'Creating a legacy for future generations': Red Fox Community School students plant persimmon trees at Smokey House Center

Press Manchester Journal

Published October 14, 2025

Students planting trees at SHC

DANBY — Students from Red Fox Community School participated in a hands-on environmental stewardship experience at Smokey House Center last Friday, planting persimmon trees as part of the Center's new Community U-Pick Orchard.

The field trip gave students the opportunity to plant native Vermont persimmon trees as part of Smokey House's Living Lab initiative. Students worked alongside environmental educators to contribute to on-the-ground research addressing climate resilience and sustainable agriculture, forming meaningful connections with both the landscape and the broader work of environmental protection.

"This is exactly the kind of authentic, hands-on experience that defines learning at Red Fox," said Karen O'Neill Thomson, Head of School at Red Fox Community School. "Our students worked alongside environmental educators and created something tangible that will benefit their community long after they've graduated. We planted a variety native to Vermont that can live to be 200 years old, a powerful reminder that true stewardship extends far beyond our own lifetimes."

Under the guidance of instructors Walker Cammack and Lauren Kelly, students learned proper tree-planting techniques, including how to dig holes twice the size of the root ball, identify the root crown, and carefully separate roots. Students enthusiastically repeated Cammack’s planting mantra "Too high never die. Too low never grow" to ensure proper placement. Some students even learned to use a pick axe to aid in digging.

"Students learned Persimmon trees are particularly well-suited to Vermont as they have a tap root, which helps them withstand drought conditions like what we're experiencing right now," Thomson noted. "They're also an excellent choice for farmers because they only need to be planted once—another lesson in sustainability our students witnessed firsthand."

The experience included an unexpected learning opportunity when students realized many had never tasted a persimmon. This "teachable moment" highlighted the importance of experiencing food with all senses to truly appreciate what is being grown. While the newly planted trees should begin bearing fruit in about three years, students plan to taste persimmons in the coming weeks to complete the educational cycle.

Click to read full article