Our Mission
The mission of Slide Ranch is to connect children to nature. We cultivate healthy bodies and minds and foster future generations of environmental stewards. By farming, cooking, caring for animals and exploring wilderness and the coast, we teach people of all ages to see the connection between their own health, a healthy food system and a healthy environment.
Slide Ranch circa 1959
History
Slide Ranch is located on the Marin coast, on land that has a rich history in connecting people to food. The Miwok once fished and foraged for food at this site, and in the late 19th century Portuguese dairy farmers purchased the land and produced milk and butter for residents of San Francisco. In 1969, 134 acres of this fertile coastline were rescued from commercial development and purchased by the Nature Conservancy. The Slide Ranch nonprofit organization was established in 1970, becoming one of the first Park Partners in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
Who We Serve
Slide Ranch provides educational day and overnight field trips for students from preschool through high school, and community groups. Since our founding in 1970, Slide Ranch has worked with socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, people with physical and developmental disabilities, and a spectrum of at-risk, low-income, under served populations. Slide Ranch welcomes 10,000 visitors each year. 4,000 of those visitors participate in our School and Community Programs and nearly half of these participants are from low-income communities. As part of our commitment to accessibility, we have a sliding scale policy and heavily subsidize the visits of disadvantaged youth and families.
Family Programs
Slide Ranch Family Programs give families a unique opportunity to experience the daily challenges and rewards of a working farm. During a Slide Ranch Family Program, children and adults milk goats, collect chicken eggs, and explore Slide Ranch’s beautiful organic gardens and coastal wild lands. Participants learn about native plants and ecology on GGNRA trails, create nature-based crafts, bake bread, churn herb butter, make cheese, card and spin wool from our sheep, explore our tide pools and more. Under the guidance of our experienced Teachers-in-Residence, families gain a deeper understanding of fresh, local food, sustainable agriculture, ranch life and environmental stewardship.
Stewardship
Slide Ranch is committed to sustainable farming practices, coastal protection and land conservation. We demonstrate and teach the principles of stewardship in our organic gardens, animal pastures and miles of hiking trails and coast. Visitors to Slide Ranch learn respect for animals and appreciate their role in producing food and clothing, from milking goats, feeding chickens and gathering eggs, to carding wool from the sheep in our pasture. And by learning to compost, plant, harvest and cook, visitors get an understanding of ecosystems and the benefits of farm-to-table food.