School Farm Classes

Each school year, 4,000 to 5,000 students in grades K-4 participate in one of the four environmental education classes offered by Deer Hollow Farm. These classes have served students from 44 schools across 15 cities in the Bay Area. Approximately 50% of the fees and transportation costs for these students are covered by scholarships from Friends of Deer Hollow Farm, including a generous grant from Santa Clara County.

Since its establishment in 1994, Friends of Deer Hollow Farm has provided over $400,000 in scholarships, benefiting more than 60,000 students. The Educational Program Manager and part-time teachers are funded by the City of Mountain View and are supported by a dedicated team of volunteer teaching docents.

The farm classes align with state curriculum standards in science, history, and social studies, enhancing students’ learning through hands-on activities. Students engage in small groups led by specially trained docents in an outdoor classroom setting.

If you want to learn more about the student classes, scholarships and summer camps, please visit the City of Mountain View Deer Hollow Website or Email: deerhollowfarm@mountainview.gov

  • Farm and Goats

    Farm & Goats: Kindergarten

    Tour Length: 2 Hours

    During the Farm & Garden class, students will learn about farm products on a two-hour tour of Deer Hollow Farm. Students will have the opportunity to visit the livestock and discover the food and clothing they provide. The Farm is home to cows, chickens, ducks, geese, rabbits, goats, sheep, and pigs. In the garden, students can sample roots, stems, and leaves from farm-grown vegetables and understand the importance of composting. Seasonal goat or cow milking demonstrations emphasize the importance of the farmer's responsibilities.

  • Fleece & Milk: 1st Grade

    Tour Length: 2.5 Hours

    First grade students are offered an in-depth look at the food and products that are made by sheep, goats and cows, such as wool, milk, and meat. Children circulate through activity stations focusing on dying wool, tasting goat's milk, carding wool, sheep shearing, visiting sheep and goats, and spinning and weaving wool. Seasonal goat or cow milking demonstrations may also be available. 

  • Life Sciences: 2nd-4th Graders

    Tour Length: 2-4 Hours

    We make life sciences fun! Join us on a hike through the 2,180 acre Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve surrounding Deer Hollow Farm. Through exploration and hands-on activities, students will learn about the adaptations and life cycles of the preserve plants and wildlife as they pass through a variety of habitats, including grassland, oak woodland, riparian/bay woodland, and chaparral. This three-hour class places strong emphasis on stewardship of the environment and our relationship to the natural world. It also satisfies the California State Standards in Life Sciences for second to fourth grade. 

  • Ohlone Village: 3rd-4th Grade

    Tour Length: 3 Hours

    This Ohlone Habitat class provides a unique opportunity for students to discover the history and culture of the Ohlone people who have lived in the Bay Area for thousands of years. Students will visit a replica Ohlone Village and learn about daily activities such as acorn pounding, hunting tools, basket making and games. They also will explore structures in the village, including a community sweat lodge, sleeping house, and shade shelters. A hike through the surrounding Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve will introduce students to the native plants the Ohlone use for food, medicine and tools.