Established 1939 (1939) | Nickname F&W | |
Location Plymouth, Vermont, United States Affiliation Religious Society of Friends Homepage www.farmandwilderness.org | ||
Farm & Wilderness, also known as F&W, is a system of seven ACA-accredited Quaker-based summer camps and associated educational programs situated in and around Plymouth, Vermont.
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Philosophy
Farm & Wilderness has been noted for its stances on a number of social issues, including racial integration, gender equality, and environmentalism. All of the camps practice organic gardening and farming and are certified by the Northeast Organic Farming Association. All of the camps have composting toilets, which they call Kybos, and campers and staff live in three-sided cabins in the woods.
Farm & Wilderness’ mission statement is as follows:
History
Farm & Wilderness was founded by Kenneth and Susan Howard Webb in 1939. The Webbs were influenced by Vermont philosopher and educational reformer, John Dewey.
The first camp was all-boys and was founded in 1939 under the name Merlicht, meaning "More Light" in German. After its initial success, the name was changed to Timberlake, and a companion girls camp, Indian Brook, was founded in 1941. Later additions to the group were Tamarack Farm (a work camp for 15- to 17-year-olds of all genders), Saltash Mountain (co-ed, focused on hiking trips), Flying Cloud (for 11- to 14-year-old boys, originally borrowing the traditions of the Lakota people but later creating their own system of wilderness living in the manner of cultures from around the world; originally called "Indian Encampment"), and Barn Day Camp (for 4- to 10-year-old children).
A program called "Questers" was created for those campers who wanted greater challenges in wilderness adventures. The program is based from Saltash Mountain (SAM) and on the trail for the majority of the session on a long trip. Questers have hiked the entire Long Trail (a two-session program), which spans from the southern to northern tip of Vermont. Other one-session Quester adventures typically involve both canoeing and backpacking as well as rock climbing or white water rafting.