2023 is here! Time to plan for the Silverwood Park/Edgerton School District Summer School Day Camp. We need teachers, volunteers, and of course, students. Here are a few highlights from 2022 to get you thinking about possibilities for 2023.
The sunflower house/butterfly garden being planted by the K-2nd grade classroom.
Digging in, to plant the kale, eggplant and other transplants.
Buh’rai (Native American), papillon (French), Schmetterling (German), farfall (Italian), choo (Japanese), mariposa (Spanish) – names for butterflies around the world. Karen Albrecht releases a Monarch butterfly at Silverwood Park.
Jared Hammer, from Hammer’s Homestead Farms introduces the students to his chickens.
Snuggling with a bunny from Hammer’s Homestead Farms.
Ken Argood demonstrates the skills involved in being a farrier. Here he cleans the hoof of his Clysdale horse.
Middle school students draw out on paper, plans for their native pollinator garden. They are assisted by Master gardeners, Nancy Moskal and Ruth Flesher.
Linda Lipinski and Jax demonstrate animal training and pet safety.
Margaret Cotter, a Silverwood growers, explains how strawberries grow and helps students pick berries for their strawberry rhubarb jam.
Forester, Mary Ann Buenzow, assists students in using an increment borer to determine the age of a tree.
Fishing with the Edgerton High School Fishing Club on the shores of Rice Lake.
Kayaking on Rice Lake and capturing invertebrates to study under a microscope back at camp.
Checking out the inside of a bee hive with Eric Johnson, an apiculturist at Silverwood Park.
Dan Bussey, a local pomologist, highlights apple growth on one of the trees in Irene’s Orchard.
Everyday, time to run and play on the farmstead.
How healthy is our soil? Soil testing with Nicole from Michael Field’s Agriculture Institute.
Lots of show and tell – the Perry family shows their chickens and tells about their care.
Jon Peck, from Yellow Dog Produce and Flowers, shows students beneficial insects.
Demonstration and hands on cooking with teacher and Silverwood growers, Barb Gausman. All ingredients from gardens – garlic, tomatoes, peppers, cilantro and jalapeno- are in the pico de gallo.
Chopping tomatoes for the pico de gallo.
Plucking hornworm caterpillars from plants. The younger kids have a good eye for harmful critters.
Sampling kale salad – fresh from their garden. Maybe too much raspberry vinaigrette?
Water clarity quality testing with Ron Anderson, volunteer scientist for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources.
Some like it hot! Sampling peppers from the gardens.
Friends who work and learn together, play together – won’t you join us? Email Katie@silverwoodpark.org to find out more about being a teacher, volunteer or enrolling your child in the Silverwood Park/Edgerton School District Summer School Day Camp.
Written by Barb Gausman
Comment(1)
Nancy Moskal says:
March 20, 2023 at 2:57 pmI enjoyed the pictures of children actively engaged on the farm growing and preparing their own food, planting a pollinator garden, and enjoying and studying the natural environment in the park. The organizers do a fantastic job.