Roots Farm - McDonogh School
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Roots Farm

Hands-on Learning at Roots

Roots Farm started as a community garden in 2009 and has blossomed into a 10-acre vibrant outdoor classroom on the edge of McDonogh’s campus. With its ever-changing landscape, airy barns, greenhouse, beehives, and personable chickens and turkeys, Roots is a popular teaching and learning space used by faculty in all disciplines from prekindergarten through twelfth grade.

On any given day, you will find students cultivating and harvesting crops; studying the plant, insect, and animal life; and preparing recipes in the Roots Culinary Kitchen with ingredients grown on the farm. They delight in getting their hands dirty, discovering how food is grown, and working together to sustain the farm operations. As a result, they gain a greater appreciation for the connection between the environment, health, society, and food.

The bulk of produce harvested by our students and community volunteers is donated to the Maryland Food Bank’s Farm to Food Bank program. The produce is also served in our dining halls, and a portion is sold to local restaurants with proceeds supporting our “seed-to-table” program. 

MISSION

McDonogh is a farm school, both in our traditions and our foundations. The farm unites our community through the cultivation of the earth and stewardship of the land. It directs us to extend the benefits we enjoy to those around us, challenges us to be aware of our environmental and social impact, and serves as a living classroom to stimulate growth and learning. Our farm builds upon John McDonogh's original mission to develop in all of us the will "to do the greatest possible amount of good."