2022 Survival Camp: Day 2

Fishing, Eating, and lots of Building!

Survival Camp: Day 2

IMG_5825Fishing!

Yesterday we practiced casting our fishing lines, today we put those amazing skills to use in our MSU Tollgate Pond! This morning was so beautiful, it was the perfect day to catch some fish while taking in the fresh morning air. Before grabbing our fishing poles, we went over our safety rules for using the fishing poles, since we did add the hooks onto the the fishing lines for this activity. Lots of fish were caught and you could "kiss the fish" for good luck before releasing it back into the water.

ChickensIMG_5816

It is such a fun time to work with our Tollgate farm chickens! Each camper got the chance to pet a chicken and feel their very soft feathers, as well as get a good look at their scaly feet, which the campers were taught is because the chicken is a direct descendant from the dinosaurs. Campers also go to collect some eggs from the chicken coup that they brought back, rinsed with water, then stored in a large cooler. It was so fun to see the campers interact with the chickens in such a fun way!

IMG_5832Garden Volunteers

Today we visited our Educational garden, where our volunteers plant and maintain our fruits, vegetables, and much more. Today they presented talks on what kinds of bugs live around the farm, as well as how they maintain certain types of plants compared to others. The campers learned a lot about the difference between wasps and bees, as well as the many different kinds of ticks that come in the springtime. 

Fruit Hash & FettuccineIMG_5833

Today's Garden Kitchen recipes both involved vegetables and mixing. For the Fruit Hash, we used strawberries, tomatoes, basil, balsamic vinegar, as well as salt and pepper all mixed together to make a refreshing delicious snack for our morning. In the afternoon we got to taste some fettuccine with squash, tomatoes and cheese that was the perfect warm afternoon dish. Each camper gets to go home with the two recipes of the day, and the week's recipes will be posted by the end of the week.

IMG_5850Shelter Building

Yesterday we found good locations for our shelters to be built and started our structures. Today we got further in building them, finding more materials to use that would be beneficial in a wooden structure. Some groups got to work finding really large branches on the ground, as well as different sizes of sticks and branches that they could use as a support to their structure. All in all, time was spent moving things into place.

Wilderness First AidIMG_5842

Since we do a lot of activities in nature, especially in the forest, it was a great idea to show the campers what to do in case a fellow camper needed help. The campers learned about how to respond if they need to call someone for help, as well as what certain things could be used for in first aid, such as fire blankets, old sweaters, as well as ropes to help the 'injured' camper out of the hypothetical situation. LOTS of giggling involved with making a daisy chain litter for sure!

IMG_5843LNT 1, 2, 3, 4 /Skit Practice

'Leave No Trace' is an activity to teach the campers about how not to leave an area of nature with trash, or leaving things behind that could harm the area. The campers learned how to plan ahead, leave what you find, travel on camp/durable surfaces, and to make sure to take back absolutely everything that you brought with you. In this manner the campers indirectly learned about sustainable hiking, camping, and more. After, the campers began thinking about skit ideas for this Friday. 

Check out more of Survival Camp pictures here!

2022 Survival Camp

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