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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Slide Ranch?
A: Slide Ranch is a non-profit organization that uses its historic farm site to teach Bay Area residents about the human connection to the natural world. Focusing on the natural systems and human efforts that grow food, Slide Ranch programs use hands-on experience to teach about our connection to the sun, soil, water, air, and the people who work to feed us every day. Our 134 acre site consisting of a working farm, residential community, certified organic garden, coastal wild lands and tide pools serves as an ideal outdoor classroom.
Q: Can I visit Slide Ranch whenever I want?
A: We welcome you to explore our hiking trails, beaches, tidepools, and garden during daylight hours. Please stay on trails to help us control erosion and encourage native plant life. ALL ANIMAL AREAS are for staff and registered program participants only. If you would like to meet our animals, please pre-register for one of our programs and learn to milk a goat or feed a chicken. Slide Ranch does not have public trash cans, so please pack out all your trash. No dogs are allowed at Slide Ranch. Click here to learn how to schedule a visit to Slide Ranch.
Q: What types of programs do you offer at Slide Ranch?
A: Slide Ranch provides program services to a wide range of groups, including schools, community service groups, organizations, youth programs and social service organizations. To learn more, please choose from the following list of programs offered at Slide Ranch: Group Programs, Summer Day Camp, Family Programs, Special Events, Teacher-In-Residence Program, Volunteer Program.
Q: How do I sign up for a Family Program?
A: Family Programs are by pre-registration. Please call our office at 415.381.6155 and provide the following information:
- Name, address and phone number
- Number of adults and children in party
- Children’s ages
- Mastercard or Visa payment information.
You may also pay by check, but your registration will not be official until the check is received.
Click here to register for a family program or to learn more.
Q: How do I sign up for a Group program?
A: There are two program sessions each year, with separate application deadlines for each. Applications for Fall Group Programs are due May 15th. Applications for the Spring are due October 1st. Late applications can sometimes be accommodated. Groups that do not get a space initially will be placed on a waiting list.
Click here to register for a group program or to learn more.
Q: Can we milk cows at Slide Ranch?
A: You will have the opportunity to interact with a variety of farm animals at Slide Ranch. While we do not have the capacity to have cows at Slide Ranch, program participants will have an opportunity to milk a goat, meet the sheep, visit the chicken coop to collect eggs, feed the chickens, observe the turkeys or ducks, discover worms in the worm compost and perhaps watch bees at work in the observation bee hive. Click here to to register for a program or to learn more.
Q: Would children ages two or under be able to enjoy Slide Ranch?
A: Our programs are designed for families with children of all ages, with a day of farm activities usually centered around a theme. We now offer special Toddler Days as part of our Family Programs, but toddlers are welcome at all of our Family Programs. Pre-registration is recommended. Click here to register for a family program or to learn more.
Q: Is there a sliding scale or do you offer scholarships at Slide Ranch?
A: Slide Ranch is committed to serving individuals from diverse populations including:
- youth from urban low-income areas
- people who are homeless
- youth and adults with developmental disabilities
- people with hearing and/or visual impairments
- youth and adults who are emotionally disabled
- seniors
- students from non-traditional academic settings
- low income families
In keeping with our commitment to diversity, we often offer scholarships to groups with small budgets or to low-income participants. We welcome inquiries about scholarships.
Q: Can I volunteer at Slide Ranch?
A: Volunteering at Slide Ranch is a great way to support your own health and development while helping our non-profit environmental education center. The range of activities includes organic gardening, native plant restoration and ranch maintenance projects.
To volunteer and to learn how you can get involved with Slide Ranch, please click here.
Q: Do people have weddings at Slide Ranch?
A: Slide Ranch offers rustic facilities for private group or individual hire. The site is well-suited for retreats, workshops and conferences, as well as for family reunions and weddings.
Please click here to learn more about site rentals.
Q: Do you rent cabins at Slide Ranch?
A: While we do not have cabins on site for rental, we often rent our group campsite for tent camping. A ten minute walk from the farmstead along a coastal trail, our campsite is located on a flat, grassy bluff overlooking the ocean.
Also at the site is a rustic geodesic Dome useful for cooking, eating, and storing food. A propane stove, plates, cups, utensils and pots and pans are supplied. The presence of the Dome adds comfort and ease to the campsite, but it has not been constructed or maintained to accommodate sleeping. An outhouse and gas lights are available at the site, though there is no running water or electricity. Click here to learn more about our site rentals.
For overnight cabin accommodations, please visit the Steep Ravine Campground website.
About the Slide Ranch Website
After much time and planning with our
board, staff, and volunteer team of web producers, we launched new website in February 2007. The new website offers a fresh
look to the Slide Ranch story that has been serving the local
community since 1970. The vibrant pictures, easy navigation
and updated content will help to extend and bring home the Slide
Ranch experience.
Special thanks to the great efforts
by our Board of Directors member Ellen Luttrell. Her marketing
consulting expertise played a crucial role in securing a
very generous service grant from the Taproot Foundation.
This website grant, valued at $35,000, provided in-kind services
from a volunteer team of marketing and web production professionals
to rebuild and upgrade our website.
We hope you will visit our site often to keep current on happenings
around Slide Ranch. We added new sections like Learn and Tell
Us Your Story to help you deepen your connection with local
and national affiliates aligned with the message of sustainability.
A Salute to the Taproot Foundation Team
We love our new website! Through the expert talent of our volunteer
marketing team, we are able to serve you better through our
new website. We would like to give special thanks to the following
Taproot Foundation volunteers for devoting their time and
talent, amidst their very full time positions.
David Koehn, Program Director
Matt Kelsey, Project Manager
Kim Hawks, Project Manager
Cindy Burns, Marketing Manager
Carolyn Crampton, Art Director & Designer
Shannon Spring Matthiesen, Senior Writer and Editor
Prachi Tewari Mishra, Web Developer
Praveen Kumar, Web Developer
Brynn Thomas Harrington, Taproot Foundation Staff Program Manager
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