Farm & Village Field Trip Programs
Online Booking Open
Note: As of November, 2023 we have opened our online bookings for 2024! The booking calendar and forms are available below. If you have any questions, or don’t see a booking that works for you, please contact the museum at farm@auroracolony.org or call us at 503-678-5754 for more information, and for additional openings because we may have cancellations. We are excited to see you!
Hands-On Learning Opportunities
Stauffer-Will Farm Field Trip
Participants in this engaging program will rotate through a total of 5 stations at the historic Stauffer-Will Farm (c. 1870). At each station, a living history interpreter, dressed in period clothing, will teach curriculum which was developed by 4th grade teachers. During their presentation, participants will be encouraged to take part in a hands-on activity which will culminate in 5 completed projects they will take home. We welcome visitors and students who come to learn about farm life in the Aurora Colony through hands-on practical experience.
This program takes 3 hours to complete. A lunch break is built into the day and occurs after the 3rd station.
Barn Station 1: Use a buck saw to “buck” a piece of log. It will be just the right size for their candleholder.
Barn Station 2: Use a fro and mallet to split a cedar shake and their piece of log and then use a hand auger to drill a hole in their half-log. The hole will be just the right size for their candle.
Kitchen Station: Learn the science of making bread. During this presentation, students will knead their own piece of dough and drop it in the muffin tin. The aroma of fresh-baked bread permeates the kitchen as we bake their rolls.
House Station: Learn about the Stauffer family who lived in this home and discuss the living conditions, daily life and the uses of textiles. Using fabric squares, students will design a 9-patch quilt square.
Chicken Coop Station: Learn of animals on the farm and their purposes. Discussion is kept to a minimum so they can focus on their last task of dipping a candle!
Add-on Station: Extend your visit with a stop in the Cellar, learn about its importance, and hear some legends about some mysterious artifacts that live down there. Students will receive a seed packet (seeds vary) to take home and plant on their own, just like what would have been stored on the farm. Please allow an additional 30 minutes. Added cost of $2.50 per student / adult chaperone.
This program takes 3 hours to complete. A lunch break is built into the day and occurs after the 3rd station. Cost for this program is $12.50 per student and adult chaperone. School staff are complimentary.
Book Your Field Trip - Slots are filling up fast!
Our online scheduling tool allows you to check availability at any time, reserve your date, and process your nonrefundable deposit. For assistance with scheduling, please call 503-678-5754 or email farm@auroracolony.org. Your nonrefundable deposit of $100 is due with in 30 days of booking to confirm your field trip. The remainder will be invoiced with payment due in full 14 days prior to your field trip.
See our terms and conditions for the field trips here.
Please note:
Please pay close attention to the max number of students in the field trip you are booking (max number is listed in parenthesis). The only difference in the field trips listed below is the number of seats available.
If you have a smaller class (36 students or less) we ask that you select an option with 36 seats or less. This will allow us to serve as many students as possible and provide opportunities for our larger classes.
Our largest field trip option is limited to 60 students per field trip without prior authorization.
Depending on number of students, two classes may be combined into one field trip.
If you are unable to find a date that works, please contact us at 503-678-5754 or email farm@auroracolony.org. We may have additional dates opening up.
NOTE: Prices below are for the deposit only. You will be billed for the balance. Payment is due in full one week prior to your field trip.
Aurora Colony Village Field Trip - On Hold for 2023 and 2024
Please email farm@auroracolony.org to be notified when this field trip becomes available.
Located within the Old Aurora Colony Museum complex are four buildings, including a log cabin, wash house, 1860s home, and tie sheds which together give a sense of what life was like in this small pioneer Oregon town. Much like the Stauffer-Will Farm program, students rotate through 5 stations where a living history interpreter will share their curriculum and engage students in a hands-on project which will be taken home at the end of the day.
The projects for these two programs are virtually the same. One difference is that at the Village, instead of splitting a cedar shake, students will sit at the schnitzelbank and use a draw knife to carve a square stick into a rounded peg. The other difference relates to the location. Instead of discussions revolving around daily life on the farm, students will hear what it was like for children within the town.
This program takes 3 hours to complete. A lunch break is built into the day and occurs after the 3rd station. Cost for this program is $12.50 per student and adult chaperone. School staff are complimentary.
Resources for Teachers
A curriculum based teacher’s notebook will help you prepare your students for this portion of their Oregon history study. A video—incidentally starring children who are descendants of the Stauffer and Will families—helps get students in the mood for their visit.