About Us
Farm Hands is a program aimed at giving young learners the opportunity to learn outdoors, gain confidence as they explore and develop an appreciation for hard work and the nature around them. Learning outdoors and experiencing their new knowledge, engages a learner's senses, stimulates their creativity, and puts their problem-solving skills at the forefront.
Director/ Teacher
Jessica de Vera Wells is a local farmer and certified teacher. She grew up on her family's farm in Aquebogue, Wells Homestead Acres, and spent many hours outside planting, harvesting, packing and selling our produce. Farming life quickly teaches that failures are expected and risks are necessary, but the payoff of hard work is an irreplaceable reward. And being a co-pilot on the tractors as a young kid wasn't too bad either.
With a degree in Horticulture from Cornell University and a Masters of Education from Hunter College, Jessica went on to teach preschool, elementary school, and middle school ages in NYC for 16 years. Bridging both passions together has brought about Farm Hands. A strong desire to bring young learners closer to their natural world while fostering their sense of wonder is the drive behind the teaching of the Farm Hands program.
Teacher
Lorraine Link has been working with kids for 30 years on the North Fork. She lives in Jamesport and enjoys all outdoor activities. Lorraine comes from a family of educators and has worked in a local preschool for 25+ years and also has worked with special needs children and adults for the past 10 years. She has a passion for working with all children to help them learn with their inquiring minds, develop their curiosity and try new things. Lorraine looks forward to fostering young minds through exploration in the Farm Hands program.
Teacher
Keri Shields is a mother of two, who loves to explore all the North Fork
has to offer. After working in marketing and advertising for over thirteen years for companies such as Better Homes and Gardens, Google and BabyCenter, she took time to raise her son and daughter. During that time, she realized her passion of teaching young children. She especially enjoys science, environmental conservation and learning about natural habitats. She has a degree in Business Administration
and is currently looking to pursue a second career in Early Childhood
Education. In her free time, you will find her and her family exploring local beaches or hiking many of the North Fork trails and wildlife refuges.
Teacher
Danielle Hendrickson is a book lover, adventure seeker and kid at heart. She is a certified
elementary school teacher who has worked in a variety of creative jobs, including Simon & Schuster children’s publishing, Watson Adventures Scavenger Hunts, and Times-Review Media
Group. Most recently she worked for the Town of Riverhead Parks and Recreation Department as the Cultural Affairs Supervisor, a position which allowed her to create community events, trips and classes for children and adults. She is a mother of two who believes the best teachers are lifelong learners as well. She brings a sense of curiosity to everything she does, whether it’s traveling to new places or discovering the wonders of nature, and is thrilled to join the Farm Hands team as its newest teacher.
A Day At Farm Hands
The learners at Farm Hands will learn through experience and exploration at the farm. Including, but not limited to:
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gardening
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visiting the farm fields
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visiting the farm animals
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visiting the apiary and meeting the beekeeper
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reading/read-aloud time
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journaling/scrapbooking
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exploring the forest
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art time
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science time
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cooking time
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history time (local agricultural)
