Once again we were off to Green Farm Kent to enjoy a week of camping in the late summer sun. This year, our mission was to create a Gratitude Tree - with deep roots, intertwining underground with neighbouring trees, nourished by good food and plenty of water, and with a thousand thanks for leaves!
The families set out from Stratford early on Monday to make the journey down to Ashford...
On their arrival, everybody got a mini-kite as a gift so we could try out some kite-flying in the afternoon sun. There was a gift for Jim the Camp Dog as well... one of the boys had bought a special football just so he could chew it up (Jim the Dog has a TERRIBLE habit of chewing up people's footballs, especially their favourite footballs).
There's a very gentle rhythm to the Family Camping week. Every morning we gather around the campfire to talk about what we can look forward to in the day ahead - and every evening (once the fire was lit) we gather to share 'One Great Thing' from the day that's done. This year, we made a note of everyone's One Great Thing and jotted them down on tags - these would become the leaves for our end-of-week Gratitude Tree (given the name The One Great Tree).
Few mobile phones (no signal, no plugs), few distractions, all the weather! We were lucky with the weather for the week (just a bit of light rain, and brisk winds from the hem of the storm that swept through Scotland), but at night the first chill of Autumn evenings meant we needed to light a welcome fire...
We were camping towards the end of the summer holidays, and it felt like autumn was in the air. The full Red Moon emerged from the trees on the far field, on some nights it seemed to dance over the cascading clouds...
On the first morning, everyone woke well-rested (some adjustments to sleeping mats and sleeping bags to make sure everyone was as comfortable as they could be). Then we were away up the hill to feed the chickens...
A big part of the Green Farm experience is to learn about how a farm works - and how we get our food from farm to fork. Feeding the chickens and collecting eggs is always a special moment (if they let you hold them it's a big treat).
Pigs eat virtually anything (although apparently they're not keen on onions or citrus fruits)! Feeding the pigs with leftovers means hardly anything goes to waste. There's usually an opportunity to herd the cattle from one part of the field to another - Farmer Martin is a big fan of 'mob grazing', a way of moving cattle through the pasture, replicating the way they would feed on the plains'. It's much better for the soil - improving biodiversity and cutting down on the need to apply fertiliser.
Among the list of fears in the lead up to the trip was the lack of signal on the site - so no Netflix, no Youtube, no Snapchat. We always try to reassure the parents that with so many opportunities for the children to play outside, there's no chance they'll be bored. It was as true this year as every other year.
As the week progressed, parents began to notice their children were calming down, figuring things out, building new skills...
Alongside visiting the animals, there were loads of opportunities to make up games, or explore, or just chill. The hammocks were a great hit - a place to snooze, swing, chat or reflect. In the trees is the best place.
Green Farm has their own community garden and the team helped the children pick and taste lots of vegetables grown on site. The garden's open regularly to visitors and you can go to the Pop-Up Cafe in the greenhouse every Thursday - the home made cakes are a treat.
Our Camping Academy sessions are set up so people can learn new camping skills. On Tuesday the workshop was 'How to Cook over a Camp Stove'. Starting with simple recipes, vegetables with beans or noodles, we soon found out we had some proper Camping Chefs on site... how about Banoffee Pie or Chocolate Fondant in a Cup?
Later in the week, the regular fire monitor was off site... but that didn't deter one group from having a go and not only building a big fire, but then cooking delicious jacket potatoes and baked apples.
Den-building is another go-to activity, especially when you're camping in ten acres of woodland. We were delighted to be joined by Jamie, a professional Forest Schooler, who taught everyone some good knots and ways to build really solid dens and forts.
In the evening we had marshmallows... so we went for a big hike before sunset to walk off all the sugar. A walk up to see the Lonely Tree on the Hill... we talked about the Wood Wide Web and mycorrhizal networks, how fungi in the soil are essential for a tree's wellbeing, providing nutrients that a tree needs to keep them healthy, and how, in return, the fungi are able to take the sugars they need to keep them grow. It's nice to imagine how one tree connects to another, all across the country.
One of our Board members, Lizzy Hassay of Forest Grove Hackney joined us later in the week and had everyone bashing leaves and plants to decorate tote bags,,, MUCH loved!
Connection, community and conversations were fostered around the fire, over stoves and whilst making beautiful things...
EVERYBODY got involved in the tree climbing, and there was some fantastic face-painting happening as well...
There was also time to learn about firelighting, how to make a fire for cooking and warmth, with just a handful of kindling and a firesteel to set a spark... no need for a lighter or matches. The mums had a go as well.
Thursday night at Family Camping is always PIZZA NIGHT. We got to make the dough and bases in the lovely community barn, with salads and toppings mostly from Green Farm.
And then, all too soon, Friday morning arrived. It was time to pack up the tents, sleeping bags and sleeping mats, and head back to London... thankfully the weather was bright and warm as they left, ensuring sunny memories.
Time to hang all our gratitudes on the One Great Tree. It was incredible to see just how many gratitudes we'd gathered - just one per person every day, but by the end of the week that was well over a hundred great memories, things to be thankful for, roots and connections that we'd made, things that we'd learned that we could take on our next camping expedition.
So many beautiful memories... mums and children learnt new skills, loved the laughter and community, and overcame their fears of spiders, of rain, of the outdoors...
EVERYONE on the camp gained their First-time Camper Certificate - they'd learned how to put up a tent, cook a basic meal, and set out their sleeping area so they'd have a warm, dry and cosy night's sleep.
Parents shared that their children didn't even ask for their tablet once, that they talked more, overcame fears, self soothed in the hammock, and cooked for themselves for the first time.
As the families left, our Pack Up Volunteer Team arrived. The week wouldn't have been possible without our fabulous Set-up and Pack Down teams.
We had a team of ten, including two very helpful children, over the two days before families arrived. Some people volunteered for a few hours, some for the whole weekend, putting up tents for three staff, seven families, in three 'pods', and of course the all-important kitchen tent, store room and a cooking area for each pod.
Somehow they packed it all away and made our barn look like this!!!!! Wow.
Peace restored... but the after images everywhere of children playing, laughing, cooking, creating...
HUGE thanks to our main sponsor this year, the Pearce Coggan Foundation, part of Green Farm Kent. Also we could not possibly do this without the tents and gear from Marmot and Vango, and the help of amazing staff and volunteers!
We are now fundraising for next year, if you can help in anyway please get in touch, or make a donation on our Local Giving Outdoor People page. If your children are on free school meals and you haven't been camping before, you can apply now to be on the mailing list for next year, and if you would like to volunteer do apply too, then you too can come camp in this magical place and will be the first to know dates!
