Connecting Children with the Earth Through the Foods We Eat
All 2023 Summer Farm Camps are Full
All 2023 Camps are full with extensive waitlists. We greatly appreciate everyone’s interest in camp and are excited for a fun summer ahead!
Registration Steps
- Complete Online Information Form: Complete one online information form per camper anytime between now and January 7th, 2023. Continue to step 2!
- Mail Application Card: Complete, print, and mail in the application card for your campers with a postmark date no sooner than January 7th, 2023. We can ONLY accept registrations postmarked on or after January 7th, 2023.
- Submit Payment: Within two weeks of receiving your application card, you will be notified if your camper(s) got into Farm Camp. You’ll receive an e-mail requesting payment via a secure link, due within one week of the e-mail date. Your camper is officially registered when steps 1 and 2 are complete, you receive the confirmation e-mail, and payment is received. If payment is not received by the specified date, the space will be offered to the next camper on the waitlist.
Junior Counselors: Please make sure your JC is present when completing the online information form as the JC application questions (to be completed by the JC) are included in the form. You also have the option to print and mail them if needed.
Scholarships: If you’re in need of financial assistance, you’ll have the opportunity to apply for a scholarship. Scholarship qualification questions are included in the information form. If you are applying for a scholarship, you still need to mail in the application card.
Waitlist: If the camp session you selected is full, you will be notified by January 31st via e-mail that you have been placed on a waitlist.
See what Stratford Farm Camp is all about!
3 – 5 Year Old Camp – FULL
July 31 – August 4
August 7 – 11
10am – 12pm Monday – Friday with adult companion
Parent and child will experience the farm together through simple and playful activities. Children will care for the farm animals, spend daily time in the forest, and will discover the joys of planting and tasting things straight from the garden. Parents will be encouraged to rediscover their sense of wonder as they walk side-by-side with their little explorer. Treat yourself and your little one to a week together on the farm.
$150
6 – 8 Year Old Camp – FULL
June 5 – 9
June 12 – 16
June 19 – 23
June 26 – 30
Monday – Thursday 9am – 3pm, Friday 9am – 2pm
The easy rhythms of the farm will carry the children from chores to play and back again throughout the day. Hands will be immersed in mud and water, berries and brambles, as the children experience fully through their senses. Days will become adventures as children explore the forest, turning nature into paint, mossy bark into fairy homes, and holes into hideouts.
$300
6 – 8 Year Old Camp – FULL
June 5 – 9
June 12 – 16
June 19 – 23
June 26 – 30
Monday – Thursday 9am – 3pm, Friday 9am – 2pm
The easy rhythms of the farm will carry the children from chores to play and back again throughout the day. Hands will be immersed in mud and water, berries and brambles, as the children experience fully through their senses. Days will become adventures as children explore the forest, turning nature into paint, mossy bark into fairy homes, and holes into hideouts.
$300
9 – 12 Year Old Camp – FULL
July 10 – 14
July 17 – 21
July 24 – 28
Mon – Thurs 9am – 4pm, Fri 9am – 3pm
*2023 Overnight will be confirmed by April 15, adjusting Friday hours
Bright and early each day, campers will care for the farm animals, feeling the daily cycles of farm life and contributing to the raising of food. Their hands will plant the fall crops, tend the summer vegetables and take part in harvesting and preparing for the farmer’s market. Throughout the week, campers will go on adventures in the forest, discovering the joys of time spent in nature and the lessons the Earth has to teach. Their week historically has concluded with an overnight spent under the stars following by a farm fresh breakfast in the morning as the roosters crow. This year’s overnight is TBD and will be confirmed by April 15th.
$350
Junior Counselors (Ages 13 – 17) – FULL
May 30 – June 1 Training Camp + up to 2 additional weeks as a JC*
Tues – Thurs 9am – 3pm
*2023 Overnight will be confirmed by April 15, adjusting Thursday hours
If you are a teen who loves nature and the farm, consider becoming a Junior Counselor. You can enjoy all the fun of Farm Camp while sharing your knowledge with young campers. Develop your leadership skills by acting as a link between campers and senior counselors with daily camp activities. Together with senior staff you will hone your skills during the three-day Leadership Camp. Leadership Camp includes a tentative overnight for 2023. The overnight will be determined by April 15th. This is a perfect way to gain community service experience and build your resume for college applications!
*Junior Counselors must attend Leadership Camp and complete the application questions included in the last step of the information form. Junior Counselors ages 16 – 17 with at least 1 year of experience as a Junior Counselor may be selected to help with the 9 – 12 year old camp. Junior Counselors ages 13 – 15 may be selected to help with the 6 – 8 year old camp.
$320
Please make sure your JC is present when completing the online information form as the JC application questions (to be completed by the JC) are included in the form. You also have the option to print and mail them if needed.
Junior Counselors (Ages 13 – 17) – FULL
May 30 – June 1 Training Camp + up to 2 additional weeks as a JC*
Tues – Thurs 9am – 3pm
*2023 Overnight will be confirmed by April 15, adjusting Thursday hours
If you are a teen who loves nature and the farm, consider becoming a Junior Counselor. You can enjoy all the fun of Farm Camp while sharing your knowledge with young campers. Develop your leadership skills by acting as a link between campers and senior counselors with daily camp activities. Together with senior staff you will hone your skills during the three-day Leadership Camp. Leadership Camp includes a tentative overnight for 2023. The overnight will be determined by April 15th. This is a perfect way to gain community service experience and build your resume for college applications!
*Junior Counselors must attend Leadership Camp and complete the application questions included in the last step of the information form. Junior Counselors ages 16 – 17 with at least 1 year of experience as a Junior Counselor may be selected to help with the 9 – 12 year old camp. Junior Counselors ages 13 – 15 may be selected to help with the 6 – 8 year old camp.
$320
Please make sure your JC is present when completing the online information form as the JC application questions (to be completed by the JC) are included in the form. You also have the option to print and mail them if needed.
2023 Summer Camp Registration Process Updates
In the next few years, we’re hopeful to invest in an online registration tool that makes registering for Farm Camp fast, easy, and equitable. Until then, we’re implementing an easy 3-step process that combines an online form and mail-in application card.
Your child is officially admitted into Farm Camp when you have completed steps one and two, receive e-mail confirmation AND payment is received on time.
Registration Steps
- Complete Online Information Form: Complete one online information form per camper anytime between now and January 7th, 2023.
- Mail Application Card: Complete, print, and mail in the application card for your campers with a postmark date no sooner than January 7th, 2023. We can ONLY accept registrations postmarked on or after January 7th, 2023.
- Submit Payment: Within two weeks of receiving your application card, you will be notified if your camper(s) got into Farm Camp. You’ll receive an e-mail requesting payment via a secure link, due within one week of the e-mail date. Your camper is officially registered when payment is received. If payment is not received by the specified date, the space will be offered to the next camper on the waitlist.
Junior Counselors: Please make sure your JC is present when completing the online information form as the JC application questions (to be completed by the JC) are included in the form.
Scholarships: If you are in need of financial assistance, you will have the opportunity to apply for a scholarship. Scholarship qualification questions are included in the information form referenced in step 1.
Waitlist: If the camp session you selected is full, you will be notified by January 31st via e-mail that you have been placed on a waitlist.
Forms Required for First Day of Camp
Please complete, print, sign, and bring the forms linked below on your first day of camp. Even if you’ve been to camp before, we need new forms each year. The Administration of Medication Form is only required if your child needs to receive medication while attending camp.
As much as we love saving the trees, we do need printed forms rather than emailed forms. We are hoping to invest in a software to allow us to collect and keep this information electronically, but for now we do require a hard copy. Thank you for your patience and understanding.
Preparing for Camp Daily
Linked below are the daily gear lists for each age group and trash-free lunch instructions to ensure your child has a positive experience at camp each day.
Check for Ticks Daily
Protect | Check | Remove | Watch
Please refer to the information linked below to protect against ticks, check for and remove them properly, and know what symptoms to look for that could be connected to tickborne diseases
Stratford believes that all children, regardless of financial or any other life circumstances, deserve to experience nature and our outdoor educational programming.
If you are inspired to and financially able to help send a kid to Farm Camp, where they can have bright eyes and muddy boots, please consider contributing to our Scholarship Fund by donating through the button below. Be sure to enter “Scholarship Fund” in the comment box.
If you are in need of financial assistance, you will have the opportunity to apply for a scholarship. Scholarship qualification questions are included in the information form. You still need to mail in your application card for your registration to be processed.
Cancellations more than 6 weeks prior to your scheduled week of camp will receive a full refund.
Cancellations within 3-6 weeks prior to camp will receive a 50% refund.
Cancellations less than 3 weeks prior to camp are not eligible for a refund, but please let us know your camper will not be attending so we can plan accordingly.
E-mail cancellation requests business@stratfordecologicalcenter.org.
Q1: Do I need to do the online form AND the mail in card?
A1: Yes please! The online information form tells us about your camper(s) and preferred dates. The mail-in-card is your actual “spot in line” and is processed on a first come-first serve basis as they arrive in the mail postmarked on or after January 7th.
Q2: My camper’s birthday is over the summer that would put them into on older age group camp; however, my camper won’t technically be in that next age group until the end of the camp season (By August 15th). Which camp should I sign them up for?
A2: We’ve found campers do best if they are within a three-month window of the designated age group. This means, if your child’s birthday is on or before August 15th, and they are “on the bubble” for a certain camp, you can apply for them to be in the camp that you feel best suits their needs and maturity. For example, if your child turns six in late July you can choose for them to attend the 6–8-year-old camp if you feel they are ready, or the 3–5-year-old camp if you feel they will do better with an adult companion and younger camp friends.
Q3: Do you have a copy of the Junior Counselor application questions I can print and mail in with the card?
A3: Yes! If you’re JC isn’t available to fill out the JC application questions when you’re filling out the online form, you can simply print the page, have them write in their responses and mail it in with the application card. Simply type “mailed in” in each questions box for the online form to move on to the next step in the form.
Q4: My child came to Farm Camp last year, do I still need to bring the health and pick up forms?
A4: Yes! In the next few years, we are hoping to invest in a software that keeps this information electronically and allows parents to update annually. Until then, we do need you to bring the required forms with you on child’s first day of camp.
Q5: I will be bringing my child to the 3-5 year old camp and they have a younger sibling. Can the younger sibling tag along or do I need to find alternate care for them? If I can bring them, do I need to sign them up or pay for a spot for them?
A5: You are more than welcome to bring a sibling along that is under 3. There is no need to sign them up or pay for them separately, but it’s helpful to mention that a sibling is coming on your form when it asks if there is any other information we should know. We also recommend baby carriers, instead of strollers for little ones. Strollers can be very difficult to navigate through the terrain on the farm and in the forest.
Q6: Can I drop off my mail in application card in person instead of mailing it in?
A6: No. In order to ensure the fairest and most equitable registration process, we require all application cards be mailed in post marked on or after January 7th.
Q7: When will Farm School dates / registration be up?
A7: We hope to have all of our 2023 program dates confirmed by the end of the year. In addition to updating the website, we’ll send out an announcement via the e-news and social media.
Still have questions? Please call the office at (740) 363-2548 or contact business@stratfordecologicalcenter.org.