Open Workdays
Spring Workday Hours
We are pleased to welcome visitors to the Yale Farm for Friday and Sunday workdays and farm tours. Workdays run while Yale College classes are in session, with some exceptions. To be notified about workday schedules and stay up-to-date on Yale Farm event opportunities, please subscribe to our newsletter and follow us on Instagram. You may drop by for any length of time during the workday. RSVPs are not required.
Friday workdays run from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM, followed by knead 2 know. The first Friday workday of the Spring semester is Friday, March 29. The last Friday workday is April 26.
Sunday workdays run from 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM, beginning on Sunday, March 31. The last Sunday workday of the semester is April 28.
In accordance with Yale University’s policies, COVID-19 vaccination (including booster, if eligible) is required for visitors five and older. You may be asked to present proof of vaccination. Updates on Yale’s policies regarding COVID-19 can be found here.
Open Workday Guidelines
Everyone, including non-Yale affiliates, is welcome to participate in open workdays on the Yale Farm. No gardening experience is necessary. Just bring a water bottle and wear weather- and work-appropriate clothing. Participants are welcome to drop-in on a come-and-go basis, but we ask that you stay at least 30 minutes for planned tasks.
If you are a group of more than five people, please reach out first to see if and when we can best accommodate your visit. Workdays get very full, and we like to make sure there are enough tools and tasks for everyone. You can call us at (203) 432-2084 or email sustainablefood@yale.edu. If you are coming with fewer than five people, no advance notice is necessary.
Once you’ve arrived, find a student intern wearing a YSFP t-shirt. These interns are in charge of the workday, and they will sign you in and explain the day’s work before assigning you a task. What you’ll do depends on the day and the season. On a fall Friday you might be helping to harvest tomatoes, eggplant, broccoli and kale; an early winter Sunday might find you planting garlic and tulips for spring. Feel free to ask questions of the interns in charge – we want you to learn as well as work!
Group or School Tours of the Yale Farm
Thank you for your interest in bringing your group at the Yale Farm! Group reservations are accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis. Please reach out to us early in the semester to explore the possibility of a booking. Thank you for your understanding that our capacity is limited.
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We are happy to accept applications for group visits of up to 20 people to the Yale Farm. Visits normally include a farm tour and a specialized farm task, both led by a member of our outstanding student staff.
To register for a group visit, please email jeremy.oldfield@yale.edu. Our staff will do our best to respond to your request within five business days. Because group visits are dependent upon student availability, we’re sorry that we cannot accommodate every request. With rare exceptions, our pizza oven is unavailable for group visits.
Group programing is free of charge for Yale-affiliated groups, New Haven Public Schools, West Haven Public Schools, and Orange Public Schools. All other groups are charged a $25 flat-rate fee. Financial aid is available upon request.
Getting to the Farm
The Yale Farm is about a fifteen-minute walk from central campus: walk up College Street, and continue north as it crosses Grove to become Prospect Street. From Prospect Street, turn right on Edwards just past Science Hill. The Farm will be on your left at 345 Edwards Street; look for the sign at the gate. Yale’s Blue Line Shuttle (northbound) and Red Line Shuttle (southbound) both serve the Yale Farm at the stop at Chemistry/225 Whitney. Follow this link to see the Shuttle locations in real-time and get the most up-to-date shuttle route and stop information. If you are driving, parking is available at the Leitner Observatory, at 355 Prospect Street.