Farm School Learning Adventures

I had the pleasure of interviewing Niki Harris of California Heritage Farms for this month’s Localicious column. Niki and her husband Rich have been dreaming of developing a farm version of school, and this past year they were finally able to make that dream a reality. Scott Valley Farm School has been a success for their family and other participating families in their Fort Jones community. The Harris family is working on a model that will help other communities navigate the independent learning co-op process.

I hope you enjoy this candid look into a very cool pivot from traditional schooling, as well as a few recipes the kids make weekly at school.

1. How did Farm School come about?

Rich and I dreamed of school for our four kids as some magical blend of homeschool and regular school, a nurturing and creative environment, individualized learning, lots of outdoor time, and a sense of family with teachers and other kids that come to the farm every day. The vision started as a once-weekly gathering that evolved to bringing on a teacher, expanding to a full-time program, and partnering with the public school district.

2. What was the process of making the idea come to action?

The biggest component to bringing this idea forth was timing. What we are doing fits a need that a lot of families have for their children, and the options just don’t exist in rural areas. I think when the timing aligns, so does everything else. Farm School has attracted the most amazing teachers, partners, families, and opportunities.

3. What are the best parts of Farm School?

The kids. Hands down, it’s the most rewarding thing to see these kids thrive. Some students are transfers from public school, and the success they’re already experiencing is an inspiration. At Farm School, we have a high number of children, including my own, that are external, movement-oriented learners. These are smart kids that just aren’t designed to sit at a desk and do worksheets. At Farm School, we get the honor of building an entirely new system that can shape itself to all types of learners and celebrate everyone.

4. Any challenges?

Of course! Everything from figuring out how to get all our daily chores done, such as washing dishes, washing linens, and restocking toilet paper to building a strong, fun development plan. Balancing growth at the right pace. But it all gets done and we’re building systems as we go. We have a rock star advisory board that has so much experience for us to tap into.

5. Are you accepting new students? What does that process look like?

Yes! Currently, we have a waitlist sign-up on our website. We are growing a grade a year and have some ages that we are pretty full-on and some that we have some room on. We encourage anyone interested to reach out to me, Niki, via the website and I’ll schedule a time to meet and tour. The most important thing to us is to bring families in that align with our core values so we always encourage people to connect in-person to ask a lot of questions.

Below are a few favorite recipes made and consumed during a week at farm school.

Farm School Granola

8 cups rolled oats
1 cup flax seeds
1 cup chia seeds
1 cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
2 cups brown rice flour
3/4 cup grade B maple syrup
2 cups raw coconut oil
3 egg whites
Sea salt (small amount to taste, adjust as needed)

Preheat oven to 300 F. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Spread evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 45 minutes. I do mine in two to three batches. Serve alone or with fresh fruit, plain yogurt or milk! Farm School has a fresh batch on hand each week that the kids can choose for a morning snack.

Lemon Honey Banana Bread

Makes one loaf
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter
¾ cup raw honey
1 ½ teaspoon lemon zest
2 eggs
3 ripe mashed bananas

Preheat oven to 350 F. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix wet ingredients starting with butter, honey, and lemon zest. Add eggs and bananas. Combine wet and dry ingredients, mix well. Pour into a greased loaf pan, bake for about an hour or until golden and cooked through. Farm School usually bakes two to three loaves a week!

Localicious is a monthly column celebrating food in the North State. If you would like to suggest a food-related business or organization, email us at localicious@northstateparent.com.