Here at Farm Camp, we’re so very pleased to be relaunching! In this article, you’ll read about where we have come from and where we are headed.
Yesterday
Farm Camp Minnesota was created to provide a fun, interactive learning experience that provided youth a connection to agriculture and their food. It was originally a one day event held in three different areas around the state. Each camper participated in breakout sessions where they got a hands-on experience learning about corn, soybeans, swine, dairy, beef, poultry, pollinators, vegetables and farm equipment.
You may have experienced Farm Camp in its previous form by attending a camp at a place like Meadowbrook Dairy in Sartell, Minnesota, Farmamerica in Waseca, MN, or Wolf Creek Dairy in Northfield, MN. Farm Camp offered day camps for kids during the summer.
Farm Camp was originally run by a board of volunteers but, in 2019, came under the direction of the Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation Board of Directors.
About MN Ag in the Classroom Foundation
The Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC) Foundation is a non-profit entity comprised of fourteen volunteer board members from across the state of Minnesota. The mission of the foundation that agriculture is valued by all. They do that by supporting the work of Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom and Farm Camp Minnesota.
Today
Since being brought under the MAITC Foundation, Farm Camp has been reinvented. Farm Camp now serves as the connector between Minnesota K-12 classrooms and the farm allowing more Farm Camps to happen and therefore getting more kids out to experience agriculture first hand!
There are now two variations of Farm Camps; a Single Stop Farm Camp and a Farm Camp Field Day. A Single Stop Farm Camp is just how it sounds. One classroom and one farm or agribusiness make a Single Stop Farm Camp. A Farm Camp Field Day brings together multiple classrooms with multiple farms or agribusinesses for a full day of agricultural experiences.
Farm Camp Minnesota has developed an arsenal of resources to help AgHosts, Educators, and Field Day Coordinators conduct a positive, meaningful, impactful experience for students.
Our Partnership with Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC)
Farm Camp Minnesota seeks to connect the classroom with an on-farm experience that helps students increase their agricultural literacy. One of the ways they do that is through a partnership with Minnesota Agriculture in the Classroom (MAITC). MAITC offers free resources to K-12 educators throughout the state of Minnesota including standards-based lessons that connect students to agriculture. Educators are able to take advantage of customized standards-based lessons prior to their agricultural visit allowing for informed students to be more engaged during their experience.
Tomorrow
Farm Camp still seeks to provide a fun, interactive learning experience that provides youth a connection to agriculture and their food. As the new Farm Camp Minnesota is shared, it’s exciting to see what the future holds.
We need you to help spread the word! If you or someone you know is looking to connect a classroom to the farm, check out our website! If you’ve got questions, reach out to us! We are ready to help get students connected to an non-farm experience.