As has been discussed in books such as “Last Child in the Woods” and “Simplicity Parenting”, the current immersion in technological education and entertainment results in a lack of opportunity to figure out how the world works through play and experiences in nature. The antidote is to make a renewed commitment to providing our children with both structured and unstructured time in nature, as often as possible and in deep ways.

Three Springs Community Farm offers school group trips tailored to the age and developmental stage of the students with meaningful work projects centered on the farm’s needs.

Steiner’s curriculum places great importance on manual and practical activities from knitting to gardening to woodcarving. In contemporary times, the connection between handwork and brain development is well documented. Gardening classes and farm visits are a tradition for Waldorf students, with the third grade year being an especially important time to learn all manner of practical activities such as: growing wheat and baking bread, building with wood, carding and spinning wool to make an item of clothing, and cooking, ultimately often culminating in a multi-day farm trip to learn where our food comes from. These experiences help the 9 to 10 year old develop an internal sense of security during the crisis of the 9-year-change where they first realize their separateness from the people and world around them in a deep way.

Middle school brings new opportunities for students to delve into farming, marketing, and ecological restoration studies and projects. Agrarian and wild lands are also wonderful staging grounds for coming-of-age experiences for youth and teens.