Ayers Foundation Learning Expedition Inquiry Form

The Ayers Foundation welcomes all inquiries regarding Learning Expeditions to Hillandale Farm in beautiful Westerly, RI, or learning experiences at affiliated farms led by the Ayers Team. "Learning by doing" is our mantra!

We are excited to get to know you and get started organizing a robust learning experience that will provide the best fit for your unique program and/or complement your classroom theory. Please fill out this questionnaire to help us better understand your learning objectives, and we will reach out to you as soon as possible. Please note: While we strive to accommodate everyone's needs and requests, we respectfully ask our participants to be flexible, as scheduling conflicts and staff availability can sometimes impact available dates and meeting specific inquiry-based learning objectives. Thank you!

* Indicates required field

Your name: *

Best phone number to reach you by: *

Best email address to reach you by: *

Name of your school or organization (if applicable): *

I am a(n) _____ and I am interested in learning more information: *

What time of year do you hope to host your program? (Check all that apply): *

If "Other" or "Mixed Ages," please give a brief description of the group you'd like to plan a learning experience for: *

What area(s) are you most interested in exploring for this learning experience? Check all that apply. (Please note that some of these options may depend on availability of one or more of our partner farms.) *

Operating a Small Farm - Developing and practicing common skills required in farming (carpentry, electrical services, plumbing, preventative maintenance, farm safety and use of power tools, fencing, brush management, restoration of historical stone walls, etc.) Organic Agriculture - Immersion in all aspects of organic agriculture (seeding, transplanting, soil management, plant care, cover crops, intercropping, Integrated Pest Management, bio-control, plant nutrition, crop rotation, energy conservation, etc.) Invasive species management - Learning and practicing techniques for managing invasive plant species. Sustainable forestry - Ecosystem-based management of the land - taking all of its elements into careful consideration, which include water, soils, wildlife, timber, non-timber specialty products, biodiversity, scenic beauty and more. Students will help collect data in the forest and may even participate in the composition of management/stewardship plans. Woodlot management - Sustainable and even flow of fuel wood. Program focuses on safe and environmentally sound cutting and extraction of logs for processing into firewood. *Animal husbandry - Caring for goats, cows, and other ruminants to maintain animal wellness and production. (With one of our partner farms.) Aquaculture - Learn the basics in the burgeoning industry of shellfish farming. Come to understand the important economic and ecological role of RI salt ponds and how "best practices" are self-sustaining. I have another idea...

If your school requires a specific science or social studies curriculum, please identify it below: *

Please indicate the best time(s) of day for your learning experience (choose all that apply): *

Morning Afternoon Evening Flexible

Please indicate any time or calendar restrictions/parameters that need to be taken into consideration: *

Please indicate any considerations regarding accessibility for attendees with special needs: (Please note that the farm is not currently wheelchair-friendly.) *

Is there any other information that you would like to share with us to help us get started planning your learning experience? *