Madison School Farm
Hands-on urban agriculture education on Madison’s East Side
At Madison School Farm we actively involve youth in the entire process of running a small-scale organic farm, from planting and harvesting to cooking with the produce they grow, and making connections to ecology, nutrition, and art.
History:
Madison School Farm was formerly named Goodman Youth Farm, in honor of the Irwin A and Robert D Goodman Foundation which generously funded the amazing programs and work at the Farm since its beginning in 2011. In 2024 the Goodman Foundation spent down the last of its funds and closed its doors, and we renamed the farm Madison School Farm to reflect its role in the community and our goal for all Madison students to see this beautiful place of learning and growing as their farm.
Madison School Farm:
Madison School Farm is an educational urban farm program located on Madison’s East Side adjacent to Kennedy Elementary. This 2 acre urban farm includes half an acre of educational vegetable production plots, fruit trees, 12 community garden plots, a demonstration permaculture guild, pollinator plantings, a small native prairie, bee hives, and outdoor kitchen space.
Rooted hosts field trips and experiential learning opportunities throughout the growing season for students grades K-12. Youth are involved in planting, tending, and harvesting produce; cooking with what they’ve grown; and experiencing a wide variety of vegetables, fruits, and herbs they can taste, smell, and touch. Each year thousands of pounds of produce is grown and harvested with the help of students to donate to the Fritz Food Pantry at the Goodman Community Center. Since its creation in 2011, Madison School Farm has hosted over 20,000 youth from over 50 schools and community-based organizations, and donated over 30,000 pounds of produce. Students visiting the Madison School Farm learn the importance of knowing how to grow food, and that their help on the farm provides food for those in our community that need it.
Madison School Farm hosts several of our Rooted in Urban Agriculture Youth Employees, who work with Rooted staff to help maintain the farm and lead educational programming. Madison School Farm also participates in projects to grow crops that are included in local school lunch programs, and growing specialty crops for seed production.
