Director's Message:

Early this summer Al Henneman shared a delightful poem, making copies to have available for staff and parents. Al felt the poem described Nature Camps. I continue to be impressed and touched by the environmental stewardship that Al Henneman brings to his 249 acres of woodlands, streams and fields.

Every child should have mud pies, grasshoppers, water-bugs, tadpoles, frogs, and mud-turtles, elderberries, wild strawberries, acorns, chestnuts, trees to climb, brooks to wade in, water-lilies, woodchucks, bats, bees, butterflies, various animals to pet, hayfields, pine-cones, rocks to roll, sand, snakes, huckleberries, and hornets; and any child who has been deprived of these has been deprived of the best part of his education.
--- Luther Burbank, 1994

Luther Burbank was a famed horticulturist who made his home in Santa Rosa for more than fifty years. Burbank conducted plant-breeding experiments that brought him world renown. His objective was to improve the quality of plants and thereby increase the world's food supply. In his working career Burbank introduced more than 800 new varieties of plants including over 200 varieties of fruits, many vegetables, nuts and grains, and hundreds of ornamental flowers. In California his birthday is celebrated as Arbor Day, and trees are planted in his memory.

Learning about Bees

Honeybees are fascinating, productive, and helpful creatures. Aside from producing honey, bees pollinate plants. It has been estimated that humans would survive for only four years if all the honeybees were to vanish tomorrow.

One day early this spring a hive of honeybees left their home, most likely a bee-keeper's hive, not too far from Nature Camps. This clump of bees traveled around, searching for a new home. They wandered until they came upon a red lodge in the forest. They felt it would make a good home, and promptly settled and began growing in numbers (at a rate of 1,500 a day) and producing honey.

Nature Camps staff had to decide what to do with the bees that were now living on the outside of the lodge.

Keeping the bees at camp is the best option for everyone. From the fence, children (and parents!) can watch the bees at work.

Honeybees are safe to have at Nature Camps. Unlike yellow jackets, they are very docile, and do not sting unless significantly aggravated. Because the hive is fenced off, there is no danger of disturbing the queen or aggravating the bees in this way. When bees leave the hive, they fly at a 40-degree angle up in the air, so by the time they are two feet away, they are already close to 15 feet up in the air. In terms of bee density, being three feet away from the hive is the same as being two miles from the hive. The Maryland State Apiary Inspector, Jerry Fischer, was consulted, and agreed that keeping the bees in place was the best solution.

Spend time to appreciate these incredible creatures. Learn from them. Keep in mind that our decisions are in the best interest of the families and the environment in which we live.

-David Roswell, Nature Camps counselor and bee keeper

Camp Little Feet – Our Youngest Campers

Nature Camps’ newest program addition, Camp Little Feet, had an exciting first session. Campers, ages 2 ½ to 4, along with a mom or dad (or grandparent!) made nature journals, took toddler-paced hikes, and walked in the stream. The Little Feet campers also took dips in the pool, had story times, and even experienced the Ropes Course. The preschoolers’ joy in the simplest of treasures from the woods – spiders, moss, and slugs – was a wonderful reminder of the delights that await us when we take time to look.

Watch one of the Little Feet Mom's slide show on Flickr.

Footwear at Camp

Nature Camps staff members have noticed a number of campers wearing Croc® shoes. We have found that these shoes do not offer the best support for busy camp days. If your camper has been wearing Crocs to camp and has a different type of shoe available (tennis shoe, sport sandal), you might consider a switch.

Photographers Welcome!

To all those campers and parents taking photographs -- we'd like them! As you may have noticed, Nature Camps web site and brochure are full of exciting color photos. Parents and children have shared with us some amazing photos. If you'd like to share your good ones with us, please send the full resolution image file via email to Sally Fisher at naturecamps@msn.com Please be sure to include the photographer's name and permission for us to use the photo in our publications and on our web site.

Thanks for sharing!

There are still openings in several sessions of Nature Camps!

Register now, as space is filling up quickly! I invite everyone to be Nature Camps Ambassadors, and keep spreading the word about your belief in the essentialness of such nature experiences for children and their parents.

At this time, we CAN still accept registrations for the following:

Camper Sessions: 3, and 4
Camp Wonder: Sessions 3, and 4
Riding Instruction: Sessions 3, and 4
Extended Day Program: Sessions 3, and 4

Keep in mind that your child's registration is NOT complete until the completed Health Form is in our office. This includes all signatures (including the child's signature), both parent's signatures (on pages 1 & 4), and the immunization dates. Note that you do not need a physician's signature, just the dates of immunizations. It's a good idea to make a photocopy of your child's health form, so that you don't need to re-locate the immunization dates again next summer.

If your child is already enrolled, and you still owe a balance click here to pay by credit card.

2009 Calendar

Click here for the schedule for this summer.