On April 3rd, our DMS Green School classes enjoyed a field trip to two great destinations, Eisenhower State Park and Freedom Acres Farm! At Eisenhower State Park, the students and staff hiked along Ike's Hike and Bike Trail and were enthralled with beautiful scenes and steep rocky cliffs along Lake Texoma. The group, which included 39 students and 3 adults, hiked for over 2 hours, at times in complete silence to enjoy the sounds of nature. They then enjoyed a delicious picnic!
The next stop was Freedom Acres Farm! Evan and Sarah Rowland, who own the farm, were kind enough to host our visit. The students enjoyed touring the farm, petting the animals, and learning from Farmer Evan. Freedom Acres Farm produces some of the cleanest food found in our local area. The farm is a case study of sustainable farming methods and an inspiration for others. The farm's fertilization methods are based on careful management of grazing animals and cover crops, which minimizes the need for outside inputs and builds healthy soil. Earlier in the semester, the students had learned about regenerative farming and appreciated seeing it in action during the tour.
On the bus ride back to school, everyone was in high spirits and thankful for a beautiful, adventurous, and gratifying day.