Getting Hands-on with Nature

Farm-to-table camps teach life lessons

BY MARIJEAN “MJ” PARRY

One of the great gifts that camps can give to young people is experiences that build a deep appreciation and understanding of the natural world. Being awakened by sunshine, sleeping under the stars, and hearing birdsong throughout the day are common parts of many camp daily rhythms, yet missing in “normal” everyday life.

Many camps take this gift further by immersing participants in wetland and forest exploration, building their knowledge of the cycles of nature. Some camps introduce campers to daily sustainable living practices—the use of solar power, active recycling and composting, repurposing materials for art projects, and doing service projects such as trail or stream maintenance.

And then there are camps that tie many of these pieces together into “farmto-table” programming. Farm-to-table programs range in size and scope, but imagine the power of experiencing having a hand in planting, caring for, harvesting and preparing food. What a different perspective children will have on their next trip to a grocery store or restaurant!

This experiential engagement nurtures an appreciation for the energy and effort required in creating a food supply — be it weeding the garden, preparing seed beds, feeding the farm animals, collecting eggs or picking the vegetables used for dinner.

A deep understanding of natural cycles may begin from simple practices such as composting that enriches the soil, monitoring for rainfall or excessive heat that can affect the garden, and grasping the seasonality of which crops are available for the camp dinner table. Some programs even expand the camper’s sense of belonging and spirit of service beyond the camp itself by planting and harvesting enough food to contribute to an even larger community by supporting local food banks.

At farm-to-table camps, campers learn that creating food takes hard work, patience and persistence. They also experience firsthand how “many hands make light work” and feel great pride and a sense of accomplishment knowing that they helped to provide the omelets, salad or soup that is being enjoyed by their camp community.

A colleague responsible for the farm operations of a farm-to-table camp summed it up this way: “The integration of farm-to-table experiences fosters connections to nature, community and oneself, so that campers become compassionate, resilient and empowered individuals who are inspired to make a positive difference in the world.” ®

Marijean “MJ” Parry has directed a wide range of summer camps and outdoor education programs over the course of her long career. Today, she is part of the senior leadership team leading the many experiential programs of Camp Glen Brook (www.glenbrook.org) in Marlborough, NH. Glen Brook’s year-round facility and programs model sustainable living for participants and the larger community through a summer camp, school programs, winter camps and a gap semester program for 18- to 21-year-olds.