Camp week August 11th Week.
Best of Both Camp: Peppers, Pellets & the “Baa” of Soap
Adventures at Johnson Nature Center + Bowers School Farm
Today at Best of Both Camp, we kicked off the day with smiles, giggles, and some seriously silly songs. Campers gathered for a classic group rendition of “I’m Being Eaten by a Boa Constrictor” (complete with full-body dramatics) led by Ms. Lou, followed by a camp favorite: a wacky version of the “Ooo a Milkshake” song—spoiler alert: there was no actual milkshake, but definitely lots of laughter and some “ sticky, sticky waffles”.
Once we got our sillies out, we reviewed some important nature safety rules, then set off into the wild for a jam-packed day of discovery, science, and outdoor exploration!
The Great Pepper Parade – Feeding the Wildlife
Today, campers used color-coded bell peppers to feed and care for our Johnson Nature Center animal friends. Each group had a pepper mission based on color:
🟢 Green Peppers = Feeding Autumn the Deer, who nibbled gently from campers’ hands.
🟡 Yellow Peppers = Dropped by the Mill pond for our fish, who swam up in a flash for snack time!
🟠 Orange Peppers = filled our wild bird feeders to attract cardinals, finches, chickadees and the occasional squirrel.
🔴 Red Peppers = Red Pepper Sydney and her group headed to feed our Falcon, who eyed them with approval.
🟣 Purple Peppers = Offered breakfast to our majestic Horned Owl—
Campers got to watch the falcon being fed. Ask your camper about what we fed her.
Autumn was abandoned as a fawn and is now a full time resident of the Nature Center.
🧠 Fun Fact: While peppers aren’t always the natural menu choice for some animals, these colorful veggies are used for enrichment and engagement in animal care—helping animals explore with their senses and keeping their minds sharp!
🏹 Nature Center Adventures with Ms. Alex
Field netting campers gathered bugs and spiders.
Today’s Johnson-side activities were hands-on, nature-packed, and camper-approved:
🎣 Fishing in the pond taught patience and how to identify native fish like sunfish and bluegill as campers caught lots of fish.
🌿 Field netting let campers examine pond critters like water striders, dragonfly larvae, and even a tiny freshwater snail.
🦉 Owl pellet dissections revealed the bones of rodents, birds, and even the occasional shrew—campers turned into mini biologists!
🏹 Archery taught focus, safety, and a few impressive bullseyes.
🌲 Shelter building during our nature hike challenged campers to create “critter shelters” from fallen branches and leaves.
Archery was a camper favorite.
Your camper has a big fish story to tell you.
🧠 Did You Know? Owl pellets are not poop—they’re regurgitated bundles of undigested fur and bones. Dissecting them helps scientists (and campers!) understand what owls eat and how food chains work, don’t worry they are safely and professionally sterilized before hand.
These are the bone one camper found in their owl pellet.
🌱 Down on the Farm: Bowers-Style Fun
Meanwhile, back at Bowers School Farm, our campers got their hands dirty (literally!) in all the best ways:
🐛 Worm bin exploration: Campers observed how red wigglers break down organic matter to create rich compost—aka “black gold” for gardeners!
🌽 Garden harvest & taste test: Campers sampled cherry tomatoes, snap peas, and fresh basil right off the vine. Nothing beats farm-to-mouth freshness!
🐰 Storytime in the Bunny Circle: A quiet break with fluffy friends and a nature-themed read-aloud.
🌼 Wildflower seed balls & planter cups: Campers made take-home pollinator gifts to help bees and butterflies thrive.
🐑 Wool science + soap making = “The Baa of Soap”: Campers learned how wool is sheared, washed, and carded—then used that knowledge to make sudsy sheep-shaped soaps to take home.
🧠 Fun Fact: Wool is naturally flame-resistant, moisture-wicking, and biodegradable. It’s been used in clothing and insulation for thousands of years!
🗣️ Ask Your Camper Tonight…
Looking to hear more about your child’s day? Try these conversation starters to spark some fun family discussion:
What did the inside of an owl pellet look like? Did you find any tiny bones?
Which pepper did your group use, and which animal did you feed?
How did you build your shelter in the woods? Would it keep you dry in a storm?
What did your “Baa of Soap” look (and smell) like?
What was the weirdest thing you saw in the worm bin?
How many fish did your group catch? Did you see the famous nature center snapping turtle that likes to visit during fishing.
Today was the perfect mix of science, adventure, laughter, and hands-on learning. From dissecting owl pellets to making pollinator seed balls, your camper learned that nature and farming are full of surprises—and they play an important role in the world around us. Thanks for joining us on our first ever BOB camp!
Stay tuned for more discoveries tomorrow!
🌻🦌🧈
—The Bowers Farm Camp & Johnson B.O.B. Camp Team
Tuesday at Bowers Farm Camp: From Butter Churning to Gold Panning!
Learning, Laughing, and Slipping Through Summer
Tuesday was a day packed with history, discovery, and hands-on farm fun! At Bowers Farm Camp, we don’t just do farm life—we learn how it evolved, why it matters, and how it's connected to everything from bees to butter to the Gold Rush!
💦 Water Day Wonder
With the August sun shining, all campers enjoyed Water Day, complete with slip and slide races, sprinklers, and lots of giggles. These activities are more than just cooling off—they help develop gross motor skills and provide sensory play opportunities, all while campers get to bond and just be kids.
🧈 Garden Kitchen: The History of Butter Making
Did you know butter has been made by hand for over 4,000 years? In the Garden Kitchen, campers explored the history of butter making—from ancient clay churns to colonial paddles. Campers learned how butter production shifted with the invention of cream separators and churns in the 1800s, and how refrigeration changed dairy farming.
Then we got to work churning our own butter using cream, salt, and lots of shaking! Campers were thrilled to taste their creamy creations—proof that hard work (and a little history) is delicious.
🐝 Buzzing with Knowledge: Pollinators in Action
Today’s science lesson focused on bees and pollinators—essential workers in our food system. Campers learned:
1 in 3 bites of food we eat depends on pollinators like bees.
Bees pollinate crops like apples, cucumbers, blueberries, and almonds.
Colony Collapse Disorder and pesticide use threaten bee populations globally.
Campers observed real hives and discussed ways they can help pollinators at home, like planting native flowers or creating bee baths.
🐴 Pony Camp Highlights
Pony Campers had a full day of creativity and equestrian fun:
Pony rides and skill practice for tomorrow’s big event!
Tie-dye fun—get ready for some colorful souvenirs.
Horseshoe picture frame crafts (watch for these to come home soon!)
Stick horse relay races—a camp favorite for friendly competition and lots of laughs.
📣 Don’t forget: Pony Show tomorrow at 1:30 PM!
Come cheer on your camper as they showcase what they’ve learned so far. You won’t want to miss it!
🚜 Tractor Driving & Log Cabin History
Campers got hands-on with Tractor Driving 101—learning basic safety and operation concepts using battery-powered ride-on tractors. Through this, they gained appreciation for the machines that power modern agriculture.
Nearby, we stepped back in time to explore our historic log cabin, discussing:
Life on Michigan farms in the 1800s
How early settlers built homes using local materials
The importance of self-sufficiency and community bartering
Then we recreated those scenes with Lincoln Logs, using engineering and imagination to bring history to life.
💰 Gold Panning & Agriculture
In our Dig Zone, campers tried panning for gold—just like miners during the California Gold Rush! But did you know the Gold Rush impacted farming?
As populations moved westward in search of gold (1848–1855), demand for crops surged, leading to the expansion of farming across the country.
Farmers began using more advanced tools to meet food demands for boomtowns and mining camps.
The Gold Rush also contributed to railroads, which allowed agricultural goods to travel farther than ever before.
By tying hands-on play with real history, campers saw how interconnected farming is with nearly every part of U.S. history.
🐐 Farm Life & Daily Adventures
Each age group also spent time:
Visiting our farm animals for petting, brushing, and feeding
Enjoying our Adventure Playground—designed for safe, outdoor creativity and exploration
Completing age-appropriate chores, building responsibility and understanding of daily farm operations
🗣️ Ask Your Camper Tonight…
Want to keep the learning going at home? Here are a few questions to spark great dinner table conversations:
What did your butter taste like? How long did it take to make?
How do bees help grow your favorite fruit?
What did you build with Lincoln Logs? Would you want to live in a log cabin?
Did you find any “gold” in the dig zone? Why was gold important to farming?
What animal did you visit today? What did you notice about how it behaves or eats?
Thanks for following along! We’re so proud of how much our campers are learning, exploring, and growing. Stay tuned for more mid-week magic tomorrow—and don’t forget the Pony Show at 1:30 PM!
🐄🌽🐝
—Lou &The Bowers Farm Camp Team
Monday at Bowers Farm Camp: Scavenger Hunts, Sweet Treats, and Farmyard Fun!
Welcome to a brand-new week at Bowers Farm Camp, where the sun was shining, the animals were waiting, and the energy was contagious! Monday kicked off with all the classic camp traditions—our morning flag ceremony and ice breaker games—to help campers ease into the day, make new friends, and feel right at home on the farm.
But the real adventure began with a farm-wide scavenger hunt! Campers of all ages explored the grounds, hunting for clues that led them to hidden corners of the barnyard, the gardens, and beyond. Along the way, they met animals, learned fun farm facts, and got a deeper understanding of how our working farm operates. It was the perfect way to build confidence and curiosity right out of the gate.
🧑🌾 Farmer in Training
Our oldest campers dove straight into the real-deal farm work with morning chores—feeding animals, checking water levels, and helping prep for the day. These hands-on experiences are not just fun—they build responsibility and teach our oldest campers what it really takes to care for a farm!
🐴 Pony Camp
Our equestrian campers had a magical morning with their favorite four-legged friends. From grooming to painting ponies (don’t worry—it’s washable and pony-approved!) to a refreshing pony bath, these campers are learning the ins and outs of pony care. They wrapped up the session with a relaxing wagon ride, fun horse masks and taking in the sights of the farm from the best seat in the house.
🐣 Barnyard Buddies
Our youngest campers took their first steps into the barnyard with gentle animal greetings and a check-in on our sunflower fort, which is growing taller by the day! They created adorable foamy farm photo frames to hold their camp memories and took a scenic wagon ride to a cozy picnic spot by the pumpkins and sunflowers. They had a visit by our beehives, where they learned about pollination, hive structure, and the importance of bees to our food system. The visit ended on a sweet note with a honey taste test—the kids were buzzing with excitement (pun intended)!
🥒 Farm Camp & B.O.B. Camp Highlights
In the garden kitchen, campers rolled up their sleeves and got creative with pickle-making and smoothie blending, using fresh farm ingredients they helped harvest. A lively game of Vegetable Jeopardy turned nutrition facts into a fun (and surprisingly competitive!) trivia match. They also planted microgreens and wildflowers, adding their own touch to our ever-growing garden beds. And of course, there was plenty of animal time—because no day at Bowers is complete without a few furry and feathered friends!
💡 Did You Know?
Today’s activities are designed to build real-life skills like responsibility, teamwork, and an appreciation for nature and sustainable food systems. Whether it’s washing a pony, planting a seed, or learning where honey comes from, your camper is gaining hands-on knowledge they’ll carry with them long after camp ends.
Thank you for sharing your amazing kids with us—we’re off to a fantastic start and can’t wait for what the rest of the week holds!
🐓🌻🚜
—Ms. Lou & The Bowers Farm Camp Team
We’re so excited to kick off another unforgettable week of Farm Camp! Whether it’s your first time joining us or you’re a returning camper, get ready for days filled with hands-on adventures, curious critters, fresh air, and the simple joys of life on the farm. From collecting eggs and feeding animals to planting seeds and exploring nature trails, there’s something new to discover every day.
This week at camp we have barnyard buddies camp Hello Farm M-W, Little Wranglers Pony Camp M-W, Farmer in training teen camp 5 days at the Farm, Rising Ranchers Camp 5 days at the farm, and our new B.O.B. Camp Best of Both: 3 days at the Farm m-w and two days at Johnson Nature Center Th-Fri.
Stay tuned to our blog for updates, photos, and stories from the fields — we’re so glad you’re here!
