25 Aug 2024

Peach Hand Pies & Sumacade

by | posted in: Local Food, Nature Immersion, Self Directed Learning |

Summer Recipes Food and foraging projects tend to be some of our most popular activities at summer sessions. This past week at Thistle Pond, we baked peach filled hand pies on the fire, and enjoyed making Sumacade, a tart flavored drink similar to lemonade. Below you’ll find the recipes we used if you want to re-create these projects at home! Sumacade Staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina) is a native, deciduous shrub characterized by long, alternate leaves, yellow-green flowers and hairy, reddish … Read More
1 Apr 2021

Changes in the Landscape

by | posted in: Nature Immersion |

We enjoyed a beautiful, windswept day at Reeds Brook this week. Caitlin Thurell and Sylan contemplated the location and movement of the giant ice floe since been last week. They noticed the stream crossing would be much more difficult this time. The water was incredibly high, and the rain had melted every bit of ice or dislodged them from the banks and washed them down he river to the sea. Last week, Birch and Juniper noticed how slippery the ice … Read More
11 Mar 2021

Spring Session Begins

by | posted in: Nature Immersion |

We were excited to see old friends and meet new students at the beginning of this session. With Jason’s still-healing ankle, older participants enthusiastically helped small ones make their way up the impossible icy sledding hill, and once they found their way into a sled, gave them a push off in a good direction. By their smiles we could tell they were all really enjoying each other, one of the reasons we love creating space for mixed age play. We … Read More