Roots & Resilience

A 7-day off-grid farm experience for secondary students aged 16–18. No screens. Real work. A working permaculture farm in the mountains of northern Thailand.

Ages 16–18+ 8–10 students 7 days / 6 nights Available year-round

Students leave their devices behind and spend seven days learning by doing — building with mud, growing food, weaving with Karen artisans, and visiting a living Karen community in the hills above Pai.

Physical engagement produces real learning. When students are tired from meaningful work, the noise of social media fades. Real conversations happen. Confidence grows through competence, not performance.

“Students close the week with a group coaching session and leave with a self-coaching journal — daily prompts, a morning routine template, and a personal written commitment to keep the practice alive at home.” — Lyse Kong, Co-founder

Daily Rhythm

Time	Block
7:30 am	Wake-up · Morning practice (rotating: yoga / Qi Gong / meditation / outdoor workout)
8:15 am	Farm Crew duties · Breakfast preparation
9:00 am	Main activity block
12:00 pm	Cook and eat lunch together — farm-to-table, from what we grow
2:00 pm	Skill or cultural activity block
5:00 pm	Outdoor games · Free exploration of the farm
7:00 pm	Dinner · Group debrief — reflection and open conversation
8:00 pm	Wind down · No screens · Rest

Morning practice (rotating): Each day opens with a facilitated practice led by a different facilitator. Not optional — it sets the tone for the day.

Farm Crew Rotation

Students are divided into small crews of 2–3. Each crew rotates through all farm duties so no student repeats the same task twice. A printed rotation schedule is provided on arrival.

Kitchen Crew

Prepare breakfast and lunch
Set and clear the table
Wash up after meals

Animal Crew

Feed and water the chickens
Collect eggs
Check animal welfare morning and evening

Garden Crew

Morning garden check
Water seedlings
Compost kitchen waste

Camp Crew

Clean and tidy sleeping tents
Manage rubbish sorting
Keep shared spaces clean

Weekly Programme

Day	Morning	Afternoon
Day 1 Arrival	Minivan from Chiang Mai · Arrive at Seedlings Farm · Orientation walk	Permaculture introduction · Set up camp · First farm meal together
Day 2	Mud building — laying foundations, mixing and applying earth	Mud building continued · Tour of agroforestry systems
Day 3	Gardening — weeding, bed preparation, composting, soil observation	Permaculture practice — planting trees on the farm land
Day 4	Karen natural weaving with local artisan — traditional patterns and techniques	Continue weaving · Natural materials exploration
Day 5 Village	Full day visit to the Karen community of Muang Noi · Led by a community member	Community-prepared lunch · Cultural exchange · Return to farm by evening
Day 6	Full cooking challenge — students plan and prepare lunch from the farm harvest	Outdoor team games · Personal reflection time · Free exploration
Day 7 Closing	Group coaching session facilitated by Lyse · Each student writes a personal commitment	Each student plants a tree · Closing circle · Minivan return to Chiang Mai

Day 7 group coaching: Lyse facilitates a closing session — reflecting on the week, naming what shifted, and identifying one practice each student wants to carry forward. Students leave with a structured self-coaching journal.

What Students Take Home

A woven pieceMade with Karen artisans — handmade, earned through patience.

A tree plantedGeolocated on the farm. The school receives an update photo six months later.

Permaculture literacySoil health, agroforestry, food systems, ecological interdependence.

A self-coaching journalDaily prompts, a morning routine template, and a personal written commitment.

A reset with screensSeven days without devices — enough physical tiredness that the absence becomes natural.

Group memoryBuilt through shared work, shared meals, and shared discomfort — not documented, just lived.

Students and instructor working together in a muddy rice field, Pai valley

Mixed group of children threshing rice straw together at Seedlings Farm

Children and adults playing together in a river stream at Seedlings Farm

Seedlings Farm, Pai — Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Practical Information

Group size8–10 students (minimum 8)

Age range16–18+, including pre-university students

Duration7 days / 6 nights

AccommodationTwo separate tents (girls / boys) · Bedding provided

TransferPrivate minivan, Chiang Mai ↔ Seedlings Farm · Included

MealsAll included · Students cook daily via Farm Crew Rotation

TechnologyNo personal devices · Held securely by programme staff

SupervisionMin. 1 accompanying teacher · Programme staff on-site at all times

TimingAvailable year-round · Peak: July–September · Book 3 months ahead

LanguageDelivered in English

Get in touch

Lyse Kong · Co-founder, Pai Seedlings Foundation
lyse@seedlings-foundation.org
WhatsApp: +33 6 24 60 19 62
www.seedlings-foundation.org
202 Moo 8, Tambon Wieng Nuea, Pai, 58130 Mae Hong Son, Thailand

Enquire about a group