Education At Stonewall Farm

Education was forefront in the decision to establish Stonewall Farm as a community resource and open its barns and land to the public.  Our founder had a deep concern that people were becoming disconnected from the land and the role of healthy agriculture in their modern lives.  As a result, the Farm received its 501(c)(3), not-for profit status in 1994 and immediately set to work creating quality programs that encourage exploration and understanding of how farms sustain us all.  Stonewall Farm's education department is dedicated to working with teachers, parents and the community to provide enriching experiences for all ages. 

Education Staff
Marci Birkes, Education Director
Marci is a northern Michigan native who joined our staff in 2004. She has degrees in both education and recreation administration and over 15 years experience in outdoor education, summer camps, farm education and team building.  Marci brings many of her personal interests to her work such as knitting, spinning and felting.  She is passionate about connecting youth to the land, both wild and cultivated, and teaching them to unplug, unwind and open their eyes to the thrill of simple things. 

Sarah Antel, Education Assistant

Sarah originally hails from northeast Ohio where she was surrounded by woods, gardens, and animals.  With the love of the outdoors instilled in her, she moved out to the New England area after college to do trail work in Massachusetts state parks and teach environmental education.  Her outdoor education experience spans from northern NH to teh Catskill Mountains of Southern NY.  After 4 years of outdoor education experience, she attended Antioch New England where she received her Master's of Education and teaching certification.  After two years as a classroom teacher; Sarah again felt a yearning to connect children and adults to the land we all share.  Living on her own farm in NH, she has always found inspiration as the land easily lends itself to amazing educational experiences that make a lasting, positive impression on folks.  She is dedicated to encouraging Stonewall Farm visitors to rediscover a love for the land and the community that inhabits it.

Dan Cohen, Education Intern

Dan grew up in Bedford County, Virginia and has worked as an environmental educator in New Hampshire, Connecticut, New York and Maryland.  He came to Keene to earn his Masters in Environmental Studies at Antioch New England Graduate School.  Locally he has held positions at Picadilly Farm in Winchester, Pitcher Mountain in Stoddard and at the Youth Horticulture Project in Brattleboro, VT.  He was drawn to Stonewall because of his shared vision of a farm where visitors are welcome to visit at their leisure and reconnect to their agricultural roots. 

Sonja Riddle, Education Intern

Sonja was raised on an organic sustainable energy farm in the Midwest and received a degree in Ecology from University of Minnesota.  Upon moving to Keene in 2007 she was inspired by Stonewall Farm and sought a position with us because of her future goals in the field of Environmental Education and Sustainable Living.  She is dedicated to helping the Farm strive to be a significant community resource.