Agroecology: Learn how to integrate agricultural practices with ecology in a system that is creative, fruitful, and benefits the vitality of the earth.

Level 1: Learning to Observe Nature and Apply Observations to Farm Design.

Wildlife, ecology, and agriculture combine and coexist at Meadows Bee Farm. The Agroecology Badge integrates observation, design, writing, and often physical labor too. We start by directing students to look closely at their surroundings. This begins with a scavenger hunt/nature walk around the farm with magnifying glasses, colored pencils and paper, during which they observe, sketch, and record what they find, bringing back small samples to put under the microscope. They pay special attention to bodies of water, geology, plants, and animals, both wild and those raised on the farm.

Using art and word games, they make ecological connections, learning to distinguish between natural and farm elements and understand the connections and interactions between these elements. We create stories that we illustrate while making connections with this word game. Students gain new perspectives on water flow, noticing how it travels and moves in natural states, creating their own water patterns, swirling water in jars while adding colored dye. We break out shovels and trowels and allow the students to shape and change water flow in wetlands to improve the local ecology, irrigating edge plants while learning to direct existing bodies of water. The final step in this level is for students to design their own farm, combining wildlife ecology and farming elements in a way that is mutually beneficial, and then present their design to their group.