We wanted to share the good news!

The Farm Discovery team has developed a new program for this summer that is a mission aligned response to the need for childcare in our community.
With many jobs in the county put on hold we know people are getting to spend more time at home with their families than ever before, which can be really great! Although, for those who are still working, there are fewer options at this time for childcare and/or summer camps. Typically these programs offer parents an ease of mind, knowing your children are safe at play while you are busy at work. The also offer the kids themselves the chance to be kids, to make friends, to navigate disagreements, to explore outdoors, to build and make things, to play.

We are launching this new program in response to a survey sent out to our camp families that signed up this year and the last 2 years. And we got great feedback! Our community responded that they would benefit from this type of program so we are giving it a go.

In place of our typical summer camp, we are planning to offer a Shelter-in-Place compliant Summer Farm Care program on the farm. This will look slightly different, with two stable groups of 22 kids total, including 1 LIT and one staff member for each. Temperatures will be checked at each arrival, there will be no sharing of unsanitized supplies or spaces, and no crossing of members from one group to another. Camps will be in 2 – 4-week sessions, rather than 8 – 1-week sessions. We will be offering partial and full scholarships, as well as full-refunds for COVID-19 related changes to the Santa Cruz County Health Guidelines.

If subsequent Shelter-in-Place rules change allowing for a more normal camp, we will allow families to register week by week.

Here’s the info:

Kiddos will explore pieces of Live Earth’s 150 acres in both organic vegetable row crop production and fruit orchards. In addition to learning about life as an organic vegetable farmer, kiddos will spend time getting to know our herd of goats, our milking cow, Bella, and visit with the chickens. Kiddos will assist in daily chores of our animals, while learning about the benefits of humane livestock management.

Sample Schedule 

8:00-9:00 Optional Childcare
9:00 Arrive/free play
9:20 Opening circle
9:30 Activity 1 – Harvest strawberries and plant garlic
10:45 Snack
11:00 Activity 2 – fossil making with clay and found objects like shells, leafs, rocks
12:15 Lunch
12:45 Animal Discovery – hang out with pigmy goats and chickens or visit ponies, cow & pig
1:30 Activity 3 – Popsicle making with the days harvest
2:30 Activity 4 – nature journaling and exploration
3:15 Snack and free play
3:00 Pack up, free time, sign out, go home
3:00-5:00 Optional Childcare

Both sessions of summer farm care will include elements of all our summer camp theme weeks: Art on the Farm, Farm to Table and Wild Craft!

10% Discount offered to Live Earth Farm CSA members, returning campers, siblings and coupon holders!

For Summer Farm Care pricing and sign-up’s, click here.