Kaitlyn Ausman, 6, hangs the wash on the line at Pioneer Park day camp.
attend when Claire was 7 and her sister, Emma, was 4. After Claire graduated from camper eligibility in sixth grade, she still returned each year to serve as an intern. She enjoys the authentic farm setting, complete with garden crops and animals. “It’s a place where you’re in the middle of prairie grasses and you forget you’re in St. Paul,” she said. Davis’ mother, Cara Bailey of St. Paul, pointed out that Gibbs Farm incorporates learning about the Dakota people and their language, not just the European settlers. “The value,” she said, “is in giving them a chance to participate in living history in the place where they live.” Davis said the kids learn by doing. “It’s real; it’s not like school,” she said. “History is fun.” The day-camp experience has made such an impact on Davis that she hopes to minor in history when she goes to college. Her plans also include returning to Gibbs Farm to volunteer in the summers, helping a new generation of children build memories of wood smoke (and, perhaps, frying bacon) that will last for decades to come. Abbie Burgess is a Twin Cities freelance writer and lifestyle blogger at thepinkpaperdoll.com.
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