How to Register
Farm Camp - Intermediate
July 10 - 16, 2022
Our Farm Camp 2022 is a week-long overnight camp program for youth ages 12 to 14 years. Campers participating in Farm Camp will stay in cabins and will spend each day learning about different aspects of sustainable farming and living in addition to traditional camp and outdoor activities. They will join Camp for morning circle and some evening activities, including farm-themed evening programming.
Featuring
• Farm Tour & Education Stations
• Farmed & Wild Fall Foods
• Time in Nature
• Panoramic Tower Sunset Views
• Arts, Crafts, Games & Animals
We are keenly aware that modern society and our reliance on technology and media keep most young 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, growing gourmet mushrooms with paper waste products, and enjoying a healthy harvest. To supplement their experience with farming produce, Campers will learn 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. Farm Campers will have opportunities to cook some of their own meals and learn about food preservation.
In addition to learning about farming as a lifestyle, campers will learn about the business side of community agriculture by participating in a local farmers market. Music, nature crafts, and art activities will also be a part of the Farm Camp experience, in keeping with our MountainCamp design and culture.
Living our Mountain Core Values
The UU Principle, “Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part” is an integral part of Mountain experiences and opportunities. As an ecologically-conscious retreat and learning center located on 4,200 foot high granite cliffs on the Eastern Continental Divide in the Blue Ridge Mountains, we offer a unique opportunity to learn about and enjoy the ecology and geology of the area. Perched on the Eastern edge of the Highlands Plateau, this temperate rainforest includes an Old Growth Oak Forest, one of the oldest in the U.S.
Our four ecosystems with the highest floral and fauna diversity in North America have nurtured multiple cultures including the Cherokee Nation. Acknowledging the privilege of being part of this special environment, there is a responsibility as stewards of The Mountain. Embracing the multitude of learning opportunities, we are enthusiastically offering a variety of events and practices for adults and youth to learn about the significance of our earth’s interdependent web.