Category: Head Start

In addition to our usual horses and goats, ThorpeWood is now (temporarily) home to seven 10 week old basset puppies. They have come to us by way of my parents, who have a pack of bassets on their little farm in New Jersey. Through their nonprofit, the Center for Rural Preservation which seeks to reunite Read More »

In addition to their usual school year program, Frederick County Head Start also runs a summer camp for rising kindergartners. To fulfill summer time demands for adventure, both classes took weekly trips to Stoney Lick Farm. So, for three hours each Tuesday and Thursday, our farm was enlivened by a little yellow school bus and Read More »

This summer, two classes of ‘friends’ from Head Start took five weekly visits to the farm. While everyone on the farm would have loved to see them more often, only one of us took action on that sentiment. That would be our horse, Fandi. Without our knowing it, Fandi sent this letter to both classes: Read More »

For our final Head Start visit of the school year, we begin at Sam’s house, our trailhead. From here, we venture down the narrow and rocky trail which meanders back to a one-room log cabin. Along the way we gasp at the turbulent stream below and collect acorn hats. When the cabin comes into view, we Read More »

As the school bus pulls down our gravel driveway on the third day, our ‘friends’ excitedly anticipate riding a horse for the first time. In their stalls, Snudder and Vinur similarly anticipate the coming hour as Joy brushes the hard-earned dirt from their hides. Since the day begins with a photoshoot of each child with Read More »

Having explored the day before, our ‘friends’ arrive on the second day well acquainted with all the little beauties and amusements our farm has to offer. One undisclosed source of amusement, however, is saved for today. Inconspicuously situated in one of our upper barns, a hay playground awaits us. So, after grooming the horses and Read More »

In crafting our Head Start curriculum for this Spring, our smiling sun lured us away from the barn, outward to Stoney Lick Farm’s wooded paths, buttercup field and sparkling pond. So, in addition to our usual equine element of the farm experience, we integrated free-range, student-driven outdoor activities. Inspired by memories of our own childhoods, Read More »

The paved acres of Frederick and our own wild ones are mostly strangers to one another, yet the past few weeks have witnessed a curious cross-over in the form of a pair of bleating goats and their dutiful caretakers. These of course are our own Flint and Arrow, as accompanied by the Stoney Lick Farm Read More »