Farm Table - All Local and Seasonal Cooking on the Farm

New Earth Farm is a nonprofit, working, sustainable and educational 21 acre farm growing high quality, unique heirloom produce, pasture raised duck and chicken eggs, pasture raised sheep, lamb and more. 

Our on-farm cooking classes, "Farm Table - All-Local All-Seasonal Cooking," focus on the use of organic, local and seasonal food. Adult classes are taught by various  local chefs / restaurants with a focus on their cuisine and using all local / seasonal ingredients. The classes are held in our educational gardens either outdoors when warm or in our educational center when cold / wet.  All of the produce and ingredients used are supplied by our and other local farms. Anything that isnt produced locally is supplied by our sponsor Whole Foods. 

Our youth cooking classes are taught by trained / experienced chef instructors from the Young Chef’s Academy of Virginia Beach and Chesapeake and farm staff. The classes are held in our educational building and gardens where participants are literally immersed in the heart of where real local food comes from, a farm! It's truly a one of a kind experience! 

The Youth Class: 
2 - 2 1/2 hours. Participants (children 10 and up) will arrive at the farm just before 11 a.m. and meet in our educational gardens / building where our instructors will talk to them about the farm, what we do, why and how! The group will then take a tour of the whole farm including a visit with the sheep, lambs, chickens, ducks, rabbits and our other farm animals. During the tour the instructor will be talking to the students about what they are seeing and answering their questions about farm life. After the tour the group will return to the educational gardens to begin the harvest for the class! Depending on the time of year participants could be harvesting greens, radishes, beets, carrots, potatoes, peppers,. tomatoes and more! Here they will learn an important lesson on how real food is grown from seed to plate! The harvest will be taken back to begin preparation of the day’s lunch together. Instructors will explain what they will be making and talk about why the particular vegetables are healthy for us then give everyone tasks from cutting up vegetables, washing, measuring and more. All foods will be natural, organic, locally sourced and seasonal (when possible) and most important delicious! Kids will go away from this class not only having had a great time but with a better knowledge of organic, sustainable and local agriculture and a realization that tasty food can be made with healthy fresh veggies!