Kids Day Camp: Wild Cooking & Herbology

Give your child the gift of our Wild Cooking & Herbology day camp which is excellent for focused learners, as it is like a mini college course on herbalism (although very hands-on) and therefore not recommended for adhd students unless attending a prior week (Wilderness Survival or Wildlife Search & Rescue) to get used to our schedule first. Camp includes optional wading/swimming and games/archery during lunchtime, depending on annual park rules, camper safety tests, weather and other conditions.

Wild Cooking & Herbology is celebrating its 27th summer as we continue our mission to provide real skills and connections to nature for a new generation of young people that need this experience more than ever. Campers will spend the week exploring the fields, forests, streams, ponds, and backyards around Lake Sammamish State Park to discover and utilize the most important wild foods and medicines of the Pacific Northwest.
Campers will work with the Top 10 Most Important Survival Plants of our area, and be able to identify their look-alikes. They will also learn to start and use fire safely, cook with ancient and modern methods, spin natural rope, purify drinking water, and come home with oils and creams they blended with herbs to heal common ailments, among other accomplishments.

We wish parents could watch the unfolding of this camp week, because the journey for these young chefs and healers is amazing. From discovering wild foods and medicine, to investigating their properties, to fully utilizing their gifts, and finally being able to tell their true stories, campers develop more skills and knowledge than you might imagine.

##### Camp Itinerary

Itineraries vary based upon location, season, camp group age range, instructor and student preferences, as well as natural resource availability. 3-4 pm cool-down time includes group options of berry picking, archery or creek wading when at Hans Jensen, swimming when at Sunset Beach, relaxed games at main camp.

Monday:
Morning Session: Introductions; Plant Walk – ID Nettle, Cedar, Plantain; Awareness Skills
Afternoon Session Options: Ethical Harvest; Harvest Plantain for Herbal Salve & Leaf Rubbings; Cedar Leaf Rubbings; Plant Fact Cards; Lightning Safety

Tuesday:
Morning Session: Mint Tea; Observe Fresh Mint Specimens; Mint Bouquets – Lavender, Lemon Balm, Basil, Rosemary; Bath Salts – Lavender & Spearmint; Mint Sprays
Afternoon Session Options: Plant ID by Smell; Leaf Venations & Arrangements; Scavenger Hunt of Venation & Arrangement; Herbal Tag; Intro to Top 10 Wild Foods

Wednesday:
Morning Session: Experience Parsey/Carrot Family, Spice Samples, Make Fennel Candy & Fennel Tea [Decoction]; Learn about and sketch Poison Hemlock;
Afternoon Session Options: Seaweeds; Nettles; Make Nettle Tea [Infusion]; Nettle Saute; Make Seasoning from Sesame Seeds, Ground Nettle, Make Nettle Hair Rinse or Shampoo; Finish Top 10 Wild Foods

Thursday:
Morning Session: Wild Foods Cook-off; Cattail Discussion & Fried Rhizomes; Finish Herbal Salve;
Afternoon Session Options: Introduction to Dandelion; Harvest Dandelion; Make Dandelion “Coffee”; Make Elderberry Syrup or Grind Bullwhip Kelp;

Friday:
Morning Session: Pine & Rosehip Tea; Review Top 10 Foods & Medicines; Practice Herbal First Aid Scenario; Gratitude Ceremony
Afternoon Session: Herbal Market Trade Circle & Closing Ceremonies

##### Daily Camp Schedule, Pick-Up & Drop-Off Directions

Suggested arrival time is 8:45-9:00 am, and best departure time is right around 4:00 pm.
8:30-9:00 Check-Ins & Morning Care (gate opens at 8:30)
9:00-9:30 Songs, Stories, Stretches & Late Check-Ins
9:30-12:00 Morning Lessons with snack break at 10:45
12:00-1:00 Lunch, Games, Archery or Swimming Option
1:00-3:00 Afternoon Lessons with water break at 2:00
3:00-4:00 Camp Crafts, Creek Time, Berry Picking & Early Check-Outs
4:00-4:30 Aftercare & Final Pick-Ups (all-staff meeting starts at 4:30)

##### Camp Leaders

Camp Directors Kim & Chris Chisholm share time between Puyallup & Lake Sammamish teaching groups and directing staff instructors at our hallmark 6-1 average student-teacher ratio that’s critical for safe and profound outdoor experiences. Read our FAQ’s for more details and check out camp testimonials dating all the way back to 1997.

##### Camp Tuition at Lake Sammamish

• Tuition is $595 per week for campers returning from previous years. Discounts of $10 available per additional child and camp weeks.
• Tuition is $695 for a camper’s first-ever week with us, and then $595 per additional day camp week this summer. Discounts of $10 available per additional child. Tuition includes all expenses except you’ll need to pack lunch and appropriate outdoor wear, and also includes organic t-shirt at your first camp with us, then at subsequent camps a choice of recommended field guides, orienteering compass, firesteel and other outdoor essentials depending on number of camps attended, age and availability.
• Sliding scale financial aid scholarships available via the Conservation College – Max Davis Scholarship. Just submit answers to their 8 simple questions and cc our email address to ensure receipt.

##### Registration Process

STEP 1 – If this is a camper’s first year with us, reserve the first week with a $200 deposit, plus $100 per additional week; and returning campers reserve spots with $100 deposits per week; via one of the following methods:
• Zelle is preferred using our email address with that extra “e” on skye plus try to add a note including camper name/age, camp start date/theme, plus your CONTACT INFORMATION (phone number is fine if system doesn’t allow sharing email) if we don’t already have your info since Zelle doesn’t automatically share that with us;
• Or use Venmo to @Chris-Chisholm-13 or • CashApp to $wolfschool but again, try to add your contact information, camper name, program theme and dates, or follow up right away with that via email;
• Or use Credit Card or Apple Pay by clicking here;
• Or call us between 9am-9pm at 425-248-0253 ex 1 with a credit card to register over the phone;
• Or use PayPal system appearing on our website;

STEP 2 – If this is your camper’s first year with us, complete our once-in-a-lifetime Registration Form within one week of making your deposit, otherwise we will have to refund you and give your spot(s) to others. We’ll also email you Word/PDF versions of the registration form in case you’re having trouble downloading or making a copy of our Google Doc form which you can send or share back to our email address for review within one week to maintain your reservation. If your camper has attended Wolf Camp in the past, a new registration form is not needed, but we will may email a questionnaire for your camper to submit as application for this year.

STEP 3 – Pay balance before or during your summer camp weeks. We’ll email you an invoice this spring with camp prep info and balance payment options that can be done in advance or during your first camp week. All payments are non-refundable unless we refuse your registration. However, if you cancel (at any time for any reason is fine) we will save your payments as credit for you to use in future years, or you can choose to have us move the funds into our scholarship account if you prefer. The best practice is to make the minimum deposits to register, and then wait to pay the remaining balances during summer.