Agriculture Day Camp: Growing, Preserving, and Giving Back

Today was another wonderful day at Old Harbor Alliance’s Agriculture Day Camp, filled with hands-on learning, teamwork, and community spirit.

Our campers spent time working in the hoop house, planting seeds and transferring young seedlings to our hydroponic growing table. Every activity gave them the opportunity to learn more about growing fresh food and caring for plants from seed to harvest.

The campers rolled up their sleeves to make homemade rhubarb strawberry jam using fresh rhubarb. They learned the basics of food preservation and proudly filled jars to take home and share with their families.

At lunchtime, everyone enjoyed a delicious bison stir-fry prepared by Billie Jean using meat harvested from the Sitkalidak Bison Herd. Sharing locally raised and harvested food is an important part of our agriculture program, giving campers the opportunity to experience the full cycle of sustainable food production, from growing vegetables to responsibly harvesting and preparing healthy local foods.

To finish the day, the campers delivered jars of their homemade rhubarb strawberry jam to Elder households throughout the community. It was a meaningful way to share the fruits of their hard work, give back to our Elders, and strengthen the connections that make Old Harbor such a special place.

Days like these remind us that agriculture is about more than growing food, it’s about learning new skills, caring for the land, preserving traditions, and sharing with one another. We are so proud of our campers and grateful for another day of learning, growing, and giving back.

Happy summer from all of us at the Old Harbor Alliance!