PCSWCD youth summer camp opportunities announced

    DOVER-FOXCROFT — The  Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District has announced exciting and rewarding educational offerings with the Youth and Teen Natural Resource and Agriculture Summer Camps. These camps are a wonderful way for youth  to enjoy the beautiful natural resources and diverse farms in our area. They also provide an opportunity for campers to learn something new, explore and have a two great weeks outdoors with their friends.

    Teen Summer Camp for ages 13-18 starts Monday, July 7 for Natural Resources Week and July 14 for Agriculture Week and runs Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. — 4 p.m. for two full weeks.
    During Natural Resources Week, the teen campers will experience outdoor adventures from the mountains, to the woods, to the rivers and beyond. They will be learning hands-on about mountain ecology, water quality, local fisheries and natural fish habitats, wildlife and so much more.
    Campers will be staying at Appalachian Mountain Club’s Little Lyford Lodge. During the stay, the teen campers will enjoy recreation activities, forestry demonstrations, cozy accommodations, fantastic food and endless fun!
    For Agriculture Week, teen campers go to a wide variety of farms, where they will learn how their food is produced and what goes in to producing it, all in a hands-on way. The teen campers will meet the farmers, sample their food, harvest food, learn about livestock and enjoy hands-on demonstrations such as milking, cooking, pruning, marketing and other useful skills.
    At the end of Agriculture Week, they will spend the afternoon cooking up and enjoying a collection of local foods from the farms we toured and enjoy the sun, sand and water at Peaks Kenny State Park.
    Teen Summer Camp is new in 2014. With help and generous funding from the Maine Community Foundation’s Piscataquis County Fund, they are able to offer this fantastic opportunity to youth ages 13-18 in our area and beyond. In addition to the Maine Community Foundation grant, this camp is made possible due to support from the local community businesses, schools, and civic groups, the guest speakers who donate their time to put on presentations, and also the farm families that host our youth.
    Youth Summer Camp for ages 7-12 starts Monday July 28 for Natural Resources Week and Monday, Aug. 4 for Agriculture Week and runs Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. — noon for two full weeks.
    During Natural Resources Week, there will be presenters from organizations such as the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, the Maine Energy Education Program, the Appalachian Mountain Club, Penobscot Indian Nation and the Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.
    They will engage in fun indoor and outdoor activities with the kids while they learn about topics like soil science, energy, ecology, water quality and fisheries.
    For Agriculture Week, the campers are able to touch, taste and experience many aspects of several diverse farms in our area. They will be learning about pastured livestock, wild blueberries, greenhouses, bird dogs, raising horses and much more!
    For more information, registration forms or any question or about the summer camps, contact Joanna, Lynn or Kacey at the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District at the USDA Service Center, 42 Engdahl Drive in Dover-Foxcroft. Call 564-2321 ext. 3, email info@piscataquisswcd.org or find them on Facebook.