Our Programs

NATURE NOURISHMENT

Three Poplars: Nature Nourishment is an education program deeply committed to supporting each child's innate connection with the earth. With a combination of indoor and outdoor learning for our winter session, our team provides mentorship in academics, art and handwork, storytelling, equine-assisted learning (EAL), social-emotional learning (SEL), nature exploration, and more!

WINTER SESSION begins 12/10

Tuesday & Thursday in Arden 10am-4pm (indoor/outdoor) ages 3-11

Wednesday in Marshall 10am-4pm (fully outdoor w/equine-assisted learning) ages 6-11

program cost: $180/week

Farm & Garden

In our Farm and Garden mentorship, children gain hands-on experience in sustainable practices that build both responsibility and environmental awareness:

Composting: children learn about decomposition, nutrient cycles, and how nature recycles waste to enrich the soil.
Gardening: In the spring children plant and care for native species in our small garden, learning about plant needs, biodiversity, and the joy of nurturing life.

ACADEMICS

Our program is designed to engage children in hands-on, experiential learning that not only teaches academic concepts but also fosters a deep connection to nature. Through activities that integrate science, math, and language arts, children learn to appreciate and interact with the world around them.

A Hands-On Learning Journey

Through these immersive activities, we aim to nurture curiosity, resilience, creativity, and a sense of responsibility toward the natural world. We believe that by learning within the forest, children develop not only academically but also gain a deep respect for nature and their role within it. This fosters an appreciation for the interconnectedness of life and provides children with skills and knowledge they will carry with them for a lifetime.

Equine

Our Equine-Assisted Learning (EAL) and Horse-Assisted Art (HAA) experience offers immersive, nature-based sessions held weekly on Wednesdays, where math, reading, and creativity come alive through partnerships with horses. Each session combines hands-on learning in math and reading with natural horsemanship principles, fostering confidence, teamwork, and problem-solving as children engage in basic numeracy and literacy activities while caring for and interacting with horses.

In Horse-Assisted Art sessions, children express themselves through creative projects inspired by their time with the horses. These art sessions encourage emotional resilience and self-expression, allowing children to process their experiences and build self-awareness.

outdoor nature education homeschool coop NC

Enrollment for Winter Session is now open!

Nature Nourishment is a unique outdoor education program. We recognize that our approach may not meet the needs of all children and families, so we prioritize ensuring a strong fit among the child, family, and staff.

To begin the process, families are asked to email Kaitlyn Taylor at ktaylor@threepoplarscollective.com to schedule an in-person meeting. This meeting is an opportunity to discuss your goals for your child, share your homeschooling process, and review Nature Nourishment’s values and philosophy. After the meeting, our staff will assess whether the program is well-suited to meet the needs of your child and family, and email you an application form, and scholarship application if requested.

Please note that all enrollments are considered conditional for the first week of attendance. During this period, our staff will observe and evaluate your child’s adjustment to the program. At the end of the week, we will contact parents to discuss how the week went, hear your feedback, and determine whether the program is a good fit and, if so, extend an invitation for full enrollment for the remainder of the session.

SCHOLARSHIPS

Scholarships for Three Poplars: Nature Nourishment are available through our affiliate organization, Caspian's Heritage. Caspian's Heritage is a local non-profit dedicated to supporting Western North Carolina by making equine-assisted learning, outdoor therapeutics, and educational programs accessible to all. To learn more or request a scholarship application, visit http://caspiansheritage.org

Our partnership agreement with Dharma Creek Farm, LLC highlights the importance of sovereignty in childhood.

Sovereign children
May they have courage to follow the wisdom of their authentic whole selves.
May their creative hearts be uninhibited and radical with joy.
May their imaginations be expansive and their art be plentiful.
May kindness, compassion and Earth connection anchor them.
May liberation and healing for all be so.

In this shifting chaotic world, we are faced with the enormous challenge of guiding ourselves and, most importantly, our children through times of great upheaval of nature and culture. Our uncertainty and grief is exploited by brilliantly designed systems to dishearten, distract and further separate us from ourselves and each other. The constant programming of desensitization to violence, distortion of sexuality, addiction to external validation and fear is heavily woven through the internet, social media, video games, television, movies, etc. We’re pulled out of our centers, our nervous systems overwhelmed, while our energy is manipulated in the name of capitalism. Although this is nothing new, the intensity of pressure and media’s increasing presence and accessibility is unprecedented, especially for our children. True freedom lies within our ability to not follow the narratives set forth by the powers that be. The call to action is to hold our children’s innocence and sovereignty with reverence. To protect them with fierce unwavering grace. To free our children from its powerful influence, we give them the opportunity to develop trust in their intuitive centers, guided by soul and not empire.

The path ahead is the return to our inherent self authority. The remembrance of our true power ~ our inner sovereignty. Expanding discernment around our emotions and intuition to strengthen our ability to make choices, question when needed and speak up for justice from the deep centers of our being. To keep coming back to ourselves again and again. To that unshakeable life force energy available within us at all times. Connecting with nature is the most potent way to root into this grounding source. Her steady flow of continual regeneration energy is an anchor to move through any circumstance or state of being. Aligning ourselves with the cyclical rhythms of nature allows us to recognize these same cycles within ourselves and each other. Creative ideas and insights are abundant through tapping into her life force flow. Earth connection, community and imagination are antidotes to fear and polarization Guided by nature, we can expand our imaginative and creative capabilities to co-create the world we wish for our children.