Up to 30 local children will have the opportunity to find out during the Blue Kids for History Summer Day Camp, to be held June 19-July 1, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.
"A corn patch, a garden, perhaps a pig in a pen, could keep a family going," said Manley Wade Wellman in his book, "The Story of Moore County."
All that remains of the Blue Farm is the 1825 farmhouse, grist mill, barns and 7.5 acres of land; hardly big enough to have sustained a family of six, but tremendous in its potential to educate the present on the Sandhills' past.
"Something magical and wonderful seems to happen when children visit the Malcolm Blue Farm," says Ellen Marcus, site director. "In April on a star-studded night, a group of Girl Scouts sat around the campfire learning the constellations. It truly seems to be the simple pleasures of an open field, drinking from a water spigot and casting long shadows around an open fire that refresh their spirits and imaginations."
More than three years ago Martha Swaringen worked with the Boys and Girls Club to form the Blue Kids for History. Since then a group of 10 to 15 children have regularly met every Wednesday during the school year to be a part of history.
Malcolm Blue Historical Society also agreed to host the Blue Kids for History Summer Day Camp.
Swaringen has directed both and has recruited numerous skilled volunteers and teachers from the MBHS, the local community and even her own relatives.
The amount of work involved in organizing, scheduling, recruiting volunteers and teachers is staggering.
Recently when the Boys and Girls Club decided to discontinue the camp, Martha Swaringen and Ellen Marcus wrote and received two grants from The Palmer Foundation to continue the camp and increase the number of campers to 30.
"The grant will provide 10 scholarships at no charge for children participating in the Blue Kids for History at the Boys and Girls Club," says Swaringen. "We were able to write in much of the cost for the 20 additional children. The tuition for each camper is $125 for two weeks and $100 for each additional sibling. Camps can be expensive, and travel to and from camps often conflicts with parents' work schedules. Our goal is to offer an economical camp to children from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. that would accommodate more families. The age requirement is 7–12."
With the increase in the number of children, funding was received to hire two additional fulltime counselors who will work alongside Swaringen and Marcus, with teachers and volunteers.
"The camp will give the children a chance to get back to basics," says Swaringen. "Every day they will have farm chores, including caring for sheep, goats, lambs, chickens, ducks and a small pony. We are still looking for a milk cow. The campers will form teams of six and a different team will cook lunch from scratch each day. They will have the chance to express themselves through painting, sewing, cooking, quilting, carving and writing."
The highlight of the camp will be on June 30 when the children will camp out with Civil War re-enactors. They will sleep under the stars (heavily supervised) and cook over an open campfire.
On Saturday, they will have the opportunity to show off their newfound skills by cooking lunch for their parents and displaying their completed projects.
"It really is an unique opportunity for these kids," says Swaringen. "Every year these kids have surprised me with their enthusiasm. It is wonderful to be able to organize a camp without the constant worry of money. A second grant is providing us the funding to add climate control to the packhouse so we can use it as a classroom."
For more information, call the Malcolm Blue Farm at 944-7558.
Day Camp Schedule
Week 1
Day 1: Welcome and meet Mrs. Doodlebug, 8-9 a.m.; walk to Postmaster's House and lunch at cafe, 9:10-11:30 a.m.; write in diary and scavenger hunt, 1:30-3 p.m.; tour of museum and house, 3:10-4:50 p.m.; pickup, 5 p.m.
Day 2: Farm chores, 8-9 a.m.; gardening, 9:10-11:30 a.m.; lunch and fitness, 11:40 a.m.-1:20 p.m.; wood carving and sewing, 1:25-3 p.m.; mural painting and tie-dying, 3:10-4:45 p.m.; pickup, 5 p.m.
Day 3: Farm chores, 8-9 a.m.; build a wildlife habitat, 9:10-11:30 a.m.; lunch and fitness, 11:40 a.m. to 1:20 p.m.; pioneer movie, 1:25-3 p.m.; mural painting and tie-dye, 3:10-4:45 p.m.; pick up 5 p.m.
Day 4: Farm chores, 8-9 a.m.; 9:10-1 p.m., walk to Bethesda Church and Cemetery and picnic; wood carving and sewing; 1:25-3 p.m.; mural painting and stepping stones; 3:10-4:45 p.m.; pickup, 5 p.m.
Day 5: farm chores, 8-9 a.m.; ropemaking, 9:10-11:30 a.m.; lunch and fitness, 11:40 a.m.-1:20 p.m.; storytelling and etiquette, 1:25-3 p.m.; complete projects, 3:10-4:45 p.m.; pickup, 5 p.m.
Week 2
Day 1: Farm chores, 8-9 a.m.; blacksmith demo, 9:10-11:30 a.m.; lunch and fitness, 11:40-1:20 p.m.; wood carving and sewing, 1:25-3 p.m.; mural painting and mosaic bird bath, 3:10-4:45 p.m.; pickup, 5 p.m.
Day 2: Farm chores, 8-9 a.m.; archaeology survey and surface collection, 9:10-11:30 a.m.; lunch and fitness, 11:40 a.m.–1:25 p.m.; archaeology lab site report,1:30-4:45 p.m., pickup, 5 p.m.
Day 3: Farm chores, 8-9 a.m.; field trip to Rankin and lunch at Ellerbe Springs, 9:15 a.m.-4:50 p.m.; pickup, 5 p.m.
Day 4: Farm chores, 8-9 p.m.; wood carving and sewing, 9:10-11:30 a.m.; lunch and fitness, 11:40 a.m.-1:20 p.m.; rock and gem mining, 1:25-3 p.m.; mural painting and bird bath; 3:10-4:45 p.m.; pickup, 5 p.m.
Day 5: Farm chores,8-9 a.m.; Civil War Camp, 9:10-11:30 a.m.; lunch and fitness, 11:40 a.m.-1:20 p.m.; complete projects 1:25-3 p.m.; water games, 3:10-4:45 a.m.; camp out, 5 p.m.; non-coed tent camping with outdoor cooking, 8 p.m.-10:30 a.m.
Day 5: farm chores and breakfast, 10:30 a.m.; parents arrive, tour of farm and demonstrations 10:45 a.m.; lunch and awards ceremony, noon.
