Author: karahammond

O.R.G. Welcomes Guest Speaker for October – Sheri H. Grace of the Piedmont Forest School

For our final official meeting of 2025, The Old Richmond Grange will host the president of the Piedmont Forest School, Sheri Grace. The Piedmont Forest School is play based, child-led learning in the classroom of nature. Please join us to find out more about this very special local school.

The lecture is Monday, October 27, at 6pm and is open to the public. ORG is located at 6591 Tobaccoville Road, Tobaccoville, N.C. 27050

About the School:

Piedmont Forest School Mission and Vision:

The mission of Piedmont Forest School is to provide to children of all abilities and backgrounds authentic forest school and nature-based education programs which foster the development of the whole child, while engendering in them a love of and a commitment to caring for the natural world. PFS envisions progressive and equitable educational programs where children of all abilities and backgrounds learn together year-round through creative play while immersed in nature. 

Bio For Sheri Grace: 
A North Carolina native and the founding director of Piedmont Forest School, Sheri received her Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Western Carolina University in Cullowhee, NC and her Master’s degree in Early
Childhood Education from Bank Street College in New York City, NY. Her
passion for wanting to make a difference in early childhood education
led her to gain her doctorate degree from the University of North
Carolina at Greensboro. She holds a Forest School Teacher Institute
Certificate as a Level One Forest School Leader, and a Forest School
Director, and is completing their “train the trainer” program. Sheri
never imagined she would found a Forest School, but now cannot imagine a
better place for children to learn and grow, or for her to work. If
Sheri cannot be found in the woods with her students, she is kayaking,
camping, or walking barefoot in the creek observing and appreciating the
natural world around her.

Sheri H Grace, PhD

Founder, Director, and 

Learning Coordinator

Piedmont Forest School

August Meeting Speaker: Lynn Byrd – Animal Tracker and Artist

Original paintings by Lynn Byrd.

Find more of her work at: https://plynnbyrd.myportfolio.com/

Join the Old Richmond Grange on Monday, August 25 at 6pm for an inspirational and informative talk by Lynn Byrd on her work tracking and rescuing lost animals.

About Lynn: “Animal guardian, active pet tracker, and artist Lynn Byrd (“Byrdie”) is a life-long learner blessed with an overabundance of curiosity. She has been involved with rescue efforts and schooled by animals for decades, but what she loves best is helping people connect with animals and nature and writing about the human and beyond human bond. Lynn and her husband Jamie Cheshire craft little pet chapels which can be found in several local parks. They are gifts for the community and are specifically attuned to people who have loved and lost their beloved companions, regardless of species.

This lecture will be preceded by potluck at 5pm, and followed by our regular meeting at 7pm. Guests are welcome. The Old Richmond Grange is located just off Hwy 67 at 6591 Tobaccoville Rd. Tobaccoville, NC 27050.

Black Walnut Festival Update

Our Booth at the Black Walnut Festival was a success!

Some of our intrepid members at the beginning of the day.

In coordination with the National Grange, and the Pfizer Rural Life Initiative, we presented information about how we each can get the best out of our visits to the doctor, about managing our prescriptions, as well as what to know about respiratory syncytial virus.

Coming Up – Our Annual Harvest Moon Festival, Saturday, October 19.

Grange Garden Goodies

With some of our raised beds starting to produce, now is a good time to be looking for recipes for all these fresh vegetables. What can you make with turnips, sugar snap peas, baby kale and cilantro?

Any recipe ideas, please share in the comments section. We can try it out and post the outcome. If your garden is producing, let us know how it’s going!