Camp Options - Fernbrook Farms

We offer a variety of camp options

The Young Stewards Summer Camp Program focuses on exploring local agriculture, ecology, and community for campers who are 12-14 years old. During their time spent on the farm, campers will become aware of their natural world by participating in activities and adventures in our creeks, pond, forests, and farm fields. Campers will be engaged in explorations that promote leadership, teamwork and ecological awareness.

Each week has a different field trip theme, different activities and new opportunities to create memories that will last a lifetime. When registering please consider the type of week and experience that you would like your child to have this summer. We are offering three types of summer camp experiences this summer.

Day Trip Weeks

These weeks consist of 2-3 daily field trips, which allow the campers to discover the natural diversity of New Jersey. Guided by experienced and well-qualified staff members, campers will visit the Pine Barrens, explore the New Jersey coastline, learn the abundance of resources in our seasonal forests, and paddle local waterways. Activities are based on the weeks’ theme. For example 2016 Coastal Ecology week consisted of a kayaking tidal marsh tour with the Nature Center of Cape May and Aqua Trails, studying the ecology of Sandy Hook Bay with a Monmouth County Park Naturalist, and crabbing at Berkley Township County Park and return to Fernbrook to cook up our catch (if we were successful).

On-Farm Overnight Camping Weeks

This option was released for the 2015 summer camp season, with a high demand from past campers and their parents who want them to have a camping experience, but may not be able to commit to a 4-day/3-night trip. We had a great response from the campers who participated in the on-farm camping weeks the last few summers.

This camping experience will consist of weekly day trips and 1 or 2 nights of camping in Fernbrook’s forest. For the 2018 season, campers can choose to participate in a 1-night camping experience at Fernbrook during the Pine Barrens Exploration week. We are also offering a 2-night camping experience on the farm during the NJ Forest Ecology week. During these overnight camping events the kids will assist in planning and cooking meals over the campfire as well as enjoying the sights and the sounds of Fernbrook after dark.

4-day/3-night Camping Adventure Trips

A couple weeks of the summer, the Young Stewards Program spends 4 days/3 nights camping in the great outdoors. Past camping trips have included canoeing the Delaware River, hiking the Batona Trail in the Pinebarrens, canoeing the Susquehanna River through Pennsylvania, hiking a portion of the Appalachian Trail that runs through New Jersey, and canoeing the Shenandoah River in Virginia. During the camping trip weeks, Mondays are devoted to team building, practicing camping skills, and menu and gear preparation during a normal 8:30am-4:00pm camp day. On Tuesday, campers bring their camping gear and the group is driven to their starting point. Each day, the group canoes or hikes to their next campsite. By Friday campers and instructors are met at their ending point by a Fernbrook driver who brings them back to Fernbrook with great memories, new wilderness skills, and new friendships.

*All weekly themes for Summer Camp are labeled on the registration form.*

If you are unsure about any of the above information, and need help deciding what is the best option for your child please contact us at the Education Center via email ([email protected]) or by phone 609-298-4028. We look forward to hearing from past and new campers as well as their families.

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