By Jeanni Ritchie

Fifteen day campers at Ol’ Mel’s Farm experienced farm life last week in Deville. I stopped by on Friday and immediately was greeted by goats, a turkey, a miniature horse, and Oliver Boney, 6.

 

“Do you want to be friends?” he asked as I joined the group.

 

“Absolutely,” I replied. You can’t beat a warm country welcome.

 

Watching Kaylie Posey, 10, saddle the miniature horse, I asked her what was the most important part to remember. “Checking the pony out.” She’s enjoyed her week at the camp.

 

“Playing with Bella, the three-legged dog, is my favorite part of the week,” Isabella Huntsberry, 7, told me.

 

“Three legs?! What happened?” I asked her.

 

She started explaining the story of Bella’s accident as a puppy until her friend Kynlee Posey, 9, started saddling and she stopped to cheer her on. As soon as Kynlee finished, she finished her story and launched into a dozen more tales about pregnant cows, cat attacks, falling in the water, arts and crafts, camp friends, and more. I could hardly keep up! I wondered if this is how people feel when talking to me. Isabella is definitely me as a 7-year old!

 

Lydia Bernard, 9, and Braxton Deville, 7, brushed Spirit the Horse out as he nibbled on the grass at their feet.

 

Braxton enjoyed fishing this week the most. We talked hooking worms, which is definitely preferable to cricket goo shooting out as you thread it onto a hook.

 

Mr. T the Turkey was the unofficial 16th camper, following the kids everywhere they went.

 

In addition to saddling, fishing, and free range animal play, campers built birdhouses and other arts and crafts activities, went horseback riding, had bunny circle time, participated in hands-on educational sessions on horse and bunny care, played during daily water time, and engaged in a daily show and tell, complete with live animals from home!

 

The smell of sunscreen filled the air as kids chased after Rudy, the two-week old goat with the “extension cord” still attached. I speak kid fluently; I knew that was kidspeak for umbilical cord. I absolutely adore children and I love being outdoors so this camp was a perfect outing for me.

 

Ol’ Mel’s Farm will hold one more full-day summer camp July 8-12. Call 318-794-9533 to register.