Camp Counselor Hannah Mills reflects on the enjoyment of a summer spent working with children at Howell Farm:

On Monday morning at 9 a.m., children and adults begin to gather in the “Hatchery” room of the Howell Farm visitor center. It is the first day of another session of summer camp. I watch parents smile, help their sons and daughters hang lunch boxes and book bags on hooks, and then lean in for kisses on the cheek before reluctantly leaving.

That’s when the fun starts.

One activity the campers always seem to love is playing in the creek. How often does a child who lives in the suburbs or city have the opportunity to splash around in a stream? Howell Farm summer camp provides many great outdoor opportunities, but I think the creek may be one of the biggest reasons kids come back year after year.

Crafts are another favorite. The children paint river rocks, create snow globes out of old Mason jars, and sew potholders. Campers love creating their masterpieces, and then proudly present them to parents at the end of the day.

Collecting eggs and leading sheep into the pasture are also popular. Everyone loves homemade ice cream and horse-drawn hayrides. And the animals. Molly, Blaze, and Patches, in particular, are practically celebrities.

The job of camp counselor is very rewarding to me. I love it down to the fragments of laughter, soaked clothing, a small lesson learned from a child, dirt stains, and the sigh of a good but hard-worked day.