Sterling High School students found themselves wrist-deep in learning, sometimes quite literally, during a recent field trip to Kitzman’s Farm Sanctuary in Dixon.
Before the day was over, students fed animals, asked questions and even collected a fecal specimen, gaining a firsthand look at the biology, animal care and agricultural science lessons that usually stay confined to the classroom.
Kitzman’s is a private farm and a 501(c)(3) organization that rehabilitates animals and provides private tours, giving the public a unique opportunity to see the impact of animal care and rehabilitation through hands-on experiences.
Director and farm manager Tracy Kitzman said the old brick house that sits on the land was built in the 1800s and used to be a working farm.
“When my husband and I bought the place, none of this existed back here except for this house,” Kitzman said. “So we took all of the original foundations and started building it back up. I started with just one little goat and some ducks, and it has evolved into this massive sanctuary now.”
The sanctuary is home to a wide range of animals, including chickens, ducks, roosters, cows, donkeys and more – many of them disabled or otherwise in need of care. While injured wildlife are rehabilitated and returned to their natural habitats, other animals remain at the sanctuary as permanent residents. Assistant farm manager Cat Austin, a certified wildlife rehabilitator, helps oversee both sides of that mission.
For the past nine years, Kitzman and her husband – who also own Kitzman’s Lumber in Dixon – have financially supported the sanctuary.
“It’s running about $3,000 to $5,000 a month to run this place between feed, vet bills and all the other expenses,” Kitzman said. “So I thought if we turned it over to a nonprofit, people might be willing to come out for tours and maybe help. A lot of people donate blankets and vegetables. … They try to help however they can. We’ve even gotten some donations.”
Anything helps, Kitzman said, but the biggest benefit is the awareness visitors bring to the animals and the sanctuary’s mission. That is why having the Sterling FFA students spend the day on the farm was especially meaningful.
Led by their horticulture and animal science teachers, Megan Stanley and Taylor Irvin, the class visited to connect their coursework with real-world experiences in animal care and agriculture.
“It’s one thing to teach them in class, but to actually put a hands-on application with it, that’s what kind of sells the lesson for us,” Stanley said. “I think that a lot of our students are removed from that aspect. They just go to the store, and they buy their flowers. Showing them that they can grow these flowers, harvest them, and then cut and use them in an arrangement has been really good for our students to see.”
During their visit, Irvin’s animal science students got a chance to roll up their sleeves to practice real-world animal care, from trimming goat hooves to giving vaccinations – skills that tie directly into the lessons taught back in the classroom.
“We’re in animal safety right now, so doing the restraints with the goats, the kids were able to make those connections,” Irvin said. “They’ll end up doing the vaccines, the parasitology and the fecal floats later this semester.”
Kitzman, who also teaches history at Reagan Middle School in Dixon, said she hopes to one day expand the sanctuary by purchasing some of the bordering farmland.
“My hope is to extend this in two years and have an educational facility where I can work with the ag department and continue my teaching after I retire,” Kitzman said.
The sanctuary will hold its final tour of the season Saturday, Oct. 25.
“We’re going to have the [Dixon High School] key club coming, and they’re going to be handing out candy at each of the barns to kids,” Kitzman said. “We’re also going to have a local author signing books, and we’re going to have the Sauk Valley Reading Council handing out children’s books, and coloring books will be available from the farm.”
Tours include a walk to see the sanctuary’s animals, vineyard, orchard and gardens, although the farmhouse itself is not part of the experience. Along the way, visitors can browse seasonal offerings such as flowers from Sandy Schuler, honey from Cathe and Randy Harvey, and apples and grapes available in the fall.