Homeschool Camp Programs
Basic Information and Rates
- Each day includes service and learning, yet the specific activities vary according to the season, the weather, the needs of the farm, and the interests and skills of the group.
- Program cost is $225.00 which includes lodging, food and all programming.
- Camp begins Sunday at 4PM and ends Friday at Noon.
- Camp is limited to 16 participants and they must be 13 -16 years old.
Peace & Justice Camp
February 5-10, 2006
A camp featuring educational programs, which explore U.S. and global issues related to peace and justice, as well as, what is being done towards solutions. This will include discussion about activism, poverty in America and global sweatshops.
Participatory Development Camp
May 21 - 26, 2006
The Global Village is an educational facility which will have eight international sites representing different areas of the world where Heifer is working. For example, there is a bamboo house on stilts representing Thailand with the animals & plants of that region - water buffalo, pigs, poultry, pond, bamboo and a rice paddy. The campers will be grouped into "families" representing a site in the Global Village for the week. Then, they follow Heifer’s cornerstone model of development and complete the application process as a Heifer partner would, to receive livestock. They learn how Heifer International empowers limited resource families through community decision-making.
Farm Animal Camp
Sept. 17-22, 2006
A camp featuring technical workshops on the care and management of various species of livestock and basic organic gardening. Discussions will include the integration of people, land and livestock - which helps to create more ecologically sound communities.
Attention Parents
- Under state law, Overlook Farm is required to have either a health form with a licensed health care provider’s signature or a written religious exception statement, signed by the parent or legal guardian of the camper, to the effect that the individual is in good health and stating the reason for the objection.
- All health forms signed by a licensed health care provider are effective for two years.
- Due to the demand for this program, Overlook Farm cannot hold reservations without payment. If your child is interested, please mail us the camp application, waiver and emergency medical form with payment of $225.00 to reserve a space in the camp. Your reservation will be confirmed upon payment.
- The health forms are due two weeks before the first day of camp.
Family Farm Camp
Three-night program for families in the bunkrooms beginning Sundays at 3pm through Wednesday at Noon.
The Program:
Come volunteer at Overlook Farm with your family, you can become part of the solution to hunger & poverty. There will be some education sessions exploring the causes of hunger & poverty, but mostly a chance to work with the Overlook Farm animals and staff. You will learn the role of sustainable agriculture in successful community development. Each day includes service, but the specific activities vary according to the season, the weather, the needs of the farm, and the interests and skills of the participants.
The cost for the typical camp program participant: $90 per person 7 yrs. & up; $45 per child 3-6 yrs. old; 2 yrs. & under free. Cost includes all educational programming, bunkroom accommodations and all meals.
Dates: Please call for exact dates. Usually one in February and one in September.
SERVICE PROJECTS
The work will include 8am and 4pm daily animal chores. The additional service projects will depend on the season and the weather. It may include barn cleaning, fencing, painting, haying, maintaining & building our Global Village sites and various construction projects. Our staff and volunteers will assist you with the work projects.
EDUCATION SESSIONS
These sessions may vary depending on your group’s interest. The typical sessions are a Heifer video, a farm & Global Village tour, the World Map Activity, a Peasant Meal, the Cornerstone Session and the Cottage Industry session (descriptions are below).
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VIDEO
There are two videos, depending on the average age of the viewers. For elementary age youth: The Promise is a 10-minute video, which features two children whose families received animals from Heifer. It shows how the gift of these animals affected their lives. For middle school age and up: Legacy of Efrain is a 17-minute video, which features five families who have received animals from Heifer. It shows how the gift of these animals affected their lives.
- FARM & GLOBAL VILLAGE TOUR
There are two parts: first, the barn and all the animals. We have over 20 species of livestock - mostly traditional American livestock, but we do have one yak, one camel, 2 water buffalo and 6 llama. We discuss how these animals can help people improved their standard of living. Then, we tour the Global Village, which has international sites representing different areas of the world where Heifer is working. For example, there is a bamboo house on stilts representing Thailand and a cinder block house with a tin roof representing Guatemala. The other Global Village sites are Peru, Tibet, Kenya and USA - some of these are still under construction. Future sites in planning are Romania, India and Ghana.
- WORLD MAP
For this activity we use a map of the world drawn on a piece of plastic as big as a room and the group stands on it the way the population is distributed and then the way food is distributed. Then, there is a discussion about why resources are unevenly distributed – exploring issues such as what are the causes of hunger & poverty and then what are possible solutions to these causes.
- CORNERSTONES EDUCATION SESSION
This is an introduction to the essential principles that Heifer International has developed called Cornerstones for Just and Sustainable Development. All organizations and farmer groups are screened, monitored and evaluated according to these principles and project plans made by the groups take these factors into consideration.
- COTTAGE INDUSTRY ACTIVITIES
This session allows the participants to make various products using the resources from livestock and our natural resources. Typically, we facilitate a dairy products session and we may include a wool products element.
- PEASANT MEAL
In one of the Global Village sites, your group will cook a meal using the methods and supplies traditionally available to people in that area of the world. The participants build a fire, draw water and cook their own meal facilitated by a volunteer. During the cooking time, they have a discussion about: where would this food really come from, how long would it actually take to prepare it or how far might this family have to go to get their water and firewood… There are many possible topics for discussion.
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