Students Bicycle from DC to Harper's Ferry

Bicycle Odyssey

Mountain Laurel Montessori Farm School students and guides cycled from Washington, DC to Harper's Ferry on a 3 day bicycle and camping trip.  

Here's part one of the travelogue:

Georgetown

We love simple machines

Experiencing the power of levers at the locks

The mighty Potomac River

Taking a break to admire the geology of Great Falls

The teepee tent

I love this tent!

A peaceful evening on the river

A Volunteer Park Ranger helps us with the maps

Eggs cooked on the Coleman stove for breakfast by the culinary crew

Carrying gear 0.5 mile to the second camp site

The only hill: from the trail to the camp

Ready to go on day two

Montessori Farm School on Rappahannock Farm Tour!

Mountain Laurel Montessori Farm School students led tours of the farm and school, demonstrated how to spin and dye wool, served fantastic homemade food, and helped young children paint pumpkins during the 2010 Rappahannock Farm Tour.

Join us for 2 Fun Filled Days on the Rappahannock Farm tour: Sept 25th and 26th

Join us Saturday and Sunday

Mountain Laurel Montessori Farm School is a stop on the Rappahannock Farm Tour again this year.  

Join us any time between 10 am and 5 pm Saturday and Sunday, September 25th and 26th.

Ongoing Events:
Student led tours of the farm and school all day (meet the pigs, chickens, and sheep!)
Paint pumpkins

Schedule (both days):
11:00-1:00  Lunch: Homemade Pork BBQ (made with Farm School pork), quiche (made with Farm School eggs), apple crisp, mashed potatoes and more!

10:30  Learn to spin wool into yarn.
11:30  Learn to dye yarn
12:30  Introduction to Montessori Farm Schools
1:30    Learn to spin wool into yarn
2:30    Learn to dye yarn
3:30    Planting seeds in the Hoophouse for the Hungry

Hoophouse for the Hungry - Students Work Together to Make Fresh Food a Reality

Filling the raised beds with topsoil

Students from Mountain Laurel Montessori Farm School and Rappahannock Public Schools' Farm-To-Table program worked together last week to move a mountain of topsoil and gravel into the Hoophouse for the Hungry.

Connecting the hoops

The Hoophouse will be used to grow fresh, nutritious, produce for Rappahannock Food Pantry clients during colder months of the year.  It will also be used to grow plant starts in the spring so local residents will be able to start their own gardens.

Raking the topsoil smooth

The Hoophouse for the Hungry is a wonderful intergenerational community project bringing together middle school students; Master Gardeners; professional builders, landscapers, gardeners and chefs; and community volunteers.

Old Rag - Traditional First Day of School

Mountain Laurel Montessori Farm School Students begin the 2010-2011 school year with our traditional hike up Old Rag.  It was a beautiful day and we were rewarded with spectacular views.

A True Community

This morning at Mountain Laurel Montessori Farm school 15 children and youth (current students, incoming students, graduates, and siblings), 2 parents, and 2 staff members gathered for community work.  Community work is a weekly event - students, siblings, parents, staff members, and neighbors gather voluntarily, taking time out of their summer vacations, to work together at the Farm School.

While we worked very hard moving our chickens to fresh pasture, weeding the garden, mowing paths, turning the compost, and cleaning the beekeeping equipment, it was truly joyful work because we worked together as a community.

Building community is hard work and a long term process.  It takes dedication by all included.  Joyful days like today remind us what good work it is.

Mountain Laurel Montessori MOVES

First Lady Michelle Obama is traveling the country encouraging people to move: to walk, run, play, just get out there.  

Mountain Laurel Montessori Farm School 
students MOVE every day!  

We work hard, play hard, and study hard outdoors - 

in all kinds of weather.

This photo was from a muddy spring day's soccer game.  As we hear about the childhood obesity epidemic in the United States, lament the occurence of "nature deficit disorder" among our country's youth, or worry that people don't connect farms with food, I like to look at this photo.  There is pure joy there.