Learning by the Lake at Kamp Kenwood Since the 1930s, the Wisconsin Farmers Union has fostered summer fun for kids and families
My family of seven had a chance to attend the Farmers Union Family Camp at WFU Kamp Kenwood last summer. Situated just half an hour from Eau Claire on Lake Wissota, WFU Kamp Kenwood has been operating for more than 70 years as part of the education arm of the Farmers Union. While originally founded as a place for farm kids to get together to learn, swim, and socialize, the Farmers Union and its camp now serve everyone interested in where our food comes from and how to support family farms.
Part of our stay involved very thoughtfully designed skits, games, and activities that taught us about the history of the Farmers Union’s work, plus different types of farms, including Community Supported Agriculture, dairy farms, urban farms, and grain farms. We also had a chance to play cooperative games and imagine what it would be like to be a migrant farm worker from Mexico.
The rest of the stay was pure fun – boat rides, folk dancing, s’more-making, glue-gun crafts, and singing camp songs, all in a beautiful setting. The enthusiastic counselors engaged our kids (ages 4, 8, and 10) in games, while they also chatted with the adults. We had to a chance to hear from these young adults about their plans to support family farming or sustainable agriculture in Wisconsin and beyond.
Visiting this beautiful spot just 30 miles from Eau Claire gave us some great family time together, but also helped us understand a bit more about the struggles and opportunities of this key Wisconsin industry. We will be back!
WHAT IS WFU KAMP KENWOOD?
The camp program was launched in the 1930s as part of the educational arm of the Farmers Union, and has been housed at WFU Kamp Kenwood since the 1940s as a “place for people of all ages to come together to celebrate, to learn, and to enjoy family, friends, and nature.” The Wisconsin Farmers Union offers affordable three-night youth camps, a day camp, and a one-night family camp, and registration is now open for summer 2017. To learn or to sign up for a camp, visit wisconsinfarmersunion.com/youth-camp.
