As summer comes to a close, it's worth asking what children truly gain from these long, unhurried days. More than time away from school, summer offers opportunities for play, creativity, family connection, and outdoor exploration. Discover why summer isn't a break from learning—it's a different kind of learning.

When we first moved to Northern California, we built a garden before we built a house. I imagined rich soil and abundant harvests, but instead I spent years wrestling with hydrophobic soil, experimenting with compost, mulch, mushrooms, and native clay, and learning from experienced farmers who kept telling me the same thing: “It takes about five years.” This story is about patience, learning through doing, and the surprising parallels between growing a garden and raising children.