About Us
Heartmoor Farm Education Centre provides classes, workshops, and
summer enrichment for children and adults.
We hold weekly Woodworking classes and sponsor both local artisans and inspirational speakers.
We offer educational programs for visiting schools in ecology, arts, literature,
appropriate technologies, and cooking.
Because most of our gatherings are full day or longer, food is an essential and significant component to our experiences;
we serve only organic, hyper-local, micro-produced, ethically sourced, and wild-harvested foods.
Our instructors create opportunities for participants to make meaningful connections to their world within a vibrant community.
Located near Kents Store, Virginia, 25 minutes from Charlottesville and 40 minutes from downtown Richmond, our farm is surrounded by a horseshoe of private, protected land. The quiet sounds of nature and the beauty of the seasons unfold slowly around.
Robert Hale-MacKinnon
Robert has spent over 25 years working with elementary and middle school students. He is a licensed contractor, a metal and ceramic artist, building restorationist, and therapeutic teacher. He earned a BA in Studio Art, an MS in Special Education, as well as the AMI Elementary Montessori Diploma from Bergamo at the 6-12 level. As a certified Director of K-12 schools in Virginia, he remains current in iMAT, Wilderness First-Aid (NOLS), and CPR. He lives at Heartmoor Farm, a 19th century farmstead in Kents Store, VA.
Elizabeth Hale-MacKinnon
The seed of Heartmoor was planted many years ago in Lexington, VA where as an undergraduate Elizabeth was first exposed to Dr. Maria Montessori’s vision of education. After 13 years co-creating and co-directing Heartmoor with Robert, she now serves as a consultant to the Education Centre.
Regional Businesses
About Fluvanna County- ‘Land of Rivers’:
Fluvanna County comprises of 98,000 acres of forest with 58,000 acres in production farmland. 70% of the county is zoned for rural preservation. There is only one traffic light and less than 25,000 residents. Fluvanna County offers an abundance of local cultural activities in nearby Palmyra including Old Farm Day and weekly Farmer’s Markets during the summer. The Fluvanna County Historical Society and the Rivanna Conservation Council act as local stewards preserving the heritage and rural character of the landscape.