This post is sponsored by Horizon Organic.
Summer looks different this year. Travel has been sidelined, vacations upended and summer camps cancelled. With more than 14 million campers and counselors heading to summer camps across the country each year, there’s a need to educate kids and help families get through these months.
To help fill the void, Horizon Organic has opened the barn doors to host Horizon Summer Camp - a virtual camp that brings educational content from Horizon Organic farms right into the homes of children across the country.
Bringing this program to life are Horizon Organic’s HOPE Scholars, a group of outstanding college students pursuing degrees in agriculture who are hosting these fun, educational activities that include milking cows and demonstrating creative ways to recycle. Over the past 12 years, the HOPE Scholarship Program has gifted nearly $160,000 to 55 college students pursuing a degree in agriculture and related fields.
The first day of camp officially kicked off on July 10, and the inaugural session is led by HOPE Scholar Shila who shows how to upcycle a milk carton into a bird feeder. Not only does the session show a fun, innovative way to repurpose Horizon Organic cartons, but there are step-by-step instructions on how to make a bird feeder, combining education and arts and crafts.
Earlier this month, the summer camp provided instruction to kids about cow milking. The interactive session takes you into the barn to see the cows first hand and has instructive components from teaching the campers what the six different types of cows we have in the United States are to how many times cows get milked a week. The program offers an all-encompassing, educational experience for the campers.
Last week, campers learned about organic dairy cows’ daily life. The routine consists of how much they eat and sleep each day and how long each cow is out at pasture. The good news is there is still learning to come. Rounding out the program, campers will be going on a full farm tour, bringing the various elements of the program together.
Horizon’s goal with the Summer Camp series is to foster curiosity about the environment and teach children about the role that healthy soil and best in class care for animals play in contributing to a sustainable future for all. This program is part of an effort that builds on Horizon Organic’s 30-year legacy of advancing the organic industry, supporting family farmers, and respecting the environment to provide the best dairy products possible.