In April of 1973, classroom teachers who were concerned about how "out of touch" their students were with the outdoors founded the Learning Tree Farm, Inc.  Learning Tree's mission is "to provide hands on learning experiences in a traditional farm setting."  Learning Tree strives to present curriculum based programs in this setting in order to offer a new kind of learning beyond the classroom and its textbooks.  It has been serving school children and their families in the Dayton/Miami Valley area, growing from about 200 students in 1973 to over 6,000 in 2006.  At present the staff is composed of an Executive Director, two Co-Founders, plus Program, Farm and Office staff. Contracted services and volunteer help round out the operations.  Visitors come from 8 counties (Butler, Clark, Greene, Hamilton, Miami, Montgomery, Preble and Warren).

The need for the services that the Learning Tree offers is apparent.  According to the Ohio Department of Agriculture, There were 66 percent fewer farms in Ohio in 1993 than there were in 1944.  In fact, of 472,000 acres of Ohio land converted to urban uses between 1982 and 1992, more than half, or 281,000 acres, was prime or unique farmland.  Ohio is third in the nation in the loss of such farmland.  Many young people today have little or no experience with farm life, a significant part of Ohios culture and history.

It is our belief that an appreciation for the past as well as for nature lays the foundation for an appreciation of life, a basic value that influences future success.  Exposure to the natural world, such as a farm experience, can be effective in developing a childs physical and mental health, sense of patience, appreciation for property, and delight in living things.  A successful experience in a new environment can improve a childs sense of accomplishment, self-esteem, and achievement.  The concept of a child participating in his/her own learning becomes a reality at Learning Tree Farm.  We feel that our mission, to facilitate hands-on learning experiences in a traditional farm setting, makes us unique in the Miami Valley.