Our Team

Farmer Steph

My name is Stephanie McDonough – my community knows me as Farmer Steph. I grew up on a farm in Woburn, Massachusetts. It was my grandfather, Jim's farm. After he came home from World War II as a sailor in the Navy, he built the home I grew up in, and planted a huge garden where he grew vegetables for our family, and flowers for our community. My big, intimidating, Navy boxer, grandfather was a pansy flower farmer and some of the most cherished times of my life were with dirty hands, in the garden, with him and the flowers. As an adult, I came back to farming when I became a mom in 2009. Since 2009 I've been organic farming with kids by my side. I've worked the farmer's market circuits with one kid on my hip and the other in a pack 'n play. I've grown restaurant gardens from Bangor to South Portland, Maine for chef's and communities. In 2017, I started the first Farm to Table Kids Summer Camp.  Although farming has been a core focus of my life, I do not actually own my own farm. I did…but then life happened. In 2017 my son Joey was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. He is a healthy and happy JR Farm Camp Counselor now, but due to cancer and divorce – I do not have a farm. But I can tell you, when I farm with kids there is a spark in my heart and in my intuition that tells me this is what I am supposed to do with my time on this planet – so I DO. 

In 2017, I leased land from Skyline Farm to operate Farm to Table Kids Summer Camp from 2017-2021. In 2021 FTTK left Skyline to expand its camp community.

In 2023, FTTK partnered with Maine Coast Waldorf School in Freeport, Maine, where we doubled our community impact and hosted over 400 farm camp kids at FTTK Summer Camp. I also became a certified School Garden Educator through Life Lab and began working with the Dawson School at Rainbow Ridge in Las Vegas, NV. In addition to growing and managing the school gardens at Maine Coast Waldorf School, I travel to Las Vegas quarterly to plant and plan garden activation. 

Over the last 15 years I have been able to continue my work of farming with kids, despite not owning my own land, because I looked at what I had (vs what I didn't) and the lesson being presented to me. Rather than being frustrated at not having my own land, I put my focus on teaching people how to connect with children in Nature through any means they have.

I started Farm to Table Kids Farm Camp when I had a 5-year-old son recovering from stage 4 cancer, as a single mom of two kids going through a divorce. If I can do it, so can others. I've seen the JOY and CONNECTIONS children make with Nature through FTTK Farm Camp, and I want to show others how to make those connections too. Through the ebbs and flows of life, Mother Nature has been my tether to this world. Mother Nature has kept my heart together when it felt like breaking. Mother Nature is the glue that holds me together. Mother Nature is often the root of the purest JOY I feel when I play with my kids. Mother Nature is my greatest friend – and I LOVE showing kids how to tap into her powers, through my teaching and Farm to Table Kids lessons. 

Now I am showing others how to start a Farm to Table Kids Summer Camp – wherever you are, because Mother Nature is accessible to everyone! 

• If you are a nature lover, educator, or farm friend, check out our lesson plans and curriculum.

• If you are interested in starting your own Farm to Table Kids Summer Camp, contact me to learn how.

• If you are a school that needs help bringing new life to your Garden or garden-based education platform, reach out.