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North Fork
Agricultural camp update
By Beth Lucas
Agricultural camps: Once more, the agricultural camps sponsored by the Loudoun County Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services have happily consumed me for the summer.
With five of the seven one-week camps finished, we have many folks to thank for their contributions. We have between nine and 13 campers each week on our little bus, traveling all over the county, fishing, seeing animals and plants, and letterboxing.
Thank you first of all to Loudoun Valley Community Center staff, who are preparing to move into the newly renovated center in Purcellville. Staff members have been going along each day as helpers. And thanks to son Adam's wife, Kristy Lucas, for coming on board for a week of letterboxing
Owners of our fishing ponds have been John Marsh at Montcalm Farm, Sam Welsh on Loudoun Orchard Road, Fareed Miran at Miran Farm, John and Susan Stanford at Montressor Farm, and the county's ponds at Banshee Reeks, Claude Moore and Franklin Parks. We caught a record 202 fish one morning in Sam's pond, the nine-year record for the fishing camps.
Beginner Woof 'n' Hoof included Sharon Blank's North Fork event horse Ben, the Cleveland Bays of the Cohens at Bay Haven Farm, The Dog School and Old Mill Kennel in Leesburg, Middleburg Hunt's wonderful American Foxhounds and their puppies, a cattle-roping demonstration at Miran Farm, and Chris Kmak's miniature horses south of Leesburg.
Friday afternoon, we relaxed in the Franklin Park pool.
Fun on the Farm's itinerary included Linda Brown's llamas in Bluemont, a visit to Creek Crossing Farm in Lincoln for an educational talk about bunnies and playing in the creek, Donnie Ullmer's goats in Lovettsville, a tour of the Heritage Farm Museum, Bill Bundy's bees and baby guinea chicks, a rainy visit to Field of Flowers for bouquets, discussion about organic gardening at Patowmack Farm, Chris Hatch's cattle and sheep and a lot of farm chores interspersed. Several times, we came back to visit our farm and the kids met Al Fields, who was delivering hay.
Advanced Woof 'n' Hoof comes up next week with a full schedule including a ride at Marriott Ranch on Friday. We finish up the camps with fishing camp the week of Aug. 18 and start planning for next year in the winter. If your child would like to attend next year, make a note in your planner to call the community center next February to find out the first possible registration dates. More to follow next week about the second annual letterboxing camp.
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