MAY WRAP-UP: Wow, what a great month on the Education front!  Over the course of May, we had students from Blue Bell Montessori School, Germantown Academy and Abington Friends School and the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf visit the farm at The Highlands.  In addition to these on-site visits, I worked with many students as part of our growing School Garden Program.  Pennypack Elementary School is our latest school to embark on the journey that is truly gardening with kids!  I am also looking forward to working with folks from the Hatboro-Horsham School District; a District where every school has a vegetable garden!  

 

As always, my goal is to get kids to come to the farm; however, the more I talk with local schools, the more I understand the difficulties for some districts in transporting their students to the farm.  We'll keep talking and hopefully more local students will visit the farm this Fall!

Last Thursday through Saturday I had the pleasure of working with students and faculty from The Beacon School in Manhattan.  They contacted PFEC a few months ago to arrange an extended volunteer trip to our two farms to add a 'hands-on' element to their Environmental Policy class.

 

There is an excitement that is rekindled for me when working with such an energetic group.  I was able to vicariously see the farm through fresh eyes, some of which were not on a farm before.  Over the course of three days, they volunteered over 250 man hours.  I am grateful for their help on many major projects.  Here are some of the projects:

Seeded 3000 feet of winter squash

Planted 3500 sweet potato plants

Weeded numerous beds and a hoophouse

Transplanted ½ acre of peppers and eggplants

Painted signs herb signs

Staked tomatoes

When inviting people onto the farm, it is always my hope to share some knowledge of organic farming with them.  This particular group also rejuvenated my inspiration in farming. 

THANK YOU BEACON SCHOOL!!!

Katie, Ray, Lauren, & Devin

Tuesday & Wednesday, July 8 & 9

8:30am - 5:30pm daily at The Highlands

Family, Single and 2-Day Pricing available

Details and Registration Online 

Each week we move closer to our 2-day cob oven workshop.  This week Diane will be digging the pit, upon which the oven base will be constructed by a very talented mason!  It's so exciting to know that this time next month, the oven will be built!  Once built, the oven will "cure" for about 4 - 6 weeks and then, we'll fire it up, harvest our ingredients and make pizza at the farm!  We can smell it already!  

 

Get ready to stomp the cob with your bare feet and Reserve your spot now!

 

Check out this photo essay which demonstrates the steps in building the oven.  Our workshop will follow these same steps.