greenhouses , and are then moved outdoors during peak season . Turnau adds : “ We like to bring educators and students here so they can see the full growth cycle . Many children have no idea how vegetables are grown , so a trip to the market garden can change their whole perspective at an impressionable age .”
Shelburne Farms also affirms their commitment to agricultural education through longstanding partnerships with other like-minded organizations . Their collaborative initiative with Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont ( NOFA-VT ), “ Vermont FEED ,” encourages the growth of farm-to-school food networks and educational resources . “ We want to help cultivate viable farm-toschool systems that improve the health of children and communities ,” says Camp .
Shelburne Farms ’ teacher education and exchange programs have made a similarly profound impact on a global scale . “ We partner with international programs , such as Ayiti Konse Vet in Haiti , to freely exchange information , educational resources , and agricultural practices ,” shares Camp . “ We are also recognized as a Regional Center for Expertise and Education for Sustainable Development by the United Nations as a result of our ongoing partnership with UVM . There are less than 200 UN-recognized regional centers around the world , and it feels great to be part of this collaborative network .” Throughout Shelburne Farms , the landscape is dotted by stately and spacious buildings , which were designed by the famed 19th-century architect , Robert H . Robertson . While the structures possess undeniable aesthetic beauty , they also play crucial roles in facilitating many of Shelburne Farms ’ educational programs and local business partnerships . The “ Farm Barn ” was originally completed in 1890 . Initially , it was used as a farm machinery and crop storage warehouse . Over the past century-anda-half , it has evolved into multipurpose structure that houses Shelburne Farms ’
A Blueprint for the Future
The overarching philosophy that guides Shelburne Farms ’ progressive approach to education for sustainability was influenced by the visionary work of their President , Alec Webb , and his siblings . As a young man who grew up in Vermont in the late 1960s and early 1970s , Webb became disillusioned with the staid and stagnant academic approach of traditional academic institutions .
“ When I attended traditional private school , I felt very disconnected from what was going on in the outside world ,” says Webb . Webb left the traditional education system behind in his senior year of high school , and volunteered as an intern teacher at Shaker Mountain School , an alternative school in Burlington . “ It was democratically run by the students ,” recalls Webb . “ It was very progressive for its time , and it made me realize the transformative potential of education . As a result , my siblings and I started a farm-based summer camp for children in the early 1970s at our family farm in Shelburne .”
Throughout the first several years of the summer camp programs in Shelburne , the Webb siblings ’ shared interest in preventing the commercial development of Shelburne Farms grew stronger . “ We started to think about how we could do something to interrupt the strip development land use pattern in Vermont ,” says Webb . “ Our goal was to conserve Vermont farmland and strengthen the connection between local residents and local farms .” At the time , Alec Webb ’ s late father , Derick Webb , owned the farmland on which Shelburne Farms is now located . Webb elaborates : “ My father told us that it was likely that he would have to sell off the property . My siblings and I worked hard to develop an alternate vision for that . We began opening the farm to the community , including hosting cultural events on the farm grounds and starting a raw milk operation later in the 1970s , among other things . The aim was to build economically-viable programming that supported the greater educational idea .”
When Derick Webb passed away in 1984 , he bequeathed the entire property to Shelburne Farms Resources , the nonprofit organization that would later become Shelburne Farms . In the years that followed , Alec Webb and his siblings worked closely with the town of Shelburne to further the vision for the farm ’ s future . “ We started with minimal financial resources ,” says Webb . “ The local support that they offered us played a pivotal role . The Select Board , town managers and community members came together to support the idea of conserving this place as a community resource – and also as an educational resource for the larger world .”
Megan Camp adds that a notable programming highlight from the first decade of Shelburne Farms ’ active operation as a fully-incorporated nonprofit was the Classroom Enrichment Institute . “ It evolved into an umbrella for all of our programs that was called Project Seasons , which we later compiled into an accessible collection of educational activities for teachers and parents .” The Project Seasons textbook still plays an integral part in Shelburne Farms ’ educational programs , and the same values of ethical sustainability that have guided Shelburne Farms ’ educational programs from the start remain strong to this day . Camp elaborates : “ When we look at the future of all of our programs , we think of the same question that inspired Alec Webb and his siblings from the beginning : How do we transform education systems to meet the needs of individuals and society as a whole ? Today , we use the beautiful , historic , landmark property as a priceless resource where we can learn how to cultivate a better future .”
Alec Webb echoes that sentiment , and says that as Shelburne Farms continues to build on its strong foundation , they remain committed to expanding their network of educators across international lines . “ That ’ s the big impact piece : continuing to improve our practices here in Vermont to create inspiring educational programs that make a global difference .”