Farm & Garden Camp
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Leadership & Food Justice Training for Teens

Farm and Garden Camp offers successive opportunities for teens to build vocational skills with animals and in the garden, as well as to develop as leaders with children and among their peers. Together, we grapple with issues such as many people's lack of access to healthy and culturally relevant food, and we explore how we might contribute to transforming our food system. We aim to support teens in developing the competencies they will need to contribute to just, regenerative, and nourishing food systems – at Farm and Garden Camp and anywhere else they choose to pursue their passions and interests.

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Jr. CITs (7th-9th graders)
Program Description
The Jr. CIT program is for those ready to graduate from camper to role model. As many Jr. CITs are former campers, they carry with them wisdom and memories of camp that are vital to maintaining the culture and continuity of our camp community. Jr. CITs role model these elements of camp culture in daily all-camp rituals and small-group camper activities. A variety of workshops and projects additionally guide them towards embodying camp's Vision & Values. Topics/projects may include but are not limited to: 
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  • animal health and animal care
  • crop care and garden maintenance
  • story reading techniques with children
  • ​effectively leading games with campers
  • examination of justice and sustainability issues in our food system
  • ​self-care and mindfulness practices​

Teens may also have the opportunity to pursue individual or team projects of interest. Here is one example of a group's project about eating all parts of an animal in order to reduce waste, mitigate climate change, and support intercultural food practices in our local food system.

How do I sign up?
Registration and fee information will be available when summer camp registration goes live in early 2021. Each Jr. CIT session is one week long.

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CITs (Counselors-In-Training, 10th-12th grades)
Program Description:
Having demonstrated the capacity to be a positive role model and helper at camp, as well as having gained a degree of competence and confidence working in the garden and with animals, CITs further develop their leadership and counseling skills through a two-week training program. 

Week 1 explores topics such as: 


  • Vocal and non-verbal communication
  • Child development 
  • Group dynamics 
  • Identity, behavior and conflict 
  • Leadership styles 
  • Time management 
  • Organizational strategies

Week 2 focuses on applying previous learning through working directly with camper groups, as well as continuing to work with animals and in the garden. Week two includes daily debriefs, sometimes as a group and sometimes one-on-one, so that CITs can process and learn from their experiences with campers. It is recommended, though not required, that CITs complete at least two weeks of the Jr. CIT program before participating in CITs.

How do I sign up?
Registration and fee information will be available when summer camp registration goes live in early 2021. Each CIT session is two weeks long.
About
Contact
Vacation Days on the Farm and Farm and Garden Camp are programs of The Farm Education Collaborative (TFEC). TFEC designs and delivers authentic agricultural experiences that nurture the connections between families, farms, and food in the Pioneer Valley.
  • About
    • Vision & Values
  • Winter Programs on the Farm
  • Summer Camp
    • Registration & Fees
    • Teen Programs
    • FAQs
    • Policies
  • Vacation Days
  • Staff
    • Join Our Team
  • Gallery
  • Contact