Fall at Oz Farm

Our fall curriculum reached a new height with a visit to Oz Farm, where students hand harvested an array of apples, collected dried flower pods, beans and seeds, and explored winter squash of all shapes, colors and sizes. This trip also included a whimsical Waldorf-inspired story of autumn, guided by our farm education partner Amanda Mahaffey.

A memorable moment occurred when students, with Teacher T’s help, rescued a juvenile rat snake caught in plastic mesh. It was one of our 3-year-olds that spotted the snake sunning at the edge of the bushes, and upon closer observation, that it had plastic mesh tightly cinched around its neck. The students quickly understood that the poor snake would not be able to survive much longer without careful removal with human hands. Teacher Amanda and Teacher T were able to get scissors and gently cut away the plastic. It was inspiring and admirable to see such young students conclude the necessity of the rescue and observe their pride and empathy upon the successful release! To be able to connect students to this learning moment by helping them recognize their role as stewards and protectors of the land on which they play and learn is precisely the type of hand-on learning The Forager School is here to foster. Everyone was beaming as the snake slithered free!