Program Calendar — Summer Camp FAQ

There are nine summer programs that run each week during the summer: seven for children and three for adults. Each is designed with a distinct focus for a specific age range:

1. Is each week of camp the same program, or do they differ from week to week? My question really is how many weeks should/can my child do it in a row?
2. Should I enroll my child in full-day or half-day Growers?
3. Should I sign my child up for Growers or Harvesters?
4. Can you please tell me when the camp starts and ends and how we can register for camp this summer?
5. What is a typical day?
6. Does my child stay clean while at camp?
7. What is Friday Family Time?
8. My child is shy; can I still send her/him to camp?
9. Do you offer a full day program for five year olds?
10. If my child is not quite old enough for a particular program, but has proved well able to thrive in programs with older children, can you make an exception to the age range requirements?
11. How do I prepare for a week of camp?

1. Is each week of camp the same program, or do they differ from week to week? My question really is how many weeks should/can my child do it in a row?

Although the format and structure of most summer programs remain the same from week to week, there are plenty of opportunities to learn new skills, meet new friends, and participate in different activities. For those children attending camp for more than one week and for those returning from previous years, Harvesters is specifically designed to provide opportunities for fresh knowledge and experiences. Some families keep their kids in consecutive weeks...some split their time...two weeks here...another week there.

There are families that have signed up their children for most of the summer with a break or two in between. It really depends on your schedule and what works best for your family.

2. Should I enroll my child in full-day or half-day Growers?

The major consideration is time outdoors on the FARM (six hours vs. three hours). The decision to send your child to either a full day of camp or half day is entirely up to you. However, please be aware that spending all day outdoors is not the same as being inside a classroom. Although we have classrooms and barns and shaded areas to escape the sun, being outdoors can be tiring for some. Full day participants also enjoy the additional opportunity of FARM electives with a different group in the afternoon for the week.

3. Should I sign my child up for Growers or Harvesters?

The Growers program is the weekly experience that has been known as Full Day Farm Camp for the past several years. It combines animal chores and lessons about animal husbandry and gardening with a chance to choose an afternoon elective for the week. If your child has never been to The FARM before and would benefit from a program of diverse farm experiences, Growers will fill the bill. The Harvesters program was developed to meet the interests of participants who have been to The FARM in previous years or plan to enroll for multiple weeks of the summer. It focuses on a new COW (Concept of the Week) during each weekly session and offers a collection of activities that relate directly to the specific theme while also exploring diverse aspects of our working farm. Both programs involve plants and animals and are open to all comers, ages 6-13.

4. Can you please tell me when the camp starts and ends and how we can register for camp this summer?

Please review our Summer Program brochure for up-to-date information.

5. What is a typical day?

A typical day will vary according to program. Growers start with morning animal chores— feeding the cows or sheep, milking the goat, collecting eggs, etc. Then comes snack followed by a morning lesson on plants, animals, or the land. After lunch (campers need to bring their own lunch and water), campers choose electives ranging from arts and crafts to cooking to field chores to photography to working with animals in the afternoon.

Harvesters, Homesteaders, and Future Farmhands will have schedules that conform to their respective focus for the day. Harvesters will organize their day and week around the “COW”, sharing snack and lunch times with the other groups. Homesteaders will be concentrating on the routines of the Friendship Garden and the FARM stand. Future Farmhands will design their day to be in step with the farm hands and the farm project that is their assignment. Everyone joins in on Friday afternoons to welcome their parents to Friday Family Time.

Below are descriptions of the different programs:

Growers
Sharing the workload with other farmers, Growers will feed and care for the livestock during daily morning chores. You might milk the goat, clean out a stall or gather eggs from the laying hens. Those registered for the Full Day will have elective time in the afternoon to learn other skills that come in handy both on and off The FARM. Offerings may include cooking FARM produce, science experiments, investigating the intricacies of the land or creating your own FARM-inspired art!

Harvesters
Harvesters offers a more in-depth study of farms, agriculture and our environment. This new program will offer activities that closely follow the FARM's Concept of the Week (COW) which will include ‘Soil to Stomach’, ‘Boundless Botany’, ‘Agriculture: Backyard to Business’ and ‘Farming Machines’. Harvesters, while still experiencing the FARM at large, will relate daily projects and activities directly to the weekly COW and each week's experience will enjoy a fresh focus. While Harvesters is recommended for families who have experienced FARM camp in the past or plan to register for multiple weeks, it is perfect for anyone looking to gain a lasting appreciation for the importance of sustainable farming.

Homesteaders
Be a part of our Homesteaders program and learn how to grow food and then prepare and market your produce. You’ll also learn about the interaction between The FARM animals and the Friendship Garden, and have the opportunity to create products that will be sold at the FARM Stand, along with the produce. You’ll spend time with projects that involve composting and working with the worms, weeding, planting, harvesting, washing, and selling our produce, and feeding leftovers to our growing piglets. You’ll also get to share this all with the younger groups that come into the Friendship Garden! This group will be responsible for completing extended projects laid out for the Friendship Garden
while also focusing on community outreach, leadership, cooperation and
respect for the land.

Future Farmhands
Whether you’re moving the sheep or setting the fence lines, building a shelter or helping deliver an animal, there is plenty of work for everyone. Future Farmhands is designed for those participants wishing to learn about animal husbandry and its effect on The FARM's success. You’ll have weekly goals as well as larger, on-going summer projects like building structures for our livestock and Friendship Garden; working with FARM apprentices to raise a batch of poultry from chick to processing; or helping monitor grazing rotations for our herds. Future Farmhands will also have a chance to assist Homesteaders by with vegetable production by bringing livestock into the Friendship Garden. This program will help participants understand the value of respect for living creatures, sustainable farming practices and wholesome foods.

6. Does my child stay clean while at camp?

Absolutely not! We all get dirty having fun. However, we do wash our hands often in the several hand washing stations throughout the farm after working with animals or in the garden or anything else that gets us dirty. It’s important for participants to come to the FARM dressed in clothing that can get dirty!

7. What is Friday Family Time?

This happens every Friday at 2 pm. The purpose of the Friday Family Time is for participants to showcase their projects of the week and share with their families what they are excited about. This is a crucial component of the farm experience and we highly encourage you to participate. You will have the opportunity to hear, touch, see, and taste what your child has been doing while on the farm. This is an exciting moment where families come together to share the farm and enjoy the children's accomplishments. After sharing their experience, students will have the opportunity to lead their families on a farm tour.

8. My child is shy; can I still send her/him to camp?

Our teacher/farmers work very hard to ensure that time spent on the farm is not only engaging, but empowering. Being surrounded by nature, animals, gardens and other friendly faces provides a safe environment to support any child to grow.

9. Do you offer a full day program for five year olds?

One of our main concerns is to provide a safe environment for your children. We want our campers to come to the farm in order to enjoy themselves. We have discovered after several years of offering a full day option, that for most five year olds, the full day is too long and they are best suited to enroll in the Sprouts program.

10. If my child is not quite old enough for a particular program, but has proved well able to thrive in programs with older children, can you make an exception to the age range requirements?

Almost every time we allow an exception to the age requirements, it comes back to haunt us. We have found that encouraging children to practice their strengths and take leadership roles with younger children generally serves them more successfully than having expectations for an older group that prove to be too much of a challenge for the younger members. Although all age limits are somewhat arbitrary, it seems to work out better for everyone if we don’t make exceptions.

11. How do I prepare for a week of camp?

Detailed information will be sent to you in the Parent Pack as an attachment to the confirmation email you receive when you register here on the FARM Institute website.

We’re looking forward to seeing you down on The FARM!

If you have any more questions, please feel free to write or call us.

The FARM Institute - Post Office Box 1868 - Edgartown, Massachusetts 02539 - (508) 627-7007