A group of children aged 9-12 from across the GTA recently completed a crash course on how to farm, harvest, and cook organic Ontario produce.
The junior farmers were participants of the YMCA of Greater Toronto's first-ever farm camp - a week long farming intensive at the YMCA
Cedar Glen Outdoor Centre. Cedar Glen, a 263 acre YMCA property located in the Oak Ridges Moraine, is the site of dozens of YMCA day and sleepway camps.
Last year, with the help of farm-based organization Everdale, Ceder Glen set up its very own farm. And this first summer they invited campers to spend a week figuring out how it all works.
"When we started the farm last year we were focusing on just getting it established so we didn't offer any programming on it for the first year," says Brandon McClounie, general manager at Cedar Glen. "But this year we were able to frame a farm camp around it."
The goal of the camp says McClounie, in addition to being a fun week for campers, is to give young people a sense of where their food comes from and how to begin to grow it.
"We teach our campers skills and knowledge they can bring home, not only for themselves but for the benefit of the whole family."
Farm Camp campers not only learn how to grow their own vegetables, they also learn to use the "vegetables of their labour" to create easy shareable meals.
"Once they're done their harvest, our kitchen will show them how to make soup," says McClounie. "It's sort of a cyclical program, they go from learning about farms and farming awareness to harvesting, to actually cooking with that food and actually giving back to the community."
On the second last day of camp, the campers donated their soup to Yellow Brick House, a local shelter located close to Ceder Glen site (the campers also made enough to bring some home to their families).
"The donation is really important and great moment. Representatives from the Yellow Brick House come to talk about what they're all about, to accept the donation and to talk about its significance. It lets campers know what they've learned and contributed is really valuable."
Writer: Katia Snukal
Source: Brandon McClounie, General Manager at Cedar Glen, YMCA