Welcome to Day 1 of Time Travelers Camp! Follow along with our exploration of MSU Tollgate through the ages as campers try their hand at homesteading skills of farmers from the past, the present, and…the future! This week we’ll tackle farm-based skills of gardening, animal husbandry, carpentry, cooking and canning, candle-dipping, fiber processing and arts, composting, and companion planting.
Animal Chores is an important part of our daily activities. The farm animals rely on our visits everyday to provide their food and help clean out their pens. Prior to entering the barn, groups review safety expectations that help us as well as the animals.
We Tie Dye every Monday so that we have a fun camp shirt to wear on Friday! Look for the shirts to come home this week and be sure to dress your camper in them on Friday.
We worked on a few mapping activities. In the first, campers analyzed historical maps and then worked on creating a map of their own. They were shown a few examples of old maps of Michigan, Novi and Tollgate and discussed a few of the map features that they noticed and would be able to include in their own maps.
The second activity was called Tollgate’s Owner’s Scavenger Hunt. Campers examined old photos taken here, at Tollgate, and worked to identify the locations. This was a bit tricky in some cases since Tollgate has changed quite a bit over the years! This led to a discussion about who lived here before it was a camp and what the different areas and buildings were used for.
During our morning session of Garden Kitchen, we prepared cucumbers that would be made into pickles. In order to give the flavors time to mesh, we waited until the afternoon to eat them. They were paired with Avocado Grilled Cheese.
Quick Pickles
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove peeled, cracked garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried dill or 2 tablespoons fresh dill leaves, chopped or snipped
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 kirby cucumbers, cut into 1-inch slices on an angle
Directions: Heat small saucepan over medium high heat. Add vinegar, sugar, mustard seed, salt, and garlic to the pan and cook until it begins to simmer and sugar dissolves. Toss the dill, bay leaf, and sliced cucumbers together in a heat-proof bowl. Pour the simmering liquid over the cucumbers and stir to evenly coat. Allow to cool to room temperature or chill before serving.
One of our STEAM projects this week is Native American Shelter Building. Campers considered the fact that a lot of Michigan land used to be inhabited by Native Americans. Prior to using the modern building techniques that are used to build houses, they would build structures by hand using materials found in the woods. Some of the structures that were common for Native communities to build were tepees, lodges, Longhouses and wiigwaams.
Fire Building is an important skill that can be used to keep us warm as well as provide heat to cook food, both imperative for survival! Campers tested out different methods, working to find what worked best for them.
Miss Madeline took each Pepper Group on Wagon Ride! Campers always love this opportunity to relax with friends and see more of Tollgate.
Safety Tip: While we do our best to protect ourselves from bug bites and sunburns, some accidents inevitably happen. Be sure to check your camper for bug bites and even ticks every evening. Our proximity to these natural hazards puts us at risk for exposure.