Ginger the sheep walks gingerly across the yard between students out for a bit of exercise. Across the meadow, students take measurements on the framework for a greenhouse they are building. A stone's throw away, two young men find a tough row to hoe. Meanwhile, inside the farmhouse, visually impaired students prepare a lunch of spaghetti, bread and salad, while others set the table.
Josh Hribar leads sheep out to pasture
What immediately strikes a visitor to the Eslinger Farm House in Oroville is the cheerfulness and joy of the teens and young adults at work. The wide grins on their faces reveal that their responsibilities are anything but "chores" - in the sense of being drudgery - down on the farm.
The Oroville farm has a variety of crops including onions, grapes, collard greens and broccoli. But the real purpose is to cultivate life skills among the 30 special education students who work and learn there under the guidance of their teachers, all members of the Butte County Teachers Association (BCTA).
Jo Jo Price feeds turkeys
"It's a unique situation," says BCTA President John Kassel, who runs the program for older special education students. "It offers vocational skills and an environment for socialization. They can maximize their learning capacity with real-life situations. Our goal is to make them more self-sufficient and less burdensome as adults, and help them fit into society."
The program is run in cooperation with the city of Oroville and includes a partnership with the local 4-H. Senior citizens volunteer their time to teach the students to create art, which decorates the premises. Oroville merchants are also involved in various horticulture projects. In fact, it was community caring that made the project possible when the late Marie Eslinger left the three-acre farm on the outskirts of Oroville to the Butte County Office of Education three years ago.
Teachers John Kassel and Paul Olson watch as Haishum Tobias measures the frame for a greenhouse
Kassel, who has taught special education for 33 years, says his students are happier in the farm environment than in a traditional classroom setting. "We've noticed fewer incidences of temper tantrums when they're working outdoors," he says. "It seems they are able to handle their frustrations easier without acting out."
"This program provides a multitude of vocational skills," says Mark Jessick, who teaches severely handicapped students. "Working on a farm enhances their independent living skills and their employability in the community. And they love it. I've never seen such joy as when the students take their animals to the county fair."
Rosa Wilson takes Ginger for a walk
"I think the kids feel a sense of ownership and a sense of importance here," says Paul Olson, a vocational life skills teacher. "So many of my students have not been successful in a traditional school environment. When you get them into a community-based environment, it's easier for them to be individuals. This is not a replacement for traditional school, but it's great to have this in tandem with a school environment."
He recalls one student who was ready to quit school, but was persuaded to work on some farm projects, including the sprinkler system. "He saw something that he could contribute, and stayed on. Since then he has been offered employment and is doing very well."
[ feature_skills5.jpg" align=left hspace="5" vspace="5" border="1" ] Teacher Mark Jessick helps Charles Rehdorft and Nathan McMullen work the soil
Student Josh Hribar found that the landscaping skills learned at the farm have come in handy; he was accepted for further training in landscaping by a local nursery. He likes everything but the chickens. "I like the lambs a lot, but the chickens have claws and scratch."
"I like this place a whole lot," says an enthusiastic Jo Jo Price. "It's great being with the animals and working in the greenhouse. I love the plants. I love the lambs. I do a lot of work on the water piping. I also cut the grass and stuff." The only things he doesn't like are pigs, because one gave him a nasty bite a few months ago. He is presently employed in a local feed store.
Teacher Carrie Hudson and Farm Saetern call students to the main house for lunch
The interior of the farmhouse provides plenty of opportunities for students to learn skills like cooking, cleaning and laundry. Visually impaired students find the setting especially helpful for sharpening their independent living skills. All of the cupboards in the kitchen are labeled in Braille.
"At home, their parents tend to do it all for them," explains Carrie Hudson, who teaches the visually impaired. "Here, they can do the things they don't get a chance to do at home, such as cooking. Just learning how to cut with a knife and use a hot stove takes lots of practice for them. They can also learn important organizational skills, such as doing laundry, and folding and sorting clothes. They even learn how to iron."
"I love cooking," says student Farm Saetern, 16, who speaks mostly Vietnamese. "I especially like making sandwiches and spreading butter."
The program, like most special education programs, is underfunded by the state and federal government, says Kassel. Still, he would like to see it expand in the future.
"My plan is to get the farm on a solid funding base through grants," he says. "Perhaps eventually we could put in an orchard and a community garden. There is a lot of space here - and lots of opportunity to grow."
Josh Hribar leads sheep out to pasture
Jo Jo Price feeds turkeys
Teachers John Kassel and Paul Olson watch as Haishum Tobias measures the frame for a greenhouse
Rosa Wilson takes Ginger for a walk
[ feature_skills5.jpg" align=left hspace="5" vspace="5" border="1" ] Teacher Mark Jessick helps Charles Rehdorft and Nathan McMullen work the soil
Teacher Carrie Hudson and Farm Saetern call students to the main house for lunch
