Building Community by Dancing, Working, and Having Fun Together. - Farm & Wilderness

What do the Zodiac, a bonfire, and 50’s diner have in common? Over the last two weeks, Barn Day Campers danced to the Zodiac in wacky attire (Topsy Turvy Tuesday for BDC insiders); Flying Cloud campers toted bundles of wood in their arms, and teamed up for heavier logs for the bonfire at their first Honoring (replacing the Naming ceremony); Tamarack Farmers cooked dinner for their community to a 50’s diner theme (burgers with fixings and banana whoopie pies). The common denominator was building community by dancing, working, and having fun together.

Camper Council representatives met second half and talked about the continued desire for more intercamp interaction, what’s working in the barns and garden programming and opportunities for improvement (the Farm and program related to it is an area of focus this year, among Directors and Farm staff). The challenge is how to deliver all the programs we offer, and give meaningful farm experience and time to all of the chores that must sustain our crops and animals. That conversation will continue well into the next year.

Conversations have taken place in different forums around the work we do on social justice education and awareness. From gender dynamics among campers to discussions about privilege that may lead to defensiveness, to the sense that more emphasis needs to be placed on topics of race and class, these are camper and staff concerns and teachable moments, for which staff train before camp.  Ongoing work is always needed. This Saturday our Inclusivity & Equity Visioning committee will meet for a second time (a BOT, staff and volunteer expert group charged with looking at our work for the next 5 years), to look at priorities we must address. Staff will develop an action plan to present to the board from those goals set. This is at the core of our F&W values and reported at staff and board levels.

Indian Brook celebrated “Someday” this week (video here), a special day that is a surprise day of special activities to campers, with laughter and music carrying across Woodward. Leading up to that day, Senior Lodge campers rotated through garden activities, weeding, making performance (and visual art) in the field, walked Harlee to train her to follow a lead line, made cookies in the Cobb oven, and painted rocks. The drizzly, overcast afternoon did not dampen camper spirits as they bounced from station to station. (Walking Harlee was my favorite activity – since cows are my favorite animal). Our farmers have been working hard to overcome some heavy rainfall days, hearty and hungry woodchucks, and ways to better engage campers and staff in the necessary chores of running a farm.

Creativity was in abundance last weekend for Tamarack Farm’s MOFA exhibit and feast (Museum of Farm Arts), which drew a Vermont Magazine reporter to view illustrations, 3D art, food art displays and an edible art presentation arranged by teens and staff. I saw the gallery that evening and was impressed by the range of styles and expression, from poetic artistry to a tiny spoon I initially mistook for a leftover snack morsel displayed in a large aluminum bowl.

Walking through SAM Camp and Timberlake this week, I enjoyed the “jam” sessions our camper musicians played for their camps. The spontaneity and camaraderie of music rising above the loons and lap of the lakes provide a harmonious backdrop to the tableau that is our summer camp. This next week will be filled with song, laughter, games, feasts, energy, and tears, as Fair is around the corner. Appreciations mark the gifts of self that campers and staff give, and another summer becomes a cherished memory to sustain us through a long post-summer season. We hope to see you at Fair, and for those coming for pickup day, safe travels!

In peace,

Rebecca Geary

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