Growth, leadership, and belonging! | July 29, 2022
Hello TF families and friends!
It was so lovely to meet some of you on arrival day! And your kids are incredible! From the get-go they have been open and kind to each other. Our full-summer campers have taken the lead on welcoming in our Session II campers, and watching that has filled staff with pride—our program cornerstones Growth, Leadership, and Belonging in action!
Our candlelight community opening ceremony was Tuesday night. We all learned the words to Crowded Table by The High Women. It was lovely to see everyone gathered in a circle, faces lit by candle light signing a song that has been so meaningful to us here at TF this summer. As each community member added their candle to the growing group in the center they shared either something they were bringing to this community, or an intention for their time here. I heard “openness,” “hope,” “connecting,” “growth,” “new friendship,” and “laughing” in the mix.
Immersion work is well underway. The Carpentry and Construction immersion is getting started with designs for a new cabin. Jay (F&W’s Director of Sustainable Resources) and Ally (TF Immersion Lead) are confident that they will finish the whole project by the end of the session. As I look around at all the different cabins at TF, it’s incredible to think about what it was like to build them-- who took part in that, and how many campers and staff have been impacted by their work over the years (decades!) that those buildings have sheltered us. Truly, work is love made visible.
The Arts Immersion is up and running too! Ezra (TF Immersion Lead) and his campers were sketching and water coloring yesterday, while making plans for their first field trip this Saturday. They are focusing on some history and context for contemporary art and will be practicing printmaking in various forms over the next few weeks.
The Agriculture immersion is focusing on food systems and food justice, which includes several harvest days, produce distribution to F&W camps, and recipe development. Ruari (TF Immersion Lead) and Martine (F&W Farmer) will be taking campers to the help the VT Farmers Food Center’s Farmacy Program harvest blueberries and pack
produce boxes for VT families who might not have access to fresh food.
The Conservation and Sustainability immersion is excited to tackle some trail work. They are working with Kelly (F&W Director of Conservation), Noelle (F&W Conservation Intern) and Alex (TF Immersion Lead) on species identification and trail construction and restoration. Over the course of the session they will also explore ways to engage the public with conservation and sustainability work through informational signage on trails, guided walks, and other models.
Lastly, you recently received a letter letting you know that we have had a covid case at TF. We do expect, even with all the precautions we’re all taking before and after we arrive at F&W, that COVID will enter the community during this first week. Thankfully the impact has been minimal (knocking on wood!) and even those who are considered close contacts are fully able to engage in all camp activities. I want you to know that we hold both COVID mitigation and the social-emotional impact of various covid mitigation in our minds as we navigate these situations.
Thank you for trusting us with your kids. They are fantastic and we’re off to a great start of Session II at Tamarack Farm!
Warmly,
Kate
TF has come to life! | July 9, 2022
Hello everyone!
We are fully in camp-time-- each day contains multitudes of new experiences and at the same time, I can’t believe we’ve been here for over a week now!
The first couple of days of testing the waters of our new community quickly gave way to silliness and spontaneous fun. Walking to my cabin on our third night I was so moved by the sounds of cabin groups softly singing or laughing around camp. We’ve been swimming, creating all sorts of fun things in the art barn, and taking well-earned breaks from Immersion projects to enjoy the view from the porch.
Immersion groups have all started on their projects. The Agriculture and Homesteading group have the land cleared for their new pollinator garden and the fence is fully up! Campers in our Pre-counselor Immersion group are all certified in Advanced Wilderness First Aid and started their lifeguarding course today. The Conservation Immersion has gotten an incredible amount of
time out on (and in!) the water and their field guide to aquatic plants is coming along. And our Carpentry and Construction Immersion is so far ahead of schedule (weeks ahead!) building a new kybo that they are starting to plan for their next project—rebuilding and redesigning Shelter Cabin. I am in awe at the capability of our campers and the tenacity of our staff!
Watching this redesign come to life is truly an honor, and we’re just getting started!
Stay tuned,
Kate
Building Skills & Excitement | June 28, 2022
Dear Tamarack Farm friends and families,
As we wrap up skills and staff weeks, I am sitting
with both an excited anticipatory feeling and a warm feeling of pride. The anticipation is all about welcoming 40+ young people to Tamarack Farm– for the buzz of the farmhouse dining room, for morning singing, for finally getting to dive into this program we have been thinking and talking about! And the pride is for this incredible staff team and all of the hard work they have done to get ready.
We’ve spent time getting the paths cleared and the docks in, learning to milk cows and run the kitchen systems. We have spent hours sitting in circles discussing all manner of complex social issues, and of course, holding down the farmhouse porch. Our teen programs staff this year are thoughtful and reflective, and they are hard workers. I have been blown away by their relationships with each other and with this special place.
While I am about to welcome your teens to TF, I am also about to send my child to camp (my oldest is attending Barn Day Camp for the first time!) Sending our kids out into the world is such a leap of faith. Will my child be supported and challenged? Will my child be fully seen and appreciated? Looking around at this group of adults joyfully planning, thoughtfully reflecting, and digging into the hard work that is running camp, I know your teens are in excellent hands. I can’t wait to welcome your teens to Tamarack Farm in a few days!
Warmly,
Kate