BLOOMSBURY FARM FOREST SCHOOL
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EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO TEACH
AND EVERYONE HAS SOMETHING TO LEARN.
PLAY IS SERIOUSLY VALUABLE. IT IS THROUGH PLAY THAT CHILDREN
LEARN TO TRUST THEIR INNER VOICE, DEVELOP SOCIAL SKILLS
AND BECOME CONFIDENT AND INDEPENDENT PEOPLE. WHEN WE
GIVE A CHILD THE TIME AND SPACE TO EXPLORE, THEIR NATURAL
INSTINCTS TOWARD LEARNING ARE CULTIVATED. IT IS IN THESE
MOMENTS OF GENUINE CURIOSITY THAT THE CHILD IS MOST
RECEPTIVE TO LEARNING NEW CONCEPTS. THESE LEARNING
EXPERIENCES LAST NOT ONLY UNTIL THE TEST IS OVER, BUT FOR
A LIFETIME. NATURE IS INHERENTLY FULL OF OPPORTUNITIES TO
DEVELOP SKILLS IN RISK ASSESSMENT/MANAGEMENT AND PROBLEM
SOLVING. NATURE IS ALSO DYNAMIC AND EVER CHANGING, THE
CHILD MUST LEARN TO ADAPT TO DIFFERING CONDITIONS AND
IN SO DOING THEY DEVELOP GRIT AND SELF-CONFIDENCE.
NOW OFFERING
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HOMESCHOOL
ENRICHMENT
LITTLE SPROUTS
CAMP
FARM TO SCHOOL
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MY DREAM FOR THE FARM AND IT’S FUTURE HAS ALWAYS BEEN
A PLACE FOR NURTURING, CELEBRATION AND GROWTH. WITH OUR
FIRST SUMMER CAMP UNDER OUR BELTS AND THE SURPRISE LIFE
CHANGE THAT 2020 HELD FOR US ALL, WE LOOKED TO PERMANENT
SCHOOL ON FARM. WHEN I WAS INTRODUCED TO KAITI, THE
DIRECTOR OF BLOOMSBURY FARM SCHOOL, WE INSTANTLY
AGREED ON TWO THINGS, HOW WE SOURCE OUR FOOD
AND HOW CHILDREN ARE BEING TAUGHT IN CLASSROOMS.
PERSONALLY, I NEVER WAS ONE THAT TOOK TO TRADITIONAL
CLASSROOM TEACHING. I THRIVED IN A MONTESSORI PROGRAM,
CHOOSING YOUR OWN PACE WITHOUT THE PRESSURE TO CONFORM
WITH 30 OTHER STUDENT’S PACE WAS SO MY STYLE. STARTING
OUR PROGRAM HAPPENED SO NATURALLY, KAITI CAME TO US
FROM THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST, OUR CLASSES FILLED UP
QUICKLY. THIS FARM SCHOOL WAS MEANT TO BE, THE EASIEST
BUSINESS DECISION I HAVE EVER MADE. THE FUTURE OF BLOOMSBURY
FOREST SCHOOL LOOKS LIKE, CREATIVE WORKSHOPS AND FIELD
TRIPS FOR OTHER INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS AND PROGRAMS,
AN EVER GROWING WEEKLY SCHOOL PROGRAM AND EVEN FURTHER
EDUCATING EDUCATORS. I HOPE PEOPLE LEAVE HERE WITH
KNOWLEDGE AND GROW WITH US AS WE BUILD A HEALTHY
EDUCATION SYSTEM. I HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY THE CHILDREN
AND KNOW THAT WE WILL FOREVER STAMP A SPECIAL PLACE
IN THEIR HEARTS AND LEAVE THEM WITH A GOOD FEELING
WHEN IT COMES TO SCHOOL!
LAUREN PALMER
OWNER & FARMER
LAUREN BUILT BLOOMSBURY FROM THE GROUND UP AND STARTED
BY SELLING HER ORGANIC VEGETABLES AND SPROUTS AT AREA
FARMERS MARKETS. SINCE THOSE EARLY DAYS IN 2009, THE
FARM HAS EXPANDED, PRODUCING A WIDE ARRAY OF FRESH
VEGETABLES, FRUITS, SPROUTS, AND HERBS FOR THE MARKETS,
LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND WHOLESALERS IN AND AROUND
NASHVILLE AND THE GREATER REGION.
LAUREN HAS A BACHELOR’S IN SOCIAL WORK AND A MASTER’S
IN MANAGEMENT. COMBING HER EDUCATION WITH A LIFE-LONG
DESIRE TO CULTIVATE AND PROVIDE THE HIGHEST-QUALITY ORGANIC
PRODUCE AND TO EDUCATE HER COMMUNITY ABOUT THE LAND
AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE FOOD WE EAT, ‘TO BE ABLE TO
WALK TO WORK EVERY MORNING AND RAISE MY BABY GIRL
WITH THE SAME LOVE FOR THE EARTH MY PARENTS INSTILLED
IN ME IS A TRUE GIFT. WE ARE ALL BLOOMING WHERE WE
HAVE BEEN PLANTED.’
KAITI DEWHIRST
EDUCATOR
KAITI HAS WORKED FOR YEARS WITH CHILDREN AND ADULTSALIKE AS A TEACHER, ADVENTURE GUIDE, AND FELLOW LEARNER
IN OUTDOOR AND CREATIVE SPACES. IN THAT TIME, SHE HAS HAD
THE IMMENSE GIFT OF LEARNING FROM STUDENTS THAT THE MOST
MEANINGFUL LEARNING IS HOLISTIC, STEEPED IN CURIOSITY AND
CREATIVITY, SUPPORTED BY SPACE TO FREELY EXPLORE, AND PLACE-
BASED IN LOCAL ECOLOGY. ONE OF THE THINGS SHE LOVES MOST
ABOUT OUTDOOR LEARNING IS THAT IT IS ENTIRELY EXPERIENTIAL.
LEARNERS GET TO WATCH THAT BIRD FLIT TO AND FRO AS THEY
COLLECT NESTING MATERIAL, SMELL THE LEAVES AS THEY PILE
UP IN AUTUMN, TASTE THE VEGETABLES THEY TAKE CARE TO GROW,
FEEL THE ROUGHNESS OF BARK, AND HEAR THE RUCKUS OF A
CHORUS OF FROGS. SHE TAKES GREAT JOY IN SUPPORTING
LEARNERS AS THEY CARE FOR THE IRREPLACEABLE GIFT OF
THE NATURAL WORLD, AND THE IRREPLACEABLE GIFT OF ONE ANOTHER.
GROWING UP CARING FOR FARM ANIMALS AND EXPLORING IN
MOSSY AND MOUNTAINOUS WASHINGTON STATE CULTIVATED A
LIFELONG LOVE OF LEARNING OUTDOORS AND LATER MOTIVATED
HER TO OBTAIN A BACHELOR'S IN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
FROM WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY. SHE LOVES TO
BACKPACK AND HIKE, CREATE WITH MUSIC AND VISUAL ARTS,
AND SPEND QUALITY TIME WITH PEOPLE AND HER SWEET OLD
BLACK LAB NAMED MILLI.
