Educating for a sustainable futureShelburne Farms

“ This is a time of pivotal, magnified significance for humankind.

The fabric of life . . . has been significantly altered through

decisions already made by our predecessors and those now living;

what happens next depends on what we do, or don’t do,

individually and collectively . . . ”

Sylvia Earle, Oceanographer & National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence

Shelburne Farms is a member-supported, nonprofit 501(c)3 learning center based at our 1,400 acre working farm and forest and National Historic Landmark.

Our mission is to cultivate a conservation ethic for a sustainable future.

Shelburne Farms is part of an international groundswell of people and organizations dedicated to shaping a better world.Our unique programs focus on education. As we prepare young people to be global citizens, we envision a healthy and just world rooted in diverse, caring, and resilient communities.

With this vision in mind, we strive to steward our beautiful agricultural landscape and share it as a learning center that exemplifies the change we hope to see in the world. We collaborate — sharing resources and learning — with networks of educators and partners committed to educating for sustainability. The Farm is a place and an institution that is inspiring, challenging, and supporting students, educators, families, and leaders to grapple with the big question of how to live responsibly in the 21st century.

The Farm’s success rests on our ability to make long-term investments in education programs, organizational and enterprise development, land conservation, food and energy systems, natural and cultural resource stewardship, infrastructure improvements, and much more.

If you are new to Shelburne Farms, we invite you to join us on this journey — cultivating change for a sustainable future — here at the Farm and in your own home communities. If you are already part of this work and unfolding story, we are deeply grateful.

The urgency to increase our impact has never been greater.

Alec Webb, PresidentShelburne Farms

COVER: Summer camp (Orah Moore) FACING PAGE: Farm Barn sunrise (Chris Yager) ABOVE, left to right: Healthy Neighborhoods/Healthy Kids program in China and the Dominican Republic (staff photos), King Street Center preschool partnership program (Vera Chang), Children’s Farmyard field trip (Vera Chang), Adventures preschool program (staff photo)

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Shelburne Farms is a vibrant center for learning.Throughout the seasons, voices of joyful school-aged children echo from our farmyard, fields, and forests. More than 150,000 people visit each year; exploring the land, making connections between nature, food and community, and experiencing the beauty of the Farm.

Our programs encourage teachers, students, families, and communities to understand and address the interconnected environmental, social, and economic challenges of our day. Through networking and collaboration, our reach extends well beyond Vermont.

In this way, Shelburne Farms is much more than a beautiful campus and working landscape. We embody the idea that, collectively, humankind can thrive while shifting toward ways of living that respect the Earth’s limits. Education — rooted in deep love of place — is our means to this end.

TOP: Sustainability Summit for educators (Vera Chang)BOTTOM: Adventures preschool program (staff photo)

“ Shelburne Farms is at once an idea and a place: an idea that shapes its educational programs;

a place that provides a setting in which those programs may thrive. The restoration and adaptation

to educational uses of all of Shelburne Farms’ natural, agricultural, and architectural resources will

turn this whole wondrous place into a demonstration of the idea that we can learn to reintegrate

our lives with our environment.”

Richard Whittemore, former Shelburne Farms board member

Working with educators extends our impact around the world. At the heart of all we do is increasing awareness about how everything is connected and how our choices affect the health of ourselves, others, and the natural world.

Our programs support teachers and students in applying knowledge and skills to improve their schools and communities. How food is grown, how energy and water are used, how we shape our living environment and govern ourselves — every aspect of life is an opportunity to learn and to inspire citizenship.

“ In 20 years of teaching I can remember four

experiences that changed who I am as a teacher.

After this week, there are five.”

Jen Manfredi, Stonington, CTProject Seasons Workshop

“ As school opens doors on a new educational

year, I bring with me the joy, wonder, and

inspiring spirit collected from our time together

at Shelburne Farms.

“ With open arms and heart you shared your

wealth of knowledge, passion, time, and

beloved farm with compassion and respect.

I am renewed, refreshed, and still smiling.”

Lisa Ingrahm, New Canaan, CT Project Seasons Workshop for Early Educators

TOP: Sustainability Academy In Burlington, Vermont (Andy Duback)MIDDLE: Professional development program for educators (Vera Chang) BOTTOM: New Arrivals summer camp (staff photo)

Early childhood is the ideal time to begin sowing seeds. Simple experiences like collecting eggs and sampling sweet maple sap right from the tree cultivate joy and wonder. As children grow older, experiences such as taste-testing local foods in school cafeterias and surveying one’s neighborhood for “quality of life” indicators empower students to make a difference.

The complexity and scale of issues that we face today call for us to collaborate to increase our collective impact. In 2000, the Farm helped launch the national Place-based Education Evaluation Collaborative (PEEC) to identify and share promising practices. PEEC research from ten studies across the United States suggests a strong correlation between place-based learning and academic advancement.

We cannot shape a more sustainable and just world without understanding and caring about the resources and systems that support all life. So we encourage educators to weave big ideas of sustainability throughout all grade levels, revisiting them as seasons change and new learning emerges. Our success is measured by deepening teacher practice and student learning, leading to improvements in the quality of life now and, hopefully, for generations to come.

ABOVE: Stewardship day at Sustainability Academy (Andy Duback) FACING PAGE, top: Wetlands school field trip, and bottom: Education for Sustainability summer institute (Orchard Cove Photography)

environment

equity economy

We encourage young people to apply knowledge to real-world situations, taking care of the places where they live. Educating for sustainability leads students from inquiry to action to help them build a healthy future for their communities and the planet.

Big ideas of sustainability underpin all our education programs, and as we energize teachers and engage students, these ideas come alive in their schools, communities, and learning.

• Change over time • Community • Cycles • Diversity • Equity• Equilibrium• Interdependence • Limits• Long-term effects• Resilience

Educating for Sustainability

inquiry & connections

efficacy & civic engagement

skills

responsibility

active stewardship

understanding

sense of

awareness

An idea takes root. Thanks to our wonderful community of supporters, Shelburne Farms has come a long way since incorporating as a nonprofit in 1972.

The story of the transformation from a private estate threatened by development and decay into a thriving education center weaves together agricultural stewardship and enterprise (constants of this land for hundreds of years) with land conservation, historic preservation and the vibrant strands of today’s education and community programs.

The result is a tapestry of inspiration and hope, 40 years of which are highlighted below. What we do next to amplify this work is vitally important.

1970

—

1972

—

1973

—

1974

—

1977

—

1979

—

1980

—

1981

—

1982

—

1984

—

1986

—

1987

—

1990

—

1991

— 19

92 —

1993

—

1994

— 19

95 —

1996

—

1998

—

2000

—

2001

— 20

03 —

2004

—

2007

—

2008

—

2009

—

2010

— 20

11 —

2012

—

2013

—

2014

—

2022

—

First “

Earth D

ay”

Nonprofit f

ounded

Summer camps a

t market g

arden begin

“Gard

ens for A

ll” at F

arm Barn

Community gard

ens & ca

nning center b

egins

Burlingto

n Farm

ers Market+

opens

First M

ozart

Festival c

oncert

School p

rograms/fi

eld trips b

egin

O Bread Bakery* opens

Raw milk

bottling begins

First H

arvest Festi

val

Beeken Parsons w

oodshop*

opens

Educatio

n Center in Coach

Barn opens

Property

tours

begin

Cheesemaking begins

Miskell’s

Premier Org

anics* opens

Derick W

ebb bequeaths p

roperty

to nonpro

fit

Walking trail t

o Lone Tree Hill

constr

ucted

Project Seaso

ns publis

hed

Welcome Center o

pens

Inn at Shelburn

e Farm

s opens

Envisioned in

a Pastoral S

etting art

show

Preschool p

rograms l

aunched; a

warded

“Best

in Show” by A

merican Cheese

Society

Children’s F

armyard

opens

Archives e

stablis

hed for c

ollectio

ns care

Institu

te for S

ustainable Communitie

s (ISC)+

partnersh

ip in Centra

l & Easte

rn Euro

pe

Farm

Barn renovated & M

cClure Center fo

r Sch

ool Programs

opens; partn

ership w

ith King Stre

et Center+

begins

Acquisi

tion of B

reeding Barn co

mplex & 400 acre

s

Shelburne Explorers

4-H pro

gram launch

ed

Project Seaso

ns publis

hed in Ita

lian

New copper r

oof on Breeding Barn

Outreach

for E

arth Steward

ship

* moves t

o the Fa

rm

VT Grass-

Based Fa

rming A

ssocia

tion fo

rmed

Conservatio

n Study In

stitu

te of Natio

nal Park Service

(NPS)+

Renaissance

School*

opens; ISC+

partnersh

ip in Asia

begins

Vermont F

EED project launch

ed w/N

OFA-V

T & Food W

orks+

Forest for E

very Classroom pro

gram starte

d with

NPS,

National F

orest Service

& N

ational W

ildlife

Federation

Sustainable Sch

ools Pro

ject launch

ed

Designated N

ational H

istoric

Landmark

Earth Charte

r gath

ering; fi

eld nesting bird

rese

arch begins

Calf & 4-H

barn co

nstructed; fi

rst A

ll Souls

gatherin

g at

Breeding Barn; M

aster L

andscape Steward

ship Plan

Water Reso

urces S

tewardsh

ip Project la

unched

“Sustainabilit

y” & “S

ense of P

lace” a

dopted as

Vermont e

ducatio

nal standard

s

Formal g

arden re

storatio

n project b

egins

Healthy Neighborh

oods/Health

y Kids Guide publis

hed

Farm

-base

d Educatio

n Netw

ork founded

Breeding Barn st

abilizatio

n; Susta

inability A

cademy+

founded at Lawrence

Barnes S

chool

First s

ection of P

edestrian Path

constr

ucted; insta

lled

solar p

anels on Fa

rm Barn

; new co

mposting operatio

n

establis

hed; publis

hed Hist

ory of Shelburn

e Farms

Energy efficie

nt dairy

staff housin

g constr

ucted

Park for E

very Classroom

+ launch

ed; Solar O

rchard

built

The Guide to Educatio

n for S

ustainabilit

y published

Proto

type resid

ential le

arning ce

nter at O

rchard

Cove

Outdoor p

reschool c

lassroom begins

Community N

ights at F

arm Barn

begin

Cultivatin

g Joy & W

onder publis

hed

Sustainabilit

y Summit for E

ducato

rs

Children’s E

nvironmental L

iteracy Foundatio

n

pilot in

NYC sc

hools+

Summit on fu

ture of e

ducatio

n

in Vermont

50th A

nniversary

of nonpro

fit

+ off-site partnership

* on-site partnership

Conserving land ... rehabilitating historic buildings and landscape ... developing programs, enterprises and community access ... collaborating with others to increase impact ...

1970

—

1972

—

1973

—

1974

—

1977

—

1979

—

1980

—

1981

—

1982

—

1984

—

1986

—

1987

—

1990

—

1991

— 19

92 —

1993

—

1994

— 19

95 —

1996

—

1998

—

2000

—

2001

— 20

03 —

2004

—

2007

—

2008

—

2009

—

2010

— 20

11 —

2012

—

2013

—

2014

—

2022

—

First “

Earth D

ay”

Nonprofit f

ounded

Summer camps a

t market g

arden begin

“Gard

ens for A

ll” at F

arm Barn

Community gard

ens & ca

nning center b

egins

Burlingto

n Farm

ers Market+

opens

First M

ozart

Festival c

oncert

School p

rograms/fi

eld trips b

egin

O Bread Bakery* opens

Raw milk

bottling begins

First H

arvest Festi

val

Beeken Parsons w

oodshop*

opens

Educatio

n Center in Coach

Barn opens

Property

tours

begin

Cheesemaking begins

Miskell’s

Premier Org

anics* opens

Derick W

ebb bequeaths p

roperty

to nonpro

fit

Walking trail t

o Lone Tree Hill

constr

ucted

Project Seaso

ns publis

hed

Welcome Center o

pens

Inn at Shelburn

e Farm

s opens

Envisioned in

a Pastoral S

etting art

show

Preschool p

rograms l

aunched; a

warded

“Best

in Show” by A

merican Cheese

Society

Children’s F

armyard

opens

Archives e

stablis

hed for c

ollectio

ns care

Institu

te for S

ustainable Communitie

s (ISC)+

partnersh

ip in Centra

l & Easte

rn Euro

pe

Farm

Barn renovated & M

cClure Center fo

r Sch

ool Programs

opens; partn

ership w

ith King Stre

et Center+

begins

Acquisi

tion of B

reeding Barn co

mplex & 400 acre

s

Shelburne Explorers

4-H pro

gram launch

ed

Project Seaso

ns publis

hed in Ita

lian

New copper r

oof on Breeding Barn

Outreach

for E

arth Steward

ship

* moves t

o the Fa

rm

VT Grass-

Based Fa

rming A

ssocia

tion fo

rmed

Conservatio

n Study In

stitu

te of Natio

nal Park Service

(NPS)+

Renaissance

School*

opens; ISC+

partnersh

ip in Asia

begins

Vermont F

EED project launch

ed w/N

OFA-V

T & Food W

orks+

Forest for E

very Classroom pro

gram starte

d with

NPS,

National F

orest Service

& N

ational W

ildlife

Federation

Sustainable Sch

ools Pro

ject launch

ed

Designated N

ational H

istoric

Landmark

Earth Charte

r gath

ering; fi

eld nesting bird

rese

arch begins

Calf & 4-H

barn co

nstructed; fi

rst A

ll Souls

gatherin

g at

Breeding Barn; M

aster L

andscape Steward

ship Plan

Water Reso

urces S

tewardsh

ip Project la

unched

“Sustainabilit

y” & “S

ense of P

lace” a

dopted as

Vermont e

ducatio

nal standard

s

Formal g

arden re

storatio

n project b

egins

Healthy Neighborh

oods/Health

y Kids Guide publis

hed

Farm

-base

d Educatio

n Netw

ork founded

Breeding Barn st

abilizatio

n; Susta

inability A

cademy+

founded at Lawrence

Barnes S

chool

First s

ection of P

edestrian Path

constr

ucted; insta

lled

solar p

anels on Fa

rm Barn

; new co

mposting operatio

n

establis

hed; publis

hed Hist

ory of Shelburn

e Farms

Energy efficie

nt dairy

staff housin

g constr

ucted

Park for E

very Classroom

+ launch

ed; Solar O

rchard

built

The Guide to Educatio

n for S

ustainabilit

y published

Proto

type resid

ential le

arning ce

nter at O

rchard

Cove

Outdoor p

reschool c

lassroom begins

Community N

ights at F

arm Barn

begin

Cultivatin

g Joy & W

onder publis

hed

Sustainabilit

y Summit for E

ducato

rs

Children’s E

nvironmental L

iteracy Foundatio

n

pilot in

NYC sc

hools+

Summit on fu

ture of e

ducatio

n

in Vermont

50th A

nniversary

of nonpro

fit

“ No other place I know combines such stunning natural beauty with a quiet groundswell

of visionary commitment to stewardship and planetary thinking and doing. The place

reminds you of the things that are important: community, the future, young people. It

stirs up a deep, sweet hope that we can create a sustainable, socially just world! It really

is more than a place, it’s a state of mind.”

Julia Alvarez, author and Shelburne Farms board member

Conserving land ... rehabilitating historic buildings and landscape ... developing programs, enterprises and community access ... collaborating with others to increase impact ...

Aerial view of Shelburne Farms (Marshall Webb)

Shelburne Farms inspires stewardship, not because we showcase all the answers, but because every day we grapple with real challenges and complex issues linked to land, food, health, and economics.

The authenticity of the Farm as a learning center is grounded in our daily practice. Managing this magnificent working landscape for diverse uses — agricultural production, education, wildlife, residential, and public enjoyment — we strive to make informed decisions grounded in science and understanding of the land’s carrying capacity.

Every day we seek to align our farming and food systems, energy use, and operations with the stewardship principles that we teach.

ABOVE: Brown Swiss on pasture (Marshall Webb) LEFT: Harvesting spinach in the Market Garden (Vera Chang)

“ Because a community is, by definition, place, its success cannot be divided from the success of its place …

its soils, forests, grasslands, plants and animals, water, light, and air. The two economies, the natural and the human,

support each other; each is the other’s hope of a durable and a livable world.”

Wendell Berry, author, poet & farmer

Healthy food. Agriculture connects our lives to the land. Our farmhouse cheesemaking; grass-based dairy, beef, and sheep operations; maple sugaring; vegetable gardens; and small-scale poultry, honey, and mushroom production engage people in hands-on learning and contribute to a healthy regional food system.

Renewable energy. We seek to optimize carbon sequestration and balance our energy needs with what can be supplied from renewable sources, preferably from the Farm.

Community resources. Providing community access for outdoor enjoyment, programs and special events is an important part of the life of the Farm. Caring for our historic resources and sharing the landscape, gardens, buildings, and collections of this National Historic Landmark add to the special qualities of our campus.

TOP: Forester for a Day family program (staff photo)MIDDLE: Cheesemaking (Marshall Webb)BOTTOM: Solar Orchard (Neil Dixon)

Sustainable forestry. We carefully manage nearly 400 acres of hardwoods, pine and spruce plantations, along with an ecological forest reserve, to support wildlife, public enjoyment and the production of firewood, lumber, and maple syrup.

Clean water. Within the context of our working farm and globally, stewardship of water resources has never been more vital. We are engaged with a community of stakeholders to better understand how land management practices impact water quality, ecology, and human health.

Shelburne Farms aspires to be a leader in best practicesin education and stewardship. While our primary program audience is young people, educators, and families, the Farm as a whole supports learners of all ages to become agents of change.

What will it look like as the Farm’s mission takes hold?

Classroom walls will be more porous, with life-changing learning happening in urban neighborhoods and rural villages, on farms and in forests, parks, and protected areas. Communities will support and empower young people to take action. Informed and caring citizens around the globe will pursue social justice and the stewardship of natural resources.

ABOVE: Students in an outdoor classroom at the Sustainability Academy at Lawrence Barnes School, a partnership between the Burlington School District and Shelburne Farms. The Academy is the country’s first public elementary magnet school that integrates the big ideas of sustainability into curriculum and campus practices. (Brian Williams)

The Farm’s work is focused on: • educating for sustainability through programs

and resources for educators, young people, families, and communities;

• collaborating with educational organizations and other strategic partners to support local, regional, and international networks of people dedicated to creating a sustainable future;

• promoting dialogue and problem-solving around sustainability; and

• conserving and sharing a beautiful and ecolog-ically healthy working landscape as one example of how humans can have a positive impact on the Earth.

Our vision is to be a global center educating for a sustainable future. To amplify our impact, Shelburne Farms must deepen the learning we offer by providing inspiring residential experiences where educators and other change-makers convene to connect with the land, share promising practices, and explore sustainability challenges and opportunities for action.

Every aspect of our farm-based campus will cultivate learning grounded in place. We will weave our work with communities of educators, to learn from each other as we collaborate on shaping a better world.

TOP: Sustainability Summit at Coach Barn (Orchard Cove Photography)LEFT: Future residential learning center proposed for Southern Acres (SAS Architects)

“Addressing our many challenges will require the rise of a new consciousness, with different values …

For some, it is a spiritual awakening — a transformation of the human heart. For others it is a more intellectual

process of coming to see the world anew …

But for all, the possibility of a sustainable and just future will require major cultural change and a reorientation

regarding what society values and prizes most highly.”

Gus Speth, environmental lawyer and advocate

“

There’s never been a more important time to take action.Financial sustainability is central to advancing our mission and vision. We achieve this through a balance of charitable support, fees, tuition, program-support enterprises, and socially responsible investments. Your commitment strengthens Shelburne Farms as an educational and community resource, and enhances the collective impact of our education programs with local and global partners.

There has never been a more important time to take action.Our financial sustainability is central to advancing our vision. We achieve this through a balance of charitable support, socially responsible investments and enterprises, fees and tuition, and other sources of earned revenue. Your commitment will strengthen Shelburne Farms as an educational and community resource, and enhance the collective impact of our education for sustainability programs with local and global partners. Please join in our efforts!

“ If you can find

one good example,

you’ve got the

grounds for hope.”

Wendell Berry author, poet & farmer

TOP: Shelburne Farms working landscape (Marshall Webb) RIGHT: Wild Edibles work-shop with field naturalist (Holly Brough)

We are counting on you — our extended community of members, volunteers, collaborators, and friends — to be part of a shared vision for a sustainable future.

ABOVE, left to right: Adventures preschool program (staff photo), Market Garden (Vera Chang),Summer camp (staff photo), Sustainability Academy (Brian Williams)

Educating for a sustainable futureShelburne Farms

1611 Harbor Road • Shelburne, Vermont • www.shelburnefarms.org • 802-985-8686

School program at Children’s Farmyard (Vera Chang)

This paper contains 100% post-consumer recycled fiber, is process-chlorine free, and produced with renewable, biogas energy. This product was printed with vegetable-based inks on an FSC® certified paper.

“ There is no power for change greater than

a community discovering what it cares about.”

Margaret J. Wheatley