The City of Redding Recreation Division and the Shasta County Farm Bureau are pleased to announce that “Farm Camp” received the American Farm Bureau’s County Activities of Excellence, one of 24 projects nationwide that has been recognized for innovation.
“It’s exciting,” said Teresa Urricelqui, Recreation Supervisor for the City of Redding a Redding who approached the Shasta County Farm Bureau and the Shasta Union High School District about the summer camp. “I’m glad that everyone is being recognition for their hard work. I’m hoping to get the word out and maybe have other counties try it.”
Farm Camp was piloted this past summer, offering two unique age appropriate, educational and practical opportunities. Lil Farmer, (ages 6-12 years) included feeding and cleaning livestock, planting and watering crops, hands on experiences with volunteer agricultural professionals in the areas of dairy, beef cattle, bees, meat goats, forestry, rabbits, GPS, rocketry, crops, chickens and much more. Farm Hands (ages 12-15 years) in addition to performing daily basic farm chores, learned first-hand from volunteer agricultural professionals in sheep, horsemanship, welding, tractor operation, roping, irrigation, crops, and meat quality.
Farm Camp is scheduled to present at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual convention in January 9-14 in San Diego, where Tiffany Martinez, manager of Shasta County Farm Bureau, whose vision is “ Farm Camp: Growing a Passion for Agriculture” will present a display complete with videos, photographs, details about daily life on the farm and a list of community sponsors. The Activates of Excellence awards are giving to county Farm Bureau’s throughout the nation who have shown innovation with their project or idea. Each award recipient presents their program or idea in hopes of sharing the information for other Farm Bureau’s to possibly duplicate. Farmers and ranchers from all over the United States will be visiting San Diego for the American Farm Bureau Annual meeting.
Farm Camp is brought to you by Redding Recreation, Shasta County Farm Bureau and the UC Cooperative Extension. Sponsored by Sierra Pacific Foundation, Redding Electric Utilities, Lassen Canyon Nursery, North Valley Bank, Shasta County Cattlemen, Shasta County Cattlewomen, Karen Moller, Larry & Lynn Forero, HP Livestock, Valley Ace Hardware.
-from press release
