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Arcadia Farm Camp

Registration for Arcadia Farm Camp 2023 is Now Open!

    

 

 

 

 

Explore the information below for registration information, descriptions of our specific themed weeks, our additional links for FAQs and Fees, and much more!

Quick Links:
Farm Camp FAQs
Farm Camp Fees and Discounts
Farm Camp Scholarships
2019 Farm Camp Impact Report

At Arcadia Farm Camp, campers joyfully discover where their food comes from through hands-on farming, cooking, and eating experiences. 

"That's the first time I've had beets in my life. No joke. Those are actually good! I'm going to have beets tomorrow or tonight” – Farm Camper during a blind taste test

 

Arcadia Farm Camp is all about farming, food, and fun.

  • Farm - Campers learn about daily farm life. From morning chores like watering, harvesting, and collecting eggs to planting seeds and tilling garden beds, kids get to be the farmers during each week of Arcadia Farm Camp.
  • Food - Campers explore the delicious world of sustainable food through activities like, taste tests, menu designs, chef demos, and hands-on preparation of simple dishes and snacks. Plus, all of the veggies come straight from the Groundhog Garden and Dogue Farm, our production farm.
  • Fun - At Arcadia Farm Camp, kids have fun! We combine learning and play in a safe, interactive outdoor environment. Each day includes free time guided campers’ own interests and choices. Campers spend time in the Groundhog Garden and Natural Play Space, as well as active, educational games led by experienced staff.

“Each day she came home with a dozen stories about their adventures. She enjoyed all of the hands on experience and learning about all of the steps from farm to table.”–Seasonal Eaters Parent

Themed Sessions

Along with the themes, all sessions include farming, food, and fun. All Farm Campers, no matter the week, learn to tend to the vegetables, care for the chickens (and collect their eggs!), harvest produce right from the farm for making snacks, and enjoy independent play time guided by their interests.

Each week-long session has its own focused theme. The theme guides our educational activities and allows campers to explore these farm and food topics more in depth. Our themed activities will differ from previous years save the ones Farm Campers raved about. We keep it fresh, like our veggies!

2023 Farm Camp Themes and Dates

  • Eco Explorers (June 19-23): Your little animal lover or critter extraordinaire will want to join us during this week. Eco Explorers campers will learn about all of the fascinating creatures that play a role in our farm ecosystem: pests, pollinators, worms, chickens, fungi, birds, and more!
  • Farm Foodies Week 1 (June 26-30): Calling all foodies! Campers will spend the week harvesting, washing, grating, peeling, chopping, mixing and best of all – tasting! Your Farm Foodies will learn to become comfortable with following recipes and using kitchen utensils while having fun on the farm!
  • Farm Foodies Week 2 (July 10-14): This week is identical to the Farm Foodies Week 1 listed above. It's simply another chance for many interested kids to explore cooking from the vantage point of a farm!
  • Eco Crafters (July 17-21): This week, your little eco crafters will use all 5 senses to discover creative ways to use plants and herbs. After harvesting and foraging our way through the garden, we will create DIY projects and unique recipes using herbs, flowers, and so much more. Take home infused lip balm, herb salt, garlic braids, and many camp memories!
  • Young Farmers (July 24-28): Does your child enjoy getting their hands in the soil and growing something delicious? Do they have a passion for the environment? Then send your budding farmer to Farm Camp this week. We’ll learn how to grow healthy food – from seed to harvest – and practice sustainable farming practices.

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Through these interactive, cooperative, and empowering activities, we aim to create the next generation of sustainable farmers, chefs, and eaters.

“I was so impressed at the organization, the level of enthusiasm of the counselors, the creativity of the program, and just how engaged my child was with the Camp. It was a fabulous experience and you hit a home run!” – Farm Camp Parent

 

Activities and Visiting Educators

Arcadia Farm is a place of wonder and discovery. Campers are surrounded by a bounty of vegetables and beautiful spaces. The Groundhog Garden, Arcadia’s educational youth space, is a plot in the middle of the four-acre Arcadia Farm. It is designed specifically to engage the elementary-aged audience – to inspire them, to excite them, and to invoke questions and discoveries!

During a day at Farm Camp our activities could range from compost explorations and making fresh salsa, to time with Visiting Educators who share their knowledge for farm topics from bees to goats! Our Visiting Educators are partners of Arcadia who come from across Virginia and DC. They are dedicated and delighted to conduct sessions with our Farm Campers. The activities each week vary according to theme week but all sessions include food and farming activities like harvesting, weeding, making recipes, and more.

See our extensive FAQ Page for information on what a normal day at Farm Camp looks like.                                                                                                                                                                              

Age Range

6-11 years old. Arcadia Farm Campers must have turned 6 before their first day of their camp week and they must not have turned 12 before June 1, 2023.                                                                                                                                                                            

Transportation

Round trip Transportation is available from Old Town Alexandria for an additional fee of $125. Drop-off will be from 8:00-8:15am and pick-up will be from 4:15-4:30pm. There will be a Farm Camp Counselor dedicated to the vehicle in use for the Transportation Service. The Counselor will conduct check in/out, ride along on transportation to look after campers during the trip, and be available for questions from parents.

This service is provided to assist those Farm Camp Parents seeking an extended day. Rather than our normal hours of 9am-3pm, this extends the day from 8am-4:30pm. The precise location for drop-off and pick-up will be posted prior to May 31, 2023.

We suggest that if you are interested in utilizing the Transportation Service you sign up when you register for Farm Camp online. Spaces for this service are limited and we cannot guarantee a space for you after registration has been open for a few weeks.

 

 

“I appreciate the freedom within the structure that the kids were allowed. The amount of knowledge that he was coming home with every day was amazing!”

– Farm Camp Parent

 

 

 

Registration

 

Registration is Now Open! Register HERE

Registration remains open until all of the spaces are filled or June 13, 2023.

Registration for Arcadia Farm Camp is completed online. Click the “Register Now” button at the top of this page to begin your registration or visit this link: https://campscui.active.com/orgs/ArcadiaCenterforSustainableFoodandAgriculture

For a complete list of camp fees and special offerings, please see the Fees and Discounts page.

 

If you are registering prior to June 13, 2023, a $100 non-refundable, per child deposit is required at time of registration. All remaining balances on Registration fees are due on or before June 13, 2023. We offer an installment payment plan. You can make payments to your account by using the login information you create at registration. See your registration confirmation email for the link to follow.

Additionally, a copy of your child’s most recent Immunization Records are due before June 1, 2023. You can submit these through your online account. If you have questions about forms and documents that are required for registration, please see our extensive FAQ page.

Required on first day of camp:

  1. Proof of Identity (POI) for children. The Code of Virginia section 63.1-196.3 requires all children under the age of 13 when first enrolled in a Virginia school or camp to present proof of identity and age. As of January 2017, Arcadia Farm Camp will be requiring that families present this original POI for children on their first day of camp. It will be viewed and verified by a staff member, and immediately given back to the child’s family before leaving check-in on the first day of camp.

  2. Proof of Identity (POI) for parent or guardian. The person dropping off AND picking up your child on their first day of camp will need to show their ID.

If you have questions about forms and documents that are required for registration, please see our extensive FAQ page.

Para inscribirse en el Campamento Arcadia Farm, favor de descargar el Paquete de Inscripción y contactar el Director en FarmCamp@Arcadiafood.org (en espanol o en inglés). 

 

“This was a wonderful, enriching experience and met both my goals and my daughter's in terms of introducing her to the basics of farming and reinforcing the pleasures of healthy eating.” – Farm Camp Parent

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Many of the questions we often receive from interested families are covered on our extensive FAQ Page. Visit this page for more in depth information about the workings of Farm Camp. Here are a few examples:

  • What makes Arcadia Farm Camp unique?
  • What are the facilities?
  • What’s the deal with the weekly themes?
  • What does a typical day of Farm Camp look like?
  • What is the Staff-to-Camper ratio?
  • Can I get a refund if my camper decides not to come?

Farm Camp Scholarships

Arcadia Farm Camp provides about a quarter of our campers each summer with Scholarships to attend Farm Camp. We work closely with a number of Community Partners in the area right around Arcadia Farm to connect with families who qualify by income for the Scholarship Program. 

Visit the Arcadia Farm Camp Scholarships page to learn about applying for or contributing to the Scholarship Program. There you will find the Farm Camp Scholarship Application with qualification information and a sliding scale.

Si necesita materiales de aplicación traducidos al español, se puede encontrar en la página de becas (Scholarships Page) también.

Contact

Learn more about Arcadia Farm Camp by exploring further information through the pages listed below. If after you have read through all of the information provided, you still have remaining questions, you may contact the Farm Camp Director at FarmCamp@Arcadiafood.org.

Para inscribirse en el Campamento Arcadia Farm, favor de descargar el Paquete de Inscripción y contactar el Director en FarmCamp@Arcadiafood.org (en espanol o en inglés).

From the Arcadia Blog

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     As many of you may know, one of our Farm Fellows this year, Zeek Lee, is quite smitten with garlic. Given that planting garlic is one of the last big projects of the year, I asked him to share some...

  • Soil Magic: Reflections From a Veteran Farm Fellow

    By Vanessa Hale, USAF, ret.  The first time I cooked food I had helped grow at Arcadia, I started to cry.  Maybe,  just maybe,  it was the white spear scallions that helped the tear ducts awaken, but shortly thereafter I was...

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Arcadia Fall Harvest Dinner - Oct. 2, 2022 Learn More

Fall Funtacular - October 16, 2022 Learn More

2023 Veteran Farm Applications Now Open Learn More