Learning, growing, and giving back are basic principles of the farm at Camp St. Croix.
The Farm at Camp St. Croix is the first nearly year-round educational farm in St. Croix Valley, allowing kids to learn and farm outside while donating the harvest to the Backpack Programs in the St. Croix Valley.
In addition to the High Tunnels, Discovery Garden, and RCU Prairie Harvest Barn, The Farm features grazing sheep and poultry in the summer, along with egg-laying hens year-round.
Explore with Us
High Tunnel
The Farm’s high tunnel greenhouses are unheated structures that allow Camp St. Croix to produce food (nearly) year-round thanks to their heat-trapping ability during colder months and their ventilating ability during warmer ones.
The High Tunnel portion of The Farm is partly funded by River Valley Charities, whose funding helps Camp St. Croix operate the educational programming.
Discovery Garden
The Discovery Garden is a place to learn and explore. Growing forts, bright flower gardens, asparagus and raspberry patches, "scratch and sniff gardens" of herbs, and wild and wacky vegetables capture and create an imaginative play. This garden has pollinators, beautiful sights, and opportunities to discover something new!
Grazing Livestock
The Farm hosts rotationally grazing sheep in the summer months, followed by a movable laying hen house and moveable chicken tractors. This model teaches regenerative care for the land in a way that nurtures both the soil ecosystem and the creatures it sustains.
RCU Prairie Harvest Barn
The RCU Prairie Harvest Barn has been constructed and transformed into a maker space, demonstration cooking space, and farm store.
This transformation is made possible by Royal Credit Union and Prairie Burn grant funds.
Farm Learning
Summer Camp
Camp St. Croix summer campers visit the Farm often. We also offer Farm-centric programs, such as Farm and Garden Camp, Farm to Table Camp, and Teen Farm Camp.
Nature Preschool
Little Seeds Nature Preschool makes it a part of their daily routine to help on the farm and explore!
Agriculture Education
Camp St. Croix is excited to offer Agriculture Education options to public educators and homeschool families.
Volunteer
Are you interested in being a committed seasonal volunteer? Or is your organization interested in coming out for an afternoon volunteering on the farm?
This farm fees Purina Feed.
More Information
The Farm’s produce goes to three different places:
- The Backpack Programs sponsored by the River Valley Charities in the St. Croix Valley
- Camp St. Croix’s dining hall is literally ‘farm to table’ – putting farm-fresh vegetables into the stomachs of hungry campers.
- Produce is sold at the camper family Farmer’s Market Night.
The Farm at Camp St. Croix Farm Store is open during Pizza Nights on the Farm. The store will have extended hours during once-a-month Farmer's Market Nights.
Camp St. Croix is grateful to its partners and mentors – River Valley Charities, the Paul Rosso family, and the 10th St. Farm and Market in Afton – who have furthered a vision for addressing food insecurity in the St. Croix Valley by donating time, money, and expertise to our success.