Summer camp at MSU Tollgate is a fun and enriching opportunity to experience the natural world hands-on. With 160 beautiful farm and forest acres, our camps offer the best in farm and food, discovery science, and natural resource exploration. We place significant value in the experiential model of “Do, Reflect, Apply” , allowing campers to take the experience and relate it back to concepts learned in the classroom. In doing so, young people are empowered to be in charge of their own learning, instilling a passion for self-directed, life-long exploration.
We offer various exciting camp themes, but each week campers also engage in fun, farm-based activities such as harvesting farm food to prepare tasty snacks, caring for and learning from the animals, and exploring the 40 acres of woodlands. Other activities vary depending on the camp week and may include archery, canoeing, fishing, horseback riding, building, and more.
June 25 – June 29 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp: Green Science Adventure Week
Ages 6-11
Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Our flagship camp, this is a great taste of what we engage in here on the farm from sustainability to farm animals to gardens to food science to coorperative games and more! We are fortunate to have forest, hay fields, farm animals, orchard, pond, trails, and barns–and during this camp we take advantage of it all.
July 9 – July 13 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp: Survival Week
Ages 6 – 11
Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Do you have what it takes to survive Camp Tollgate? Test your skills with fire-building, archery, fishing, wilderness first aid, shelter-building, orienteering, and more!
July 16 – July 20 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp: Animal Week
Ages 6 – 11
Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Animals play a lot of roles on the farm: providing food, companionship, hard work, and even rescue! Spend a week exploring farm and wild animals during this hands-on camp!
July 16 – July 20 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp: Winged Wonders
Ages 9 – 12 Monday 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m. Tuesday 9:00 a.m. – Thursday 3:45 p.m. Friday 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Have you ever wondered about the creatures that flap, fly, and float through the air? We have banded together with Kellogg Biological Station in Hickory Corners, Michigan to offer this ‘sleep-over’ camp. You will become an ornithologist to study birds and their amazing feats as we hike the fields and forests of MSU Tollgate Farm and KBS! We will explore wild and domestic birds through interactive, hands-on science activities. Interact with research scientist, meet raptors up close and personal, make new friends, and have lots of fun! Best of all, be a field scientist and camp out under the stars while at KBS. Transportation and tents will be provided.
July 23 – July 27 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp: Water Week
Ages 6-11
Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Dive into the world of the pond to investigate the animals, bugs, and plants that call it home. This week is perfect for the camper who is interested in fishing, canoeing, and pond dipping for macroinvertebrates. Learn about water conservation. What happens to the rain that falls on MSU Tollgate Farm? How do the plants and animals that we grow and care for impact our water? We will close our week with the return of our famous waterslide for a splashing good time!
July 23 – July 27 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp: Beginner Horse Level 1 Camp 1
Ages 9 – 14
Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Imagine yourself learning all about the equine world. Horse grooming and care, saddling, medical care, and nutrition are just some of the exciting opportunities at horse camp at Tollgate Farm. And of course, you’ll be able to enjoy the horses up close and personal as you gain horseback riding skills during your equine adventure on the farm!
July 30 – August 3 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp: Bug Week
Ages 6 – 11
Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
We will have fun with some of our farm’s smallest inhabitants. Meet MSU Bug House entomologists and their collection, contribute to The Lost Ladybug Project, and much, much more! Insects are key for helping our garden grow and decompose. Learn who has what job and why we need to keep the creepy crawlies around
August 6 – August 10 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp: Survival Week 2
Ages 6 – 11
Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Do you have what it takes to survive Camp Tollgate? Test your skills with fire building, archery, fishing, wilderness first ait, shelter building, orienteering, and more! Our farm based adventures mean we will also be learning about what plants and animals need for survival.
August 6 – August 10 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp: Beginner Horse Level 1 Week 2
Ages 9 – 14
Monday – Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Imagine yourself learning all about the equine world. Horse grooming and care, saddling, medical care, and nutrition are just some of the exciting opportunities at MSU Tollgate Farm Horse Camp. And of course, you will be able to enjoy the horses up close and personal as you gain horseback riding skills during your equine adventures on the farm!
August 13 – 17 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp: Animal Week 2
Ages 6-11
Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Animals play a lot of roles on the farm; providing food, clothing, hard work, and companionship. We will spend our week learning about animal behavior and how to interact with and care for MSU Tollgate’s animals. Our adventures will lead us beyond the barnyard to discover the diverse habitats of animals in the forest and by the pond. Discoveries, collaboration, and play are in store for this fun-filled week!
August 13 – 17 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp: Beginner Horse Camp Level 2
Ages 6-11
Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Has Beginner Horse Camp Level 1 left you curious about the world of horses? This week will offer the opportunity to expand on the skills learned in Level 1 and introduce campers to new topics! Campers will have more time in the saddle each day to continue their riding sessions. We will also learn about cart driving, equipment identification, breed history, and much more! Must have attended Beginner Horse Camp Level 1.
August 20 – 24 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp:
Food Week
Ages 6-11
Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Calling all foodies! Our week will include digging in the garden, caring for the animals, and exploring the surrounding field, forest, and pond. We will interact with goats and greens as we engage in food science and make nutritious snacks that taste yummy too. We will grow, harvest, and cook with Tollgate farmers each day as we build our sense of food community.
August 20 -24 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp: Botany in the Kitchen
Ages 12 – 14
Monday through Friday 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Botany in the Kitchen is a more in depth exploration of our well loved Garden Kitchen. Spend time outdoors immersed in the world of plants while we learn alongside the MSU Tollgate Sustainable Agriculture Team. Get to know kitchen tools as you improve your knife skills, learn the difference between a puree and a sauce, and much more all while making delicious dishes from locally grown produce.
August 27 – 30 MSU Tollgate Farm Camp:
Eco Warriors Week
Ages 6 – 11
Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Eco Warriors if perfect for those who like to tinker, engineer, craft, and change the way we think about trash! The week will include a field trip to the Resource Recovery and Recycling Authority of Southwest Oakland County, calculating our eco footprint, exploring pros and cons of renewable energy, and repurposing items in our maker space. We will learn from the MSU Tollgate Sustainable Agriculture Team about closing the food waste loop, prepare and eat locally grown snacks, and consider the impact of our resource use in agriculture.