Camp Name: The Country School Farm
Camp Focus: Farm Experience
Owner: Sandy Richard and Penny Barker
Director: Richard and Penny Barker
Address: 3516 Township Road 124, Becks Mills , Ohio 44654
Phone Number: 330-231-2963 (Cell)
Email: barkers@tcsfarm.com
Website: www.tcsfarm.com
Camp Type: Resident
Camp Season: June through August, five day, four night sessions
Setting: Within Ohio's Amish settlement, (nondenominational)
Gender: Coed
Camp Capacity: 30
Pricing: $740
Slogan: For children who love animals and want to live on a real farm

Our preenrollment invitation for 2006 summer program was in October and November, during which time some 100 mainly continuing children registered. Last year we were 90% full by April 15, a month before our Open House. If you are undecided about attendance you may claim a specific space and make your final decision on the morning of Open House, May 7, 2006 . This prevents disappointment on that day. If spaces are limited (as displayed on web page) you may wish to indicate alternate sessions in your original e-mail. If, due to incomplete summer plans, you are unable to select a session you may enroll without choosing and keep track of remaining spaces by checking the web page registration link, then contact us as soon as you are able to make a choice.

If you want to enroll e-mail us we will confirm and hold your space for ten days while you complete, print and snail mail your application. Include a $200 deposit for each space reserved. The balance is due before noon of our May 7, 2006 Open House. Upon receipt of the application an invoice with the balance due is sent to you with an enrollment kit which contains a checklist and summary of policies. All fees paid are refundable in full until noon of Open House or if space is not available.

The farm is for children who love animals and who choose to attend. The experience is not for the socially troubled. Most children enroll in one session each summer and this is quite adequate for a meaningful experience. Some, however, want more and this can work if there is at least one week of rest at home between attended sessions.

This summer our eleven, five-day sessions, commence at 9:00am Mondays and end at 3:00pm Fridays. Nine sessions are coed. One is for boys only and one is for girls only. We maintain a ratio of six visitors to each adult. Dates of scheduled sessions are listed below.

Richard and Penny met at the University of San Francisco in 1967. They married and in 1970 traveled to England where Richard had done his undergraduate studies. They spent a year in London where both became certified Montessori teachers. During their studies of Maria Montessori's work, they learned that this pioneer in early childhood education espoused the benefits of farm life for the preadolescent child. Dr. Montessori called this the "erdkinder" (earth children) experience. Before leaving for college in Arizona , Penny had spent her childhood on a farm in the midwest and, from her own experience, understood the many educational benefits a farm provides: The activity level and healthy environment would insure physical, mental and emotional strength while the social and economic enterprise would produce an understanding of what it means to be civilized. Knowledge of the significance of domestication is internalized through the farm experience.

Montessori's insight presaged England 's WWII wartime rediscovery of the educational value of the farm when teachers and children were evacuated to the safety of the countryside. The experience was so powerful that, after the war, there was a spontaneous, grass roots switch from predominantly abstract studies to experiential learning. The results were improvements in both social and academic achievement. The world was impressed, and Britain exported what came to be known as the integrated day . Schools in this style spread across the United States as the "open classroom," joining with Montessori and Waldorf programs. Their common features: hands-on, child-paced, and child-initiated learning.

 After returning to the US , Richard and Penny directed the Canton Montessori School in Ohio for eight years, gaining experience. In 1975 they purchased a farmstead in Holmes County , forty miles from Canton , and by 1978 were pursuing their "erdkinder" dream. Home to the world's largest settlement of Old-Order Amish with their 19th century technology, Holmes County is the perfect setting. And, although the Barkers are not Amish, they and their young visitors benefit from living among these peaceful and gentle people. Two aspects of the neighborhood contribute: Amish life is small scale and, being based on the productive work of the land, is intrinsically meaningful. From this perspective the Barkers do not offer a camp or school experience but simply an opportunity for children to join in the daily life of a real farm. The Barker children, who were raised on the farm, all adults now, continue to share the responsibilities of the summer farm program with Richard and Penny.

Britt, the oldest Barker offspring, from the beginning took a lead in every aspect of the life of the farm. While the horses were her special interest, her knowledge of all things domestic made her Penny's valued colleague in the kitchen and garden. Britt's vocations, when not at the farm, are writing, painting and piano performance. She has a Suzuki studio in her Scottsdale , Arizona home. She is married to Shaun, who apprenticed here at the farm for four years, and showed so much skill that he also joins us during the summer.

Maggie has a lifetime of experience in working on the farm and with children. As a young child she began with a small flock of sheep. She trained Border Collies as sheepdogs which sparked an interest in sled dogs. During the '90s she had as many as fifty Alaskan Huskies and raced them along the US-Canadian border. Simultaneously, she and her brothers became wilderness guides and for eight years ran canoe and mountaineering expeditions across the northern and western states. Maggie sold her kennel in 1998 and took up sculpting. Her works range from animal subjects to social statements. She spent two years at the Florence Academy of Art and in Carrara , Italy studying marble sculpture. Her work with animals is focused these days in the area of Service Dogs.

Dan, at age nine, was in charge of the poultry, raising bantams and layers. Along the way he developed an interest in the cello and, in addition to the farm work, did mushing and wilderness guiding. He is a graduate of Oberlin Conservatory of Music and received his Masters Degree in Cello Performance from Sacramento State University in 2001. When Dan is not assisting with the summer farm program, he lives in Sacramento , has a cello studio in Davis , and performs with various California , Oregon and Nevada orchestras.

Jonah, the youngest Barker, is very much a child-of-the-summer-farm-experience and, in fact, was literally carried around by visitors when only a tiny baby. As a youth he became skilled in every aspect of the farm and program. His technical know-how in the workshop as well as at the computer and in the office makes him the person to whom everyone turns for answers. When not at the farm, Jonah resides in Columbus .

The Barkers have current First Aid and CPR Certification. Maggie has additional Wilderness First Responder training.

Thirty years have passed and the Barkers, having served some 18,000 children, are on their second generation of visitors. Richard, Penny, and their children provide a summer erdkinder farm experience for 6-13 year olds. All of the Barkers' activities spring from the requirements of the farm. None are designed specifically as educational programs but are genuine, real-life experiences.

Please feel free to e-mail us for our references and with your questions. Our relationship with our mostly Amish neighbors means we use our telephone for emergencies only, but the U.S. Post Office delivers mail to us.

Why Send a Child to the Farm?

The Country School Farm is located in Holmes County , Ohio , where occupations are carried on by the mostly Amish residents as they were a century ago. The farm occupies forty-two acres of hills and valleys adjacent to Troyer's Hollow on the Doughty Creek. Woodland wraps around three sides of the property rendering it cozily tucked away in its own corner of the county. Fifteen acres are in hay, ten in pasture, twelve are in woodland and five acres constitute the home farm. There is a two-acre orchard with apple, pear and peach trees. Close to the barn is a small vineyard with several types of grapes. The organic garden utilizes raised deep beds and is planted in both annual and perennial vegetables. The barnyard houses a herd of Nubian dairy goats. Not far from the barn are horse and sheep pastures.

The four-acre west pasture is being returned to woodland so that the entire farm will be surrounded by a wildlife sustaining ecology. Since moving from the old farmstead (two miles away) to the new farm in 1996 we have seen more and more mammalian wildlife in the surrounding thickets and woodlands. This includes deer, raccoon, groundhog, red fox, cottontail rabbit, chipmunk, squirrel and muskrat, owl and red tailed hawk to mention the larger species.

 This predominantly Amish area is populated by a busy and vigorous community of small, tidy, family farms. While the Barkers are not Amish themselves, they enjoy many benefits from living among them. Our neighbors adhere to a set of principles that inadvertently result in a society that is "people scaled." The assumptions of life are clear to everyone. Each member of the community has an idea of what is coming next in life and because of this, growing up is relatively stress free.

Everyone is accepted for his or her own strengths and weaknesses. No one ever feels left out. Cradle-to-grave security is, indeed, a reality. On a day to day basis the Amish are surrounded by people they can trust. Because of this, crime is almost nonexistent. The sacrifices we perceive as germane to their way of life mean that few are likely to join them voluntarily. Yet, as a relatively healthy community of human beings, we can take lessons from them. These lessons have a positive influence on all of us at the Barker farm, permanent residents and visitors alike.

The natural world is our earliest and most efficient teacher. Children are attracted to both the meaningful activity of the farm and to the involvement with living things that it represents. The hidden lessons of farm life link wilderness with civilization. These lessons are important stepping stones in a child's growth, fostering not only a respect for nature, but also observational skills, foresight, a sense of responsibility, patience, and an understanding of one's place in society's division of labor. On the farm the child

". . .relives the cultural history of man who passed from the natural (hunting and nomadic) state to the artificial (civilized) state through agriculture; when he discovered the secret of intensifying the production of the soil, he obtained the reward of civilization. This same path must be traversed by the child who is destined to become a man." -Maria Montessori

 Here, visiting children actually live the reality of this stage of settled agriculture by becoming active participants in the life of our working family farm. This is not a demonstration farm or traditional camp, nor is it for troubled children. Each visitor becomes an important contributor to the well-being of our many living things. In the narrowest sense, this develops the ability to work with others on a common goal. It also fosters habits of character essential for membership in any society, a commitment to honesty and fair play. Those who join us have a love of animals and enjoy the out of doors. Our livestock include rabbits, dairy goats, sheep, hogs, calves, work ponies, dogs, cats, ferrets, peafowl, hens and bantams. Our other activities include care of the garden and orchard, food preparation and preservation, and farm repairs and improvements. We gather wild berries and herbs and learn through experience about sensible land, water and waste management. Our visits to the feed mill, lumber yard, livestock auction, woolen mill and other local resources are never field trips but always occasioned by necessity.

 Summer Is Our Busy Growing Season

 Garden crops are sown and tended one after another. Hay is harvested and stored away in the barn loft. Our cattle, sheep and horses are free from winter's confines and grazing on green pastures. The countryside yields its harvest of wild berries. Each month, week or day here is unique and reflects the current state of our many ongoing projects. The days are varied and pleasant, active yet relaxed. At any particular hour you may find some of us busy in the barn, kitchen, on the building site, gardening, grinding corn, or in the orchard.

At regular meetings current projects and problems are discussed and children are briefed on the activity of their choice. All activities are carefully scaled, hands-on and approached in groups of two to six, led by family members and followed by farmstead time, a time to just be on the farm or with the animals.

 Both new and returning children are challenged by our ongoing growth and diversity, yet satisfied by the consistency and relaxed security of family farm life. And, while the farm experience is highly organized for obvious reasons, the child's basic perception is one of freedom and a relaxed atmosphere. Visiting children continuously exercise initiative and develop self-confidence.

(Including in-between time, time to just be on the farm and with the animals. . .)

About an hour after the sun first peeps over the horizon, we milk our dairy goats. Early risers join Richard for this job while others can sleep for an hour or so longer when breakfast is served. Penny makes sure everyone is up before she rings the breakfast bell. After breakfast, morning chores are chosen. These include work with the livestock and in the feedroom, on the grounds, in the kitchen, house, workshop, or garden. Chores are finished up at different times and for a half an hour or so, the children can be with a favorite animal, in a special spot, hike the perimeter trail, explore the garden with a friend or just be on the farm. Morning projects are then chosen at our project meeting in the barn loft around midmorning. These include work with the livestock; in the garden; food preparation or preservation; improvements or maintenance on the farm; building projects; carding/spinning/weaving in the wool mill; treadle sewing machine work; woodworking, stone gathering, etc.

When morning projects are done and the sun is high overhead, it's lunchtime with everyone very hungry and plenty of seconds available. After lunch, midday chores are chosen. These fall under the same headings as the morning chores but the work varies. We work in groups of two to eight. On Monday and Tuesday after noon chores, we meet to choose farm projects that need doing. On Wednesday afternoon we load up and visit the local livestock auction. On Thursday afternoon we hike to our beloved Troyer's Hollow for our creekwalk followed by a cookout on our return to the farm.

Our evenings start with supper and evening chores. We then play the "new games" (non-competitive and played on the "playing field" overlooking the distant hills and valleys) and follow this with lamplighting in the front yard. Then it's time for showers and Penny's honey cocoa, served around the kitchen table. There's time for quiet board games and reading before meeting with Richard in the front room to recap the day's events and maybe a story. Then to bed with the going-to-bed game, very tired, very satisfied and ready for a good night's sleep...a cool breeze blowing through open windows most nights.

People ask how summer weeks differ. The farm is always changing so our actions also change. This is due to the organic nature of things here, the seasons, the weather and the variety of our plants and animals. There is so much happening at once-our garden, animal, building and repair projects are always in different stages so we must continuously adjust care, feed and harvest patterns. This requires focus and attention to detail.

Garden varieties are succession sown, cared for and harvested throughout the spring, summer and fall. Hay is made every summer week, depending on the weather. Wild herbs and berries, as well as domestic varieties, are ready at different times. Our everbearing strawberries usually ripen all summer while blackberries and elderberries come in July and August. Sauce apples are harvested in midsummer, eating apples later and cider apples are collected in the fall. Calving, lambing and kidding take place in the spring and these young animals grow larger throughout the following months. In the past several years our mares have foaled in early May and kittens and bunnies come anytime

Bantams get broody in the warm months and set on eggs all summer. Twenty-nine days after a hen begins to set chicks begin to peep their way out. Last summer some one- hundred chicks were hatched in various secret and not-so-secret places throughout the barn and loft, much to the delight of everyone.

 The farm is always changing. There is a flood of milk in the spring while by late fall there is a shortage, yet butterfat content is higher at this time. In addition to our daily routine chores and various farm projects, each day brings unexpected events that must be addressed: One of the cats is having her kittens where they are sure to fall. How can we best move them so we don't disturb the mother cat's nurturing? A pea hen has laid her eggs dangerously close to the edge of the woodloft. We'll have to build a guardrail around them. The sheep have broken out of the pasture and are in the orchard. We must round them up in a cool and collected manner that doesn't force them further into the garden.

What is the best time to come to come to the farm? Anytime , since each week contains the constancy of routine and the excitement of new happenings.

Your Child's Well Being at the Farm

Participating children benefit from our quarter century of providing a warm, safe, friendly, satisfying experience. Several factors contribute to the overall atmosphere of meaningfulness and security. The Barkers actually live at the farm, sharing the same environment and daily happenings with their visitors; there is always at least one Barker on hand for each six visitors. All are age 25 or older. The experience is noncompulsory. Those who come to the farm all want to be there. Half are returning from previous years. As animal lovers the visiting children tend to be a caring and cheerful group.

The policies and ground rules are very specific and clear and reflect many, many years of experience. This attention to detail reduces anxiety. The children are carefully oriented with close attention to safety and expectations regarding conduct and interaction with the farm. With these limits in place, the children experience a great degree of freedom. Each child exercises considerable empowerment within the goals and guidelines that are set. Thus, they can "claim the farm as their own," derive the most benefit from the visit, and leave with lingering feelings of purpose and satisfaction.

The affirmation of a broad range of ages and abilities further enhances feelings of security. The absence of competition promotes cooperation in all aspects of life of the farm. Discipline problems occasionally occur as they do everywhere, but they are always of a scale with which our small close-knit community can cope. Discussion and an appeal to ones "better self" customarily resolve most issues. The real-life nature of the farm experience appeals to each child's sense of responsibility and results in an atmosphere of trust and commitment.

In a more practical sense, The Country School Farm, since its inception in 1976 has been licensed by the State of Ohio and follows ACA guidelines. The Barkers have current Red Cross First Aid Certification plus thirty years of experience designing a safe and healthy environment. Children are carefully instructed in health, cleanliness and safety matters on Monday morning and, should the need arise, 911 emergency responders are available ten minutes from the farm. We have never, however, had to make the call.

Most of the foods we serve at the Country School Farm are home or organically grown. Our free range hens supply our eggs. Our meat comes from home grown stock and includes: sausage, ham and loins, summer sausage, hot dogs and beef. We raise and pasteurize our own milk from our herd of Nubian goats. We churn our own butter and bake our own whole-wheat bread. Our Swiss and baby-Swiss cheese come from the Guggisbergs in the valley and is made from locally-grown milk. Most of the vegetables we harvest fresh from our garden. Our fruit we purchase weekly at the local produce auction and all summer we harvest wild berries. We sweeten with raw, organic honey. Due to the activity level here and the fact that we do not snack between meals, children develop great appetites and many go for "seconds." There is always plenty to go around. And, although we do serve meat, vegetarians do fine by simply skipping it and eating the other sources of protein available.

The farmhouse is roomy, clean, and airy. The children sleep on large screened sleeping porches that wrap around the house. The porches may be seen from the outside in the photo of the house on the Home Page. The children know where the Barkers sleep in the house and can easily access them if necessary during the night.

Sunday May 7, 2006
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

We hope you can attend this event which is the one day of the year we are open to the public. Since 300 or more visitors usually visit on this day, we ask your cooperation on behalf of our many animals, our neighborhood, and the farm in general. Please do not walk on adjoining property and leave your cameras at home as a courtesy to us and our Amish neighbors.

Begin at the sign-in table at the end of the lane by the garden. Please tour the house first, then the barn. Keep your children with you and remember that, although the children are fully involved with the livestock and farm during the program, Open House is a day to observe, not a hands-on time. One or two of the Barkers will be at the barn to answer questions about the livestock.

Balance payments and order forms for gear may be turned in at Richard's table in the front yard. He will answer administrative questions and take any new registrations. Turn in your medical form to Penny who will be in the house, and will answer questions and should meet your child. Unpaid spaces will be vacated and offered to non-enrolled families after noon . Most remaining spaces will be taken.

You are welcome to walk our perimeter trail which runs between our pastures and woodland and gives superb views of the farm and surrounding countryside. The path goes up and down hills and is not suitable for everyone. Feel free to picnic at the tables on the hollow side of the farmhouse (down the slope near the garden). May is usually a splendid time of year and we hope you have a wonderful day here.

Travel Information

Participants arrive by car. Carpools may be arranged and, at your request, we can supply names and phone numbers after Open House in May. Sometimes a child flies into Ohio from a distant place and we have occasionally been able to arrange for a local family to provide transportation to and from the airport. We are two hours from Cleveland and Columbus, four hours from Toledo , Pittsburgh and Cincinnati , five hours from Detroit and a day from St. Louis , Chicago and the Eastern Seaboard.

Drive slowly on the foot-traveled roads. When you near the sharp left-hand curve shown on the map (on Township Rd 124) our mailbox is on the right (BARKER). Park on the right-hand-side of Township Road 124 (before the sharp curve) behind the other cars that have already arrived and walk down the lane to the farm. Afterwards, it is important that you turn around at the marked turnaround and follow our map back to State Route 557. Please do not proceed further down the township road as it cuts through our neighbor's farm.

E-mail us for a list of references in your area: barkers@thecountryschool.com . This list includes nearly every child enrolled in both 2004 and 2005.

Our relationship with our Amish neighbors means we do not have a telephone except for the computer. We do have a cellphone that we use for emergencies. We continue to correspond through the U.S. Postal Service also.

Here is a selection from among many unsolicited testimonials.

Memories of the farm appear in David's conversations throughout the year, and I believe the gifts you give for a week each summer will be some of his most treasured lessons and memories. I'm only disappointed I can't come and stay for a week and gain the revitalization and peace I see in David at the end of a session.-- The Bransons, MI

All we hoped for in a summer experience was true! Tamar and Nick are still recounting stories and looking forward to this summer's adventures. We thank you so much for these splendid opportunities! Tamar was dreaming and scheming about dogsledding this winter.-- The Elsters, IN

Now that I have observed the reactions of three different children who have spent time with you and your family, I am amazed at how each one receives exactly what he/she needs out of the experience. Their lives would not be complete without you!-- The Vogels, IL

How can we thank you enough for sharing your wonderful farm and excellent values with Robin? He greatly enjoyed and benefited from his week with you. He is a better person for it. We also would like to learn to milk goats and separate cream so if you ever decide to do grown-ups...-- The Yosts, PA

Thank you for the experiences Sarah had on the farm last summer. She still talks so often about the things she was able to see and do. She is so much more willing to help around the house now and that's a big plus! We are very happy that she was able to get a glimpse of a simple, yet busy life.-- The Waltons, OH

I had such wonderfully positive experiences there while growing up, so unique and valuable compared to what most of my peers experienced. Going to the farm reminds me of all the possibilities that exist.-- Craig Tower , OH

Standing at the foot of your drive for the last time yesterday, we both thought about how much The Country School has meant to Anne (and Bess, much longer ago) and how sad we were that this was her last visit. Nothing we know of will take its place in the years to come. Anne will carry her experiences and her memories of her weeks with you forever. You've contributed so much to shaping her independence and her view of the world. She remembers moments and events from each of her visits and they come up in conversations constantly. We're so glad The Country School has been a part of our children's lives.-- The Roberts, OH

We want to thank you for the acceptance and warmth you showed Elise during her time on the farm. Although Elise is shy, she absorbs everything but sometimes can't find a way to react. She feels safe, comfortable and useful with you and enjoys the stable rhythm of the farm. Of Richard, Elise says he knows who is shy and lets us be ourselves. And Penny's response to Elise's complaint of homesickness made Elise realize that one can survive homesickness and that she has to accept missing us and home as part of her choice in going to visit you! Elise can't wait to show her younger brother around and share the experience with him.-- Beth Coughlan/David Wang

My daughters are very different in their personalities, likes and dislikes, yet each had a unique and satisfying experience. Your farm has so much to offer them. When they describe their experiences, it's almost as if they were at two different places. After listening to them and appreciating their sincere enthusiasm, I concluded that the experience is so very special because they truly feel part of the farm family. It's a big boost to their self-esteem. Children today are involved in so many activities in and outside of school. Most of these require them to compete or strive to be the best. Kids are experiencing a lot of stress. Your farm makes them feel important and special without competition or stress. You've given them memories that they'll treasure always.-- Jeannie Skinner, PA

Serena (age 11) earned the enclosed money herself, delivering papers, just so she could return to the Country School Farm. A "can do" kid, she wanted to ..."do it all herself." Last year at this time she was depressed and in a slump.... We visited your Open House, then she attended TCSF in August. This year...she is so much more happy and focused. Just talking about TCSF puts her in a good mood. She seems much more grounded, fearless, mature and competent after her week with you. What else can I say? Viva La Country School !!!-- Jenny Hohmann-Jones , MI