Frequently Asked Questions

  • While our schedule might fluctuate a little bit based on the weather or exciting things happening on the farm, we will be following the schedule below.

    8:50-9am drop off

    9:15 Morning game

    9:30: Morning chores

    • We’ll be feeding the animals, weeding and watering the garden, checking for pests, and tending to the farm!

    9:45 Snack time

    10:00 Morning activity

    • Morning activities will usually be related to your week’s theme! For example, if you signed up for our dairy week, activities might include making cheese, ice cream, or yogurt, moving the dairy herd to a new paddock of grass, or even making a tasty salad treat for the cows!

    12:00 Lunch/tick check

    12:30 Off your feet time

    • Time to get off our feet to relax and digest your lunch! Campers will have the opportunity to play low energy games, or work on their nature journals.

    1:00 Afternoon activity

    • Afternoon activity will invite campers into the garden or our surrounding ecosystem to do some planting, harvesting, and exploring! We’ll be getting our hands dirty pulling carrots, planting cabbage seedlings, digging potatoes, playing field games, tasting sweet strawberries, heading out to the forest, irrigating the plants (and ourselves on the hottest days), or even building a fire to roast some veggies over!

    3:00 Afternoon snack/tick check

    3:15 Afternoon chores

    3:45 Closing game

    4:00 Dismissal

  • As we will be exploring a working farm, campers should bring weather-appropriate clothes that can get a little dirty, as well as close-toed shoes, a water bottle, sunscreen, bug spray, a change of clothes, a packed lunch, and some snacks.

  • Camp starts at 9 and goes until 4 Monday-Friday.

  • We do offer signups on a day-by-day basis. The prorated rate is $85/day. If you’re interested, email lydia@novafarmschool.com to sign up!

  • While we will be tasting some food from the farm, children should bring their own snack and lunch from home. Campers will occasionally be sent home with some veggies, as we believe that enjoying the food they helped to grow is the best way to connect children to their food system.

  • Farm camp is rain or shine, so it’s important to dress for the weather! In the event of a thunderstorm, we will be inside the barn. On hot days, we will be drinking lots of water and playing water games to keep cool. If we ever need to cancel camp due to extreme weather, we will let you know as soon as we can.

  • Yes! Benedikt Dairy’s farm store is open to the public from 9-6 every day of the year, with some seasonal access to the fields for U-pick flowers and berries. Stop by with the whole family to visit the calves!

  • If you think that camp would be a good fit for your 5-year-old, we do consider them on a case-by-case basis. We ask that you please make sure they meet our camper independence expectations before the start of camp, which can be found in the question below. Before signing up your 5-year-old, please reach out to lydia@novafarmschool.com to make sure they’re a good fit for camp!

  • To ensure a safe and positive experience for all campers, we expect them to meet the following behavioral and independence guidelines appropriate for a school-age outdoor camp. If a camper is removed from camp for not meeting these expectations, no refunds will be issued. Please consider whether your camper meets these expectations before registering:

    Group Participation: My camper can stay with their counselor and group during activities and transitions in an outdoor setting.

    Listening and Following Directions: My camper can listen to and follow instructions from camp staff.

    Self-Care: My camper can independently manage basic self-care (e.g., using the port-a-potty, eating, changing into water play attire, dressing for the weather, applying sunscreen, and bug spray.

    Peer Interaction: My camper can engage positively with other campers, including sharing, taking turns, playing large group games, and resolving minor conflicts with guidance.

    Emotional Regulation: My camper can manage their emotions and behavior with age-appropriate support from staff.

    Outdoor Comfort: My camper is comfortable being outdoors all day and can handle a variety of weather conditions.

    Note: If you answer “No” to any of the above, please contact lydia@novafarmschool.com to discuss these expectations in greater detail, and determine if this program is a good fit for your camper. Any campers who do not contribute to a safe, respectful, and inclusive learning environment will meet with the Farm Camp Director to discuss concerns and work together to form a behavioral plan, and the child’s family will be notified. Any child who engages in threatening, intimidating, or intentionally harmful behavior toward any person or animal will be immediately removed from program activities. The family will be notified, and the child may be asked to leave Farm Camp. Tuition will not be refunded.

  • Although Benedikt Dairy sells fresh raw milk, campers won’t be consuming any unpasteurized dairy products, in accordance with state law. When we do use milk from the farm, we pasteurize it beforehand. You are more than welcome to buy a bottle of milk to try at home, though!

  • We want to be able to offer this experience to as many kids as we can so that everyone can experience the magic of farm camp! With that in mind, we do have a limited number of scholarships available. Reach out to Lydia@novafarmschool.com for more information.

  • Yes, we are an approved EFA vendor. If you’d like to sign up for camp through EFA, reach out to lydia@novafarmschool.com.

  • Yes! We offer a 15% discount on additional weeks at farm camp if you are sending multiple children or signing up for multiple weeks.