Red Spruce Grove is the newest member of the Farm & Wilderness family. We are a small wilderness community for girls 11-14. This summer was full of productive projects, learning new skills and friendship building! Our big projects this summer included two new physical landmarks in our meadow: an A-frame structure and a firewood shed.
Campers built both structures almost completely independently. Using a basic A-frame design, the campers started by conceptualizing the project using twigs and sticks, creating a miniature model. From there, they measured the depth of the holes and crunched some numbers to figure out the length required of each beam. Finally, campers created a plan, cut posts from pine beams felled last summer, lashed it all together and fixed a tarp over the frame. The A-frame structure was placed over the hearth fire, providing a dry eating, cooking, meeting and programming space. The campers assembled this structure on their own, and finished the project early enough in the first session for us to enjoy it for much of the summer.
August session campers continued our site improvement by building a firewood shed. Just like with the A-frame, campers built the shed almost completely themselves using lashing and bowsaw skills to cut and assemble the pine beams.
In addition to this large group project, campers worked on personal skills and craft projects, like carving their own spoons and sewing wool vests. Each session concluded with a solo. Everyone was able to get some impressive tarps up and many started fires for cooking macaroni or even blueberry crumbles!
I am personally honored to have had the opportunity to get to know these young people this summer. I am so excited and grateful to be a part of the growth of this community and of these campers!