Guided Market Walk
A DFM educator leads your group through The Shed, introducing 5–8 Texas producers along the way. Students learn where each item was grown, how long it traveled, and why seasonality matters.
School Programs
Bring your class to the market.
Farm-to-table learning for PreK through high school. Free admission. Guided tours Tue – Fri.
Where food comes from.
A Dallas Farmers Market field trip connects students directly with the people who grow, raise, and make their food. Kids walk through The Shed, meet Texas producers, handle seasonal produce, and learn how a real farmers market works — from 5 am setup to sold-out stalls by noon.
Every visit is guided by a DFM educator or knowledgeable producer volunteer. Activities are adapted to grade level, from simple sensory exploration for the youngest visitors to supply-chain and food-systems discussions for older students.
Every Visit Includes
What your group experiences
Produce Identification
Students touch, smell, and examine seasonal vegetables and fruits. Guided questions help kids connect what they see to what they eat — and to the farm that grew it.
Producer Q&A
At least one producer hosts a five-minute conversation with students — sharing how they grow their crops, what a workday looks like, and what challenges small farms face.
Curriculum Connections
We provide a pre-visit teacher packet with vocabulary, discussion questions, and TEKS connections for science, social studies, health, and math — aligned to your grade band.
Parking for Buses
We coordinate reserved bus parking adjacent to The Shed entrance. Share your vehicle count when you book and we handle the rest.
Post-Visit Materials
A take-home activity sheet and a seasonal recipe card for each student — so the learning continues after the bus ride back.
Curriculum by Grade
Tours tailored to every grade band
Pre-K – Kindergarten
My First Farmers Market
Sensory-first exploration: colors, shapes, smells, and textures. Simple sorting activities and a storybook-style narrative about where food grows. Best with groups of 20 or fewer.
Grades 1 – 3
Seeds to Stall
Students trace one crop — a tomato, a bunch of kale, a peach — from seed to harvest to market stall. Producer Q&A included. TEKS-aligned to science and social studies.
Grades 4 – 6
Texas Farm to Table
Explores the full supply chain: soil health, growing regions, transportation, and how a farmers market differs from a grocery store. Includes simple math activities around pricing and yield.
Grades 7 – 12
Food Systems & Sustainability
Deeper discussion of food access, local economies, industrial agriculture vs. small farms, and the role of urban markets. Suitable for biology, economics, environmental science, and agriculture courses.
How to book.
-
1
Submit the request form Fill out the form to the right with your school, grade, group size, and preferred dates. We respond within two business days.
-
2
Confirm your visit We'll email a confirmation with your tour time, parking instructions, and the pre-visit teacher packet.
-
3
Arrive and explore Meet your guide at the main Shed entrance on Harwood St. Wear comfortable shoes — the tour is outdoors rain or shine.
Questions? Email education@dallasfarmersmarket.org or call (214) 939-2808.
Request a Visit
Common Questions
Field trip FAQ
At least two weeks, so we can confirm producer participation and arrange parking. For spring semester visits (March–May), book as early as possible — those dates fill up fast.
Admission to the Dallas Farmers Market is always free. There is no charge for the guided tour itself. Add-on activities — cooking demonstrations, produce sampling sessions — may have a small materials fee; ask when you book.
We welcome groups of 10 to 120 students. Groups larger than 25 rotate through sub-groups of 20–25, each with a guide, so every student gets hands-on time with producers.
Yes. We recommend one adult chaperone per 10 students for groups younger than fifth grade. Include your chaperone count when you request a booking so we can plan accordingly.
Tuesday through Friday, 9 am – 12 pm, during the school year (September through May). Saturday visits are possible for smaller groups but must be arranged separately — contact us to discuss. We do not host field trips on Sundays or Mondays.
Ready to Visit?
Book your class's visit.
Email education@dallasfarmersmarket.org or submit the request form above. We'll get back to you within two business days.