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!
August 3rd
Today is the Play!
The Play is new to TF this session and was originally conceived by two of our staff members, Fronia and Cedric. Campers were surprised to awake this morning to minimal staff supervision and a set of written instructions that they will be putting on a play this evening for the entire TF community as well as some visitors from other camps.
The structure of the day and the content of the play were left almost entirely to them. Lynn, our nurse, and Sharkie, our program director, are the only two staff that are directly interacting with the campers until dinner, which is being prepared by the Cooking Immersion. I’d also like to use this chance to give Sharkie his propers. He’s put together a lot of amazing programming the summer and in this instance has really done a beautiful job taking Fronia and Cedric’s idea, fleshing it out, and executing it.
While this plan begot certain trepidations initially, I’ve been pleased to see how the campers responded. They quickly selected a camper leader to run the day, as well as a director who is responsible for the content of the Play. After opting to have Songs and Silent Meeting this morning, they began working on all the various aspects involved in putting on a play, including script writing, actor selection, set and costume design, and even making concessions and ushering.
They all seem motivated and dedicated; for example, they just opted forgo Daily Dip (our usual pm swimming time) in order to make more progress on the play. I’m excited for the performance this evening, but even more excited to see how they are all self-directing and working together.
In other news, the rest of camp is going great too!
Yesterday we had a group of campers take on PKS in a Day. This staple F&W hike involves hiking around 15 miles over the nearby peaks of Pico (7th tallest in Vermont), Killington (2nd tallest in Vermont), and Shrewsbury in one day, then returning by hiking back into camp. Our group maintained a great pace and had a super smooth day, setting out at 8:45 and returning around 4:15 pm (in time for Daily Dip!). The Eco immersion did a great job learning how to use chainsaws and are almost done working on the Timberstand Improvement Project.
We are coming into the homestretch and looking forward to all the end of big end of camp events. Banquet! Museum of Farm Art! Fair! It’s all happening and I’m excited to see all the campers and staff gearing up for the final push.
Once again, speaking of Fair, we hope to see you this Saturday. There will be food, rides, and plenty of chances to experience all the awesome things that your kids have been working on this summer! More info here.
August 1st
Today is a beautiful day at camp! The weather is lovely, and we are really in the swing of things.
We got back from Merck Forest the day before yesterday. This session’s time at Merck is getting some rave reviews from the campers. Despite some hot and humid weather, we engaged in tons of compelling programming and the kids did a lot of bonding during the downtime. The Ag and Cooking Immersions gathered an impressive harvest/forage of blueberries, mint, clover, and edible flowers which they combined with maple syrup in the afternoon to make some delicious blueberry salsa that they enjoyed with tortilla chips.
Eco took part in an animal tracking workshop that I was envious of not participating in. C&C finished the woodshed that the first half campers started and signed their names on the interior. CAP did some great work with the Merck day campers. Art/Music made some awesome wind-catching instruments and worked more on writing their own songs. We then enjoyed some time to chill in the afternoon. At first, people were a bit listless in the heat, but as the sun settled and the temperature started to drop campers spontaneously started passing a frisbee around, playing Duck, Duck, Goose, and conversing with each other in large, inclusive groups.
Clem and David, two of our cooks, arrived and grilled us a delicious meal featuring chicken/tofu satay. Then we hiked to our cabins and camped out. My group enjoyed a beautiful sunset and a reasonable amount of s’mores.
Speaking of our cooks, I want to give them a shout out here. Clem is our Head Cook. She and Dria, the Assistant Head Cook, have been holding things down big-time. The food has been delicious, varied, healthy, and on-time. The vibes have been chill and accommodating. Clem has also been a great job of working with K, our Cooking Immersion Lead, and accordingly the Cooking Immersion has been both producing a lot of great food and not interfering with the rest of the kitchen’s operations.
After returning from Merck, we had an afternoon of packing in, resting and swimming, followed by a “spa night.” Yesterday was a chill day and today everyone is back to their regular schedule, with immersions rolling again this morning. Perhaps most excitingly, Eco is up at Ninevah today doing some hand felling of trees for a Timber Stand Improvement Project with an eye towards progressing to some heavily supervised chainsaw work soon.
We have just over a week left of camp! It’s sure to fly by and we look forward to seeing all of you before we know it. We hope you are planning to come to Fair 2025. More info can be found here.
July 27th
It's a bit of a dreary day here at camp, but that's not without its silver linings. While we've generally enjoyed beautfiul weather since opening day, things have started to get a bit dry and I'm sure the plants appreciate the water. From the perspective of camp and campers, we had indoor songs this morning which always seem to be a little higher energy (I credit the piano). I also overheard multiple campers talking about how nice sleeping in the rain is. Program went on undisturbed this morning and it looks like things will clear up in the evening. Carpentry and Construction made good progress on the demolition portion of the Rec Lodge renovation, Cooking made a delicious green goddess salad for lunch, and Eco used a fire to make charcol which they will use to draw in their notebooks (which they also collaged the covers of!).
Yesterday was our first chill day of Second Session, with extended Songs, Silent Meeting, and a "Chorening" to tidy up camp. I think the highlight of yesterday was an excellent Postum House (our open mic night). Campers and staff alike brought a wonderful mix of poetry, music, comedy, and miscellany to the table.
The day after tomorrow, we leave for Merck Forest for our overnight. All our Immersion Leads have been working with their programmatic counterparts at Merck and I'm really excited about what's in store. Plans include blueberry mluching and harvesting, working on the woodshed that the First Session campers started, and having the Counselor Apprentices run programming for the Merck day campers!
Brief water note: the system has been shocked however we need the state to sign off on the lab results that were sent out before the weekend before we can actually drink it. We should get that go-ahead tomorrow or the day after. In the meantime, we are back to showering and doing dishes with our own water, so that's a huge comeup. Please see the last entry if you are just tuning in and aren't up to date on the situation.
The first week has flown by and we know the next two will as well! Please feel free to reach out!
July 24th
The first week of camp is going great! Immersions are off to a good start, we’ve had beautiful weather, and the campers generally seem highly engaged. Today, the Agriculture and Ecology Immersions worked together to bury cotton garments that will be dug up in a year. Their condition at that point will tell us interesting and useful information about the quality of our soil.
The only real hiccup so far is that, thanks to our regular sampling of our water system and an abundance of caution, we are currently re-shocking our well and resetting the system. This process started yesterday and should be wrapped up sometime tomorrow.
Thanks to the several interdependent camps that make up Farm & Wilderness, as well as our wonderful Resource Staff, we are able to mostly continue as normal. We are importing water from Timberlake that we are using for drinking, doing the dishes, and washing our hands.
Everyone has a solid attitude in the face of this touch of adversity and I’m super proud of how the community has responded in general. That being said, I’m sure everyone is looking forward to a shower tomorrow. At least the weather has been great for swimming.
This afternoon, we sent a group of campers to the VINS Nature Center to enjoy the scenic trails and many remarkable birds including various owls native to Vermont.
Tonight, we will have our first Town Meeting of Second Session, in which campers have a chance to exercise agency with regards to our community norms and programming through a consensus-based decision-making process. I’m looking forward to seeing what they come up with!
July 22nd
It’s the second full day of TF!
First off, let me thank you all for your role in what was a very smooth drop-off day from our perspective. Everyone was here on time, nobody had to loop back through because they forgot something in the car, and the overall vibe was highly convivial.
Yesterday was a day of orientation, with Chorientation, Boundaries Training, Farm Tour, and Waterfront Safety Talk. We also announced Immersion assignments and did Immersion teambuilding. In the evening, we had our opening Candle Ceremony, in which each member of the community established intentions for the session.
Today is the first “regular day” of TF25 Session 2, which is to say that we have Immersion in the morning and Choice Activities in the Afternoon. This evening, we will have an ice-breaker/personal story telling activity to sow the seeds of new friendship that will bolster our community.
We are getting into the swing of things now and are stoked for this group of campers. Everyone seems to be getting along and buy-in is high!
With regards to each of your particular children, please assume that no news is good news (teenagers are generally especially reluctant to write letters), but feel free to be in touch with any questions!
July 12th
Session One is drawing to a close! Yesterday was a Chill Day, with late breakfast, and extended Songs and Meeting. The afternoon was highlighted by a sheep shearing demonstration from a visiting expert.
As always, camp flies by and now the big, end-of-session programming is upon us. Tonight, the whole community will be enjoying the Museum of Farm Art, where we will consider and celebrate the community’s various creative endeavors from the session.
We are also looking forward to Dancefree, where the campers dance to recorded music, and Banquet, which will themed around the story of the Tower of Babel, or perhaps I should say Ba-Bell. I’d explain more but, frankly, you just have to be here to get it.
Thanks to all who have been in touch with clarifying questions about pickup day and encouragement to those who haven’t to reach out with any questions.
July 10th
We are back from Merck! The first iteration of the second year of our partnership with Merck Forest and Farmland Center saw campers engage in meaningful programming with Merck staff, including building walls for a new woodshed, harvesting from their garden, creating windchimes and gourd rattles, and going for a hay wagon ride to learn about Merck’s approach to production and conservation forestry.
After a delicious dinner, we split into three groups and hiked to three beautiful sidecountry cabins (my campers literally started screaming when they saw the view they’d have for the night!). Once the groups settled in, we enjoyed s’mores and reflective time as we considered how far we’d already come this summer and what we hope to achieve with the rest of the first session.
In the morning, we hiked out, reconvened, and enjoyed an oatmeal breakfast with Merck Forest’s own maple syrup before heading back to camp, where, after pack-in, campers enjoyed a lazy afternoon with an extended rest hour, open waterfront, and boardgames and other chill activities in the Farmhouse.
Our evening programming last night was a restorative spa night which included coffee scrubs, sound baths, mud therapy, and a mani/pedi boutique.
Spirits are high as we enter the last week of camp! We’ll see you before you know it, but don’t be hesitant to reach out in the meantime.
July 5th
We are halfway through camp!
It’s hard to believe but it’s true! As I reflect on the last half of the summer and anticipate the next, I feel grateful and excited. Our Immersions continue, each with their own arc as our Immersion Leads work with their campers to executive their lovingly crafted curricula.
The Counselor Apprentices have spent several days helping to run and leading Firefly Song and Timberlake programming and are enjoying their “day off” today (with supervision!), which involves a trip to the outside world to eat pizza and watch a movie, among other typical day-off activities that staff engage in. The Carpentry and Construction Immersion has finished demolition of the old Dance Barn Porch and has started construction on its replacement.
Everyone is looking forward to our upcoming overnight trip to Merck Forest and Farmland Center. This is the second year of our partnership with that dynamic organization. Last year, the Merck overnights were a big hit with many campers and I’m excited to build on that success this year. We are in the process of assembling gear and will leave on Tuesday.
I hope everyone outside of camp is continuing to enjoy their summer and encourage everyone to reach out with any questions!
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.
