The First Days of Timberlake 2015 - Farm & Wilderness

We just experienced a short and full week at Timberlake. In the first two days, every camper age 12 and under tried out all seven activity areas and Senior Lodgers (13-14 years old) helped in an area of their choice. Some rebuilt a bridge that Moon, a cow, stepped on, other made new musical instruments, practiced fire building and more. They also requested their wilderness adventures after watching trip skits, “Trips so epic they will soon be playing in a cinema near you.” Four trips of Senior Lodgers have left this Sunday morning relaxed and in high spirits.

To celebrate their departure we inaugurated our Barns and Gardens and had our first Council Fire last night. Our Barns and Gardens ceremony involved dousing our plants with compost tea (fertilizer), singing original garden songs such as Farm Odyssey (to the tune of Space Oddity by Bowie) and eating ice cream they hand-churned themselves.

This is cows and goat to farmer’s barn

Though I’ve picked one hundred thousand weeds, I’m not done with my chores

And I think my carrots know which way to grow

Tell the kids their milk is very fresh, they KNOW!

Then came the talent show, hosted by Trappers Cabin. The entertainment came from our campers who are devastatingly talented (I literally fell over laughing a one of the stand-up comic routines).    The final skit by Rangers was creative and well-paced and a nice lead in to our first beading ceremony where a single unique bead and appreciation was received by 14 campers and staff.

I leave this first blog installment with words of new campers to the question:

What has surprised you the most about being here at Timberlake?

“The excitement everyone has” Christian Tufino

“How fun the chores are” Archer Pil

“How nice staff the is” Henri Daillie

“The amazing food” Noah Shippey

“The new counselors” Oliver Muz

“How kind everyone is” Owen Mueller

“Forgetting we are in Vermont. It feels like a different place” Ellis Burwell

“The fact that you leave mint leaves in the home made ice cream” Max Roznerita

“How fresh the food is” Henry Petrini

“The KYBOs. That’s definitely a surprise!” Yoseph Bayer

“How open everyone is to my spirit”   Eero Fleming

— Tulio Browning, Timberlake Director