
Mari Linnman, Founder, The Art Farms and The Green School
Growing up in Sweden, Mari spent every summer on her family’s farm. A dairy farm always provided lots of things for the kids to do. Mari loved to bring the cows back from the fields and herd them into the barn. One of her favorite moments was the birth of a calf, when, after she was asked to name it, I would pretend it was her very own. They had pigs and chickens which gave her another of her favorite memories; that of gathering the eggs and having an Easter egg hunt any time at all. She remember those days as some of her happiest times.
The Art Farm was founded in 1995 with a box of crayons and paper, a horse farm, sheep, ducks, a barn ... and three little campers. From the beginning, our philosophy has been that “the farm brings out the best in all of us”. Our camp has grown quickly as we offer children a non-competitive environment that attracts many families. Our program focuses on nature, animals and art, all interacting in a wonderful country setting. In 1999, along with the birth of my son, our Mommy & Me program was added. Two years later, The Art Farm in the City opened where we offer preschool, play group, mommy and me classes, summer camp and the most unique birthday parties in Manhattan. In 2009, Mari launched the preschool program on the East End. Students at The Green School are enjoy an integrated, hands-on, eco-friendly curriculum. Parents and their children are delighted with the real life modeling of sustainability and the wonderful animal connections they experience daily.
A strong piece of who we are is linking our programs to charity. All along we have been active in giving back and participating in our community. In 2005, our own charity, Mari’s Children was founded. Today, it continues to grow and help children around the world.
Growing up in Sweden, Mari spent every summer on her family’s farm. A dairy farm always provided lots of things for the kids to do. Mari loved to bring the cows back from the fields and herd them into the barn. One of her favorite moments was the birth of a calf, when, after she was asked to name it, I would pretend it was her very own. They had pigs and chickens which gave her another of her favorite memories; that of gathering the eggs and having an Easter egg hunt any time at all. She remember those days as some of her happiest times.
The Art Farm was founded in 1995 with a box of crayons and paper, a horse farm, sheep, ducks, a barn ... and three little campers. From the beginning, our philosophy has been that “the farm brings out the best in all of us”. Our camp has grown quickly as we offer children a non-competitive environment that attracts many families. Our program focuses on nature, animals and art, all interacting in a wonderful country setting. In 1999, along with the birth of my son, our Mommy & Me program was added. Two years later, The Art Farm in the City opened where we offer preschool, play group, mommy and me classes, summer camp and the most unique birthday parties in Manhattan. In 2009, Mari launched the preschool program on the East End. Students at The Green School are enjoy an integrated, hands-on, eco-friendly curriculum. Parents and their children are delighted with the real life modeling of sustainability and the wonderful animal connections they experience daily.
A strong piece of who we are is linking our programs to charity. All along we have been active in giving back and participating in our community. In 2005, our own charity, Mari’s Children was founded. Today, it continues to grow and help children around the world.