Adventure Camp at Vevi-Weron Farm from 09.08 to 11.08
It’s off for another 3-day camp but this time at the Vevi Weron farm! At the time of departure, almost an hour in advance as they were in such a hurry to leave for the adventure, the young people of the cité des Balances boarded the minibus. For this stay, they chose the Vevi-Wéron Farm in Wépion in the Namur Province.
This farm, which was highly recommended to us, is known for developing its own organic vegetables and promoting an alternative and more ecological way of life than the usual model. The managers of this farm aim to make people discover this way of life by proposing to people interested in the approach to come and spend some time with them and to contribute to the daily tasks of the farm.
On the first day, after some introductory activities and other contacts, we went to lend a hand to the inhabitants of this farm. We learned how to draw and dig a ditch for water drainage near a ‘Tiny House’ under construction. This was more than necessary due to the amount of water that accumulated during the heavy Belgian rains this year. We also dug the ground in preparation for a stone staircase while others went back and forth with wheelbarrows loaded with paving stones to cover the outside floors. We were pleasantly surprised by the willingness and motivation of the young people to help out so easily with the work of barely known hosts.
On the second day, one group learned to milk sheep while another worked in the greenhouse. We had the chance to learn a lot of useful things about building and maintaining a vegetable garden. For example, Georges, who is in charge of the garden, explained to us what mildew is and how to protect ourselves from it. Afterwards, we harvested potatoes and put up tarpaulins to prepare the soil for cultivation. In the afternoon, the culinary skills of the young people were put to the test. They made a meal in teams (starter, main course, dessert). The empty plates after the meal attested to the fact that it was just delicious! The young people were proud of the production they shared with the others. They managed to prepare a healthy meal for 11 people with only 40€! The evening ended with a 10km night hike/track game. The game consisted of searching for seeds hidden in various places along the route to rebuild biodiversity in 2040. With a few amusing scares and a catchy scenario, they even asked to do 5 km more. Needless to say, bedtime was extremely calm… For the educators too!
Finally, on the last day, the locals invited us to share a vegetarian meal with them and then to taste homemade rice pudding made with products from their harvest. This moment of sharing with all the people of the community was very rich in exchange. To add even more joy, as a climax, one of the members of the community surprised us with a little improvised magic show. We were amazed by his mastery of magic. The young people were amazed.
After this magnificent show, the curtain went up. The young people packed their bags and after a few tears of sadness at a stay that had passed too quickly for their taste, we headed back to the scales area, dreaming of another good time together in the future!
Julien, social worker & Nicolas, coordinator Dynamo International Mobility