Ollin Farms

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There are a variety of summer camps going on at Ollin Farms this summer. We are entering our third year of farming summer camps, detailed below. Also, Kena will continue to offer Spanish summer camps in June.
For Details on the Spanish camps click here: Spanish with Kena

As the communities along the front range get more urbanized, the chance for children to experience the rich farming history of this region becomes more difficult. Ollin Farms is dedicated to preserving those traditions and this year we will be offering 4 summer camp sessions to give kids the opportunity to experience farm life first hand. This is a great opportunity to have a fun time learning about where our food comes from and to find out what it's like to be part of a thriving family farm.

The 2010 Summer Camps are Complete.. See you next year!

Daily Camp Schedule- Ollin Farms has developed a unique camp program that condenses an entire growing season into one fun week. Below is a sampling of the themes and activities for each day. Besides learning in the garden, each day will include a variety of activities including games and crafts with Kena and tending to the sheep and chickens.

Day 1 - Seeds & Soil - we will learn where seeds come from, planting techniques, and seeing how we use our greenhouse to get an early start on the growing season. We will explore what makes good soil, composting techniques, and the difference between organic and conventional farming.

Day 2- Plants - we will learn characteristics of different vegetable plants, how we water and care for the plants once they're in the garden, and will be transplanting seedlings to the garden.

Day 3 - The Harvest - we will learn how produce is typically harvested, and techniques used for preserving the harvest.

Day 4 - Farm Party - This is our day to enjoy the fruits of our labor as we have an old-fashioned cook-out using the food we harvested. Chef Dale Lamb will be joining us to show the kids fun ways to cook up the harvest.

Frequently asked questions:

Is the camp the same from year to year?

We have kids that have been returning every summer; we change some things or introduce new subjects each year. Last year we introduced the irrigations system to the classes and also the visit of the Chef. This year we are making an apron as a part of our new program to focus on nutrition for kid. Summer camps are like the farm, changing from year to year and even week to week as each day on the farm is a new adventure. Lets have fun!

What do kids need to bring?

Sun block, bug repellent (if wanted), water container, towel, sandals, tennis shoes, lunch and a snack for the first three days. The last day of the summer camp Chef Dale comes to cook with the kids.

What if my kid(s) don't fit the suggested ages?

We suggest ages based on our experience with the activities involved and the goal to get all the kids working together. If you have a child under 7 that you think is mature enough to handle a full day with older kids then they are welcome to sign up for full day camps, or if you want to keep siblings in the same camp despite they're age differences then we can work with you. There are always multiple camp leaders working with the children and we often separate tasks out or break into groups to match kids with equal abilities.

My son is not sure if he wants to join a farming Summer Camp?

We have seen kids change in one week, the first day they do not want to get an egg from the chickens house or get dirty with the soil, then these same kids have tears on the last day of the camp because they don't want it to end. We become a family, they finish doing their chores by themselves, catching chickens, eating green beans off the plant . Our goal is to start that little seed in the kids, that can make a different in their life and understand that being in touch with soil is a good option, eating healthy can be fun, and the importance of knowing where the food you eat comes from.