Archive for July, 2011

I had the privilege of joining the Crickets (a high-energy, wonderful First Lodge cabin) for their trip. On Thursday afternoon, we met at the waterfront and fitted each other for paddles and life vests. We played a couple of group games and then loaded all of our gear into six canoes. The group chirped and giggled as they helped each other get into canoes. It was a perfect day: Sunny with puffy white clouds and very little breeze. I couldn’t believe the alacrity of the First Lodgers as they pushed off from shore and paddled out to the middle of the reservoir. As we paddled, the group sang name songs and told stories. At one point in our journey across the lake, we weren’t too far from a loon and her young.

We emptied ourselves and packs out of the canoes on the far side of the reservoir and sat in the shade for a water and GORP break. After our rest, we hiked the short distance to our campsite to begin making dinner. A few campers took on the task of planning and making dinner (including learning how to operate our stoves). A couple of campers came with me to hang the rope for the bear bag. We attached a small rock to the P-cord we were using to hang our food. Taking turns trying to launch the cord over a tree’s branches, we finally succeeded and everyone gave a loud cheer. My bear-bag helpers were strong, determined and cheerful. We came back to camp to find the rest of the campers involved in making a fairy house in the woods. After dinner, we were all tired. Sarah, one the counselors, read us off to our dreams.

On Friday morning, we woke up (some of us earlier than others), had breakfast, packed up our packs, cleaned up the campsite and hit the trail. I couldn’t believe how strong these 9- and 10 year-olds were. We hiked up some steep hills to reach our beautiful ridge line where we stopped for a lunch of hummus, cheese and pita bread. For some campers, this was probably one of their first experiences of pushing through an uncomfortable situation. Even so, the group remained so positive and cheerful. We finished our ridge hike after many “are we there yet” and “how much further” questions. We set up our sleeping areas in the new shelter and had a little rest hour (most campers chatted and played games–I actually fell asleep). Then, the evening rituals began under the pitter patter of rain.
As I hiked back down to camp after spending two days with the Crickets, I was so thankful to be at a place that offers these experiences to young people. These campers might not know this today; but they will realize when they face their next hard obstacle in life that they CAN. Our ridge trail hike is a difficult one, especially when you’re carrying packs (some with two stuffed animals inside).

Through my years of studying education and designing experiential education programs, I truly believe that people (adults and young people) grow/authentically learn/change their opinions when they are in situations of discomfort. The discomfort could be social (realizing, while living in a small community, who you really would like to become), or maybe the discomfort is physical (pushing yourself to stay with your group on a difficult hike), or maybe the discomfort could be purely cerebral (if there’s a gap between what you’d like to know and what you currently know).

Discomfort forces us to become stronger, smarter, kinder; it forces us to form our own ideas about who we are and what we want to know to navigate through this world. It was beautiful to see the Crickets chirp their way through this trip.

I’ll always remember it, and I hope they will too.

Greetings from Indian Brook!

The past week has been a whirlwind filled with packing and unpacking, moving in and moving out, bittersweet farewells, and exuberant reunions. Last Friday, we were sad to say goodbye to our fabulous first half campers but we forged on, charging ahead to the work projects and beloved traditions of “Changeover Weekend.”

After Thursday’s celebratory banquet dinner and Friday’s first half send-offs, our staff and 28 full-summer campers spent Saturday shopping for costumes at the Bridgewater Thrift Store, playing games in a beautiful park, and listening to banjos and fiddles at a local bluegrass festival. That night, we had our annual Rock Dance, when we enjoyed recorded music – otherwise prohibited at F&W – and danced the night away in silly costumes.

On Sunday, we welcomed new campers as they arrived with the voices of girls and women in song, enthusiastic hugs and instructional kybo lessons. Since then, our morning rotations for Barns & Gardens, Work Projects, and Outdoor Living Skills for First and Big Lodgers have resumed, and Senior Lodgers have started fresh in new apprenticeships.

Just over halfway through our summer, the days following Changeover provide beautiful opportunities to watch returning campers teach new IBers about the systems that keep camp life running smoothly. Cohesion between campers and staff of all ages and in all positions is growing by the hour as we practice skills, learn songs and do chores side-by-side each day.

A few times during this first session, we mixed up our schedule and threw in Special Days. Our first special day was Adventure Day. Campers had an opportunity to choose from a number of hiking, climbing, and canoeing adventures. We packed lunches early in the morning and then hit the trails. One group hiked from camp to a cheese-making company in Plymouth (and tasted samples). Another hiked to the top of Ascutney Mountain. One group spent the day honing their climbing skills. Another hiked three peaks in one day - Pico, Killington and Shrewsbury. And another one group worked on all kinds of paddling skills.

Yesterday, we arranged a country fair day with a square dance in the morning; corndogs, smoothies, curly fries, and funnel cake for lunch; and various afternoon events like sack races, eating doughnuts from strings, and showing our animals.

Every morning, IB campers participate in one of three activity areas: Barns and Gardens (B &G), Work Projects, or Outdoor Living Skills. At B & G, First Lodgers have recently harvested vegetables, berries, and flowers from the garden, as well as made animal journals and recorded their observations of the goats and cows. Big Lodgers have collected soil samples, learned about compost, and learned to spin and card wool. An always-favorite activity is petting and talking to the animals. The Senior Lodge Homesteading apprentices have learned to make butter, cheese, and candles, and they, too, have been learning a lot about gardening.

Our First Lodgers who are doing Work Projects have been learning to measure, mark, cut and hammer as they’ve repaired birdhouses and built a new bench for Silent Meeting. Big Lodgers have honed their layout and carpentry skills by constructing a chicken coop. “Hammering and sawing are my favorite parts,” said a camper. They’ve already placed the floorboards and assembled three walls — they hope to raise it by the end of First Session. WP apprentices have installed posts for a swinging bridge, mastered tricky angle cuts while making sawhorses, and learned drilling and jigsawing while creating beautiful new cabin signs. They’re also excited about designing a swinging bench!

At Outdoor Living Skills, campers have been identifying plants and trees, building debris shelters, and making fires. They loved combining their fire skills and plant identification skills by making a fire to fry up some wild edibles! OLS apprentices recently completed their “Get Lost Hike,” an activity where they were blindfolded and driven a few miles away. They all worked together, using their triangulation and orienteering skills skills, to navigate the group back to camp (with huge smiles–I loved to see their proud faces!).

Three senior lodgers have chosen to spend their mornings in the kitchen. They’ve helped our cooks prepare everything from a lime-ginger drink to kale crisps to birthday cupcakes for every camper.  The Creative Arts apprentices have been making their own zines as well as other creative projects (today I walked in to see a few of them making a three-dimension map of Indian Brook). Our Canoe Apprentices are learning all the “Basic” canoe skills:

• Introduction to basic equipment

• Launching and landing

• Introduction to how body, boat and blade work together

• Basic body mechanics and efficiency of stroke

• Paddling from both the stern and the bow

• Forward and reverse paddling

• Sweep strokes

• Draw strokes

• Turning on the move

• Communication with partner

In addition to spending time on our reservoir working on their strokes, our Canoeing Apprentices will be taking part in building a canoe (yes, you read it right…building their own boat).

Each project in a given activity lasts two or three days, so First Lodge and Big Lodge campers have a chance to experience them all. The apprentices stay with the same project all session, giving them a chance to truly develop their skills in a specific area.

This year we’ve also worked swimming lessons into each morning rotation for first and big lodge campers. Senior Lodgers enjoy their lessons in the afternoon on a rotating basis.

Our campers are fun and creative; I love spending time with them.

July 8

Yesterday, the Indian Brook lawn sparkled with energy and excitement as campers and staff completed last-minute preparations for the Interdependence Day celebration. Every year, IB performs a song for all the other F&W camps. So, after lunch we formed groups on the lawn to practice the melody, harmony, and sign language parts for this year’s musical selection, “Ella’s Song.”

We chose this song because it was written for Ella Baker, a heroic woman who struggled to end racist and sexist oppression during the Civil Rights movement. The lyrics represent IB’s core values of equality, freedom and justice.

After song practice, campers streamed into the Creative Arts Lodge to create banners, noisemakers and costumes while face painting and decorating took place outside. Saltash Mountain campers (some of them former IBers!) hiked down the mountain to have dinner with us. Then  we all paraded down Farm & Wilderness Road, with the other camps joining us along the way, until all of F&W had gathered on a big grassy hillside. Each camp delighted the group with a skit or a song, and then homemade ice cream sandwiches were shared and enjoyed by all.

Music, dancing, and laughter filled the Fairground field, and the night ended with a blazing fire set up by our own IB Pioneer apprentices. As we walked back to camp, arms around each and headlamps shining into the night, we gave thanks for our community - and the chance to trust ourselves and depend on one another.

I had the joy of sitting with the First Lodge and Big Lodge campers as they settled back into their cabins after trips.Stories were bubbling out of them.They talked of canoeing “rapids,” baking cinnamon buns outdoors, climbing (“we loved it!”), and carrying heaving packs. But what was the most exciting was hearing their confidence and seeing the friendships that developed while they were away from camp.Two campers that went on the Big Lodge “wilderness” trip took turns telling a story of their trip as if they had been friends for years.They were finishing each other’s sentences as they told of beading, carving spoons and pumping water.

While it’s difficult to get trips out so close to the start of camp, seeing the effects it has on our youngest campers makes it totally worth it.They’ve forgotten their homesickness, they’ve accomplished something to be proud of,and they have meaningful experiences to share with new friends.

After breakfast this morning, First Lodge and Big Lodge campers are heading our for trips to practice skills - from Trail Maintenance and outdoor cooking to Rock Climbing and canoeing. Length and location of trips vary, with plenty of excitement and team building adventures.

“We’re going to be climbing on real rocks, with anchors built by Rocks & Ropes instructors,” said Dara, Rocks & Ropes Head.

“At the top of the rock, you can see the most beautiful lake – Lake Dunmore!” said M.C., a First Lodge counselor leading a trip to Silver Lake.

Some of the Big Lodge campers are going to be hiking part of the Long Trail. “Yesterday we had Trips Training. The campers learned how to use the stove, how to leave no trace in the woods, and how to be a respectful hiker…because we’ll probably be meeting other hikers along the way,” said Steph, a Big Lodge counselor.

Beyond the hiking and climbing, “the girls are really excited about trail food and group games…it’s going to be a good mix of fun and challenge,” she added.

A few days after the First Lodge and Big Lodge campers return, Dara is leading the Senior Lodgers on an Adirondack’s trip.

In addition to climbing, she will lead them in reflection activities and group initiatives, and teach them “there’s more to cooking on trips than your typical ‘trail food’…it’s going to be a backwood’s baking class!” she said excitedly. Dara will lead them in making a variety of tasty meals, “from calzones and pizza, with real rising bread, to cinnamon buns made with brown sugar and raisins, scones, and biscuits for breakfast.”

If you have any questions, feel free to contact Indian Brook trips coordinator, Althea Brown (ibtripscoordinatorREMOVETHISBEFORESENDING@gmail.com).

Beyond the beautiful landscape, sustainable
farming, social justice initiatives, and amazing people, Farm & Wilderness
is also a place for amazing food.

No matter what your preference, you will enjoy
some of the best food you’ve ever had at breakfast, lunch and dinner (with the
occasional special snack or treat along the way!).

Our wonderful IB kitchen staff has been
working hard - testing out nutritious recipes, accommodating food allergies,
sharing and tasting vegan and vegetarian dishes, and baking up the world’s best
chocolate and white chocolate chip cookies.

Our fare ranges from our specialty meals -
“Mediterranean Spice”, “Sushi Night”, or warm split-pea
soup on a chilly, rainy afternoon - to the ever-so popular berries & cream
pancake breakfasts or classic cookouts, complete with grilled hamburgers, hotdogs,
veggie burgers, juicy watermelon (and all the fixings!).

There is always something wonderful, healthy,
and tasty to eat at IB, including plenty of produce from the F&W gardens:
kale, lettuce, tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries, herbs and more.

“We try to make stuff from scratch most
the time, rather than just reheat frozen food like most summer camps do,”
said Julia, IB’s head chef. She orders as much organic and local food as
possible, “because that’s what we’re about at Farm & Wilderness…this
week we had plenty from our gardens - radishes and greens and garlic scapes,
which are yummy, and which we used in the cream cheese this morning.”

Coming from Portland, Oregon, Julia explained
that she has never had any formal training, but managed a Subway for a year and
a half when she was just 18 years old. “My mom taught me a few
tricks…but I just really love cooking. Making people happy is enjoyable to
me.”

Transitioning from her role as a camper in
2008, to IB kitchen staff, Catie shared, “It’s really cool to come back to
my roots in a sense and learn how to become a better cook here, rather than
some random restauraunt in New York…I’ve always loved cooking - anything from
macaroni and cheese to chicken curry.”

To plan the menu, the whole IB kitchen team -
Catie, Hazel, Jennie, Jessica, Julia, Katie, Lily and Nieyajaha - meet weekly.

“We all sit in the pantry…everyone
gives their input and we decide together. It works out pretty well,” Catie
said.

Are you more of a peanut butter and jelly fan?
No problem - we’re always stocked with a selection of breads and spreads!
Gluten free? Vegan? Vegetarian? Any allergies, dietary restrictions, or
suggestions are accommodated and welcomed!

Nieyajaha, from New York, was an IB camper
2003-2006 and returned in 2008 to work in the kitchen at IB. Back for her
second year, she shared her excitement for cooking for the campers: “It’s
fun to cook for the campers,” because, in comparison to the counselors,
“they’re excited, like times a hundred! They’re very appreciative, and
that’s really nice.”

Nieyajah is excited about our campers’
arrival. “I feel well equipped – we have a good kitchen staff, we have
good interactions, we all get along and I did this before so it should be
fun.”