PLENTY Spring 2020 Plenty Spring 2020-WEB | Page 8

Economy program embodies this
narrative on its two-acre organic
farm nestled in the southern end
of Seneca Creek State Park. 
“We sit on the edge of the Ag
Reserve and couldn’t be in a bet-
ter spot for having our own small
organic farm as well as to resource
many other small organic farmers
who are extremely welcoming to
us,” says Bridgette Downer, Butler
Montessori’s Environmental Edu-
cation Specialist. 
The program not only teaches
students how to grow, harvest
and prepare food, but it also gives
them the skills to create, market
and sell products. Its value lies
in the lessons students take with
them beyond Butler: how to run
a business, make money, build a
sustainable environment, work in a
community, and care for the earth.
“I think being a Farm Man-
ager helps a lot with making sure
that you stay responsible. If the
plants died, that’s not good for a
micro-economy. So you learn to
really take care of the plants,” says
Akoma Sabater, 8th Grade Student
and Farm Manager.
Inside the classroom, stu-
dents manage the budget and
farm market preparations, bake
market goods and prepare com-
munity lunches for faculty, staff
and parents. The practical life skills
students gain from these experi-
ences are more valuable than what
can be found simply in a textbook.
Instead of learning about how to
take on adult work, these students
are actually doing the work—and
this teaches responsibility, leader-
ship, and the importance of work-
ing together as a community.
“We give the chickens food
and water and make sure every-
8
plenty I Spring sowing 2020
What you’ll find on Butler’s student-run farm
n
A 2,500 square foot garden of biointensive raised beds and a passive
solar greenhouse that offer year-round food production
n A flock of chickens raised on a diverse diet of plants and insects with
supplements of campus food scraps, apple cider vinegar and oyster
shells
n Beehives that produce organic honey
n An aerated compost system that produces rich soil for planting
thing in their housing area is good,”
explains Meghan Pelkey, 8th Grade
Student and Chicken Manager.
“Then we collect the eggs and pro-
cess them so that we can sell them
at our Friday Farmer’s Market.”
Through production and
exchange at weekly Farmer’s
Markets, students learn economic
independence. This independence
is the foundation for adult life,
and the students here are learn-
ing what it means to be a working
adult—on a micro level.
“Being a manager means run-
ning the farm and making sure
everything goes smoothly. There
are three different Micro-Econ-
omy managers and my part is the
finances,” says Adam Yachin, 8th
Grade Student and Farm Manager.
“I make sure that the Farmer’s
Market money gets collected and
processed.”
The Micro-Economy and Farm
program is part of Butler’s unique
Montessori education. Its focus is
helping children grow into inde-
pendent, self-confident, compas-
sionate, globally aware, earth-con-
scious young adults. 
“It’s more than just a farm,”
explains Adam. “It’s really about
being a community. I think not
a lot of people understand that
about farmers. You have to work
together to make sure that every-
thing goes according to plan.”
Ms. Downer further explains
the reason behind the develop-
ment of the Farm and Micro-
Economy program: “In Dr. Maria
Montessori’s vision, the adolescent
is in a state of flux. Their bodies