I have so much pride in the teens at Tamarack Farm this summer as I reflect on this past week. Although there is much to be delighted with (our new arts building project is progressing at a great pace and our garden is looking as beautiful as ever) three things stand out:
(1) Bringing in the hay: when it’s time to hay, we drop our planned afternoon activities (usually arts, waterfront, outdoor games and/hiking) and bring as many hands to the task of moving our hay from field to trucks and from the trucks to the hay loft of our barn. This year more than others I’ve experienced here, the campers brought joy and enthusiasm to the hard task of storing food for our animals for the winter.
(2) Our Interdependence Day performance. As in previous years, our teens had prepared a song to share with all the camps at our Interdependence Day celebration (it was a remake of a pop song with lyrics talking about all the great things about this place). After Thursday evening’s powerful programming on racial justice (highlighting some of the events of last week), our teens decided (after a long and wonderful conversation) that they wanted to use Interdependence Day as a platform to voice their connection to the work of racial justice. Even though it was the morning of the performance, they mobilized and prepared to sing a song written for the Black Lives Matter movement. This change (as well as the process for this change) was completely camper led.
(3) Our Town meeting this week: Each Tuesday our entire community gathers to come to consensus on different issues brought up by any member of our group. I always wish more people could hear the important things that our community members voice through this process: it’s AMAZING! This week they came to consensus on four topics (this might be record as this process tends to be long). It gave me goosebumps to hear our teens coming to agreement (after many great points were voiced) that we should purchase and consume less meat here so that the meat the we do eat can be local and humanely raised. Wow!
Now our focus turns to preparing for wilderness trips. We leave Sunday for five-or-six day adventures either canoeing and/or hiking in Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. Our trips come at a perfect time in the summer offering us a time to connect with a small group in beautiful natural settings.
Peace,
Amy Bowen
Tamarack Farm Director
