That’s a Wrap! 2022 Summer Season Comes to End
/Over the past 7-weeks the farm welcomed over 115 kids to the farm. It was a fantastic summer and we are so proud of the hard work these children accomplished.
Together we took care of the sheep, weighing the lambs weekly, and herding the flock a countless number of times. Each time took a bit of problem solving, teamwork, and communication. We also took our oxen, Jack and Thor for walks daily, keeping them on a steady training routine. And who could forget our goats, Wallace and Gromit! They too enjoyed many walks this summer, albeit they need more training than the oxen. The most popular animals this summer, however, were the chickens. At almost every hour of the day you could see a camper in the chicken coop, holding one of our feathery friends.
Our forest crews did some much needed trail work in the woods, making our paths easier to use. This included new signs along the trail, and lots and lots of brush clearing, and bridge construction too!
The true star of the summer was the garden. Jam packed with color and delicious treats, there was always something to do or eat in the garden. Campers helped plant, harvest, and process produce for meals, construct trellises and make repairs to the garden shed, and identify and collect invasive insects. Campers also made creative snack platters of cucumber, carrots, and berries. We used herbs and flowers to make prints, dye napkins, and useful salves and balms. Students also helped harvest and clean over 100 pounds of fresh produce to donate to our local food pantry!
Summer on the farm is not just about farmwork. We work hard, and we play hard too! Scavenger hunts, fort making in the woods, volleyball catches in the yard, werewolf at night, capture the flag, board games at the picnic tables. The list goes on! There’s so much that happens during a Summer at Red Gate. We can’t wait to do it all again.
