A day in the life: Erdkinder

From 9/10-9/13/2013, the ErdKinder students spent four days working out at Green Oaks Creek Farm, located just south of Pescadero out on the coast. The farm feels like a little slice of paradise, and going to the farm is a foundational aspect of the Erdkinder program. Montessori specified in her work "From Childhood to Adolescence" that the perfect place to run an adolescent program is on a piece of farmland situated between the mountains and the ocean. Green Oaks Creek is as close to the authentic in interpreting Montessori's vision as we could wish to find within striking distance of San Mateo.

Here are some photos from our week on the farm...

The van is loaded before we leave!

Setting up the big tent - it took a LONG time...

Preparing chicken for the grilling over the fire pit ...

Our table set for dinner in the outdoor kitchen

Cleaning up from dinner!

Amending flower beds in the ornamental garden. The dirt was hard and dry and it was extremely demanding work. We learned about NPK and used bone meal, oyster shells and rabbit droppings to fertilize the soil.

The garden (where weddings are held) is starting to look better.

Adding the ground oyster shells and enriching the soil with calcium.

The next day, back to weeding in the fields.

Beautiful produce ready for market.

Resting at the end of a long, hot day.

Picking strawberries as usual...

Some much-needed downtime on the beach!

We found a shrimp!

Dinner over the fire - pork chops!

 It's the big clean-up the morning we leave. Sweeping the outdoor bathroom...

 Scrubbing stove

 Organizing all the toiletries by the tub

 Spider webs - be gone!

 Oops - we broke the counter :( But it's OK. It turns out it was already broken and the farm folks re-glued the crack! Phew!

 Cleaning up "Ralph" the composting toilet

Scrubbing the outdoor vanity

And lastly - feeding all of our compostable/organic food waste to the pigs .. who will soon be....PORK CHOPS!