Little Farmers begin their day at The Berry Patch Orchard, stepping right into the fresh morning air and nature’s rhythm.
If goodbyes feel tender, that's okay — we're here to gently support your child through the separation process with warmth, patience, and care.
Once everyone has arrived and settled in, we’ll gather together for Circle Time — a joyful moment to sing songs, greet the day, and share what’s ahead in our farm and garden adventures.
After Circle Time, our Little Farmers head to The Backyard to tend to their daily Farm Tasks — like feeding the chickens, watering the garden, and collecting freshly laid eggs.
Each child is given their own special responsibility at the beginning of the week. These roles rotate regularly, so every Little Farmer gets a turn experiencing the full rhythm of farm life.
With muddy boots and helping hands, they learn care, responsibility, and the joy of meaningful work.
Once the morning farm work is done, our Little Farmers are free to explore a world of open-ended, joyful play. We believe the best learning happens through wonder and discovery, and our orchard and gardens are the perfect classroom.
Even indoors, the spirit of The Berry Patch lives on! We bring nature’s magic inside with creative, cozy, and joyful activities like painting with rain or snow, pretend play, art and music, sensory play, baking, storytime, and movement games.
Fall: Apple pie baking, leaf crowns, bug hunts, pumpkin washing, gourd painting.
Winter: Ice lanterns, snow forts, warm tea, wool crafts.
Spring: Planting seeds, worm digging, petal painting, Hug-a-Bug Day, medicinal plant learning.
Summer: Berry picking, grape-stomping and jam making, fairy houses, homemade ice cream.
Some activities take a day, some take all season — we slow down, get messy, and savor the process.
We provide a daily snack that includes fruit, vegetables, protein, and carbs. Fresh water is always available. We support intuitive eating and keep fresh produce accessible all morning.
We honor each child’s unique appetite by practicing intuitive eating — recognizing that not every Little Farmer eats the same way or at the same time. Alongside our regular snack time, we keep a variety of fresh fruits and veggies within easy reach in covered containers, so kids can munch whenever their curiosity (or hunger!) calls during outdoor play in The Backyard.
We have two structured bathroom breaks. Our Little Farmers do not need to be potty-trained. We support all stages of learning with patience — and spare clothes just in case!
Each child will have their own garden bed to tend and will get to choose what to grow. Additionally, each child will grow their favorite snack. For example, if they love sweet popcorn, we’ll plant popping corn to harvest it in the fall. The following spring, we’ll tap our maple trees and make syrup to drizzle on top — a snack that grows with us all year long.
Children are also invited to grow a food they don’t like — transforming yuck to yum through care, curiosity, and a little dirt under their fingernails.
Caregivers pick up their Little Farmers at the drop-off spot — unless it’s an indoor-day due to weather.