The Urban Farm

Background Statement

The Urban Farm began in 1995 with a primary focus of equine education, TUF has expanded its programming to include a three-track curriculum including horticulture, animal husbandry, and equine education. The farm hosts over 125 animals including horses, goats, poultry, and sheep, as well as an indoor riding arena, a community garden, greenhouse, market garden, and Freight Farm. TUF provides a truly unique opportunity for the urban community to engage in agriculture without ever leaving the city.

TUF offers a wide range of farm-related programs and activities including field trips, service learning, internships, summer camps, TUF Kids leadership program, a vocational-skills program in partnership with the Denver Department of Public Safety, an extensive horsemanship program, and a vibrant 4H club. On any day of the week, you can find a school group touring the chicken coop, a family working together to clean a stall, or an intern measuring the pH of the water in the greenhouse.

TUF is located on what was previously an industrial space. We are actively reclaiming what had become unused urban land and transforming it into a vibrant ecosystem, fostering healthy, local food which nourishes the same communities it is nurtured by. By establishing urban green space, TUF is tackling monumental issues including environmental degradation, resource scarcity, public health, food access, and more.

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Testimonials

"At STEM Lab, our 7th graders explored life beyond the classroom and connected firsthand with their food sources at The Urban Farm. Experiences like this help students understand the journey food takes from farm to table and empower them to make thoughtful, healthy decisions about what they eat.” L English-STEM Coordinator

"The Urban Farm is the type of interactive educational supplement our kids need to keep them grounded in our bustling, technology rich lives. The staff are knowledgeable, helpful and engaging. The experience was unique enough to be interesting for our kids as young as 4, all the way through kids that were 12 and 13 years old. The Urban Farm is an oasis of rural activity and education within easy reach of Urban students. A bit of a hidden treasure in the heart of Denver!" Jesse B, Denver educator

"My daughter loves every moment she spends at The Urban Farm. Caring for the chickens brings her so much joy and has become a little refuge for her—a place where she can relax, feel connected to the animals, and just be herself. She always comes home beaming with stories about her feathered friends!"-Anne O. Parent of Poultry Club member

"I cannot begin to express the level of joy and enthusiasm I have witnessed as the wonderful team from The Urban Farm shares their knowledge and their animals with students and families throughout our community. They have been irreplaceable parts of so many Science Days and Family Festivals at local elementary schools. To say the students are excited would be a tremendous understatement. For so many of these children this is the closest they've ever been to a farm. The never-to-be forgotten visual and tactile experience is unique. Students will always remember when the goats or chickens or bunnies came to their classroom." Sue E.--Community Resource Executive Director

"Our children LOVE the FARM! They've participated in fall and summer programs. The TUF Summer Camp was their highlight of the year. They are comfortable with animals and better understand their place in the world and how important it is to take care of our earth, our animals, and each other. They are in nature and so happy at TUF." - Scholarship Recipient & TUF Member

"Thank you for giving my child such a wonderful learning experience this Summer. This opportunity has been incredible for her personal growth! She looks forward to continuing this Fall and throughout High School." - TUF Kid Parent

"I brought my classroom here for a field trip and I fell in love. My daughter (7) was gifted a horse camp this summer. She was scared of farm animals, especially Horses but wanted to overcome that fear. She ended the camp loving horses and everything about the farm. She can now tell us everything she learned and will tell us how close we are to the farm as we are driving by." - Teacher & Parent

"Thank you so much! I really want to thank you for agreeing to take [my daughter] on as a volunteer this summer. Whenever people ask her what she's been doing over break, her work there is always the first thing she mentions. She adores everything about it, and is proud to be volunteering on a regular basis." - TUF Kid Parent

"My daughter LOVES, LOVES, and LOVES being at the farm. It is the happiest I have seen her in a long time." - Parent of a Livestock Club Participant

"We had a great time with the horses. They were close enough for the children to pet them and really interact. It was nice that the chicken, goat, and sheep pens were opened up for the children to have close interactions with the animals. This was a great first field trip of the year. Thank you so much!"- DPS Teacher

"Our families truly appreciated the locally raised meat you donated earlier this year. Many of our families from Africa were so excited to get goat and our Latino and Middle Eastern families enjoyed the lamb." - Food Pantry Volunteer

"The meat, eggs, and vegetables from the Urban Farm was a true gift to our families." - Food Pantry Coordinator

"I feel really happy at The Urban Farm and appreciate the chance to be a part of something really great. They help you with financial education, they help you better your work skills, they help you with everyday struggles, and they help you mentally. This program is a real life-saver. I would suggest this program a thousand times for those in need of help with financial aid, work opportunities, and trying to get your life together" - Cultivating Change in Youth Program Participant, in Partnership with DJYS