WHICH CAMP IS RIGHT FOR YOUR CHILD?

Sending your child to overnight camp can be both exciting and nerve-wracking, especially if it’s their first time – and yours! At Farm & Wilderness, we believe in joyful play, purposeful work, and rugged outdoor living. Our camps in Vermont offer a unique opportunity for children to unplug from their screens and connect with nature, themselves, and their peers. If you’re sending your child to camp for the first time, we've got eight tips to prepare them (and maybe you) for the summer. 

1. Start talking About Camp!

2. Familiarize them (and you!) with Farm & Wilderness.

Take advantage of a pre-summer video call with our fabulous camp directors, check out our Fall Walkthrough videos, and look at the maps on each camp’s page. Scroll through the Instagram together to see photos of activities and get a sense of the daily life at our camps. Getting familiar with F&W can help alleviate anxiety by making camp feel more familiar and less intimidating. 

3. Prepare for Homesickness

Most everyone feels it at camp at some point, especially if it’s their first summer. Encourage your child to talk to their camp counselor or another staff member when they feel homesick. Remind them that it’s normal to miss home and that it will pass, even if it doesn’t feel like it in the moment. Sending a small, familiar item from home, like a favorite stuffed animal or family photo, can also help ease homesickness. Homesickness tends to hit hardest in the quieter moments, and if you get a letter, don’t panic – reach out to your camp. It’s possible that your kiddo is already over their homesickness by the time you get the letter! 

4. Involve Your Camper in the Packing Process

Giving your child some control over what they bring to camp can help ease any anxieties they may have. Review the packing list together and let them choose which clothes, toys, and books they want to bring. Remind them to pack for the activities they’ll be doing and the weather they’ll be experiencing. This also helps on arrival, as they know what they need to set up their sleeping area. Counselors will guide campers in unpacking but won’t do it for them upon arrival. For more detail on packing for camp, check out our podcast episode where our Director of Enrollment breaks down the process!

5. Prepare Them for the Rustic Living

Our camps in Vermont offer a rustic, outdoor living experience. This means no phones, no TVs, and no electricity in the cabins. Encourage your child to embrace the simplicity of camp life and enjoy being disconnected from technology. They’ll have plenty of opportunities for adventure, creativity, and connection with nature and their peers. Yes, they might feel like they miss the screens the first few days, but we have so much going on all the time they’ll soon realize they don’t even need them! 

6. Practice Separation

If your camper hasn't been away from home for extended periods, it can be helpful to practice separation beforehand. Arrange sleepovers with friends or family members, gradually increasing the duration of time they spend away from home. This can help your child build resilience and adjust to being away from you. If you can, have them sleep outside for a night before camp so they know what it’s like.  

7. Encourage participation

There is so much going on each day, and we believe in the value of trying new things. Encourage your camper to participate in all of the camp activities, even if they’re unsure or nervous. Our experienced staff will provide a supportive and safe environment for them to explore and grow. This even goes for trying new foods and making new friends, so encourage them to stay open! 

8. Celebrate their independence

Overnight camp offers an excellent opportunity for your child to develop independence and self-reliance. Encourage them to take on age-appropriate responsibilities at home in the weeks leading up to camp, such as packing their own bags or making simple decisions. This will build their confidence and make them feel more prepared to handle new experiences. 

Sending your child to overnight camp at Farm & Wilderness is a big decision! With our supportive community, expert staff, and amazing activities, your child is sure to have an unforgettable experience. Just remember to keep an open mind, communicate with your child and their camp staff, and trust in the magic of camp. We hope these tips have been helpful, and we look forward to seeing your child at Farm & Wilderness this summer! 

Remember, Camp Magic is real y'all!

Jarod “W” Wunneburger 

Director of Timberlake & Director of Camps 

Are you ready for an epic summer at Farm and Wilderness? The trees are turning green in Vermont, and summer feels so close. The staff of F&W is already hard at work preparing to make this summer the best one yet. For those who have never been to a summer camp in Vermont, you're in for a treat. A summer with us is filled with joyful play, purposeful work, rugged outdoor living, beautiful scenery, and endless incredible activities. TF Director Kate has been deep in the land of Excel prepping for the summer: “I have been having so much fun with the TF leadership team building out our camp calendar, planning camp magic for our campers, but also for our staff! There's a lot of laughter for three people looking at spreadsheets.” In this blog post, we'll share seven things that Farm & Wilderness has been up to in preparation for the summer. 

Preparing the Grounds 

One of the essential things the team is doing is getting the grounds ready for the summer. This includes mowing the grass, cleaning up fallen branches, and preparing the cabins for new campers. Led by Jay Kullman, Director of Sustainable Resources, the team is taking advantage of the snow finally melting to get our nearly 104,000 square feet of buildings ready to receive folks this summer. In fact, the entire Farm & Wilderness Year-Round staff will be helping clean those Kybos out! 

Hiring Excellent Staff 

Another crucial part of preparing for the summer is hiring nearly 250 staff across all our camps. We’re looking for enthusiastic and responsible staff members who can lead activities, mentor campers, and create a fun and safe environment. We’re searching for individuals who are passionate about working with children and who have experience in areas such as arts, trips, construction, and more. We have an incredible team coming together this summer ready to champion each of our campers. BDC Director Emily said it best: “I am excited for the Barn Day Camp staff to share all of their unique skills and talents with campers this summer; we've got musicians, artists, rock climbers, storytellers, boaters, tinkerers, and more!” 

Developing our Camp Programs 

We’ve also been working on developing our diverse programs for the summer. Farm and Wilderness provides incredible experiences for our campers, and the Camp Directors have been focused on intentionally building those experiences to incorporate teamwork, leadership, and communication skills. “We're planning some awesome updates to the camp program, including the return of Wilderness Adventurers, and, for the first time in about 5 years, bringing back our low ropes course!” SAM Camp Director Adair told us. We know how important it is for our campers to unplug for a bit, and we’ve been working hard to create spaces where campers feel safe, learn, and grow, all while having fun. 

Planning Legendary Events 

There are so many big events across our camps! From Topsy Turvy Tuesday to Harvest Day to Banquets, Camp Directors are planning special events that will make the summer unforgettable. We want our campers to create memories that will last a lifetime, and each camp has its list of traditional events to do just that. These events might only last a few hours, but they take weeks of planning, even in the off-season, to pull off. Remember, the big events are all about the little details! 

Ensuring Safety 

Safety is always a top priority for us, especially as we play in the woods. Camp directors are working hard to minimize risk in everything we do, including long hiking trips, lake swimming, fire building, and animal work. The entire F&W staff recently underwent training on our Emergency Action Plan and all levels of support within the organization to respond when needed. With 85 years of experience, F&W knows how to keep campers safe while allowing them to explore and build new skills. 

Communicating with Families 

Camp directors and our admissions team have been reaching out to families to keep them informed about preparing for summer. We're ready to answer all your questions! We've created podcasts, packing lists, camp walkthroughs, and more to ensure our campers (and their families!) are ready for the summer. Feel free to reach out to us with any needs you have. 

Training Staff 

Training staff members is another critical part of preparing for summer camp. Camp directors provide training sessions to ensure staff members are prepared to lead activities, mentor campers, and create a safe and fun environment. These sessions cover topics such as conflict resolution, communication skills, and emergency procedures. We provide an industry-leading 20 days of training for our staff, during which they get to know each other, set up camp, and learn everything needed to make the summer great. 

We are thrilled for the summer! So much will be happening in the next few weeks to make this an unplugged and unforgettable experience. Directors have been dreaming and planning since staff left last fall, and we can't wait to do it all again. We are incredibly honored to create experiences for your kids and hope you'll continue to be part of Farm & Wilderness for years to come. 

Remember, Camp Magic is real y'all!

Jarod “W” Wunneburger 

Director of Timberlake & Director of Camps 

Dear Farm & Wilderness Community, 

The F&W Board of Trustees is entering an exciting new phase of board development. Over the next year, we will be undertaking intentional development work to become a better governing board. This work will begin at our upcoming May meeting. 

Our work dovetails with the completion of F&W/Farm & Wilderness Conservation's 2023-2026 strategy: Growing for Good, which you will be hearing more about soon! In addition to initiatives such as Affordable for All and the expansion of our conservation work as Farm & Wilderness Conservation, the strategy recognizes the critical work the Board of Trustees began in 2021 and will continue to do to become the visionary, inclusive governing body that effectively partners with the leadership of F&W/FWC to ensure the organization thrives for decades to come.

This is truly an exciting time for us.

It is also a time to celebrate the contributions of two Trustees, Carolyn Rouse and Kristi Webb, whose terms end this month. Carolyn has been a valuable member of the Conservation Committee, Governance Committee, and Clerk of the HR Committee for the past three years. 

Kristi, a grand daughter of the founders of F&W, has served on almost every committee and working group during her 20-year tenure on the board. She has been Clerk of the Board, Clerk of the Development Committee, Member of the Governance Committee, and Recording Clerk. Her term as Clerk of the Board coincided with the COVID pandemic and the arrival of a new Executive Director.  Over that time Kristi provided steady and sure leadership. She has truly left her mark on the Board, and we are so grateful for her decades of service.  While Kristi will be leaving the board, she has generously agreed to work with Frances and our Development team.  

As part of our May meeting, the Board Stewardship Committee will present two prospective Trustees to the Board for acceptance. 

As is customary, we will also receive an update on the progress toward our 2023 goals for both F&W and FWC.  

Sincerely, 

Ann-Marie White
Clerk, Farm & Wilderness Board of Trustees