Gallery – Photos by Hallie Allport

This past Tuesday, I had the pleasure of joining the preschoolers on a sunny hike through the woods. When I crossed the creek to Trillium Camp, the children were munching on snacks and sharing stories. Sitting in a circle on small logs, the kids giggled and bounced with excitement. Instructor Fionna let everyone know that today we would be adventuring outside of camp to find “The perfect white pine branch.”

Once snacks were finished and backpacks were put away, it was time to head out! In pairs, we walked across the beautiful wooden bridge, over the creek, and into the big field by the pole barn. The children held hands and raced through the grass, giggling as they hurried toward the wooded path. We hopped over fallen branches and softly crunched dried leaves beneath our boots. After passing the first white pine tree, we decided to keep searching for an even larger one.

After a few more minutes of walking, taking in the sunlight through the leaves, listening to the sounds of the creek, and admiring the birds overhead, we finally reached our destination. The perfect white pine tree. Its smooth, sturdy limbs reached high above us, and the children remarked on how beautifully patterned the bark was. Instructor Liz marked the tree with a bandana, and the preschoolers will return to visit it later in the year. We then retraced our steps back to Trillium Camp.

On the way back down to camp, one preschooler pointed out an interesting animal track in the mud. We all took turns guessing what it might be. Instructor Fionna, a fantastic animal tracker, identified it as a large dog track. It was amazing to witness the children’s genuine curiosity and excitement as they uncovered this small secret left behind in the mud.

When we returned to camp, we spent some time playing before lunch. The children compared pieces of pine bark they had collected, made mud pies, and played imaginative games beneath the trees. Following Ithaca Forest Preschool this Tuesday, I too felt the magic of being outside. Every new leaf, track, tree, and sound held another story waiting to be uncovered.

Until next time!
Photographer Isa

After several times gathering and drying the plantain leaves we were ready to infuse the olive oil. This part I did at home, because it required a long consistent low heat. The result was a beautiful green oil. Next we grated beeswax to make it easier to melt. Now it was finally time to make the salve. We melted the wax using a hot water bath over a camp stove and then added the plantain infused oil. Once it was thoroughly mixed and still hot, I poured the salve into small tins.

The children each decorated their own label and during our final day celebration we displayed them all in a plantain altar. It was a really fun project to do in very small parts over a few weeks with the preschoolers. They were all very excited and proud to show off and try out their salve.