The Fascinating History of The Farmette

With all the new advancements and changes coming to DJDS, many have forgotten about the farmette. While many students find themselves at the farmette quite a bit, a lot of students don’t know about how the farmette started and how it got where it is today. 

Eight years ago a group of parents wanted to see the outdoor space at DJDS used for more open-air activities. Since then, the farmette has added goats, garden beds, and even a greenhouse. 

The farmette, a ⅓- acre piece of land adjacent to the Upper Division building, is maintained by students, volunteers, families, and some faculty. 

As of now, the farmette has 15 chickens and four goats. They are cared for by students who are passionate about animal care and the maintenance of a farm and their living spaces. 

Alongside learning about animals, the farmette also teaches students about composting, recycling, and maintaining crops all in a peaceful environment without the stress of pure academics. 

In 2021, the previous farmette caretaker, Pallas Quist, left the farmette pursuing a move to Costa Rica. In her place, came 

Farmette manager Alix Kivlin replaced Pallas Quist in 2021. “It was my dream job,” Kivlin said. 

“The Farmette and the overall community at DJDS immediately stood out to me when I discovered this position,” said Kivlin in a DJDS blog post. 

Kivlin believes the farmette has become a great resource for educating students about the environment. “The space [Farmette] has become an area that other classes, such as ones not related to the farmette, utilize well,” Kivlin said.

Just recently there was a new addition added to the farm. A hoop house. The hoop house takes up a small portion of the farm and functions as an effective way to grow plants, especially in cold Colorado temperatures. 

Looking to grow the Farmette’s resources, Kivlin hopes that in the future, the Farmette will become used more for more educational activities and perhaps an entrepreneurial class. One of her goals is for the school to realize that the farmette is a beneficial tool to teach students.

While Kivlin has no plans to add any new kinds of animals to the farmette, she is thinking about breeding the two oldest goats, Acorn and Carlita.