Last week was Tamarack Farm’s trip week. As mentioned in the Shooting Stars post, trips are the final piece to the community building puzzle. We sent half of our groups out on Monday and the second half Tuesday. The first set returned Thursday and the second Friday. From then on out we are are TF2012 as we were meant to be.
This summer we offered seven options, each with unique opportunities. Our one hiking option traversed through the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Hiking 26 miles of strenuous elevation led to real momentous experiences for the whole trip. A person’s first peak vista is not easily forgotten. Hiking Kinsman Ridge in the rain was also pretty memorable. They returned to camp proud, exhausted, and beaming.
We sent a canoe trip down the Connecticut river as well. Paddling down a quiet river is one of the most serene experiences possible. The ripples in the water, the reflection of the silver canoes dancing with the sun’s sparkles on the water, and the trees hanging overhead ever so slightly all add up to a special time. They returned with tanned knees and big grins.
We decided a couple years ago that even though we sent trips far away, we need to remember our own farm, too. So we started having a homesteading trip that did our own chores and maintained our own garden while camping in the Indian Brook apple orchard. In between sessions of work, the trip visited Buttermilk Falls and Flying Cloud, to name a few places.
This being the “Year of Service” at Tamarack Farm, the remainder of the trips were service based. We sent one group to Evening Song Farm. Wiped out by Tropical Storm Irene, we decided to send a trip there to augment the work our service work project does one day a week. In addition to gardening, the crew helped build both a brick oven made of clay from the destroyed farm as well as a picnic table.
Another trip camped at Farm Girl Farm CSA in Great Barrington, MA. Farm Girl Farm was also hit hard by Irene and our group worked extra hard to help rebuild. We have done this trip for years now and it always produces an infectious work ethic in the campers that go to this destination.
The third service trip went to Macora Farm, which is run by our very own Farm Manager, Chantal Deojay! To give back just a fraction of what she gives to us, this trip weeded and cleared raspberry bushes to create more pasture land. They also cleared Maple saplings and got to swim in a nearby pond.
Our last crew went to Ashlynn and Ben’s Farm, named for the two owners who just last summer worked as crew members at Farm & Wilderness. They moved onto their own land and we sent some help. This trip actually worked on a multitude of farms including Snow Farm and Wild Carrot Farm. This trip had the real opportunity to learn from several young farmers just how rewarding this work can be. As thanks, every farm gave amazing, fresh food to the campers on the trip.
All in all, Trip Week was incredibly successful. Each option had an individual and challenging experience. The best part is coming home to TF to form this great and loving community once again. We are so glad to be together once more and share our experiences with each other. We would be remiss not to thank the farms, rivers, and mountains that took care of us all over this past week. We have built relationships with these communities that will strengthen future versions of our own as well as helping some of them through tough times. That is what Tamarack Farm is all about and it is not over yet!!
-Cody Tannen-Barrup