Summer Camp at the New Village School Land
Jul 16, 2024 | by Sam Wilder
Summer Camp at the New Village School Land
For the third summer in a row, I was thrilled to offer our unique Summer Camp at the New Village School Land. What's the "Land?" Along with our campus in Sausalito, the school owns a 5-acre piece of farmland in Novato. Here, children engage in experiential learning by caring for extensive edible gardens, fruit trees, and farm animals (chickens, goats, and alpacas).
My heart is glowing as I reflect on summer camp this year. To me, this is what our village is all about. Children of all ages (kindergarten to middle school - yet know each other so well and call each other friends) working together, getting dirty, growing food, cooking, eating, laughing, making art, and helping each other when anyone was in need.
What do we do and why is it so fun to learn at the Land?
We create a rhythmical day of “inbreaths” and “outbreaths” attending activities filled with great excitement and energy followed by calm moments of reverence. Generally, we have:
-Morning Circle
-Gardening or animal care activities
-Snack & Free Play
-Cooking
-Lunch & Free Play
-Games, Water Sports & Story
Gardening, Harvesting, Planting
This summer, we harvested plums, pluots, apricots, broccoli, chives, squash, peppers, and potatoes in the garden. For the first time, we had a Hot Composting workshop to experientially teach our students the process of composting and its vital role in nurturing our planet. We've been experimenting with a mixture of garden weeds, straw, alpaca manure, and sawdust. It's been producing what we like to call "black gold" compost, and our soil and crops are healthier than ever! We also planted the Native American Three Sisters (corn, beans, and squash) paired with a little story for the littles and science for the middle schoolers. Our garden is bursting with life, and we're excited to have your children return for a harvest in the fall!
Farm Animals
The chickens, alpacas, and goats were so happy to see the children. We collected chicken eggs, cleaned their pens, and the children created a game called Chicken Day Care, where they built little beds and brought the chickens meals from kitchen scraps. We also fed the alpacas and goats every day. The alpacas were recently sheered but still needed a little shower of hose water in the hot sun. The goats are happy as can be, and the four baby kids have moved on from goat's milk to alfalfa, hay, and garden weeds. These little goats are so comfortable with the children that they will literally jump into their laps and demand cuddling.
Cooking in the Outdoor Kitchen
Every day, we use our outdoor kitchen. When children harvest fruits and vegetables, wash them, and transform them into healthy meals, they develop a deeper understanding of where their food truly comes from. I can also say, from many years of experience, that they are much more open to trying new foods if they harvest the produce themselves. Even the pickiest eaters will surprise you! Our cooking program is designed in a manner that every student gets to roll up their sleeves, learn knife/kitchen safety skills, and learn about nutrition while making their own healthy plate. This year, we made garden tostadas, rainbow fruit parfaits, freshly harvested mashed potatoes, "garden" on a bagel, and rainbow veggie pasta.
Art, Clay, Stamps, and Face Paint
This Summer, Mr. Lucas integrated some fantastic art projects into the camp. All the children engaged in a couple of clay workshops, carved potato stamps, and the older students facilitated animal face painting for the younger ones. These are perfect activities to work on in a calm shady area during the hot afternoons.
Free Play
Free play is also a vital part of camp. Children played imaginary games and explored the Land in their own ways. We quietly observe and give the children space - stepping in to support if needed. This year, it truly felt like a village. The older children really stepped up to care for the little ones sharing encouragement, stories, and just being helpful through any situation. It would be impossible to share about every activity this summer – so I’ll stop here.
Gratitude
We ended our camp with a Land clean-up and gratitude circle during which each student shared what they were thankful for at the Land. Each student youngest to oldest spoke with reverence and listened to one another. Now for some more gratitude:
-Thank you to Mr. Lucas for leading camp with me and bringing so many unique activities like art, games, and stories!
-Thank you to our rising 7th graders, Gabe and Lola. They really stepped up to support our younger students each day. It was so sweet to witness, and camp would not have been the same without you!
-A thank you to Mr. Kyle for helping plant and set up gardening activities early this summer before his trip. You were greatly missed!
-Thank you, dear parents, for making this camp happen and sharing your wonderful children with us. I very much believe in traditions and rituals. Summer Camp at the Land is a tradition we plan to keep. We're excited for next year already. Happy Summer!
