Kate Traugott has always had a passion for the work she does.  Growing up in Sarasota, she raised pigs and steers at the locally owned Van’s Community Farm. When this farm’s land was eventually sold for development, Traugott felt the absence of a community space for students to learn about agriculture and raising livestock.  As Traugott and her team became increasingly inspired to create this space themselves, they decided to take advantage of the 40-acre property off of McIntosh Road and build a state-of-the-art facility for students throughout Sarasota County, called The Farm. The property, which the Sarasota school district has leased and used for agricultural education since the 1960s, had fallen into disrepair by 2021, when Traugott’s team designed a plan for a new and improved farm. She says that the community’s support for the project has been essential to its success.  “I have been spending all my working days since 2023 on a construction site. So it's very exciting to have all of our new buildings and construction completed and to really see our community come together to celebrate and support that,” says Traugott. “This really happened as a result of communicating with the school board and the superintendent that this was important for them to have as a resource in their community. It is something that was funded because folks were engaged and involved and told their leaders what they wanted to see.”  Construction began in 2023, and now, The Farm has officially been completed and is offering an expanded range of learning experiences for local K-12 students. It features barns and a large covered arena for students to raise livestock themselves, as well as a greenhouse with aquaculture and hydroponics for students to learn about the agricultural industry. Kitchen and shop spaces also allow students to learn valuable technical skills, but Traugott says one of their most valuable assets is the 30 acres of land kept in a natural state.  “The Farm is very much a vehicle for learning science, technology, engineering, professional skills, emotional regulation and management,” says Traugott. “And those are all things that don't come from our buildings. Our pasture is where we go to learn all the lessons about ecological services.”  Through hosting field trips and enrichment opportunities for all Sarasota County students—regardless of whether they attend public school, private school or are homeschooled—Traugott hopes The Farm will help students build lifelong friendships while also learning technical and leadership skills. “I hope that it will give our students a strong sense of place and a sense of community and that it will help them to become the leaders who will continue to make positive change happen compassionately,” she says.