V — Village: Remembering families were never meant to do everything alone
For most of human history, families did not raise children alone. They lived in villages — small or sprawling, but always connected. Grandparents were nearby. Cousins ran between houses. Neighbors borrowed tools without ceremony. If bread was baked, it was shared. If a roof needed repair, hands appeared. Children learned by watching, by doing, by being woven into the daily life of their people. Families had time to help one another, and support was built into everyday life.
Children knew where they belonged. They understood that their small hands mattered. They saw how planting led to harvest, how animals needed care, how meals were prepared and shared, and how effort in one household supported many. Contribution was natural. Belonging was part of life.
Modern life has shifted that rhythm.
Families often rely on contractors, babysitters, and outside services to manage daily tasks. Work is separated from home. Food arrives pre-packaged. Education is broken into scheduled blocks and increasingly screen-based. Neighbors may live feet away yet remain strangers. Even small tasks that once might have been done together — fixing a fence, preparing a meal, helping a child with a project — are now outsourced or squeezed into a busy schedule. Weekdays rush from school drop-off to work meetings, errands, lessons, and coordinating meals, leaving little space for connection, observation, or shared rhythms. Not because families don’t care, but because our systems prioritize speed, independence, and convenience.
Yet children’s needs remain the same.
They thrive when learning is tangible, when days follow natural rhythms, when their hands, minds, and hearts are engaged in meaningful work. That is what we cultivate at Urban Green Harvest.
We support families seeking a slower, more rooted childhood — one immersed in nature, practical life skills, and real-world learning, where academics are woven into life itself.
Reading happens while following seed packets and recipes.
Math happens while measuring lumber, doubling bread dough, or calculating harvest totals.
Science unfolds in the garden beds, the animal pens, and the compost piles.
Entrepreneurial thinking emerges naturally as children create goods that sustain the farm and support their families.
At Urban Green Harvest, we are creating a village that supports children and families — a place to slow down, even if just for a moment. For children, this is time to explore, create, and learn through hands-on experiences that connect them to nature, practical skills, and real-world work. For adults, it’s a space to pause, connect, and engage — to nourish their families with farm-fresh produce, learn to cultivate their own gardens, share recipes, and participate in meaningful projects.
Students bring their unique passions and talents to the village, shaping the life of the farm in meaningful ways. Zeke’s fascination with mechanics finds a home here, where he programs water time clocks, monitors rainfall and temperature, and experiments with timing and flow — his attention to detail has a real, tangible impact on the farm. Sofia’s love of crafting sparks group projects, and her exceptional communication and people skills shine with younger students, peers, and at the market stand, where she confidently represents the farm community. Krosley’s insatiable curiosity and love of facts make him a living library, bringing knowledge and language to everyone around him; he can carry on conversations with the most educated adults for hours, asking questions, sharing insights, and inspiring those around him. Maven brings warmth, stories, and laughter to life around the fire; she leads games and group activities, energizing the community and keeping the village spirit alive.
These are just a few examples — every student contributes in their own way, building skills, confidence, and a sense of belonging, while supporting the farm, their peers, the wider community, and even their own families.
While the past few years have asked us to pause many of the traditions and gatherings that once made our village vibrant, we are now bringing them back, season by season. Families will discover more ways to participate, connect, and share in the life of the farm — joining projects, enjoying time together, and stepping further into the community we are cultivating, with new opportunities and resources to support and nurture their families along the way.
Much of this is made possible with the help of our students — learning in the process, contributing in tangible ways, and seeing firsthand how community grows through shared effort.
At Urban Green Harvest, we are building a village for today — alive with the rhythms of the seasons, the fruits of our harvests, and the connections we nurture together.
A place where childhood is slower.
Where learning is real.
Where families are supported.
Where food is grown and shared.
Where each contribution strengthens the whole.
A place you can count on.
And like any true village, it grows stronger the more we step into it together. 🌱🤲
