A Classroom for Sustainable Farming
S&S Homestead Farm, a 50-acre family farm just a mile east of Lopez School, is owned and operated by former University of Washington professors Henning Sehmsdorf and Elizabeth Simpson. 
This biodynamic farm is managed to be self-sufficient and ecologically responsible, providing a healthy environment in which animals, plants and people sustain one another.
The school district’s innovative farm-to-school program had its start at the farm in 2002. The farm serves as an outdoor classroom for Lopez High School students enrolled in the Farm, Food & Sustainability class taught by Henning and Elizabeth. Here students learn how to grow, harvest and eat healthy foods, from eggs, pork, beef, lamb and dairy to a variety of fruit and vegetables. The farm’s 25 owned and 25 leased acres provide enough food to feed those who live there, as well as others on the island through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and the local food bank.
Educational programs, research and conservation are implemented through the S&S Center for Sustainable Agriculture (SSCSA), a non-profit organization. A demonstration farm for Washington State University, where Sehmsdorf is also an adjunct professor, S&S Homestead Farm offers various educational opportunities, including farm stays, internships and apprenticeships for college students, workshops and demonstrations for the public, and various K-12 programs.