What happens when you
give a school a cow?
A cow supports growth through fertilization on a farm and is integral to its ecosystem. At a school, cows invite gentle connection and nourishes the school community with opportunities for service and learning together.
Our Farm & Land Stewardship Program launched in Fall 2023, and we prepared the land and welcomed our first cows. Check out our Farm Journal and stay in touch with life on the farm!
Our farm journal
Keep up with life on The Farm and watch us grow!
March 1, 2024
Sherbert's horns are beginning to grow and she has even begun halter training with one of our 8th-grade students, Netta (pictured below).
One unique aspect of the Waldorf middle school curriculum is the 8th Grade Project, and Netta is halter training Sherbert as part of her study of animal care. Her project is titled “My Study of Cows.”
February 12, 2024
Sherbet has been mooing all day long. The middle schoolers can hear her during their classes and were concerned that she wasn’t doing well. They checked on her several times that day, but couldn't find anything wrong with her. Our cow consultant, Sean Waters, herdsman at the Remembrance Farm, shared that she might be restless and experience a shift in hormones. So Sherbet is getting older and turning into a moody teenager. She will turn eight months old on the 27th of February.
February 7, 2024
Sherbet escaped! Our facility manager was delivering hay with the tractor into their pen. When he was driving through the gate, Sherbet who had been quite bouncy all day, saw the opening and ran out. She was sighted in the pavilion and then running along the windows of our middle school room. The students were having lunch at that moment and did a double take when they saw the calf’s head bob up and down along their windows.
This started a fun 30 minutes of “catch the calf” exercise. Students learned that you can’t chase a cow but have to try to get in front of it so it turns around. Initially, only three students and three teachers were trying to get Sherbet to get back in. In the end, the whole middle school class and more adults helped to corral her. Her mom, Strawberry, was mooing and calling for Sherbet during all of this telling her to come back into the pasture.
January 8, 2024
School is back in session and our cows are happy to be greeted by snow and smiling faces.
Netta, our 8th grade student, chose the cows as their 8th grade project and continues to visit the cows daily to engage with them, tame the calf, and start halter training her.
December 28, 2023
Winter Break Update - Sherbet and Strawberry are missing their middle school friends but are always delighted to see our volunteers who come by daily to check on them. Sherbet especially has decided that visitors shall always be greeted with a lick of the hand. We are so very grateful to our families and teachers who signed up to check on our cows during the break and ensure that they have water. Thank you, everyone!
December 21, 2023
Singing to the cows is a new tradition on The Farm! Little lanterns illuminated the path down to the cow pasture where people were gathering as the sun was going down. Sherbet was too intrigued to stay with her Mom and curiously came to the fence to greet the carolers. Soon the beautiful voices from students, parents, teachers and friends filled the air. Strawberry mooed appreciatively and continued eating hay. We ended the gathering with Silent Night.
December 20, 2023
The Farm made the local news! Tompkins Weekly covered the ribbon cutting ceremony for The Farm and the Elves' Faire last week. Read their article here: Waldorf School in Ithaca Celebrates New Farming Initiative
Laura Hayes (school director), Chad Cully (farm and land stewardship teacher), and Nathaniel Thompson (board president) held a ribbon cutting to officially announce the newest initiatives on The Farm.
December 13, 2023
This past weekend, School Director Laura Hayes welcomed our school community to the official Ribbon Cutting of The Farm at Ithaca Waldorf School.
"As we gather on the ancestral lands of the Gayogohó:nǫ˺ people, we inaugurate The Farm, our outdoor classroom for our Farm and Land Stewardship Program. We recognize the historical injustices, suffering and loss of lives due to colonization, racism and greed by white people. We remember and honor those who came before us, who walked and worked this land, and whose wisdom and contributions endure in the spirit of the earth beneath our feet.
As stewards of this land, we accept the responsibility to improve the soil’s health, to support the healthy growth of plants and trees, to peacefully coexist and to lovingly care for the animals, and to foster understanding and community with all. When this land first was bought, the impulse and dream had been to involve students in farming and to teach them a love for the land and instill a responsibility of being stewards of the land.
December 5, 2023
With sadness, we share the news of the passing of our beloved cow, Joyful. Her time with us was short, but filled with care and love. She came to us after several months of health struggles with her udder. The hope had been that she would find a peaceful sanctuary on The Farm where she could get back to health and live out her days under the loving care of our students and community. Unfortunately, nature took its course sooner than we had hoped. Joyful died suddenly and without suffering of natural causes in the later hours on Friday, December 1, 2023.
We knew when we introduced animals to our farm and land stewardship program and to our school that dealing with death would be part of it. As we teach students to form new connections to our farm animals, then how to care for them, we also teach them how to say goodbye.
Joyful’s passing comes as we prepare to officially open 'The Farm' on December 9th. While we mourn, we also celebrate the growth and learning opportunities 'The Farm' will provide. Joyful’s legacy will be a reminder of the joy and lessons our animal friends can teach us.
We invite you to join us in commemorating Joyful’s life at our upcoming events, including the Ribbon Cutting for 'The Farm' and our 'Singing to the Cows' on December 20th. These gatherings will be special moments to honor our connection with all living beings and the continuous cycle of learning and growth they bring into our lives. Thank you for your continued support and understanding.
November 30, 2023
The middle school students are developing processes on how to care for the cows efficiently during chore times. They also discuss “fair workloads” and how to get everyone involved.
When asking them what they have been noticing lately, they report that Sherbet is much more interested in them now than she used to be. She used to be much more shy and timid about connecting with the middle schoolers, but when they enter through the gate into the cow pasture, Sherbet now greets them and comes right up to them.
The students have been taught by Sean Waters, herdsman at Remembrance Farm, about how to enter the enclosure and how to “breathe with the cows”. Ms. Dehan, our middle school teacher, described it as developing a "cow consciousness," which leaves the students feeling more grounded, present and with more levity.
November 20, 2023
Joyful, our third cow is doing better. She is still limping, but moving around much more securely. Sherbet and Strawberry helped her through the first two weeks at The Farm by staying close and resting next to her. Sherbet has shown great care for Joyful by licking her gently every so often. I have also witnessed her head butting and nudging Joyful to play with her, though Joyful doesn't quite have that much energy yet.
When our students come to bring water to the water trough each day, the cows are very curious and eagerly drink the replenishment. Afterward, Sherbet can usually be seen jumping around with great glee.
The Middle School students ran out of molasses today, which the cows loved so much. They also find that the cows truly drink a lot, and it requires several trips with the water buckets to get their trough filled. Once a week, the facility manager brings the IBC tank full of water to help fill it up.
We don’t know yet how we will be able to get the water from our spigot at the school building to the cows when it starts snowing or we encounter icy conditions. Mr. Chad, the farm teacher, has been hinting at buying a very, very long hose that leads all the way to the water trough. But it would need to be emptied and rolled up daily to avoid freezing. We added wood chips to the muddy area outside the pasture. Much to learn, do and prepare for each day on The Farm. We’re loving the experience!
November 7, 2023
Our Middle School students started their morning chores today by bringing buckets of water to the cows and offering them hay dipped in molasses. Students realized that walking in the cow pasture requires boots since cow patties are pretty sticky and can engulf a sneaker quickly, and molasses is also very sticky and drips all over ;-) But the cows loved it and became much more interested in us humans.
Visiting in the afternoon by myself, I observed the beautiful moment of Sherbet drinking from Strawberry. She blew bubbles and had a milk beard afterwards and was very cute out there skipping around the hay bale and being quite full of energy.
November 6, 2023 - THE COWS HAVE ARRIVED!
Before recess and during main lesson yesterday, all classes were invited to visit the cow shelter for one-on-one introductions to Strawberry and Sherbet. They were able to feed them straw dipped in molasses, which improves digestion, helps maintain body condition and appetite, and also increases milk production for mothers.
Our Grade 2/3 class even enjoyed a science and math lesson during their visit, as they learned how much water a cow drinks each day. It turns out they drink 10-15 gallons, depending on their size and how hot it is outside! The students then began eagerly practicing their calculations of how many 5-gallon buckets would be needed to bring water to all the cows each day. The learning and fun have officially begun!
help us build the farm
We are committed to growing The Farm & Land Stewardship Program so our students discover and make meaningful connections with nature and the world around them that last a lifetime. Become a patron of The Farm and contribute your time, talent and treasures to grow and bring this dream to life for our students. This is a true gift that will live on for generations!
We have finished the cow shelter, the cows are here and we’re working to fence in their winter pasture. See what else is in store…
Chickens, pigs, sheep and barn cats
Gardens, orchards, a pumpkin patch
Worm cities, mushroom logs, a maple grove and so much more!
Your Donation Will Support
Creating Garden Beds - establishing garden beds that inspire a love for nature and sustainable agriculture allows our students to engage in hands-on learning.
Maintaining Our Tractor - a tractor is essential for efficient farming and educational activities on our farm, and your support will keep this vital tool running.
Waterline for the Cow Shed - clean water is essential for our farm animals, and your donation will ensure our cows have access to the water they need.
Investing in Plants and Trees - our commitment is to acquire diverse plant species and trees to create a vibrant and living educational environment where our students can learn as their ecological awareness grows. Your donation will directly support this.
Expanding Our Animal Family - along with chickens and cows, we aim to welcome sheep, pigs, and bees to our farm to create a full and well-balanced environment for learning and fun. Your generous support will provide for these animals and enrich our educational offerings.
Become a Patron
Give a One-Time Donation - every contribution counts, no matter the amount. Your one-time donation will directly impact our Farm program's growth and success and you will become a patron of this program.
Become an Evergreen Donor - consider making a recurring donation to provide ongoing support to The Farm, and your sustained commitment as a patron will help us maintain and expand our program.
from Our community
“It’s so exciting to see this longtime dream become a reality!”
-Jane Schantz
“I am thrilled to support the growth of the Farm program at IWS!! What a wonderful opportunity for our children.” - Lynsay Ayer
“We are happy to support the farm at IWS.” - Terry Clark
“So happy the school is doing this important work of farming with families.”
- Barbara Alden
There's nothing quite like growing and preserving one's own food and the satisfaction that a simple ripe tomato can bring a grower. As an educator, I feel the same sense of pride and accomplishment watching our IWS students thrive and grow both in the classroom and learning through hands-on experiences in nature. Having a farm on campus provides our students with opportunities to learn to be stewards of the land through conservation, regenerative agriculture, and nurturing animal care.
- Melanie Ryan - IWS Lead Teacher for Grade 4/5 and mother of two IWS students