EarthDance is a teaching farm, sharing the craft and science of organic farming with people from all walks of life. Our 14-acre historic farm provides a model of sustainable food production. Through our Organic Farm School programs, EarthDance cultivates food leaders alongside abundant fresh produce.

Mission

EarthDance advances food justice by training organic farmers and gardeners of all ages, providing connection to healthy food and the land, and cultivating vibrant community.

History

EarthDance, located in Ferguson, Missouri, operates on the oldest organic farm west of the Mississippi. This historic property, now nestled in the path of St. Louis Lambert Airport, has been a seat of organic food production since 1883—before the Wright brothers invented human flight. The farm spanned 200 acres at its founding and was farmed by three generations of the Mueller Family who committed to growing without chemicals long before the word organic became trendy. In the 1950s, Al and Caroline Mueller became advocates for this natural way of farming which included using a team of mules to work the land, releasing ladybugs to eat the pests attacking his veggies, and growing food for taste, not shelf life. Sixty years of Al’s care for the land has built the farm’s perfect crumbly, black topsoil. After the last of the Muellers passed, EarthDance founder Molly Rockamann recognized the need to preserve the remaining 14-acres of this unique green space as a platform for education and community development. Today, EarthDance owns the farm and continues the Mueller’s legacy through its USDA Certified Organic vegetable, fruit, and livestock production. From its origin on an acre of rented ground at the Mueller Farm in 2008, EarthDance has grown into a nationally recognized leader in farming education. We envision a future in which the farm’s rich agricultural history and vibrant present draw many thousands of visitors annually to EarthDance Organic Farm School to discover the wonder of organic growing. Join us on a tour to learn even more about our history and see this one-of-a-kind farm in action! You can also view this video tribute to Al and Caroline, Connoisseur of Fine Foods. Keep in touch with us!

Land Acknowledgement

EarthDance Organic Farm School acknowledges that it works upon the ancestral home of the Missouria, Osage, and Illini peoples who were unjustly dispossessed of their lands by the United States. We pay our respect to these indigenous communities, both past and present, for being stewards of the very same soil and ecosystems that we tend to today and honor the fact that the techniques and ethos of regenerative agriculture are rooted in millenia of indigenous knowledge.