Anyone who has ever read and loved Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie books has probably daydreamed about frontier days gone by. I remember reading those books as a child and wishing I lived on a homestead, and then reading them with my children and realizing I STILL wished I lived on a homestead. For many of us in America, these books are an integral part of childhood. Although I’m well aware of their imperfections, like racist attitudes towards indigenous peoples, and a somewhat romanticized view of pioneer life, I still have so many reasons for loving these books. Close-knit, wholesome family life, do-it-yourself homesteading values, living with the seasons, and an important part of American history told simply through a child’s perspective are just a few. For those of us, myself included, with a family history of westward movement and settlement, I think it can fill in the spaces in between where family ties to place have been uprooted and transplanted.
Awhile back, I asked Karen Rainsong, the director of Alvord Farm and Museum, if we could offer a homesteading summer camp for kids, and the Little House on the Prairie Camp was created. Alvord Farm is a 25 acre homestead and working farm. An old barn serves as the museum and learning area, along with the chicken coops, horse pasture, garden and pond. Last summer we offered one week-long morning camp for ages 6-10, and it filled up in a snap. Everyone enjoyed it so much, that Karen planned three sessions this summer. I was the assistant teacher for the July camp, and thought I’d share some snapshots of all the fun that went on that week.
On pancake day, Willa, the owner of Alvord farm, gave us a talk on all that goes into making pancakes on a pioneer farm.
First, we had to go out and collect the eggs from the hen house.
Then some of the children started the butter churn going with fresh cream to make the butter.
Meanwhile, others were grinding wheat and buckwheat into flour in the grain mill. When they were all done we topped them with the blueberry jam we made the day before. But, the work and fun didn’t stop here!
We learned how pioneers washed all their laundry. Everyone got a turn or two using an old-fashioned washboard and basin.
And the clothes were carefully hung to dry with old wooden clothespins.
One day, we learned about herbs and native plants that pioneers would have used for teas and medicines.
We took the children on a walk through Willa’s herb garden where we found some fennel, lemon balm, and delicious ripe raspberries. Mmmmmmm.
We gathered more lemon balm when we went down to pet the pony.
One day, we played schoolhouse with Miss Karen.
Everyone worked hard on their “lessons” with the slates and chalk.
The children learned some basic sewing and stitched the edges of their own little cloth work bag. We also sanded wooden spoons, wet-felted wool pouches, and learned how to finger-knit.
On the last day, we all had fun dancing to old time fiddle tunes at the hoe down and eating the homemade ice cream we made in the hand-cranked ice cream maker.
I would have LOVED this camp when I was a child. I’m so glad my own children, and all these others have been able to be a part of this.
To learn more about Alvord Farm and Museum, check out their website at this link: http://www.alvordmuseum.org/
There are year-round weekend playshops and no-school day outings like Kalapuya Harvest, Reptile Day, Glorious Gastropods (the Eugene Slug Queen even came one year!), Butterfly Day, Geology Rocks, Baby Farm Animals Day and many others. School groups and organizations come out by appointment as well. The remaining Little House camp is full for this summer, but be sure to check with Karen around Spring Break to get in on the fun for next summer’s camps!
Oh wow! My daughters (and me, too!) would love this! We followed the Oregon Trail on our move out to Oregon and have been in love with all things prairie ever since. My girls wear bonnets every day <3
amazing! We're just reading LHOTP right now with my kids. I've never read it before (don't ask my why, I read a lot) and we are in love with them! I would love to go to pioneer camp. We have a few places here that are Pinoeer Villages we're going to explore soon. What a great opportunity for your kids!
Crystal, your local Pioneer Villages sound really cool. I need to poke around and find one around here!
Nicole, I've always wanted to follow the Oregon trail route across the country, and I love that your family moved here by going that route. You have a pretty amazing Little House camp in your neck of the woods too, that inspired me to do this camp. Check out http://trackerspdx.com.
Looks so fun!!