2022 Farm Camp Recap - Week 7 (July 18-22)

Monday - Welcome & Orientation

Welcome to farm camp everyone! We started off strong with a name game, passing a ball around and practicing calling each other by name, even trying to go backwards. Then, we went over our agreements that help keep us safe like, we agree to: be kind with our words, respect each other's boundaries and be safe with our hands and feet. After going over some ground rules, we took a tour around the farm, stopping to admire the chickens and roosters, and check out our special composting toilet. We were feeling pretty hot by mid morning, so we stopped for a snack and some hydration games. Next, we worked on a scavenger hunt, running all over the farm to find the things on the list like, a tractor, a pollinator, and a leaf bigger than a hand. Success! We found all the stuff on our list and headed back to do an activity-painting pots! Later this week we will plant seeds in them and watch them grow. By this time it was almost noon so we headed up to the tasting room for lunch and to cool down. After lunch, we played in the slip n slide for the rest of the day! (Ms. Nora)

 Tuesday - Critter Day

Day two began with a lively game of pollinator tag in the forest, where we pretended to be butterflies, bees, and humming birds carrying pollen from one flower to another without getting attacked by the blue jays! We worked up quite a sweat running around, so we stopped for some hydration games and a snack. Feeling rejuvenated, we took to the fields to harvest a very special watermelon for our afternoon activities, we also learned how to identify plants in the mint family, by their square stem, opposite leaves and strong smell. After our bountiful harvest, we read Flight of the Honey Bee and learned about how bees live and what they go through to make honey. Since we were talking bees and pollinators, Mr. Neal, one of our farmers who keeps bees came by to show us some treasures. He came with bee debris, propolis, and honey combs for us to observe while he told us some facts about bees. By then, it was time to head to lunch so we packed up and said our goodbyes and hiked to the tasting room. With full bellies, we moved on to our afternoon activity-popsicles! We blended the watermelon, and mint together with lime, coconut water and honey for a delicious treat. With popsicles in the freezer, we headed outside for some fun in the sun, a water relay game and some free play on the slip n slide. (Ms. Nora)

 Wednesday - Harvest Day

Wednesday morning we started with some time for free play on the playground. While exploring, we found some interesting tracks, raccoon and armadillo, we followed them to a carcass and wondered aloud about what might have happened to the armadillo. We moved into a tracking game, since we were all engaged in the mystery of the armadillo, it was a blast. We split into teams and left a trail of flour for the others to track, finding the perfect hiding spot. After some hydration games, we moved to the fields to harvest okra, taking the time to admire their beautiful flowers and express our gratitude for their fruit. Escaping from the hot sun, we sat on our hay bails and ate snack while Mr. Kyle read a german tale from the Grandmother Stories book. Next, we did a sit spot and afterwards discussed our challenges, excitements and careful observations as a group. By this time it was almost noon, so we headed up to lunch. After eating, we got to try the popsicles we made the day before, the feedback was they scored a 100/10. Success! At the end of the day, we finished with some time on the slip n' slide before going home for the day. (Ms. Nora)

Thursday - Flower Day

We began our day with some stretching led by Mr. Kyle to get our bodies ready for the day before heading into our morning game of Seagulls and French Fries. We worked up quite a sweat running around and stealing peoples bandanas, so we took a break for some Would You Rather hydration edition. After that, we went into snack followed by a game of lily pad jumping with hula hoops. After all that moving around, we practiced our listening skills by striking a bell and listening for when the ringing stops. Feeling good now, we made our way into the greenhouse where we filled our painted pots from Monday with soil, and transplanted basil into them. Afterwards, we harvested some flowers and pressed them inside 2 pieces of cardboard so that they can be preserved for a later project. By then, it was lunchtime so we headed up to the tasting room. After refueling, we began to mash farm fresh garlic with a mortar & pestle and shake cream into butter. Then, we combined the two to make garlic butter and spread it on some bread, it went into the oven while we moved to water play, and by the end of the day it was all done! What a tasty snack. (Ms. Nora)

Friday - Bees & Butterflies

We began our final day of Week Seven with a warm-up game of What Time is it Mr Fox. From there we transitioned into the classroom space where I introduced the term "metamorph", as a way to describe any animal with the ability to shift shape totally within their life cycle. To explore this phenomenon we played a game of "metamorphs"; each student acted out the movements of an animal while the rest of the class guessed. I asked them afterwards if any knew of a natural metamorph, an actual animal that possess the power to shapeshift. One said, "octopus," while another volunteered "butterfly".

We moved into a fluid discussion of the butterfly's story, from egg to caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly. I acted out the stages of evolution in the game Metamorphosis and turned them all into "eggs" with a wave of the hazel wand. The students exuberantly battled with rock paper scissors to make their next changes and level up to the newest model. Much enjoyment ensued.

We then went on a harvest mission to make a jar of triple-leaf sun tea. On the way back from the rows I invited the students to line up in an aisle and take a knee before a bed full of luminous golden flowers browsed over by enormous bumble bees. For three or four minutes we simply knelt with senses opened and observed as a scientist or poet might. One of the children afterwards reported having seen the "bee's sipping straw" flicker out to drink nectar from the heart of a flower. When I asked her if she had ever seen that, she shook her head, wide-eyed.

We had snack upon returning to the hay bales and Nora read a Grandmothers' tale to the students while they ate. After playing some rounds of never have I ever I told a poem featuring a grasshopper upon a summer's day. This cued the classroom to scan to grass for grasshoppers and we went on a bug-finding expedition. Perhaps unsurprisingly most of the kids caught grasshoppers in their observation boxes!

We played a last game of "Buzzing Bee" and trekked to the tasting room for lunch. Then, under a great oak tree, which the kids named The Story Tree, I brought the ancient tale of Taliesen, which we listened to while farm-made watermelon/mint popsicles melted and ran over our hands. The myth features a case of magical metamorphosis and an epic witch-chases-wizard-theough-changing-forms scene. The students absorbed the ancient images and rhythms woven into the story deeply. We listened to jokes and split our number: half went to water play while half stayed on the stage to sip our suntea.

Parents arrived in timely fashion, Miss Nora recovered her pack and the kids dispersed on high spirits. (Mr. Kyle)

Registration is now open for our Nature & Farm School in the Fall. We offer homeschool classes on Tuesdays and Fridays and weekend classes, too!