SPRING MILLS — On a quiet stretch of countryside along Big Elm Lane, a group of kids this summer will trade screens for chores, classrooms for barns and curiosity for something a little more hands-on.
Haven Valley Homestead and Retreat will once again host its Summer Farm Club in 2026, offering children ages 7 to 12 a chance to experience life on a working homestead by brushing horses, feeding animals and learning the rhythms of farm life firsthand.
The monthly program runs from 9:30 a.m. to noon on June 9, July 14 and Aug. 4 at the homestead, located at 130 Big Elm Lane in Spring Mills. Participation costs $70 and includes a club T-shirt and other goodies, with limited spots available.
For Julie Barton, co-founder of Haven Valley Homestead and Retreat and the event coordinator, the program reflects the deeper mission behind the homestead itself.
“We began the homestead and the retreat, it would be 12 years ago,” Barton said. “And the purpose of it was sort of created out of its name. We used the word haven because we wanted it to be just that, a place that people could find rest and relaxation and kind of a haven out of the busyness of life.”
What began as a peaceful country retreat has gradually grown into a place where visitors can experience agriculture, animals and homesteading in a hands-on way.
“We began our summer camps and then we opened an Airbnb on the farm also so that people could get away, enjoy the quiet country atmosphere and then also enjoy the different programs that we have with the animals,” Barton said. “So that’s kind of the history of it. The mission behind it is truly just spreading agriculture and homesteading, education and doing that through a lot of different hands-on opportunities and events.”
While Haven Valley has hosted traditional day camps for years, the Summer Farm Club grew out of a simple observation: many kids wanted even more time with the animals.
“The camps are very traditional, structured,” Barton said. “Meaning we have craft time, we have a chapel time, we have archery, they go on hay wagon rides, nature hikes, animal time, pony rides, all of those kinds of activities kind of split up in 30-minute chunks.”
Farm Club, by contrast, takes a different approach.
“And then our farm club … was kind of brought out of the inspiration that there were kids that were just simply wanting more time with the animals,” Barton said. “They didn’t want to do anything but be with the animals when they were here. They were always asking, ‘Can we help feed them? Can we help with chore time?’”
The result is a program where kids step directly into the role of a “little farm hand,” helping with daily chores and animal care throughout the morning.
“We developed Farm Club to really be a all-hands-on experience from the moment they come to the end of that time period where they are working directly with the animals the whole time,” Barton said. “Brushing, grooming, helping maybe walk the animals. They’re helping with feeding and different chores. They’re just really getting that hands on animal education.”
One of the program’s most memorable experiences is the chance for each child to “adopt” an animal during the club.
“We like each child to get to pick an animal that we have on the homestead the very first week,” Barton said. “In that way they can really bond with a specific animal and kind of feel that ownership in learning about them and caring for them.”
The children help care for all the animals on the farm but they also get extra time with the animals they choose.
“The first week they get to pick that animal, whether it’s a specific horse or a specific goat,” Barton said. “They get their picture taken with that animal. We make them a picture and they get to, each week when they’re there, they still help with all the animals, but they get specific time every farm club with that animal.”
Beyond the fun of farm life, Barton hopes the experience leaves kids with something deeper.
“Many times, we really try to work on emphasizing the different lessons that can be learned from the farm experience and working with the animals,” she said. “Things like just working hard, being diligent, being patient, endurance, all of those kinds of things.”
Ultimately, she hopes the experience inspires kids to carry those lessons home.
“We’re hoping that they are going to learn those important character-building lessons but then also be inspired to consider having a part in animal husbandry or homesteading to some level,” Barton said. “Whether it’s going home and planting lettuce in a pot in their backyard or maybe getting a rabbit to raise in their neighborhood or whatever it may be.”
“We’re always hoping that they are inspired to take that to the next step once they come through our programs,” Barton said.
Families interested in registering for Summer Farm Club can contact Haven Valley Homestead at havenvalleyhomestead@gmail.com or visit the organization’s Facebook page for more information.
