BOOK A WILD VOICES FOR KIDS PROGRAM!
We ask that teachers ensure that a program does not violate their school and/or district policies before booking. It is the responsibility of the teacher to confirm program suitability and communicate needs and questions to the Community Educator that is delivering the program.
Do you have any question about the Wild Voices Program? Please connect with Mia at wildvoices@cbeen.org
NEED HELP BOOKING A PROGRAM?
Check out our Booking Guide for Teachers.
Agriculture in the Classroom
Bookable Type(s) | Full Day Field Study Half Day Field Study |
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Duration | Varies by Booking |
Location | local farms |
Contact This Presenter | beranch@telus.net / 250-427-0314 |
In order to ensure a high quality program, we allow only one class to attend the presentation at one time. Please contact Karen by phone at 250-427-0314 or email at beranch@telus.net before booking. After you have connected with Karen, please return here to book the program.
About the Program
The goal of this program is to make agriculture come alive in the Kootenays, promote healthy food choices and an understanding of what goes on in the production of our food.
Many opportunities are available to classes for field trips, depending on the season, student demographic and interest! Take a trip to a dairy and see how our milk is produced or taste cheeses and milk produced in the East Kootenays. Explore an orchard to find the 'magic pumpkin' (you get to have one of your choice) or visit the fruit and vegetable stand to learn what kinds of produce we grow and what is involved in producing the fruit and vegetables we eat. Help pick raspberries or apples, depending on the time. You get to keep some too!! Visit a greenhouse or a farm to see how vegetables are cared for both outside or in a greenhouse setting. You may get to pick squash or vegetables depending on the season. Visit the vet clinic and see how big and small animals are treated when sick. Take a trip to a cattle ranch, see the dogs working with sheep and perhaps get to feed the sheep, and play with the pygmy goats. See the new calves and other animals, and learn how crops are watered and harvested. These trips can be paired with in class presentations.
About the Community Educator
Karen is a former teacher and now lives on a beef ranch. She raises beef cattle and crops to sell to restaurants, grocery stores and local clientele. She seeks to give children opportunities with agriculture that they may not get through their daily lives.
Curriculum Links: | |
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Tags: | Food |
Seasons: | Autumn, Summer, Spring |
Grade Levels: | Intermediate (4-6), Primary (K-3) |
School Districts: | Independent, SD6, SD5 |
Testimonials:
"We LOVED attending Kootenay Meadows. Fantastic place for students to visit." - Allison Kostiuk
"As a rancher herself, Karen was very attuned to the life-style that she was presenting. She knows how to handle young children and she organized the day well, giving them opportunities to listen, move and eat." - Carolyne Zimich
"She is a retired elementary school teacher with an agriculture background so knew how to interact with children as well as she knew her subject well." - Colleen Bermel
"Karen did a good job booking this trip with Barb at Wloka Orchard." - Michelle Lesage
"Karen was fantastic and an amazing wealth of knowledge. When things didn't go as planned at the Dairy (the owner did not show up to give us a tour) Karen took over and gave the kids a great tour and explanation of how things worked." - Deleen Adams
"It is obvious that she has had lots of experience working with children. I highly recommend her. " - Val Duchscherer
"I found that between Karen (the Wild Voices educator) and Leanne (the owner/tour guide of the farms), they were very knowledgeable and engaging. They provided a lot of hands-on experiences, were patient with the students and were good at recognizing when it was time to move on!" - Stephanie Nault
"Her class management skills are excellent and her knowledge of the subject matter is outstanding. " - Carolyne Zimich
"The dairy farm was a very engaging and fun opportunity. Kids loved checking out the cows, horses, and dogs. They enjoyed seeing how cows check in to the robots for the milking process. They loved the samples of milk and cheese. Great morning!" - Ricki Thomson
"My students really enjoyed the tour. The farmer (unfortunately I have forgotten her name) who led us through her raised beds, her sheep pens and their grazing fields, as well as her cattle pasture and hay fields really gave the students the full picture that farming in our local environment requires space, time and physical labour. It also introduced them to a lifestyle that this farmer loves. " - Anonymous
"This trip was very hands on and engaging for our class. Karen was an experienced educator that was knowledgeable and approachable." - ami barras
"The students were engaged with many hands-on experiences that were educational and fun. The information was very educational. The presenters were patient and knowledgeable. The variety kept the students interested. I would highly recommend it!" - Jennifer Heath
"This was amazing. My students loved the whole presentation and could not wait to write thank you notes to our presenters." - Anne Bock
"Amazing, engaging, and fun." - Jenny Puffer
"Our students were talking about this field trip weeks after they went. They loved reviewing the photos from the trip and talking about what they learned and saw. " - Kelly Kent
"The educator was very helpful and engaging with the students. " - Cameron Boender
"Karen knows so much about ranches, and despite being super busy with her own ranch, somehow finds time to share her experience and passion about local food production." - Jennifer Heath
"This was a great presentation...the students really enjoyed their day." - Candace Ivanco
"Karen Barracough is a dedicated Wild Voices Educator. As an owner of her own family ranch, her passion and kindness toward animals comes through her knowledge and manner in which she presents her information. Jeff Hanson, one of the owners of this dairy farm was obviously very knowledgeable about the entire dairy farming business. He spoke so that the children could understood at their level. He encouraged and answered every question asked by the children and the adults who accompanied us. " - Joanna Popoff
"I love this field trip and continue to book it year after year " - Danielle Rousseau
"Barb at Wlonka farms in Creston is amazing with the kids!!! She has a wonderful, engaging and interactive program prepared for the kids and is easy going and aware of the curiousity that little people will bring to both her orchard and business." - Amanda Willumeit
"Karen's passion for teaching children about agriculture (where our food comes from) shows in the amazing opportunities she makes available for the children in our district. The trip to Barb and Frank Wloka's Farm in Creston was thoroughly enjoyed by my kindergarten children and all the adults that accompanied us!! " - Joanna Popoff
"Karen has so much experience in the engagement of students' interest in local food production!" - Jennifer Heath
"Karen has so much experience in the engagement of students' interest in local food production!" - Jennifer Heath
"Karen has so much experience in the engagement of students' interest in local food production!" - Jennifer Heath
"Karen is an experienced educator and did a great job leading us through a great day at the Thibeault Ranch. " - Jennifer Johns
"My students loved the tour of the ranch. Leanne, the ranch owner, engaged the kids with knowledge and know-how. It was hands-on! We feed the chickens, sheep, and horses and enjoyed a break playing and swinging on the hay bails." - Cara Carmelo
"Very knowledgeable about the different farms available to visit in the area. " - Amanda Willumeit
"Karen Barraclough has an enormous amount of knowledge and she is able to arrange field trips that tie in nicely to what the children are learning both in class and what will interest them." - Joanna Popoff
"Barb Wlonka is amazing!!!!!" - Amanda Willumeit
"The students loved picking a pumpkin from the patch. The educator had some fun activities to keep the students engaged and kept it light and fun!" - Cara Carmelo
"We really enjoyed the farm and the planned activities. It was fun to see all the different types of eggs as an additional learning activity." - Valerie Greenlee
Program Price Options:
Due to recent CBEEN program funding changes, CBEEN will now offer price options for Wild Voices for Kids programs. Please select the price option that suits your needs, knowing that some schools don’t have access to the financial resources that others do. The following price options are available:
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Non-subsidized: Please select this option if you can access funds to pay the full price for this program. By selecting this option, this will allow us to offer more subsidized programs to those schools who don’t have the same support as you might. An unlimited number of programs are available at this payment level.
- In class/school yard ~1-1.5 hours = $250
- Half-day field study = $390
- Full-day field study = $595
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Slightly Subsidized: Please select this option if you need a bit of support in paying for your program. CBEEN has secured some grant funding to support this option. An unlimited number of programs are available at this payment level.
- In class/school yard ~1-1.5 hrs = $150
- Half-day field study = $250
- Full-day field study = $350
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Heavily Subsidized: Please select this option if you need a lot of support in helping to make programs happen in your school. CBEEN has secured funding to allow a limited number of classes to access two heavily subsidized programs/class/year.
- In class/school yard ~1-1.5 hrs = $75
- Half-day field study = $125
- Full-day field study = $175
- Fully Subsidized: Please select this option if you have no means of accessing funding for a program. CBEEN has secured funding to allow a limited number of classes to access one totally subsidized program/class/year.