Innovative, revolutionary education in the natural world
Helping grow more than just healthy plants.
Time to let your kids unplug and reconnect to the natural world. We help grow sustainable and resilient kids who understand the connection between healthy soil and delicious, life-giving food, while deepening their awareness of the natural world. Our teaching style and curriculum is influenced by Wilderness Awareness Schools, Waldorf & Montessori Education, and the Garden-Based Learning Movement.
For ages 3-15
Farm School Program
Cultivating Young Minds through Regenerative Farming
Our Farm School Program at Nature Farm School offers a unique, hands-on learning experience for children of all ages. Rooted in the principles of organic, regenerative, permaculture, and biodynamic farming, this program immerses students in the wonders of sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship. From the youngest Farm Explorers to the more advanced Farm Builders and Foragers, our curriculum is designed to nurture a deep connection with the natural world.
Students engage in a variety of activities that blend education with practical experience. They learn the cycles of nature through gardening, seasonal crafts, and observing wildlife, while also getting their hands dirty with farm chores like planting, watering, and harvesting. Our program emphasizes respect for all living creatures and teaches the importance of beneficial insects and natural ecosystems.
As students grow, so does the complexity of their learning. Older participants delve into topics like greenhouse management, sustainable beekeeping, and ethical wildcrafting. They explore local ecology, learn food preservation techniques, and even create herbal medicines, all while understanding the vital connections between their actions and the health of the planet.
Our approach ensures that whether building birdhouses, making compost, or navigating by natural landmarks, every student at Nature Farm School gains invaluable skills and insights. By fostering a love for learning, imagination, and play, we prepare the next generation for a life of environmental consciousness and respect for the earth.
FARM SCHOOL LOCATIONS:
Our Programs
Homestead Program
Homestead Adventures: A Journey into Sustainable Living
At Nature Farm School, our Homestead Program offers an enriching exploration of sustainable living for children aged 6-16. Set against the backdrop of a vibrant homestead, this program immerses participants in the essentials of homesteading, connecting them with the land and the origins of their food.
Children discover the joys of fermenting, gardening, and sewing, and learn the importance of caring for chickens and small animals. They dive hands-on into making sourdough bread, herbal medicines, and other farm-to-table delights. Our program emphasizes the full cycle of food, from soil to table, teaching the value of self-sufficiency and the simplicity of living closely with nature.
Practical skills such as fire building, natural navigation, and crafting with natural fibers are integral to the Homestead Adventures. Through activities like nature walks and engaging with the environment, students learn to appreciate and contribute to the world around them.
Our Homestead Program is not just about activities; it's about cultivating a deep connection to the land and understanding the importance of sustainable living. It's an opportunity for children to grow, learn, and have fun, all while embracing the principles of homesteading and ecological reverence. Join us for a journey of discovery, creativity, and sustainable living at Nature Farm School.
HOMESTEAD LOCATIONS:
Friday - Semester Programs
10 week Semesters - Every Friday
Spring (March 29 - May 31, 2024)
Fall (Sept 6 - Nov 8, 2024)
Winter Seasons (Jan - March, 2025)
$575 / semester
Farm School is available year-round, broken down into 10-week semesters that coincide with the seasons - Fall, Winter and Spring semester. Sibling discounts available. We also have a farm-to-table snack/lunch program available – catered healthy organic food prepared by our chef.
Classes are divided into age groups, similar to:
Class 1 ~ ages 3/4
Class 2 ~ ages 5/6
Class 3 ~ ages 7/8
Class 4 ~ ages 9/10
Class 5 ~ ages 11-16
The student teacher ratio is approx:
10:2 for our 3/4 yr. olds
10:1 for our 5/6, 7/8
12:1 for older groups
Typical Daily Rhythm
9:00 - 9:15 am Check-in | Group Games
9:15 - 9:30 am Greetings | Set Intentions for Day | Sit Spot
9:30 - 10:30 am Garden/Nature activity| Farm Chores
10:30 - 10:45 am Snack
10:45 - 12:00 pm Main Lesson & Seasonal Activity
12:00 - 12:30 pm Lunch & stories/riddles
12:45 - 1:45 pm Games | Nature connection & Garden work
1:45 - 2:00 pm Clean up | Dismissal
To Register select a location below…
CURRENT SEMESTER CLASS LOCATIONS:
Spring Break, Summer & Winter Break Camps
CAMPS
Spring Break (March 11-15, 2024)
Summer (Weekly June - August, 2024)
Thanksgiving & Winter Break (Nov - Dec, 2024)
$225 - $375/week
Time to get outside and play! Offered during Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter breaks, Farm Camps at Hamilton Pool Farms provides endless opportunities for kids to connect with the natural world while experiencing the rhythms of a working farm. Each camp day is designed to inspire a connection with and love of nature and the outdoors.
Activities include group games, circle time, farm chores working with the farmers, gardening or farming activities, time with our seasonal farm animals, nature activities, art, stories, homestead skills, wilderness exploration, food preparation, and so much more.
In the Summer, we cool off in the afternoon with outdoor water play and indoor activities.
In the Winter, we stay warm around the fire, teaching fire building, safety and cooking over the fire!
On inclement weather days, we have an indoor temperature controlled Farm Classroom where we hold class.
Classes are divided into two age groups with a 10:1 student teacher ratio: Willows ~ ages 4-6
Oaks ~ ages 7-12
Daily Camp Rhythm
9:00 - 9:30 am Welcome Games / Intentions of the day
9:30 - 10:30 am Farm Chores / Activities
10:30 - 10:45 am Snack
10:45 - 12:00 pm Theme Activity
12:00 - 12:30 pm Lunch
12:30 - 1:15 pm Theme Activity
1:15 - 2:00 pm Seasonal Activities / Clean Up
2:00 pm Dismissal
To Register select a location below…
CURRENT CAMP LOCATIONS:
Nature Farm School Programs by Age
Farm Explorers (ages 3-6)
The focus for the Farm Explorers is learning to be comfortable with the natural world, while also practicing respect and compassion for all living creatures - including each other! Through experiential learning, we help foster a Love for Learning through Imagination and Play. The days are Rooted in the Rhythms of the Natural World.
The children are introduced to the cycles of seasons and nature through seasonal garden activities, games, crafts, stories, and songs. They practice appropriate “farm etiquette” and the proper use and function of hand tools. They engage in weekly farm chores that may include watering plants, harvesting, planting seeds and working with seasonal farm animals.
Activities are nature-based and seasonal such as making flower presses, weaving nature looms, brewing and tasting herbal teas, making salads, observing insects with magnifiers, and sifting compost to find out who lives and works in our soil. The Farm Explorers also take discovery walks during the day to explore our farm space and the surrounding natural preserve. We include plenty of time to connect with nature through play and curiosity!
The Farm Explorers are divided into two age grouped classes: Ages 3/4 are together and 5/6 are together in another class. We keep the class sizes small. 10 students per teacher. The 3/4 year old class will also have an assistant teacher
Farm Builders (ages 7-10)
In Farm Builders we meet this inquisitive age head-on with plenty of farming, building, creating, and exploring.
Farm activities may include building things that help out on the farm, such as raised beds, compost sifters, chicken shelters, etc. They get deeper into the practices of organic, regenerative, permaculture and biodynamic farming practices by planting, tending, harvesting, and cooking. They also learn about our medicinal plant garden, as well as native and traditional food and medicine sources, and our local wildlife, including insects and birds. The children are exposed to the concept of beneficial insects and their role in maintaining a healthy farm/garden ecosystem. They gain an understanding that what happens in the natural world is what we practice here at the farm and that everything is connected to the ecology of life.
Examples of some of our seasonal activities include saving seeds, building bird houses, creating native bee habitats, making and tossing native seed balls, and making flower presses, building & making compost, soil science, berms & swales, harvesting & much much more.
Practical outdoor skill activities may include animal tracking, natural navigation, fire building & fire safety, shelter building, wood carving & knife safety, and making cordage and basketry from natural fibers, plant dyes, basic first aid medicinal herbs.
The Farm Builders are divided into two age grouped classes: Ages 7/8 are together and 9/10 are together in another class. We keep the class sizes small. 10-12 students per teacher.
Homestead Adventure (ages 6-16)
Immerse your child in the enriching world of homesteading with our Homestead Adventures, designed for ages 6-16. As students grow, so does the complexity of their learning. Set against the backdrop of a vibrant homestead, our classes are a hands-on journey into the essentials of sustainable living.
Participants will dive into the heart of homesteading, engaging in activities like fermenting, gardening, and nature walks. They'll learn the art of sewing, caring for chickens and small animals, and delve into the traditional practices of making sourdough starter, bread, herbal medicines, and cooking from scratch. Our young homesteaders will also have the opportunity to create butter, cheese, and more, embracing the full cycle of food from soil to table.
The Homestead Adventure is about more than just activities; it's about cultivating a connection to the land, understanding the value of self-sufficiency, and appreciating the simplicity of living closely with nature. Through practical skills such as fire building, natural navigation, and creating with natural fibers, students will discover their ability to navigate and contribute to the world around them.
Join us for growth, learning and fun with the Homestead Adventures Classes & Camps, where every day is an opportunity to explore, create, and dream.
The Homestead Adventure are divided into two age grouped classes: Ages 6-10 are together and 11-16 are together in another class. We keep the class sizes small. 10-12 students per teacher.
Farm & Forage (ages 11-16)
Our Farm & Forage program gives tweens and teens the opportunity to learn about holistic farming practices literally from the ground up. Topics include regenerative agriculture, permaculture, biodynamics, compost making, chicken care, greenhouse management, seed saving, botany, local ecology & climatology, agroforestry, sustainable beekeeping, food preservation, and fermentation, harvesting, and cooking. We also study our nature preserve and learn ethical wildcrafting and native plant identification, then make useful products by hand such as herbal medicines, cordage and natural fiber baskets. They observe, study, interact with and build, all while keeping with the seasonal themes and workings on the farm.
They spend time in ‘sit-spot’ where students choose a particular spot in nature to sit quietly and observe. This spot becomes a personal space for connecting with the natural environment, allowing students to watch, listen, and learn from the landscape and its inhabitants over time. These students also get plenty of time to play with nature being the playground.
The Farm & Forage students are together with 10-12 students per teacher.
FAQs
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Our 100% outdoor program seeks to meet children at their developmental age through a unique curriculum inspired by Waldorf & Montessori Education, Nature-Based Education, and Wilderness Awareness Schools. Our Farm Explorer program gives our youngest students room for imaginative and explorative play and sensory engagement, while our Farm Builder program focuses on concrete life experiences to engage them in deep purposeful work. As we move up into middle and high school years, the Farm & Forage and Farm Apprenticeship programs give students the power of autonomy, deeper ecological knowledge, and provide the opportunity to learn the basics of holistic farming methods. We connect the students to how food is grown in the utmost sustainable & nutritious way while deepening their awareness of the natural world and connecting deeper with who they are and their role in this ecosystem.
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Click here for the bios of our amazing teaching team.
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Yes! We have an amazing Farm-to-Table meal program. We source organic regeneratively grown food from our farm and local partner farms & our chef cooks up made from scratch whole food meals. The meals are served Family style so the students can serve themselves & gain awareness about trying new things, portion control & having more autonomy around their food. After lunch, Students do their own dishes & help with composting any waste. We do not send any food waste to the landfill but instead turn it into fertility for the farm through our composting methods. You can add-on the meal program during registration. We can cater to most food allergies and sensitivities.
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When you register, you are committing to the entire farm school semester or farm camp program. In order for us to run these programs and keep class sizes low and secure our teachers, we need to plan for our exact number of students. If, for any reason, you need to withdraw from enrollment, you can do so up to 14 days before the first class date. After that date, the enrollment fees are non-refundable.Item description
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Absolutely! We’ve provided the ideal place for you to hang out after you drop your kids off at the farm. We open our tasting room at 8 am with coffee and tea. There’s plenty of comfortable indoor and outdoor seating with excellent WiFi. We also have lunch and snacks available during the day. Many parents stay and get work done, read, and even exercise - there’s plenty of yoga space under the oaks and running / walking trails nearby.
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We offer aftercare until 3:30pm. Please contact us directly if you are interested in signing up.
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Yes, all children must be potty trained. We are an outdoor school that uses compost toilets, so we do not have the facilities to assist with pull-ups or diapers.
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We are a “beyond organic” regenerative farm that takes pride in our permaculture and regenerative soil building practices to grow our food and take care of our farm animals. One of the intentions of our farm, besides growing amazing food, is to build community. We love to have volunteers at our farm who are interested in learning and growing with us. If you are interested in coming out and working hard with us, register on our volunteer page.
Internship opportunities are available for high school age students and up. If you want to dive deeper into this method of farming, we offer internship opportunities to those that are serious and want to learn about what we're doing and are willing to work hard to learn. Please contact us for more information.
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Yes! We are a living classroom and provide many educational opportunities for schools, home schools or private parties. Let us know what you want to learn about our farm. We can offer tours, hands-on experience, harvesting and bundling up your own veggies, crafts, art, nature skills, learning about our animals, play and much more. Please fill out an inquiry form here.
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Please email or text us!