Stepping Up & Giving Back: Hands in the Soil at Reunity Farm
Mandela students contribute to Santa Fe communities in many ways, and the school promotes “Stepping Up & Giving Back” activities at points during the year. The shout-out below appeared in the Summer 2026 Reunity Resources newsletter:
Hands in the Soil
On the very last day of school before summer break, over seventy-five eighth and ninth graders from Mandela International Magnet School arrived for hands-on learning. The students finished their school year strong, and Reunity Farm transformed into a vibrant hub for outdoor educational exploration as these students swapped their traditional classrooms for our open fields.
We kicked off the morning with a "Farm Wander," and let the students explore the property in small groups. They visited the chickens and turkeys, compost piles, and toured our farm fields and historic orchard, to get a firsthand feel for the landscape. After they gathered in a wide circle under the Grandmother Elm tree for a group icebreaker, the students split up into teams to tackle a massive list of seasonal projects, which showcased the true power of experiential learning.
One group of students rolled up their sleeves in our Educational Learning Beds and pulled out stubborn bindweed and invasive grasses by hand. They also planted fresh produce starts into the soil (tomatoes, peppers, and three sisters), finishing an impressive seven beds by the end of the day! Nearby, another group worked together to clear out weeds from our caterpillar tunnels, armed with rakes and shovels. Their hard work prepped the ground for our farmers and volunteers to plant this summer's incoming tomatoes and peppers. A third group transplanted delicate seedlings into larger containers and spread a fresh layer of mulch and compost throughout the Learning Garden. Thanks to their efforts, the space is now beautifully prepared for the young Farm Campers who are already on-site and using the garden this week.
Thank you so much to the students and staff at Mandela for choosing to spend your last day of school at the farm. It was such a joy to have you come learn and explore with us!
During the tour, we had a few moments at lunch to interview a few of the students about their experience. A big thank you to Analyse and Clinton for your thoughtful answers and participation! Here is what they had to say:
Analyse, 8th Grade, Mandela International Magnet School
Have you been to Reunity Farm before?
No, this is my first time. I really like it - it’s really cool, and interesting to hear about.
What’s your favorite thing you’ve done today?
Honestly, planting the garlic in the field. I have grown things before, I just like the whole process when you plant something - watching it grow. Walking around and soaking up the sun is really nice too!
How does it feel to be growing food for future learning?
I think it's really great, this place. A space to learn more about farming!
Clinton, 8th grade, Mandela International Magnet School
Have you been to Reunity Farm before?
Yes, I’ve been to the Farm lots, fifty times or more. My family and I came to Joe Hayes Storytelling, Concerts, and the Farm Stand a lot.
What’s your favorite thing you’ve done today?
I really liked weeding. We got to weed the tomato (caterpillar) tunnels - pretty easy to clear out with the whole group, which made it more fun. We also took apart the irrigation lines all torn up by the crows (in the Educational Learning Beds). We had to remove the connectors, take apart the pipes and put it into the recycling.
*Newsletter Note: These have since been replaced and are back to full functioning.
How does it feel to be growing food?
I’ve worked on a profit-based farm before, but a community-based farm like this is a lot better in that everything you are doing is to help others: growing food and giving it away, it’s just great!
