Last week was the final week of Bay Leaf Kitchen’s summer camp program, and we ended with teen week.  This week is the last of the Tomato Sauce Parties, the last official overnight on the farm for the year.  When I watch the kids running around the farm getting dirty, making new friends, exploring, having fun playing with sticks and old tires, eating mulberries, I realize this is type of carefree experience is almost non-existent these days.  I recently read an article on the importance and necessity for children to become bored.  It is at that time the imagination kicks in and has a chance to develop.  Bay Leaf has a pretty strict no cell phone policy, with the rare exception to take a couple of pictures on a sunset walk.  Memories can be kept in our head, they don’t always have to go into the Cloud or FB.  Two weeks ago at the Sauce Party there was one group playing games, another group set up their camp chairs on the farm road at the end of the Event Center to watch the moon come up.  They were sitting there for a couple of hours, enjoying the sky, talking, and connecting with one another, while disconnecting from today’s world.  The farm does that to people, it allows us to relax into ourselves in a way we seldom have the opportunity to do.  That is regenerative and is as important as the nutritious food the farm provides us weekly.  It is important for each of you to understand the farm is your farm, and it is here for you, it is your place to come to, to camp for a few days, to escape our hectic technic lives, it is here for you.  When you need it or want it, just let us know you want to come up so we know in advance, but seriously take advantage of your own, peaceful place to escape the crowds, find some sunshine, lounge in the shade to read a book, build a campfire in the fire pit, and breathe.