School Age

"Children do not need to be made to learn about the world, or shown how. They want to and they know how." John Holt

As Lyra grows up and starts to look old enough to attend  school, almost every where we go that question has started from peering adults who ask "Why aren't you in School? I used to answer "I am a forty year old midget".  I haven't taught her that one, yet.  And so, I have started thinking of a my old childhood as a homeschooler or un-schooler. Homeschooling in itself  is just like trying to describe family life, every family is so different you can't capture it accurately.  My experience has moments I can remember better than describing the whole. 

Lying under the chair in the living room floor looking up at the little nails poking through the upholstery  while my mom reads us, Water Babies, hoping that my little sister ,Emily, will fall asleep on the breast, because than we get at least three more chapters. 

Lying on my stomach in the hay filling out questions in my Math book, mostly just patting the cat, because I have been set to the barn on account of my behaviour.

 Learning numbers with a purple gnome while picking up special rocks at the beach, I remember realizing ,than, what more than 12 or 20 looked like and suddenly it made sense it was something of substance. 

These are just little moments but they are the things I am recalling at this moment. 

There are also moments from being an adult at Farmhouse, which was an free school  I worked for about five years. 

Playing with children as they worked though complex problems using something as simple as a felt gnome, these aren't math problems, more social, emotional. 

Watching a child who used to hind under a blanket gain confidence in themselves through theatre and song and to watch them take the stage in a leading role, amazing everyone. 

So when I think about homeschooling Lyra, it's just an evolution of what we are doing now, day to day life, trying to get everyone feed, dressed and outside to play. It doesn't mean I'm not overwhelmed by the challenge of relearning and teaching, or that I don't have fears or concerns. But I have been given tools and the gift of a childhood and that is something I would like to pass on. 

So in true homeschool fashion I have posed a question to my family and friend asking them what they appreciated  about their un-schooling and homeschooling upbringings or experiences.   Here are their answers. 

"Homeschooling was undoubtedly the most beneficial thing I have accomplished in my admittedly short life. It has handed me the skills and knowledge I need to keep on learning, and to enjoy the process of that learning. I have never felt more free or well rounded, and I know that I would be much worse off had I stayed in public education from start to finish" 

Sophie Whittingham, age 16 

When I talk about homeschooling/unschooling with people, I always bring up the same points over and over again.  The kids realize how much the LOVE to learn (actually how much we all love to learn) and that they become SELF DIRECTED LEARNERS. This seems to be the biggest point for us - they realize they love to learn (put subject in here), know how to seek out people or information on how to learn it, and learn the crap out of it. We tended to do project oriented learning - notice that I mention the pronoun WE. That was key to our success. 

We learned together.

Andrea Blaseckie, Mother of two 

Because it taught me how to work hard for what I am interested in, and think of creative ways to do things!

Jordyn Lindsey - 16 

"Freedom to explore, freedom to discover, no stress and learning things that are relevant in life."Thomas age 14

"The reason that I am grateful I was homeschooled is that I have a firm conviction that my childhood and youth were spent growing and shaping the person I was and the person I became, I understood early that this is a lifelong challenge not to be dreaded but to be embraced as a priceless gift, this gift of learning, growing, changing, becoming. I have never once thought of my childhood as wasted or boring. I thank fully my education for allowing me to shape my being into what I desired to be and who I continue to try to be". Sarah Day – Unschooled Child, Mother of four

 “One thing that I've noticed as a common thread between adult homeschoolers is that we rarely (or never) have debt.   When you're trained from the beginning to seek out your own knowledge, and not consider it as held by the gatekeepers of universities, homeschooled folks usually only pay for education if they truly think it's worth it, and if they can afford it”. Jaron Freeman Fox- Homeschooled, musician 

I’m sad that I wasn't homeschooled. I had a unique and creative learning style that was not validated or honoured and was emotionally affected for a long long time as a result. Charlene Campbell LM CPM - Mother of five 

I loved homeschooling my children.  I loved spending time with them. I loved watching them run free on our farm and the island where they grew up. I loved their intensity as they studied topics they chose.  I love watching them be life long learners. I love watching 2 of my children homeschool their children. I love the freedom and the wisdom of my grandchildren. I love that my one daughter is now in University, acing it, loving it. I love that I am now taking University courses at my local college. Regrets, not a one.Mary Turner- Mother of three 

 As kids we were given the precious gift of time. Time is what is robbed from children in the current school system. How are kids in the highly structured conventional education system expected to learn to manage their time, find self direction and motivation and pursue extracurricular passions when almost every hour of their days are spoken for? We had supportive parents who encouraged us to try many things. "Just see if you enjoy it." Myself and my siblings all pursued very different interests, but each with passion and exuberance. And we excelled in them. Many times we received comments such as "you are such a gifted family". This is not true. We are very normal.. But we had the opportunity to focus on what we loved and run with it. Yes, we needed to learn to read, write, do math and compile information in a coherent fashion. But this comes quite easily when seen as a natural part of the learning continuum beginning at day one. The amount children learn in their first five years prior to school is astounding yet it is seemingly a smooth process. Myself and my husband were both home/un- schooled. To us childhood was an exciting time of infinite possibilities with the wonderus world ahead of us. There is no question what we will choose for our young son and future children. We eagerly look forward to watching them explore the world and find their passions, in their own good time. 

Miray Campbell – Unschooled child, Mother 

   My answer to the question "Why aren't you in school "?  "For freedoms sake, for educations sake." 

Mud, Mud, Glorious Mud

Sometimes I think I am doing my children and myself a disservice buying and dressing them in rain boots and waterproof suits to go outside.  I have been thinking maybe I should dress them fully in 100% woollens and let them outside. By dressing them in waterproof clothing they remain mostly dry even in extremely wet weather, this is teaching them that it's ok, and fun, to splash and sit and roll about in mud puddles. By dressing them in 100% woollen clothing they might actually stay out of the mud. Have you ever fallen in the mud in a 100% wool sweater, I have. It's cold and wet and clings and drips down your back in an unpleasant way, specially when you still have to walk home. And maybe if I dress the in 100% handmade woollens they will look like those children from blogs where there mothers must pick out their hand knit, vintage inspired, clothing to match the flowers. Yeah right, I would just end up cold hand washing a lot of muddy woollens. 



Beautiful snow days when everything was crisp, white & mud free. 

We have started sprouting grains for our ducks. We are sprouting wheat to start because we have lots on hand. You get a lot more protein and fresh feed per pound. I just feel silly for not planning on sprouting grains for the pigs, next time. Here is a link if you want to know more about sprouting grains for your bird (or yourself) Sprouted Grains.

Fresh salad greens from the green house. The snow actually helped insulate the green house on the warm days and everything is starting to really grow. Nothing tastes so good in spring. 

There has not been snow on the ground in March since 2009.  This is the year that, Lyra, joined the world, as herself, on a snowy March morning five years ago. Our lives were forever changed by the fire, strength, bravery and wisdom that she brings to our family. A girl who loves mud and tutu's.  Who got stuck in the mud two days ago, I actually had to dig her boots out. They are still wet so, of course, she is wearing sparkling slippers today, jumping puddles.

 In celebration of Lyra I will be giving away five surprise farm items to the first five people who comment on the blog below. These will be mailed  out at random before the end of 2014. 

Truthfully

Truth be told I feel sometimes like my blog doesn't not depict my real day to day life. I am a photographer, when I see good light or a challenge I photograph it. But this pitchfork above and bucket below are a more honest story. Most of the time I shovel poo, clean dirty bums and do dishes. I move lots of dirt around, I carry lots of water. I do more dishes. I cook a lot of food, second breakfasts and sometimes thirdies. Which in turn makes more dishes, because I feel a sense of guilt if my children are eating organic store bought noodles and sauce. Not homemade egg noodles cooked in bone dense broth. I own good work and dish gloves and I would not trade it for a non dishes and dirt life, ever. 

Our first duck eggs of the year.  Very exciting and they made good noodles. 

This was last week before the snow.  I often wonder what she is playing at out in the field.  I found this one day.
 I think it is beautiful. 

Lyra and Noah's maple syrup experiment boiling away. We got about 3 gallons of sap and we have about a half a cup of syrup, which I am saving for something special.

Friday night of last week, it started to snow and snow and snow. So beautiful and fun for everyone including the pigs. Their moveable electric fencing does not work in a foot of snow.  They slept most of the day and I made sure they had lots of food and water, by the late afternoon they were just bored and ran around the yard. Shaking the bucket of food did not work, eventually I gave up and took some photos. Noah helped me get them in when he got home. 

I think they are mocking me. 

I kept the wood stove burning and put the children to work. A year and a half is old enough to earn your keep around here. We made about thirty bee frames for the upcoming spring and no one was more willing than Morgan, screaming if he did not get his favourite screw driver. Tools, tools, tools.  Rivits all over the place, it was a fun and messy time. One of my favourite smelling jobs on the farm. I expect him to be able to make them himself by next year. 

Snowdrops & Cleansing Flights

Last week it was cold for here, dry cold and still. So cold that the lakes on Quadra froze. Lyra and Noah got to go skating at night out on the ice. The strange creaking noises, starry night sky and the smell  and warmth of the wood fire made me feel very canadian. Here is Noah fuelling the fire in Granite Bay. 

 Calving 

Lyra told me that the mom cow said" It's ok I know you, you can pet my baby".

During the cold snap, Noah, was looking in on a neighbours cows calving, as they where away on vacation. It was exciting for Lyra to go and see if the cows had been born. Which they were on time and without problems just a few hiccups.  The night after I went and checked out what was going on.  I noticed that the one year old (white one below) was chasing the little day old calf away from the mamma and confusing it by sending to another cow and the one year old would proceed to drink all the milk.  Noah went over after I came home to get dinner on and came home smiling and soaking wet in freezing weather. "It went great" he said, he brought the cow and calf up the barn. "Why are you soaking wet? Oh the calf peed on me but it's just milk pee".

Observing  

That's my smart girl 

Getting a ride back up the hill from Johnny 

And than the sun came out this week, it warmed up and we all felt like this. 

The bee's came out for a cleansing flight, which is a nice way of saying they all come out for a poo.
Lyra went right up and just stood there, I told her to leave the bee's alone. She said calmly "The bee's don't want to be left alone, they want LOVE and attention".   True words from my daughter. This is a girl who can't stand the seams in pants or if her socks are the wrong feeling, but she can stand calmly with bees crawling over her hands, arms and in her hair and she says their poo smells good (how often do you hear that).

Right now that winds are picking up and the rain is pouring, but the snowdrops are out and spring like always has kept his promise. 

The Duck is in love with the Sheep!

"Daddy, Daddy I have to tell you something! The duck is in love with the sheep". Says Lyra followed by a fit of giggles. Yesterday we went up to the Granite Bay Homestead to visit our friends and meet the new lambs. Born a few days ago in the this cold winter weather. Aren't they just so cute, nothing is so sweet as baby lambs. Emily keeps a few friesian sheep and milks them for her family. Farm life is always full of the unexpected and Em was just putting away the pile of hot water bottles when I arrived. The lambs looked so happy, free and frisky in the cold morning sunshine.

You can find Granite Bay Homestead Organic Eggs at the Local Food Market Saturday, March 1st.  I had some for breakfast this morning with Paul's fresh green onions.
Does anyone have tips for cleaning out chicken coop in the freezing weather. I tried to clean out the duck house today and after spending a good amount of time hitting the frozen sawdust with the shovel I realized there must be something this west coast girl doesn't know about cleaning coops in the winter? Please tell if you know. 

This is the duck who is in love with the sheep. Sadly last summer his one mate and true love died leaving him alone, he left the pond and marsh and moved in with the sheep. They spin a good tale and are good company on cold winter nights. They also are feed grain which might have something to do with it. He will find a new romance this summer, I'm sure of it. 

Back at our little farm. Noah just had to move this rock out of the garden. I would have dug around it. But it had to go. It's amazing what he can with with leverage. It has been moved. Did I mention we have rocky soil? 

The definition of Small, Medium and Large. I love to listen to them snore at night, it's very calming. 

My personal haul from the Local Food Market on February 1st.  I was impressed by the amount of fresh food for February.  We ate really good dinner that night of Mussels with garlic all mixed up with sautéed kale with pieces of garlic, rosemary toast and a dikon radish, beet, carrot salad and large glasses of grape juice. 

 In this cold weather, Lyra, has a maple syrup experiment going on down by this beach. Not much yet, but I did get this photo in the cold morning light.