empowering students and schools to operate satellite markets across the district and city. These markets create scalable, student-led enterprises that build workforce skills, generate earned revenue, and increase access to fresh food in underserved communities. By replicating a proven model, Franchise Farmers Markets turn agriculture education into a distributed economic opportunity—strengthening local food systems while preparing students for leadership in business, agriculture, and community development.
Flagship Farm Market
The Fox Chase Farm Farmers Markets and Farm Store operate as student-supported, community-centered retail spaces that bring fresh, locally grown food directly to the public. These markets provide hands-on learning in food production, food safety, customer service, inventory management, and entrepreneurship—while increasing access to nutritious foods for surrounding neighborhoods. More than a place to shop, the Farm Store is a living classroom where students learn how local agriculture supports health, community, and a resilient local economy.
Green Careers
Green Careers in Schools embeds agriculture, sustainability, and environmental career pathways directly into school communities—particularly in schools such as Ethel Allen and Crossroads that serve students with diverse learning and support needs. Through hands-on experiences in growing, environmental stewardship, and food systems, students explore meaningful, attainable career options while developing transferable skills in responsibility, teamwork, and problem-solving. By meeting students where they are and adapting learning to individual strengths, Green Careers affirms that sustainability and agriculture offer inclusive, future-focused career opportunities for every learner.
Outreach Education Programs
Outreach Agriculture Education Programs extend Fox Chase Farm’s impact beyond the farm by bringing agriculture education directly into schools, classrooms, and community settings. Through tailored lessons, demonstrations, and hands-on activities, these programs connect students to food systems, sustainability, and career pathways—meeting learners where they are. Outreach ensures that agriculture education is accessible, inclusive, and embedded across the district, regardless of location or resources.
GAIN
The Global Agriculture Innovation Network (GAIN) connects Fox Chase Farm, educators, students, and partners to a broader ecosystem of agricultural innovation, research, and global best practices. GAIN serves as a platform for collaboration across education, industry, and community—spotlighting emerging technologies, sustainable food systems, and future workforce trends. Through partnerships, knowledge exchange, and real-world applications, GAIN expands student and educator perspectives beyond the local landscape, positioning agriculture as a globally connected, innovation-driven field with limitless opportunity.
Helping Hands
The Helping Hands Program intentionally welcomes Special Education and Diverse Learners into meaningful, real-world experiences in agriculture—creating inclusive pathways where every learner can contribute, grow, and succeed. Agriculture uniquely lends itself to all ages, abilities, and learning styles, offering hands-on, sensory-rich, and purpose-driven experiences that build confidence, independence, and transferable life skills. Through structured, supportive engagement on the farm, students participate in authentic agricultural tasks that reinforce communication, problem-solving, responsibility, and workplace readiness. Helping Hands affirms that agriculture is for everyone—adapting to the learner, honoring individual strengths, and opening doors to lifelong learning, employment, and community connection.
Maple Leaf Cafe
The Maple Leaf Café is a student-led food and beverage enterprise that transforms farm-grown products into real-world culinary and business experiences. Operated as a living classroom, the Café immerses students in menu development, food safety, customer service, branding, marketing, and financial management—while emphasizing nutrition, sustainability, and local sourcing. By connecting production on the farm to preparation and service, the Maple Leaf Café provides students with hands-on exposure to careers in culinary arts, hospitality, and entrepreneurship. More than a café, it is a model for how education, food access, and workforce development can come together to create meaningful, student-driven opportunities.
Workforce Development
Fox Chase Farm supports workforce development by connecting students to hands-on learning experiences, industry-relevant skills, and emerging career pathways in agriculture, food systems, sustainability, and agricultural technology. Through experiential education, career exploration, and exposure to real-world agricultural practices, the Farm helps students build foundational knowledge, develop practical competencies, and explore opportunities within the evolving agricultural workforce. This approach strengthens connections between education and industry while preparing the next generation for careers in agriculture and related fields.