AFTERNOON PROGRAM

On the Farm and in the Forest

The 'Afternoon Farm & Forest Program' is designed for children ages 5 to 14 years. Afternoons include outside free playtime in all weather, visiting the Temple-Wilton Community Farm with Farmer Lincoln, playing in the woods, caring for our gardens, tending the hearth in our forest kitchen & schoolhouse wood cookstove, woodwork, building, and seasonal crafting projects for all.This program is held year-round, Monday through Thursday, 2:45 p.m.- 5:30 p.m. The 2:45 p.m. start time is to accommodate school bus and parent/caregiver drop-off schedules. Children may join us one to four afternoons per week. The cost includes an afternoon snack and crafting materials. Transportation is available via Wilton-Lyndeborough Bus #1 (Current drop-off time is 3:30'ish p.m., at the Hilltop Cafe & the Temple-Wilton Community Farm (please contact us to confirm that we will have staff to meet your child at the Bus, 3:30'ish p.m.) and tractor-drawn covered wagon from High Mowing School, Pine Hill campus, at 3:15 p.m. dismissal.

AUTUMN

Harvesting and Gathering Together

As the days grow shorter and the nights cooler, we are set to the task of bringing the light we gathered in during the long summer days into our hearth at Wild Rose Farm. We spend our afternoons gathering herbs and flowers to dry and wood for fuel, splitting and stacking our armloads of logs and kindling. The outdoor gardens are put to bed for the winter and our indoor winter garden comes alive with crafting, cooking and celebrating the harvest together.

WINTER

Nurturing and Building

Though the coldest and darkest months are upon us the schoolhouse at Wild Rose Farm is alive with activity, light and warmth each afternoon. Our various harvests from farm and forest are transformed, e.g., branches and boards provide endless opportunities for building and woodcraft projects, dried herbs and flowers become into tasty teas or gifts for families and friends, and wool is transformed for felting, spinning, and other craft projects. We may also draw, paint, color, sled and create sculptures with ice and snow. During this time of the year, the sky moves from the pinks, purples, and vermillion of sunset to the brilliance of the twinkling stars overhead. Our lanterns and stars in the sky will light your way to pick up your child from our time together.

SPRING

Germinating and Sprouting

The days are growing longer and the earth is thawing beneath our feet. The softening soil in the field and forest welcomes the seeds cast by the wind in the fall and our hands in the spring. After a season of many layers wrapped around us, it is a time of moving out beyond our main farm building onto the many trails through the woods, looking for signs of spring and welcoming back the light and warmth of the sun. Garden beds are planned and prepared, and seeds are planted and then cared for as they sprout. Spring is here!

JOIN US YEAR-ROUND

Autumn 2024

(14 weeks) September 9 - December 19, 2024

Winter 2025

(8 weeks) January 6 - February 27, 2025

Spring 2025

(13 weeks) March 10 - June 12, 2025

Guides: Farmer Lincoln, Emily Hall, Elizabeth Brandley & Eden Rizzuto

Please NOTE: Given the number of students attending from the Pine Hill campus, we will follow the High Mowing School calendar. For children joining us from other schools we will take into account local SAU calendar holidays at time of invoicing as well as make every effort to coordinate 'make-up' afternoons, for absences due to academic calendars. We require a minimum number of participants to hold each program and, in the event of low enrollment, we will do our best to inform you 2 weeks prior to the program start date.