Tao and Mak Family Vlog

10/06/2026

The longer I homeschool, the more I realize childhood itself is educational.

Watching ants for an hour isn’t wasted time.

Baking bread isn’t taking time away from learning.

Building a fort, planting a garden, wandering through the woods, asking 37 questions about one bug, helping make dinner, talking with adults, getting lost in a book...

That counts.

We’ve been taught to recognize learning only when it comes with a worksheet, assignment, grade, or test attached to it.

But children were learning long before any of those things existed.

Homeschooling gives us the freedom to stop rushing every curiosity because we have to get to the next lesson.

Follow the rabbit trail.

Bake the bread.

Watch the ants.

Read one more chapter.

Go outside.

Our kids have their entire lives to be adults. They only get one childhood.

10/05/2026

10/05/2026

Collecting Seeds for the Seed Swap
We are proud to collaborate with the Crandall Seed Library for our third annual Seed Swap on Nov 12, 5-7 pm!

If you would like to contribute seeds, please keep an eye on your garden. It's almost that time of year when seeds are ripe for harvesting!

Note: It is not required to bring seeds in order to get our seeds. We'll have plenty to go around!

If you do wish to contribute native seeds, please follow the guidelines below:

Please only collect seeds from your own garden or another private property with permission. Collecting from trails or other public land is illegal.

Please be sure to accurately identify the parent plant. It can help to take a picture of your plant and identify it with the iNaturalist app or the Picture This app (click on the "Cancel" at the top right of the paywall).

To know if a plant is native to NY, you can navigate to the "Plant Info" result on Picture This and scroll down to the map or type the species name in the New York Flora Atlas: https://newyork.plantatlas.usf.edu/

Make sure your seeds are dry and in a sealed bag or jar with a label (please list the common name and scientific name). Suggested tips: Collecting & Sowing Native Plant Seed | University of Maryland Extension

New this year: Local Ecotypes! If your seeds were collected from plants that emerged independently* in a wild part of your property, you can add the term "local ecotype:_(city name)_" to your label! (*The plants were part of the wilderness instead of being planted there by humans). Learn more about local ecotypes at: Local-Ecotype-Guidelines-Rev-2019-07.pdf

By October 31, please email us with the name(s) of the seed species you will bring. That will give us enough time to make plant information cards to display with the seeds. [email protected]

Please bring your seeds to the Seed Swap between 5:00-5:15 pm. At the entrance, you will be asked if your seed contributions are for WOSA or the Crandall Seed Library (or both!), and you will be directed to the appropriate place to take your seeds. Then you can enjoy some refreshments until the event kicks off at 5:15!

Don't forget to register for the event! Registration will open on October 28 at 9 am at the following page: Seed Library: Seed Swap | Crandall Public Library
If you would like to contribute vegetable, herb, or flower seeds to the Crandall Seed Library, please contact Autumn Goerner at [email protected] or 518-792-6508 ext. 265.

More information about the Seed Library:

https://www.crandalllibrary.org/library-services/seed-library/

10/05/2026

10/01/2026

The company is launching “Little Hut Libraries” — miniature Pizza Hut restaurant replicas that double as neighborhood book exchanges. https://www.wfla.com/news/national/pizza-hut-launches-little-hut-libraries-and-you-can-apply-for-one/