Small Farming on our Montessori Campus
It is easy to miss, even in summertime. Harborlight’s small farm is just a few garden beds scattered around campus, a greenhouse, and a modest chicken coop. But it provides an extension of the classroom that is as meaningful as it is seasonal. Where the summers are sweet but fleeting, the growing season on our campus becomes a powerful place-based learning opportunity. Children’s connection to the earth, their food, and their responsibility to a living environment deepens as they engage in purposeful, hands-on work.
In her writing, Maria Montessori urged educators to ground the child in their surroundings, saying, “We must clearly understand that when we give the child the means of observation and knowledge of the world about him, we are giving him the means of self-development. For it is not in the human body, but in the environment, that the key to the formation of man is to be found.” (Montessori, 1948, To Educate the Human Potential)
Early morning, Elisa, invites a handful of students to begin the day by checking on the chickens, making sure their water is full, and scattering cut vegetable scraps. In the garden beds, they carefully snip fragrant basil, mint, and wildflowers. They look for new plant growth, remove the weeds, and spot the first zucchini and pumpkin blossoms. These moments are special learning experiences in observation, patience, and responsibility.
Families are invited to stop by during pickup to see what the children have harvested that day. Eggs are nestled in recycled cartons. Small bundles of flowers and herbs will be resting in mason jars of water. (Please return vessels and cartons to the stand the next day.)
We recognize that these small acts of farming are large steps in a young child’s developmental journey. In honoring the local environment and the seasons, we create space for children to grow not only knowledge, but also a lasting connection to the land and one another.
Contact
About Harborlight
Harborlight Montessori is a non-profit, private, independent, school for students from Preschool through Grade 8.
Middle School, Elementary, Preschool, Afterschool, Summer Programs, Vacation Week Programs
Middle School, Elementary, Preschool, Afterschool, Summer Programs, Vacation Week Programs
©2019 Harborlight Montessori. All Rights Reserved.