This spring, our ninth-grade students left the classroom behind for a week-long immersion in sustainable agriculture at Deep Roots Farm, a working organic farm nestled in the hills of Northern California. The trip is part of our hands-on, place-based learning approach that helps students connect deeply with the living world and each other.
Each morning began with caring for over 100 chickens and a beloved pig named Thor. Evenings were spent gathering and cleaning eggs for sale at the farmstand, giving students a full-circle view of farm life and the responsibilities that come with it.
Students worked side-by-side in the greenhouse preparing soil and planting tomatoes, and each night they cooked meals using ingredients they harvested themselves — a delicious, tangible reward for their efforts.
The week included eye-opening excursions:
- At Hog Island Oyster Farm, students learned how sustainable ocean farming works — and sampled its flavorful results.
- At Freestone Ranch, they discovered how cattle grazing can be integrated into regenerative land stewardship.
- At Moon Fruit Mushroom Farm, students saw how mushrooms can be grown on logs in harmony with nature.
- They also gained hands-on experience growing and packaging organic microgreens for sale — all part of the farm’s small-scale, low-impact ethos.
In addition to deepening their relationships and building resilience, students engaged directly with scientific concepts in biology, ecology, and systems thinking. Whether observing ocean-based food chains or exploring soil health and fungal networks, they brought their classroom learning into the field — and brought new insights back home.
This immersive trip reflects the uniquely rich experience of high school at WSP, where students are continually challenged to engage with real-world questions and develop the confidence to navigate complexity with care. It’s one of many ways we prepare students to lead courageous lives and cultivate the capacity to learn, think, and act with purpose.
At WSP, we see humanity’s fullest potential and brightest future in every student. Blending the time-tested principles of Waldorf education with the forward-thinking spirit of Silicon Valley, we offer students an education that is both rooted and relevant.
