Learn in the Dirt

Hawk Creek Farm is the Heart of Golden Bridges School. Situated on Cotter Street, our farm is an undeveloped 3⁄4 acre green space in the Excelsior neighborhood. We envision it as a living organism, where all parts, including the individual children and teachers, are interconnected and interdependent, thus contributing to a healthy, balanced, and whole integrated farm. We have an animal program, which currently includes chickens and honey bees. We care for several in-ground vegetable gardens, flower beds, a small fruit orchard, and an herb garden, and start many seedlings in our 4’ by 6’ greenhouse. We make our own compost on-site with animal manure and food scraps from our outdoor kitchen. We have a cob oven, which we use to make cornbread, tortillas and pizza for the students and school festivals. Much of our space has been left “untouched” and overgrown to encourage creative nature play. School events and festivals are hosted on our farm. GBS community gathers for seasonal Community Work Days on the farm to help with all manner of projects and of course, weeding. 
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Preschool Farm Curriculum and Key Objectives​
  • Gain familiarity with farm animals and exploration of the space
  • Harvesting vegetables for lunch
  • Gardening in small plot designated for Preschool
  • Play

Kindergarten Farm Curriculum and Key Objectives​
  • To experience the seasons and cycles of the farm
  • Nourish the senses and strengthen the sensory memory
  • Engage the will in the work of the farm
  • Planting, weeding, mulching, watering, harvesting
  • Develop a sense of the awe, wonder and appreciation for mother nature

First Grade Farm Curriculum and Key Objectives
  • Nourish the senses and strengthen the sensory memory
  • Experience the seasonal and cyclical rhythms of the farm
  • Develop a sense of awe and reverence for the natural world
  • Develop a sense of belonging to the group
  • Meaningfully contribute to the farm and its interdependent systems
  • Practice "harvesting practices" 
  • Responsibility for tools

Second Grade Farm Curriculum and Key Objectives
  • Experience the seasons and cycles of the farm
  • Develop a sense of awe, wonder and appreciation for the natural world
  • Develop a of sense of belonging to the group and an ability to work cooperatively together
  • Develop an awareness of the greater impact of their actions 
  • Meaningfully contribute to our farm, animals, school community and wider community
  • Develop an awareness of the polarities/contrast in plants and animals through story and observation

Third Grade Farm Curriculum and Key Objectives
  • ​Experience various processes of production
  • Develop the confidence and skills as individuals to provide for their own survival
  • Gain an awareness of and appreciation for the interdependence of self and the world
  • Practice meaningful, practical math on the farm (weight, measuring, money)
  • Unite strong wills with meaningful work and contributions
  • Take individual responsibility for ourselves and our work and our tools on the farm

Fourth and Fifth Grade Farm Curriculum and Key Objectives
  • ​​To deepen connection to place through study of: Local watershed, Indigenous way of life (past and present), Native Flora and Fauna
  • Personal Experience on land: Row work, contributions, Stewardship project
  • To work collaboratively to design and execute a stewardship project on the farm (Native Plant Garden)
  • To deepen understanding of mutual service between farmer and livestock; steward and local flora and fauna
  • To honor the land, people, plants and animals who were here before us 
  • To deepen understanding of reciprocal relationship between;
     farmer and livestock, steward and native flora and fauna
  • To develop capacity for botanical observation
  • To deepen connection to place and honor those here before us
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Learn more about our Hawk Creek Farm Camp.

​Community Partnerships:  We welcome visits from schools or other educational programs to visit and learn on the farm.  For more information, please contact [email protected].
"Our family chose GBS because of its core mission and dedication to experiential learning in the outdoors. My children are thriving at this school. On days spent at the farm, my son comes home smelling of fennel. He and his classmates know the wild areas of San Francisco and the school farm deeply, and they feel a confidence and responsibility for the farm and for the earth, from all the hours they have spent working, planting and harvesting."
—GBS Parent