What does Plantation mean to you?
Posted By: Michelle Welsh on 9/2/2011
What do you think of when you think of Plantation? It plays a special part in your summer. What do you think of when you think of camp? How do you share the magic with your friends the rest of the year?
Reflecting on the Summer of 2011
Posted By: Kelly Marston on 8/22/2011
The last three months at Plantation have been a whirlwind of activities. From family camp, first session, and second there have been many smiling faces around the farm. Throughout the summer laughter could be heard echoing throughout the boys and girls meadows and the bell could be heard across the farm announcing the start of another fun filled activity period. The summer of 2011 was a success. It is hard to believe that another summer has passed us by so quickly.
One cannot help feeling certain nostalgia for Plantation after that last morning on the farm. Memories from summer are repeated in our minds over and over again throughout the rest of the year. It may happen when a camp song is on the radio or while gazing up at the sky and wishing for the view of the Milky Way and the stars such as the one at Plantation. The truth is that Plantation Farm Camp is still working its magic even after leaving the farm.
We continue to remember the things we learn and practice at camp. It is important to think twice before placing an item into the trash and to double check to see if can be recycled or composted. It is also important to be aware of where food comes from. We continue to work on that knitting project we started and continue to make and consume “No Bake Cookies” and sourdough bread at home. Occasionally we even practice our morning singing or dance to “Louisiana Saturday Night” to gear up for next summer. We remember to be nice and respect people and to be aware of our surroundings on and off of the farm.
Even though it is hard to leave our Plantation friends, new and old, it is possible to stay connected throughout the year by visits, email, snail mail, Facebook, or on the phone. Although this summer has come to an end, and school is beginning, next summer will be here before we know it. Just know that, “it’s not goodbye, it’s ‘til next time.”
Work Camp, Week One
Posted By: John Chakan on 6/5/2011
We have finished the first week of Work Camp here on the farm, and though the weather didn't cooperate (more on that in a bit), our fantastic first week crew got a ton of things accomplished. Special thanks go out to Tristan, Amy, Michelle, and Tracy, who came up with John the last week of May to work on the garden and prepare for Work Camp. This week, though, we had Tristan, Amy, Michelle, Tracy, Raman, Billy, Josh, Lara, and Addie. We also had our two Work Camp Heroes, Ken and Pete, and of course, our Kitchen Guru, Tim, keeping us well fueled.
So, what happens at Work Camp? This past week, we set up the office, we leveled and set up tents in Earwig, Sequameadow, Deep Woods, Cherry Boys, Berriwood, Sunny Hill, and the CILT Unit (only two more units to go). We cut and stacked 5 cords of firewood. We organized the kitchen. We weedwacked (or whipper-snippered, if you will) acres of grass. We had a calf born on Wednesday (so we spent a lot of time milking). We fed animals, moved sheep, did lots of dishes, and had a lot of fun.
What was slightly less fun was the fact that Mother Nature apparently missed the memo that it was June, and therefore nearly summer. We had rain starting Tuesday night, with a little more Wednesday night. And then, just in case we forgot it wasn't February, we had a full-on Alaskan winter storm yesterday. In less than 10 hours, we received over 2 inches of rain, and enough wind to blow three tents off of their uprights. We will need to do some repairs today, but we also have more staff arriving this evening to help.
Next week will be a lot of fun, fine tuning the details of camp before we start staff training. Stay tuned for pictures and more updates.
-John
Horse Activities at Camp
Posted By: Plantation Farm Camp Staff on 5/18/2011
As horses have been an essential part of my life for many years, the horse program at
Plantation is of special importance to my experience as a PFC counselor. This summer will be my second as Horse Coordinator, and horse activities are clearly some of my favorites. The unique bareback aspect of Plantation tradition is much different from any riding I had ever done, as my experience had all been in the hunter/jumper show ring, and is commonly new to campers as well.
For riders of all levels, the Plantation program teaches the essential skills of balance and connection with the horse, by removing any barrier between horse and rider. After mastering the basics in the corral, riders can test their steering and control in the Alpine meadow and on the trails. For those less inclined to hop aboard, farm day activities and horse chore provide the perfect opportunity to care for and get acquainted with our herd of friendly horses on the ground by grooming and bathing. I look forward to working with campers new and old, familiar and unfamiliar with our program, whatever their goals for this summer may be.
-- Emily
Becoming part of the Plantation Family
Posted By: Michelle Welsh on 4/29/2011
When campers and Plantation staff enter the Plantation world each summer they actually become a part of something special, they become part of family. It is easy to say that anywhere one goes they meet people and make new friends. But at Plantation, the people you meet and spend three and a half weeks with become not only friends but your fort building buddies, your canoe camp pals, swimming pool mates, your find as many frogs as you can at Frog Village companions, and your role models, but most of all those people become your family.
In our Plantation family there is always someone to run through the meadow with, someone who wants to participate in the same activity that you do, someone who wants to sing at the top of their lungs during morning singing with you, someone wants to play flashlight tag with, someone who will give you a smile when you need one, someone who will teach you something new, and most of all there is always someone who cares about you. That’s why Plantation is such a special place. Our family is made up of many creative, unique, artistic, enthusiastic, friendly, generous, kind, and amazing people who all care about each other.
The past two summers I have met many of the members of the Plantation family and this summer I am excited to introduce a member of my own family into the Plantation family, my younger sister Melissa. Ever since I came to Plantation I have wanted to share this wonderful camp experience with her and I am thrilled that she will be able to experience the Plantation magic as well.
Each summer we are lucky enough to have many new campers and counselors the Plantation family, which has been accepting members since 1952. We are very excited about the summer of 2011 and having you become a part of our family! See ya real soon!
Celebrate Earth Day
Posted By: Tracy Tingle on 4/21/2011
We would like to wish everyone a happy, peaceful and thoughtful Earth Day!
Earth Day reflects so much of what we are about here at camp. This is a day that is meant to inspire an appreciation and awareness of our natural world, and that is what we aspire to do every day at camp. Teaching our campers to be wise and caring stewards of the Earth is certainly one of our principle missions. This can take the form of anything from educating campers about how and why to compost food scraps and reduce use of water and paper products, or learning about sustainable forestry from our neighbor and reknowned forester Ed Tunheim, or taking a hike and learning about our local ecosystems.
We will soon (May 14th and 15th) be having a big work weekend at camp to put seeds and starts in the ground that is already being prepared for our garden. The earth there has been nurtured over the decades with compost from meals eaten during camp and by the year round residents, as well as manure from our chickens and horses. During camp, many of the vegetables we eat have been grown in the very earth that has been regenerated by food that has come from it. This is something that we have been incorporating into our camp program since it began in 1952, and our campers really respond to seeing this aspect of a complete food cycle.
During these times, when our Earth is in a precarious state and clearly needs more stewards for our planet, it is an honor to provide a place where children and families can come and actively connect to our natural world. Participation in taking care of the Earth in this sort of direct and active manner gives our campers a chance to put into practice what we hear about so often, and is an intensely gratifying experience.
We hope that everyone can find time on Earth Day to do something to honor and perhaps help our gracious home, or at least take a moment to reflect on the beauty that abounds in our natural world.
Sketching at Camp
Posted By: Kelly Marston on 4/3/2011
Hey campers! I was just thinking about how excited I am to get back to camp- the sun (or fog), the trees and trenches, the animals, and especially SKETCHING WALKS!
In my opinion, the best way to enjoy a place is to draw it or paint it. Plantation is such a beautiful place where we all have so much fun. So, one of my favorite things to do there is slow down, take time to notice how lovely it is, and appreciate it by drawing my favorite spots. That's why we take our sketch pads out to the Lake, the Baseball Diamond, to the Park, or the Garden. Drawing helps us see the world around us in ways that we might not have otherwise. Have you noticed the texture of redwood bark or the shape of the trees on the horizon? Drawing them helps me see things like that and remember it for when camp is far away.
During the winter when I’m missing camp, I can look at the sketch I did looking out over camp from Crittenden’s Bench or of a particularly lovely tree. I can’t wait for us to draw some of these sights and new memories together!
Capture the Flag at Plantation
Posted By: Kelly Marston on 4/1/2011
GAME ON! GAME ON! GAME ON!
With less than a eighty days until the start of camp my excitement to hear these words ring out in the Baseball Diamond, or “the BBD” as it is more fondly referred to, indicating the start of another game of Capture the Flag is growing with each day!
Unlike any other game of CTF, this one is played in the woods around a clearing, the BBD, and the flags are not placed in clear view of the opposing team. Oh no, far from it! These flags are hidden in the nooks and crannies provided by the gorgeous Redwood trees, and using great stealth you can try to find them. But watch out, because that hollowed out tree trunk you are about to look in might just hide someone from the other team who wants to tag you out!
By far my favorite game at camp, I cannot wait to grab some water, slap on some sunscreen, put on some good shoes and head out with an amped group of campers to play a round of Plantation style CTF in the BBD! Summer 2011 is right around the corner here, and I could not be more excited!
See you all soon!
Jhenna
Meet our Counselors!
Posted By: Kelly Marston on 3/29/2011
There are so many exciting parts of preparing for summer and hiring our team is one of the very best. This year we have an amazing group of people who will be working together to provide each camper with an extraordinary time at camp. They come from three continents, and they are lifeguards, naturalists, horseback riders, teachers, artists, Wilderness First Responders, veternarians, musicians, former campers, and folks who have never been to Plantation. For all of the different skills that they have one thing that unites them is their excitement to be coming to Plantation for the opportunity to work with our fabulous group of campers.
The magic of camp is delivered through the amazing counselors. We are proud to introduce you to our Leadership Team and the Counselors for 2011 and we hope that you enjoy reading about them and seeing their pictures. We are still receiving introductions from staff, so check back to meet more of the team.
