Farm Educator's Roadmap®
Farm Educator's Roadmap®
Podcast Description
The Farm Educator's Roadmap® Podcast shares inspiring stories and practical insights to help you turn your passion for farming into powerful, purpose-driven education programs.
Hosted by Christa Hein - a farm educator of 30 years and founder of Bring the Farm to You®—this podcast blends heartfelt stories with hard-earned wisdom from educators across the country who are making an impact on family farms, in schoolyards, in cities, suburbs, and everywhere in between.
Whether you're dreaming up your first program or expanding an established farm-based business, you'll find real-life insights, practical strategies, and feel-good inspiration in every episode. From hands-on tips to big-picture visioning, this show will help you grow programs that connect people to the land, strengthen your community, and support your livelihood.
Tune in, get inspired, and let’s grow the future of farm education—together.
Ready to build a farm education program that stands out and attracts clients? Grab my free guide, 5 Simple Steps to Growing and In-Demand Farm Education Program, and start turning your passion into programs that people can't wait to book! https://www.farmeducatorsroadmap.com/5simplesteps
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast explores various aspects of farm education, touching on themes such as community building, hands-on learning, and environmental stewardship. Specific episodes cover topics like creating farm-based education programs, inspiring stories from farm educators, and unique approaches to integrating agriculture into curricula, such as the episode with Vera Simon-Nobes discussing the Farm-Based Education Network and its impact on educators and communities.
The Farm Educator’s Roadmap® Podcast shares inspiring stories and practical insights to help you turn your passion for farming into powerful, purpose-driven education programs.
Hosted by Christa Hein – a farm educator of 30 years and founder of Bring the Farm to You®—this podcast blends heartfelt stories with hard-earned wisdom from educators across the country who are making an impact on family farms, in schoolyards, in cities, suburbs, and everywhere in between.
Whether you’re dreaming up your first program or expanding an established farm-based business, you’ll find real-life insights, practical strategies, and feel-good inspiration in every episode. From hands-on tips to big-picture visioning, this show will help you grow programs that connect people to the land, strengthen your community, and support your livelihood.
Tune in, get inspired, and let’s grow the future of farm education—together.
Ready to build a farm education program that stands out and attracts clients? Grab my free guide, 5 Simple Steps to Growing and In-Demand Farm Education Program, and start turning your passion into programs that people can’t wait to book! https://www.farmeducatorsroadmap.com/5simplesteps
Letting the Land Lead: Growing a Farm Education Business One Step at a Time at Heritage Creek Farm
Cindi Hughes is the founder of Heritage Creek Farm & Education Center, and in this episode, she shares the very real, very grounded story of how she built her farm education programs over the past 14 years — without growing up on a farm, without a formal education background, and without chasing constant expansion.
From a childhood garden and food preservation to a career in accounting, Cindi’s path shows how life experience, patience, and thoughtful systems can come together to create a deeply authentic, sustainable farm education business. This conversation is full of insight for anyone wondering how to actually start, how to pace growth, and how to stay aligned with your values along the way.
You’ll hear: 🌱
🌻 How a childhood garden and preserving food shaped Cindi’s passion for farm education
🍽️ Why accounting and restaurant work turned out to be powerful preparation for entrepreneurship
🏕️ What Heritage Creek looked like in the very beginning — just a few weeks of camp and lots of volunteers
🌾 How Cindi let the farm itself (not themes or lesson plans) become the driver of her programming
🤝 Why word-of-mouth and community connections have been her primary form of marketing
💰 How education became the farm’s “cash crop,” even when food production is part of the picture
🔄 What “Full Circle Learning” looks like on the ground — blending agriculture, history, art, and practical life skills
🧮 A powerful example of integrating math, farming, and business through a school Mobile Market program
🌳 Why unstructured free play is intentionally built into the daily rhythm of camp
📋 How advanced preparation (not expensive software) keeps the business side sustainable
🥕 How the CSA evolved into a farm-to-table experience directly connected to camp families
🌱 Encouragement for new farm educators to ask for help and lean into community
Learn more about Heritage Creek Farm & Education Center
🌐 Website: https://www.heritagecreekfarmcamp.com
📘 Facebook: Heritage Creek Farm Camp
Farm Educator’s Roadmap
🌱 Website: https://www.farmeducatorsroadmap.com
🎁 Free Guide: 👉 https://www.farmeducatorsroadmap.com/fivesimplesteps
📸 Instagram: @farmeducatorsroadmap
📘 Facebook Page: @farmeducatorsroadmap
👩🌾 Private FB community for farm educators: Join us!
If this episode resonated with you, please follow the podcast, leave a review, and share it with another farm educator who might need this encouragement.
Disclaimer
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