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Tamarack Farm News Updates

Checking in on Tamarack Farm!

A collection of updates from TF Director Kate Kyros, organized from most to least recent. Enjoy!

We also share photos throughout the session on our SmugMug page. Check it out!

July 1st

Today is our first chill day of TF ’25! Today, campers are enjoying a late wake up and rolling breakfast, followed by an extended session of Songs and then a long (45 minute!) Silent Meeting.
They have earned it!
 
Our immersions have met several times now and we are starting to see evidence of all of the attention and work the campers have been devoting to them. Eco has been out on several smaller hikes/trips, including a trip to Gifford Woods State Park to learn about old-growth forests. Carpentry and Construction is almost done with the demolition of the Dance Barn porch and will soon begin constructing the new one.
 
Campers have also been doing a great job of stepping up on chores and contributing to their community. Having so many returning campers has been a real boon in this department, with many demonstrating super-solid leadership. This dynamic has also allowed us to introduce some new chores this year. Our AM goat milking chore is one example; when’s the last time your kid got up at 6 AM at home? We have also introduced the boiler chore, with campers operating the wood-powered boilers that heat all the water we use in the Farmhouse!
 
We have had some of the usual early-camp wobbles, but as we look toward the middle third of the summer it feels like everyone is really starting to buy in and embrace life in our community!
Tomorrow, we will play our first All-Camp Game of the summer and our Counselor Apprentices will begin their placements at other F&W programs.
 
Please feel free to be in touch with any questions and concerns, and thank you again for sharing your wonderful children with us! It’s a great group this session.
 

June 26th

And we’re off! After a morning of orientation, campers are with their Immersion groups getting started. As I’m writing this, music is drifting down from the Dance Barn where our Arts Immersion is meeting, I can hear giggling and laughter from the Rec Lodge where Eco/Conservation is, and I can see the Ag crew sitting at a picnic table under the big tent by the garden, deep in conversation. Our Carpentry and Construction campers are in the Building Building, going over the project ahead of them (redesigning and rebuilding the Dance Barn porch and stairs), and the Counselor Apprentice Program (CAP) is talking philosophically about leadership in the dining room.

Tonight we’ll gather for our Community Opening Ceremony, bringing candles down to the Silent Meeting Circle and sharing the intentions we’re bringing into our summer together.

June 24th

TF is buzzing with anticipation! We’re wrapping up three weeks of training, and finally about to jump in to the work we came here for: we can’t wait to welcome almost 50 campers to the farm tomorrow afternoon!

It’s been so incredible to see Tamarack Farm grow into the thriving program it is. We’ve got such a talented, and frankly cool, staff this year. I can’t wait to see what creative programming they facilitate.

I know that first arrival day can feel awkward, but I also know that by the end of the second day we’re mostly settled in and by the end of the third day we’re cruising!

PS - Here is a video of the staff practicing "Crowded Table" that we posted to the TF Instagram.