Driftless Field School

Participating in the Thoreau College Field School was the best thing I have done for my education. I found that teaching and learning can be done in a variety of ways that differ from traditional schooling, and it is done at Thoreau College in a way that fosters curiosity and further learning. The days were filled with class discussions and readings, crafts, exploring the local area, gardening and farming, and lots of laughter. I learnt various practical skills and about living healthily in a community. I was surprised and delighted that Viroqua, being a small rural town, always had some event or another going on and days easily filled up in enjoyable ways. In just one month, I found so much love and care for this place and brought myself back for the Fall Metamorphosis Gap Semester.

This programs was amazing. I didn't really know what to expect but got more then I realized I would get. It was informative, mind blowing, and hands on. At one point I was staring down a humongous pathway filled with edible mushrooms. Or we could talk about the cave that I never knew existed in the Viroqua area. From caves to sheep sheering to wood carving and chicken butchering. There was never a dull moment.
Housing and food were provided as well as a lovely community of like-minded people to follow.

I attended the Thoreau College Field school in the summer, and was so profoundly affected that I decided to stay into the summer and even took a year off of my 4-year college to take the Metamoprhosis Gap Semester in the fall! Overall, I found my time at Thoreau College very valuable because it taught me a lot of life skills I did not learn at a 4-year college, and it taught me a different way of being than I had experienced growing up in the very scientific and materialist culture of Silicon Valley. Prior to Thoreau College I thought that AI taking over the world and replacing humanity might be an okay thing, since we seem to be doing a fairly poor job at creating healthy societies and sustaining the earth. I left Thoreau College with the feeling that humanity has something unique and valuable to offer the world, and that human society has something unique and powerful to offer to the universe that we could unlock through cultural change and collective action.

As for the specifics of the program, it was full of philosophy, labor, and community activities, as well as art and good food (Viroqua has some seriously good food, trust me). Overall, I would recommend this program to anyone looking to learn more about agriculture, alternative philosophies to scientific materialism, or holistic education. Going beyond the classroom, Thoreau College teaches you how to live with other people, manage conflicts, and become an active part in shaping the curriculum and your own learning. Combining all of that with the numerous transformative and quieting trips into nature, I found Thoreau College to be a profoundly valuable experience.

Thoreau College's Summer Program was an absolute delight. I came to this program looking to make some great memories and good stories before stating grad school and it did not disappoint. From the lovely people I met and lived with to the range of activities (canoeing, fly-fishing, group cooking, asparagus harvesting, square dancing, etc.), it was not only memorable but an exciting month in a lively little town. The Driftless region is absolutely beautiful and between the outdoor activities, labor, and farm visits, my city girl self became an outdoor person. I cannot recommend it enough-my only regret is not having been able to stay longer!

My experience the 2023 summer field school was incredibly inspiring and fun. Most of the mornings started off with collective singing before a rundown of the schedule for the day which often included gardening, visiting local farms, or doing a craft. Some days were reserved for specific activities such as guest speaker lectures with readings that revolves around topics of the surround lands history and geography, but most of the time the outdoors was where the days were spent. Some particular activities that I enjoyed the most was basket weaving and yarn making, as well as reading the optional readings the weekly discussions were based upon. My fellow classmates were incredibly wonderful and I enjoyed learning from them since we often created meals and ate together. Overall, the field school was the perfect way for me to reconnect with the outside world because it gave me inspiration to do more nature projects at home.