The Mountain Retreat & Learning Center, Inc

Adult Farm Camp
2024-08-19 - 2024-08-23
Roll up your sleeves and experience the joy of farm life firsthand during this thoroughly unique 4-day retreat. From planting seeds to harvesting crops, you’ll gain practical skills and a deeper appreciation for the sustainable practices that fuel our farm-to-fork philosophy. We will explore wild edible plant and mushroom foraging, create medicinal products from our own ingredients, learn how to propagate and cook with local produce, and more!
If you would like to be a featured educator for our non-profit mission regarding sustainable and inclusive visions for humanity, please email our farm manager, Raileigh Duschen at farm@themountainrlc.org.
When
Program: August 19 – 23, 2024
Registration deadline: August 18, 2024
Featuring
Farm/Foraging Tours
Workshops
Time in Nature
Working with our livestock
Planting and Harvesting
Arts, Crafts, and Games
See full schedule below.
We are keenly aware that modern society and our reliance on technology and media keep most people at a distance from their food sources. There is a diminishing awareness of the importance of our region’s agricultural significance and history. We are eager to provide a fun farm experience to address this need.
Campers will learn where their food comes from and how to evaluate their relationships with food through enriching experiences of planting seeds and starts, growing gourmet mushrooms with paper waste products, crafting herbal salves and tincture, and learning what is required to care for a lively coop of chickens and ducks.
Spending much time outside experiencing our natural surroundings with on- and off-site field trips, they will learn about wild plants, mushrooms, and other wildlife indigenous to the Highlands area.
In addition to learning about farming as a lifestyle, campers will learn about the business side of community agriculture by participating at our local farmers market.
Our goal is for this program to immerse campers in the world of farming and foraging.
​Please be sure to bring boots, outdoor gear, and a rain jacket. If you have any food or non-food allergies (like insects), please email gsoffice@themountainrlc.org at least 2 weeks prior to arrival.
Program Fees
Overnight Rate – $800/person – Includes lodging, meals, programming, and a t-shirt
​Commuter Rate – $450/person – Includes meals, programming, and a t-shirt – NO Lodging
​In our registration system you’ll find:
“Church Retreats” | “MountainCamp” | “Other Retreats” | “Youth CONs” | “Farm Camp”
Select “Farm Camp”, then select your “2024 Adult Farm Camp” package.
Click here to register.

Monday:
8am – 9 am
farm breakfast
10am-12pm
Mountain foraged tea-making by Riley Dungjen-Gibb
1pm – 2pm
Farm lunch
A taste of local highlands by Gabe Murray
3pm – 5pm
Medicinal tincture making by Candace Anthony
6pm
Farm dinner
Tuesday:
8am-9am
farm breakfast
10am – 12pm
Permaculture: soil, forest, and meadow managment by Canty Worley
1pm – 2pm
farm lunch
Homestead cooking 101 by Raileigh Duschen
3pm – 5pm
Get inspired: the multi-purposes of seed-saving by Ryli Dungjen-Gibb
6pm
farm dinner
Wednesday:
8am-9am
farm breakfast
10am-12pm
Planning and water resources – beginning with the end in mind by Beth Gabbett
1pm – 2pm
farm lunch
Farm-to-Table Business 101 by Gabe Murray
3pm -5pm
Perpetual salad greens: the year-round farmer by Canty Worley
6pm
farm dinner
Thursday:
8am – 9am
farm breakfast
10am – 12pm
Get growing – perennials, annuals, and propagation by Beth Gabbett
1pm- 2pm
farm lunch
Homestead cooking 102 by Raileigh Duschen
3pm – 5pm
Appalachian medicinal salve-making by Candance Anthony
6pm
farm dinner
Friday:
8am -9am
farm breakfast
10am-12pm
Dairy goats and their role on the farm by Canty Worley
1pm-2pm
farm lunch
Farm to table business 102 by Gabe Murray
3pm -5pm
Pressed + dried flower art by Beth Gabbett
6pm
Farm dinner and community talent
Hope to see you around!
Peace and gratitude,
Raileigh Duschen
