Day camps that introduce young campers to planting, harvesting, cooking and caretaking for farm animals have popped up all over the region.
ZENGER FARM CAMPS
Dates: June through August (too many camps to list – see website!)
Location: 11741 SE Foster Road, Portland
Ages: Children entering 1st through 9th grades
Details and Registration: zengerfarm.org
SAUVIE ISLAND CENTER CAMP
Dates: July 16–20
Location: Sauvie Island Organics farm and adjacent grounds of Metro’s Howell Territorial Park
Ages: Children entering 3rd through 5th grades
Details and Registration: sauvieislandcenter.org
Each day at camp will be a new adventure, focusing on one area of the Sauvie Island Center curriculum, including: Healthy Soils, Plant Parts, Seed to Harvest, Wildlife and the Food Web, and the Pollination Station.
4-H DISCOVERY FARM DAY CAMP
Dates: July 9-13; August 6-10
Location: Alpenrose Dairy in SW Portland
Ages: 7-12
Registration: extension.oregonstate.edu/metro4h/4-h-camps
For youth with an affinity for farm animals, this day camp offers hands-on, small group activities in the barn with the animals, and in the garden on the farm.
JUMP FOR JOY FARM CAMPS
Details and Registration: jump4joyfarm.com
Glorious Food Camp
Dates: July 30-August 3
Location: Oregon City
Ages: 5-12
Learn where our food comes from, how we produce it and how it morphs into what we see on our dinner plate. Learn simple nutrition techniques and participate in the process of getting food from the soil to the belly.
Animal Farm
Dates: June 25-29
Location: Oregon City
Ages: 5-12
Learn how a farm depends on its animals, both wild and domestic, for livelihood, lunch and laughs. We will spend time learning how to properly take care of the animals we share a habitat with and how the animals in our lives support us both physically and emotionally. We hope to develop some animal friendships along the way.
OLD MCDONALD’S FARM CAMPS
Dates: 8 sessions running June through August
Location: Corbett
Ages: Children entering 2nd through 6th grades
Details and Registration: oldmcdonaldsfarm.org
Get a hands-on, fun farm experience at a 68-acre educational farm site. Learn from 30+ farm animals such as chickens, ducks, rabbits, sheep, goats, pig, horses, cow and our farm dog. Program highlights include children riding on a tractor, planting in the garden and learning to ride a horse.
TRACKERS PDX CAMPS
Details and Registration: trackerspdx.com
Animals on the Ranch
Dates: June 25-29; August 13-17
Location: SE Portland
Ages: 6-10
Meet the animals of local farms and ranches. Learn about and help with the care of chickens, sheep, goats and even working dogs. More info.
Berry Picking Adventure + Summer Harvest
Dates: August 20-24
Location: SE Portland
Ages: 6-10
Spend summer days picking & eating berry’s, plus make fun berry foods and concoctions. More info.
THE MERRY KITCHEN CAMPS
After harvesting fresh herbs and vegetables from the 500-square-foot garden in Northeast Portland, aspiring young chefs make and devour adventurous meals outside their normal repertoire. Class calendar: themerrykitchen.com
Ethnic Finger Foods
Dates: July 16-19, Ages: 10-14
Dates: August 6-9, Ages: 8-12
Location: NE Portland
Young cooks will travel the globe sampling different finger foods. Learn more.
Iron Chef/Chopped Camp
Dates: August 20-23
Location: NE Portland
Ages: 13-16
Cooks will learn knife skills and make recipes, incorporating a mystery ingredient every day. On the last day, every teen will make something with the ingredients on hand, without using a recipe. Learn more.
COOKING THYME CAMP: Wraps Around the World
Dates: July 31–August 3
Location: Happy Valley
Ages: 7-13
Details and Registration: cookingthymepdx.com
Discover the handheld favorites from around the world in this fun and tasty cooking camp!
Photo by Shawn Linehan
June 8th, 2012 at 8:18 pm
[...] to Harvest, Wildlife and the Food Web, and the Pollination Station. … Follow this link: Edible Portland» Summer Farm and Cooking Camps ← Fun Camping Activities for the Whole Family Spanish Immersion Summer Camp | LA Moms [...]