Love for Your Community
Why We Started Web of Life & What Your Children Will Learn
Have you ever wished your children could learn about nature, science, and food in a hands-on way that sparks curiosity and a love for the outdoors? A way that connects them to where their food comes from and how ecosystems work? That’s exactly why we created Web of Life—to help children engage with the world through exploration, discovery, and hands-on activities.
Why We Created Web of Life
As a regenerative farm family, we’ve seen how much kids light up when they step outside and start asking questions about plants, animals, and the food they eat. We also saw a need for an easy-to-follow curriculum that makes science, homesteading, and nature exploration fun and approachable for families.
Web of Life was created to bridge that gap—giving children a way to experience learning firsthand by growing food, observing nature, and understanding how everything is connected. We wanted to take children beyond textbooks and screens and get them outside, digging in the soil, experimenting in the kitchen, and exploring the science behind everyday life.
What Your Children Will Learn in Web of Life
Web of Life is designed for children ages 5-10 and includes a variety of nature-based lessons, each packed with real-world applications and hands-on activities. Each month, families receive new content focusing on:
Nature & Science – How ecosystems function, the role of pollinators, the water cycle, birds of prey, and even the power of wind.
Garden-to-Kitchen – Kids learn to grow and prepare food, understanding not just how to cook, but also the history and science behind each recipe.
Homesteading Skills – From composting to sustainable farming practices, children discover how to care for the land and animals in a way that supports nature.
Outdoor Exploration – Fun, hands-on activities like nature journaling, crafting, and science experiments that encourage kids to observe and interact with their environment.
Kitchen Recipes That Go Beyond Cooking
One of the most exciting aspects of Web of Life is our Garden-to-Kitchen series, where we provide not just recipes, but also the history and science behind them. Cooking is more than just following steps—it’s a way to connect to different cultures, understand chemistry, and explore food traditions that have been passed down for generations.
For example, in one of our lessons, kids might make flatbread.
The History – Flatbreads are some of the oldest types of bread, dating back thousands of years. They were a staple in ancient civilizations, from Egyptian and Mesopotamian cultures to Indigenous communities around the world.
The Science – What happens when flour and water mix? Why does kneading make dough stretchy? Kids will learn about gluten formation, how heat changes the dough, and the role of fermentation in some traditional flatbreads.
The Recipe – Kids will get to mix and knead their own simple flatbread dough, cook it on a skillet, and even experiment with different flours and seasonings to see how small changes affect the outcome.
Other recipes might include:
Pumpkin Soup – Understanding seasonal eating, the history of pumpkins in Native American diets, and the chemical reactions in soup-making.
Butter Making – Learning about emulsions, how cream turns into butter, and the role of fat in food science.
Pickling Vegetables – Exploring preservation techniques from different cultures, why pickling works, and the role of acidity in food safety.
Through these kitchen experiments, children see science at work in a delicious way, learning chemistry, biology, and history—all through cooking!
Who’s Behind Web of Life?
Web of Life is created by Sand n Straw Community Farm, a regenerative farm in California where Rich and I grow food by hand alongside our adult sons. You’ll often find Rich, Jonathan, and Stephen humorously debating the best way to do things while I try to keep up with them!
But we’re not the only ones behind this program. Web of Life is a team effort, including experienced educators, passionate nature lovers, and homeschool mamas who believe that learning should be hands-on, engaging, and meaningful. Some of us are homeschool parents, while others are credentialed teachers, but we all share the same goal—helping kids connect with the world around them.
Join Us!
If you want your children to explore nature, learn real-life science, and discover the joy of farm-to-table cooking, Web of Life is for you! Our lessons make it easy for parents to guide their children through exciting, outdoor-based learning experiences that build knowledge, confidence, and a love for the natural world.
Ready to Get Started? Check out our curriculum.
Until next time—get outside, dig in, and let the wonder of nature lead the way!
