Children and adults inside a barn, interacting with chickens and possibly other farm animals, with hay on the floor and wooden walls.

Our Six Pillars

Building literacy and mathematical reasoning in the real world, for the real world.

Three children standing on a rocky ledge above a narrow, moss-covered canyon with a small waterfall, surrounded by tall trees in a forest.

Program Calendar & Seasonal Structure

Fall (September–November): Foundations & Harvest

  • Ecological observation and stream studies

  • Plant identification and seed saving

  • Orchard and vineyard harvesting

  • Food processing (applesauce, cider, jam, baking)

  • Introduction to entrepreneurship (farm stand planning)

Winter (December–February): Reflection & Creation

  • Cooking, baking, and food science

  • Sewing and textile work

  • Theatre production and performance

  • Public speaking and presentations

  • Fossils, geology, and indoor science studies

Spring (March–June): Growth & Systems

  • Seed starting and soil preparation

  • Planting and garden management

  • Pest ecology and companion planting

  • Animal care and pasture studies

  • Foraging and ecosystem exploration

Summer Break (July–August)

Program is not in session. Optional future opportunity: summer camps or workshops.

Person wearing a cute bunny hat and gloves gently holding a piglet near a water trough in a rural farm setting.

1. Ecology & Environmental Science

Students investigate and interact with natural ecosystems through:

  • Stream health surveys using macroinvertebrates as bioindicators

  • Plant identification and botanical studies

  • Soil science and composting

  • Pest ecology (symbiosis, parasitism, mutualism, co-evolution)

  • Foraging and fungal identification

  • Pasture biodiversity and animal impact studies

2. Agriculture & Food Systems

Students participate in the full cycle of food production:

  • Growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs

  • Orchard and vineyard care

  • Animal husbandry (poultry, goats, pigs, dairy animals)

  • Egg and dairy production

  • Seasonal harvesting and crop management

3. Traditional Skills & Sustainability

Students develop practical and survival-based competencies:

  • Fire building and outdoor cooking

  • Shelter and fort construction

  • Primitive tool-making and basic repair

  • Sewing and textile repair

  • Food preservation (canning, fermenting, drying)

4. Culinary Arts & Food Preparation

Students transform raw ingredients into finished products:

  • Bread, pie, and meal preparation

  • Applesauce and cider production

  • Jam and jelly making

  • Cheese and dairy processing

  • Maple syrup production

5. Communication, Arts & Culture

Students build confidence and expressive skills through:

  • Public speaking (informational, persuasive, and instructional presentations)

  • Theatre and performance production

  • Costume and mask creation

  • Letter writing and pen pal exchanges

  • Study of Indigenous history and agricultural practices

  • Creative writing

6. Entrepreneurship & Community Engagement

Students learn economic and civic responsibility through:

  • Selling farm products (produce, eggs, value-added goods)

  • Basic budgeting, pricing, and profit analysis

  • Community service and outreach projects

  • Participation in farm stands or local markets

A black goat and a brown goat sharing a bowl of pellet feed outdoors on hay.
A variety of fresh vegetables and fruits on a wooden table, including yellow chayote, watermelons, cherry tomatoes, heirloom tomatoes, yellow squash, and green chilies in a bowl.
A person's hand holding a small chick with brown and white down feathers, on green grass. In the background, there is a fluffy yellow chick.
A group of children and a woman are baking cookies in a kitchen. They are rolling out dough with a rolling pin and have a tray of cubed cookie dough on the counter. The kitchen has wooden cabinets and various appliances on the counters.

The Founder’s Story

Nikki Fox is an educator and scientist with a deep commitment to experiential, nature-based learning. She graduated from Wells College in 2008 with a Bachelor of Arts in Biological and Chemical Science and a minor in Secondary Education. She obtained her initial New York State teaching certification in secondary-level biology.

Early in her career, Nikki taught environmental science and local ecology through hands-on programming with the Cayuga Lake Floating Classroom and the Cayuga Nature Center, fostering students’ understanding of watershed systems and the natural world. She completed her student teaching at Lehman Alternative Community School and went on to work as an alternative instructor with the Ithaca City School District, where she supported students with significant behavioral and academic challenges through individualized instruction.

Nikki later taught at a residential treatment center for at-risk youth, where she was trained in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) as part of the CARE (Children and Residential Experiences) program. In this role, she worked closely with youth experiencing severe trauma, including those in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, as well as students with complex developmental and emotional needs. She developed individualized education programs (IEPs), oversaw both special education and general science curricula, and was selected to design a comprehensive, hands-on science curriculum spanning elementary through high school levels. This curriculum was adopted and implemented across multiple campuses within the agency.

Following her work in education, Nikki spent 15 years managing research laboratories at Cornell University. Her work connected her with a wide network of local farmers, agricultural researchers, ecologists, and neuroscientists, enriching her interdisciplinary perspective on learning, land stewardship, and human development.

Nikki is also the mother of five children, ranging in age from early childhood through adolescence. During the pandemic, she homeschooled her children and a small group of their peers—an experience that planted the seed for what would become Rooted Learning. Through both her professional work and personal experience, she has observed how increasing digital immersion can erode confidence, independence, and essential life skills in some children.

On their 3.5-acre hobby farm, Nikki and her family raise Nigerian dwarf goats, chickens, and previously, peacocks, and care for retired, laboratory research, Göttingen pigs. Nikki’s teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that children develop best through meaningful connection—with nature, with their hands, with one another, and with mentors across generations.

Rooted Learning was created as a response to that belief: a bridge back to real-world, immersive learning. Nikki envisions a place where children grow food, solve problems collaboratively, engage deeply with their environment, and build the confidence and resilience that come from authentic experience.

She invites families to join in reconnecting—to the land, to community, and to the joy of learning—through Rooted Learning.