Christ-Centered Farm School · Denham Springs, Louisiana

Rooted in faith. Growing with purpose.

Olive Branch Farm School is a Christ-centered elementary school on a working  farm, where children learn through the land, the animals, and the world God made. Pre-registration is now open for August 2027.

What We Stand On

The roots that hold us steady.

CHRIST

Christ is at the center of every school day. We open each morning with outdoor devotions and weave scripture, prayer, and gratitude through everything we learn.

CREATION

The farm is our second classroom. Children learn reading, math, and science by observing animals, tending plants, and walking the trails of the land God made.

CHARACTER

We nurture kindness, honesty, integrity, compassion, and gentleness. Caring for animals teaches responsibility in a way no worksheet can.

COMMUNITY

We partner with families who share our values. Small classes mean every child is known, encouraged, and treasured.

Our Mission

Children rooted in Christ, formed by farm life, and raised as stewards of the world God made.

Why Olive Branch

A school where children are free to move, explore, and grow.

We have watched too many bright, curious children labeled as “problem kids” when what they needed was room to move and explore their world. Screens and constant stimulation fill more of childhood every year, and children are losing the focus, calm, and practical skills that come from real work and real wonder.

Olive Branch is our answer. Children here learn the way God designed them to learn: with their hands, their whole bodies, and their curiosity wide awake. Core subjects come alive through animals, plants, and the natural world, and every lesson points back to the One who made it all.

Horses looking out from blue and white stalls in the Olive Branch barn at sunset
A WORKING FARM Students care for miniature ponies, goats, chickens, and rabbits while the horses graze the pastures nearby.

“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

Proverbs 22:6

A Day at Olive Branch

Learning that grows from the ground up.

Every day follows a steady rhythm. It is structured enough for children to feel safe and flexible enough to follow wonder when it shows up.

01

Morning Devotions Outdoors

We begin each day outside with scripture, prayer, and song. Children start the morning grounded in God’s Word and the quiet of His creation.

02

Lessons Through the Land

Reading, writing, and math are taught through interaction and observation whenever possible. A basket of eggs becomes a math lesson, and a single seed becomes a science journal.

03

Animal Care and Stewardship

Students help feed and care for the farm’s miniature ponies, goats, chickens, and rabbits. They learn to notice small cues, act with gentleness, and take responsibility for another living thing.

04

Trails and Open Air

Nature walks on the farm’s trails give children room to move, burn energy, and wonder. Movement is built into the day so that focus can follow.

The blue barn at Olive Branch Farm School with a horse grazing nearby

Childhood is worth protecting.

Olive Branch is a place where kids can be kids. Creativity and a love of learning are nurtured here, and every child learns how deeply they are loved and uniquely treasured by God.

Meet the Founders

Called to steward His vision.

Carrie Lewis and Tommie Daigle, founders of Olive Branch Farm School

Carrie Daigle

Founder · Administrator

Carrie has loved animals and the outdoors since she was a little girl amazed by baby chicks and toads, and horses have been part of her life every day since she got her first one at age 13. After years of building a successful residential property business while raising her children, she followed God’s leading in 2013 to open Horses of Hope, an equine therapy program serving children and adults. Through that work she has watched God heal hearts through horses and has seen children blossom through time with nature and animals. When Dennita’s Little Red Schoolhouse in Virginia appeared on her Instagram feed in 2025, God stirred a new dream to bring children and the farm together as a place of learning. Carrie serves as Founder and Administrator of Olive Branch.

Tommy Daigle

Founder

Tommy is a devoted husband and father whose heart has long been drawn to serving children. He spent several years with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, helping children facing serious illness experience their dreams. When he married Carrie in 2024, he gained a partner who shares his love for children, animals, and nature, along with a combined family of four children. His drive and compassion help carry the vision of Olive Branch forward, and he believes every child deserves room to move, explore, and grow. Tommy and Carrie are walking testaments to God’s timing and to the courage it takes to steward what He has placed in their hands.

Meet our teacher

Where learning gets its hands dirty.

Erin Sullivan teacher

Erin Sullivan

lead teacher

Erin believes that the best learning happens when students get their hands dirty. Rooted in over 20 years of teaching experience across state parks, public and private schools, homeschooling, and working with adaptive learners of all abilities, she tailors instruction to meet every child where they are. Whether she is guiding children through a hands-on math lesson tied to building garden beds, teaching life cycles through animal care, or cultivating curiosity in the field, Erin designs engaging, real-world learning experiences that make academic concepts click. On the farm, she oversees daily livestock care, soil health, and homesteading routines, ensuring that our animals are thriving and our land serves as a rich, living classroom.

Common Questions

Questions families ask us.

Olive Branch is for families in Denham Springs, Livingston Parish, and the greater Baton Rouge area who want their children to learn outdoors, with their hands, and with Christ at the center. Many of our families are Christians who share our values. Others are curious, searching, or somewhere in between, and they are welcome here too.

 Families do not need to be at any particular point in their own faith journey. Every family should be comfortable with their child praying, studying scripture, and learning from a biblical worldview each day. If that sounds like a fit, we invite you to come see the farm.

We open in August 2027 serving Kindergarten through 2nd grade, and we plan to add a new grade each year as our students grow. Families who start with us can look forward to growing with us.

Classes are small and multi-age, so younger and older students learn alongside one another. We share details about class size and placement during your first conversation with us.

We may welcome a slightly older sibling on a case-by-case basis.

Each morning begins outdoors with devotions, scripture, and prayer. From there, students work through reading, writing, math, and biblical literacy, often using the animals, garden, and fields as their teaching tools.

Afternoons are for hands-on farm life: caring for the animals, exploring the trails, and practicing real-world skills. The day is structured, but it is never rigid.

Olive Branch gives your child a community of teachers, friends, and families who share your values. Many of our families have homeschooled before, and many have not.

What we share is a commitment to raising children who know Christ and love to learn. Your child gains the friendships and steady rhythm of a small school, and you remain closely involved in their growth.

Tuition for the 2027–2028 school year is $9,500 per student. A one-time enrollment fee and an annual activity fee also apply, and we share those details during your admissions meeting.

Pre-registered families are the first to hear when enrollment opens.

We walk through every detail during your visit, and pre-registered families are the first to hear when enrollment opens.

Fill out the pre-registration form below, and we will reach out within one business day to schedule a visit to the farm.

There is no formal application until we meet in person. Pre-registering holds your family’s place in line and gives us a chance to get to know you.

Pre-Register for 2027–2028

Come walk the farm with us.

Are you looking for an alternative to a traditional school setting where your child can thrive? Come tour our farm, meet our staff, and see how children at Olive Branch learn to move, explore, and grow in Christ.

  1. Fill out the pre-registration form.
  2. We reach out within one business day.
  3. Your family visits the farm and meets our team.