First Sleepaway Camp with Nature's Farm Camp #ChicagoSights

It was bound to happen. This little one, this lover of all animals, is going away to sleep-away camp. She talked her way into Nature’s Farm Camp during our visit of the Good Food Festival back in March of this year. She attended with me, and asked me for some of my business cards to pass around to vendors. With our work with We Sow, We Grow, she’s been an intricate part of taking care of the chickens and letting community members know what they could and couldn’t do with them. She’s also let us know her stance on what happens to the chickens after they are finished laying eggs. She’s not shy about her opinions.

Anyway, the ladybug put on her best marketing hat and sealed the deal for us to let her go away to camp in exchange for talking about it on the blog. Where she gets this wonderful amount of confidence, I do not know, but I’m game. I’m looking forward to seeing everything that she learns, and having her interact more with children she may have never met in general. I already know that she has an extremely large heart, and will do well.

Nature’s Farm Camp exists because childhood today isn’t always what it should be. Kids’ days are too often filled with screens and abstractions, being rewarded for following directions, and filling their bodies with things that can barely be defined as food.

We offer outdoor immersion and activities to develop communication, collaboration and life skills. Campers are encouraged to make choices and learn consequences and connections.

Each week, the campers run the farm and discover how competent they are. The kids work, grow, harvest, cook, explore, create and play – all led by guides who are experts in safety and fun.

The farm hostess, Deborah along with her husband, provide a farm for the week long camp about 100 miles southwest of Chicago. Deborah can also be found teaching a class or two to the campers. I first learned about her farm in a chicken group that I’m a part of, and I met one of her partners and farmers market booth manager that I frequently buy from throughout the year. Her name is Sarah. She and I love talking soaps, dryer balls, and eggs from chickens and ducks in general. I like knowing that for her first time sleeping away from home, it will be with people that I’ve known for a while. Sarah is one person from the team that will also be one of the teachers. The gentleman that the ladybug spoke with at the Good Food Festival, Tim, is the camp director, and is completely passionate about teaching the aspects of food, family, farming and good stewardship to the children.

It’s a BIG deal to let your kid go off anywhere overnight. I’m secure in knowing that the ladybug is very capable of speaking up for herself. She already has a foundation of working here at home, so I know that she will just strengthen it while away, AND get to have a blast with other kids! I love the beliefs of the farm, and the fact that they are fully into letting kids be kids, but also instilling a strong sense of community and responsibility. It’s exactly the type of environment we have our children growing up in now. The fact that they have strong Chicago connections is just icing on the cake. If you know me, you know that I love my city. Absolutely. So when it’s highlighted for all of it’s greatness, I stand behind that 150%.

If you’re interested in sending your child to camp this season, you can register >HERE< Sessions are as follows and they cap at 20 campers per session. Week #1: July 10 – July 14. Kids ages 8-11, girls only
Week #2: July 17 – July 21. Kids ages 8-11
Week #3: July 24 – July 28. Kids ages 8-11
Week #4: July 31 – Aug 4. Kids ages 12-15
Week #5: Aug 7 – Aug 11. Kids ages 8-11Each session is limited to 20 campers. Siblings get a discount too! Just use code SIBDISCOUNT for 10% off on children after the first. There are also financial aid packages too! They want everyone to have a chance to go, so check it out today!

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Diane Hoffmaster

Monday 12th of June 2017

My kids would have loved farm camp when they were little. Now they are teens and the idea of spending a week in the woods is no longer appealing to them!

Nikka Shae

Tuesday 30th of May 2017

This sounds like a great camp! My kids experience a camp too and they always talk about how much fun they had!

Fi Ni Neachtain

Sunday 28th of May 2017

This sounds like such a great experience for kids. My sons are too young for this at the moment, but when they're older I'd love for them to go to a camp like this.

Annemarie LeBlanc

This is a fun camp for kids. They not only learn about nature, they also learn to be responsible for themselves and for others. If my kids were still young, I would send them to a camp similar to this. (chicago is too far from where we live.) :)

My Teen Guide

Saturday 27th of May 2017

I would send my kids to this camp if they were younger. It is such a nice one to be part of, to learn more about nature and how to do our part to preserve it.

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