The Camp at Grovespring
Submitted by: Susan Deal
Phone: 540-727-0271
Email Address: grovespringfarm(at)gmail.com
Date Added: 6/10/2015
Year-round, Grovespring Farm is a community of horseback riders who enjoy a relationship with horses, the outdoors and each other. In the summer Grovespring is also a camp for outdoor recreation and adventure. Once, one of our friends commented that we should advertise the farm as an antidote to Nature Deficit Disorder, which I had never heard of, so I googled it. Education.com states that Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD) "describes our lack of a relationship to the environment." On looking further, there is a lot of information about NDD online. Among my favorite articles is this one: "Dirt: The Superfood That Makes You Happier, Smarter, and Healthier." It's from Mommypotamus.com, but don't be misled by the cutesy name. The article is rich in insights about dirt. It states "studies conducted at Bristol University and Sage Colleges concluded that soil-based organisms make us happier and smarter, while other research shows they help regulate the immune system, reduce inflammation, break down our food for us," and provide a host of other benefits to boot. At Grovespring Farm, we have a lot of dirt—just the cure for anyone lacking time in nature.
During summer, Grovespring campers go to the pond to learn how to canoe, kayak, and fish. We hike in the creek and find crawfish and other creatures, fairy rocks, and squishy mud that feels great between our toes. We pick raspberries, blue-berries, and black-berries, play tag in the riding ring and capture-the-flag in the fields, go on treasure hunts on horseback, and practice the fundamentals of riding and horse care (beginner through advanced). Campers make art projects from vines, pinecones or rocks...and offer them as Giving Day presents at our campout. We make up stories and every camper participates in an original play performed at the campout (which is always funny). We play music around a campfire, sing songs, make s'mores, and sleep in tents.
At Grovespring Farm, our motto is people need opportunities to have fun in the outdoors, work toward goals, learn new skills, be leaders, and feel good about themselves and their accomplishments.
Tonight at dinner, our son said he loves how much there is to do here—he never gets bored. He reminded me that we do a lot. We offer a show team in the summer for those students who want to dedicate more time to competing. In the fall and winter months our focus is on riding out of the ring. We lead a trail clinic for the Ride for the Cure. We offer a schooling-the-horse class, and drill-team class. All year, we have regular riding lessons, including a thriving adult program. Our son then clarified that he especially likes how much there is to do at the pond. He had just been fishing.
Part of our community ethos allows that the more experienced students and campers share their knowledge with the less experienced students. Many spend Saturdays helping on the farm. This weekend, I asked a few students what they like best about Grovespring. All three said the atmosphere. Reed Boswell said, "Everyone is happy and loves to help each other." Caroline Butler added, "I love how everyone is so welcoming. I feel so good driving up to the farm because I know a new adventure awaits. I have made so many new friends since riding at the farm. I have not only grown as a rider at Grovespring but as a person also."
The term Nature Deficit Disorder was coined by author Richard Louv who wrote Last Child in the Woods and, more recently, The Nature Principle. According to him: "The future will belong to the nature-smart—those individuals, families, businesses, and political leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world and who balance the virtual with the real. The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need."
We think what we offer at Grovespring is insurance against NDD, plus a lot of opportunities to just plain have fun outside.
Susan Deal is a riding instructor certified with the United States Hunter Jumper Association. She recently completed a series of teaching videos for riding instructors on EquestrianCoach.com. Her husband Kris is an English Teacher at Culpeper County High School. They enjoy running, hiking, camping, and of course riding—especially Riding to Hounds with Rappahannock Hunt.
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