Join us for our very last camp days of camp in 2021! We'll spend the morning being with and then riding the horses through the frosted sparkling fields and forests of the farm. In the afternoon we'll light a fire to warm up, and then dive into exploring the world of conifer trees using all our senses. We'll explore the questions: why do some trees lose their leaves while others stay green year-round? How do we tell evergreen trees apart from each other? What does each kind of tree smell like? As it's the season of gift-giving, we'll then have a chance to create some of our own treasures to take home including a handmade wreath and conifer-infused bath salts-- all while sipping Douglas Fir needle tea! 

In this camp we'll explore the questions: how can we get sweetness from the wild? Where does Maple or Birch Syrup come from, and how is it made?  We'll learn about sap, and tap a tree to see if the sap is running. We'll sample different saps, and make maple taffy on snow- yum!

*For 2021, we've decided to split our 5 day camps into two levels: Beginner/Intermediate for ages 6-12. and Intermediate/Advanced for ages 8-16. We hope this will still give siblings and friends a chance to be together if they wish, while still allowing us to sort riders into weeks according to their experience level. A basic run down of the levels is as follows:

BEGINNER: Riders who've never been on a horse or need more experience to develop their confidence

INTERMEDIATE: Riders who are comfortable riding at a trot without assistance

ADVANCED: Riders who are confident and stable at trot and ready to start working at canter

• Day 1: Magical Creature Creation: Over the week, we'll each make a little creature out of recycled materials and papier mache. This first day we'll work on making the forms for our creatures.

• Day 2: Magical Creature Creation: We'll cover our creature in papier mache to give them a thick, durable skin. 

• Day 3: Magical Creature Creation: We'll paint our creatures using acrylic paint, and add any final embellishments such as horns, feathers, and strings for hanging

We've had so many people add their names to the waitlist for single-day camps this spring, that we decided to change our format the second week of March Break to offer some single-day options. (This gives you a chance to try out a day before committing to a 5 day summer camp, too!) Sign up for one day or come for all three, this week offers a nice flexible option for all levels of riders. 

As always, we'll ride and be with the horses in the morning, and in the afternoon we'll try painting a work of art on one of the patient horses, and feel what it's like to sit on one of them bareback. 

In this camp we'll join in the celebration of spring by making dandelion or elderflower flavoured gummy candies and a dandelion flower essence! Gathering the flowers we need helps us understand the diversity of pollinators, and take in some of the life force that is waking through the natural world. the life Each child will go home with a jar of their very own gummies, and a dropper bottle of dandelion flower essence to share with their family-- and perhaps the faeries, if they wish. 

• Day 1- Medicine making: we'll create a soothing all purpose healing salve made from comfrey, calendula, chickweed, plantain leaves and lavender essential oil

• Day 2- Horsemanship: we'll learn more ways to work with the horses on the ground, including lunging and partner leading through obstacles

• Day 3- Wild plant relief dying: each camper will have a chance to create a beautiful T-shirt or reusable cloth bag with leaves and flowers using a relief dying technique

• Day 4- Picnic adventure ride! 

• Day 5- Open afternoon+ horse painting. This last day is left with some extra space in it so each camper can have a chance to paint a work of art on a horse and try riding bareback! 

*For 2021, we've decided to split our 5 day camps into two levels: Beginner/Intermediate for ages 6-12. and Intermediate/Advanced for ages 8-16. We hope this will still give siblings and friends a chance to be together if they wish, while still allowing us to sort riders into weeks according to their experience level. A basic run down of the levels is as follows:

BEGINNER: Riders who've never been on a horse or need more experience to develop their confidence

INTERMEDIATE: Riders who are comfortable riding at a trot without assistance

ADVANCED: Riders who are confident and stable at trot and ready to start working at canter

In this camp, we'll celebrate the abundance and joy of the harvest season by making apple chips and drinking rose hip tea. We'll talk about how horses and other animals prepare for winter, and see which horse is growing the best winter coat so far.

In this camp, we get to go for a mushroom hunt on horseback! We'll learn to make a spore print, and ignite our curiosity with the questions: what IS a mushroom, anyway? What are their roles in the natural world? How can they be helpful to humans? We'll learn about what makes mushrooms different from each other, and will look at gills, teeth, pores, veils, spores, and mycelium. Our goal is not to be able to ID every mushroom, but to kindle enthusiasm, curiosity and exploration, Safety around edible and poisonous species will be covered. 

We will spend the morning befriending, grooming, riding and caring for the horses and other animals. In the afternoon we will explore the world of plant healers, and ask and attempt to answer the following questions: What is medicine? Before we had pills and drugs, how did we heal ourselves? How do we know if a plant is safe? How do we harvest in a respectful way? Is it possible to have a relationship with a plant the same way we do a person or an animal?

We will go on a plant walk to meet a few new plant friends, and make our own White Chocolate lip balm infused with the healing properties of chickweed, wild mint, plantain, and wild Pemberton roses!