In 2007, Liz Neumark saw an urgent problem; Children ages 1-19 are 1.8 times more likely to die in the US than in other developed countries. Diet-related diseases, like Type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular diseases, are the leading cause of poor health in America. As the founder of hospitality business Great Performances, Neumark had a background in the culinary world that she knew could be utilized to tackle this issue. She took to Kinderhook, started the Katchkie Farm, and founded the nonprofit Sylvia Center. At that same farm, the Sylvia Center is hosting its first-ever adult farm camp on August 7 and 8 from 9am-1pm.
Pre-pandemic, the Sylvia Center had hosted a farm camp for children each year. The event was a hit—so much so that parents wanted a taste of the fun, too. “That was the nudge for the idea, and it was just this year that we were able to gather a few adults who had an interest in it to give us some more information about, ‘hey, what kind of experience are you looking for?’” says Julia Cerny, the garden manager of the Sylvia Center. “Being that this is a pilot, we’re catering it to those people who expressed our core interests.”
Cerny is running the farm camp this year. A day at the farm camp starts with a tasting tour of the farm’s produce—they grow over 150 different varieties of fruits, vegetables, herbs, and edible flowers—and then the group takes on a garden project together, like setting up a bed of soil. The camp teaches core gardening skills to participants, and once the produce is harvested, they cook a lunch with trained culinary professionals. At the end of the day, participants can take home produce and utilize it in their own kitchens.
“It’s really fulfilling to be able to follow your food from seed to harvest, and to craft it into food that you eat,” says Cerny. “Gardening helps us connect to our own wellness in a really active way. You’re playing a direct role in your own physical health.”
The Sylvia Center’s mission is to teach children how to cook nutritious meals. The farm camp brings that mission to adults. The cooking lessons are tailored to each of the participants’ skill levels. The goal is to teach new culinary skills that people can take with them once the camp ends.
“As adults, it can be difficult to make time for play and meeting new people and learning new things,” says Cerny. “Our main mission is to cultivate community around gardening, preparing fresh food into healthy meals that we share together, and leaving in some time to relax and chat, and some time for silliness too.”
Sign-ups are open until the day of the camp. People who want to get their hands dirty and enjoy a delicious meal can sign up here.
Hi!
I was fortunate to attend Adult Farm Camp last week and got my hands dirty. 🙂 What a fantastic experience. I learned so much about growing things I never knew about –like Ground Cherries, and things I did know about–like potatoes. We then prepared/cooked these beyond fresh vegetables outdoors–all under the guidance of a professional educator and chef. Needless to say, this experience has had a great effect on how I view my garden and dear Mother Nature. When I got home I planted Snap Peas. I can’t wait to see their first sprouts. I also look at my zucchini differently now since I have some new recipes for them–yay!
I’m so glad The Sylvia Center offered this incredible farm camp experience to us big kids. It was joyful!