Farming academy offers solar powered camps

Camps

Throughout the month of June, people will have the opportunity to learn about solar power, the elements of flight, fiber animals, hand felting and even cheesemaking at the Farming for the Future Academy on the campus of the Montana Veterans Home in Columbia Falls.

The camps run from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and they are free and open to all ages and abilities, though they are limited to 25 participants per session.

Recently, Sherry Lewis-Peterson, Executive Director of Farming for the Future Academy, applied for and received a grant from the Sample Foundation for a solar installation. Lewis-Peterson contacted Whitefish's NorthStone Solar, who donated their time to the project and finished installing the system just a few weeks ago.

The farm is now completely powered by solar energy. To celebrate, the first camp on June 12 is an introduction to solar energy. NorthStone Solar will be on hand to share information and a basic solar car project.

The next camp runs from June 13-16 and will allow campers to build and race their own hovercraft powered by a leaf blower that is charged with solar energy. Retired American Airlines Captain Randy Cheney will discuss lift, propulsion and other elements of flight.

A camp about fiber animals will run from June 19-21 and participants will use wool from the farm's sheep and llamas to create a vest with a hand felting technique.

The camp offered June 22-23 combines woodworking and cheesemaking as campers will build a charcuterie board and make mozzarella cheese.

All the camps have been sponsored by Whitefish Community Foundation, Glacier Bank, Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation and Harbor Freight, in addition to the Sample Foundation and NorthStone Solar.

To sign up for camps, visit www.farmingforthefutureacademyinc.org

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