Art Farm Preparing for Fall Line-Up of Classes

Art Farm's summer camp season 2010 came to a nice closing Aug. 15 with a great group of students. Thanks again to my wonderful staff: painting instructor Kris Finch; natural sciences instructor Jennifer Stowe; camp aides Emerson Coman, Max Giffen; AnneMarie Delfino; Erica Barrett, and Rachel Mehrberg. Thanks also to the San Diego Humane Society for bringing an array of animal ambassadors to share with students.

I enjoyed teaching introduction to charcoal teaching. At right is a fine drawing by Rose Wilkinson, age 11.

Molasses the Desert Tortoise Visits Art Farm

We get a number of interesting guest animals at Art Farm each summer. This week, Camp Aide Erica Barrett brought her 3-year-old desert Tortoise, Molasses, to visit with students in Science Lab class.

Molasses is an inspired name for a tortoise (you know, "slow as molasses . . ."), so I was surprised to see how fast this little guy (gal?) can scoot around. While Erica provided information about the care and feeding of a desert tortoise, Molasses made several laps around the table to check out the in-progress drawings students were sketching of him in their nature journals. Molasses mostly eats lettuce, and lots of it.

Later this week, Persephone, the flying squirrel, will be returning to Art Farm for another guest appearance.

Next week is the last camp for the summer season. There is still time to enroll. For more information, call 760-688-6147 or email us at director@CarlsbadArtFarm.com. Information about camp and printable forms are available at our website under the "Camp" tab.

One Last Chance for Summer Camp this Season

We are nearing the end of another great summer camp season at Art Farm with one more session to go starting next week on Aug. 9. There are still a few spaces left. To enroll visit our website, click on the camp tab, and scroll down to the bottom for enrollment forms. Or call 760-688-6147.

At right is a wonderful charcoal drawing of a baboon by Sarah Bauer, who is entering Grade 6 this fall. She attended camp last week.

Students in drawing class learn to use value (lights and darks) and look for shapes within the animal. This is different and much more sophisticated then simply drawing the contour of an object and then filling in the color. Charcoal is a wonderful medium for young students as it forces them to get away from hard-line drawing in favor of a style that has a more "painterly" feel. The smudginess combined with line drawing is what gives it life. Here the drawing is on a "toned" paper, meaning it has a color, in this case a sort of felt gray. The nice quality of the paper -- which grabs the charcoal and allows the paper texture to become an important element in the drawing -- also helps students be more successful.

Perhaps we'll see you this summer. If not, visit our blog often to see offerings during the school year for young students and adults. Currently, we offer our ongoing Saturday morning art class for students in Grades 2 through 8.

Flying Squirrel Visits Carlsbad Art Farm

Art Farm Summer Camp Aide Max Giffen delighted campers recently by bringing an unusual visitor to natural science class -- her pet flying squirrel Persephone. If you click on the picture, you can catch a glimpse of Persephone at the bottom of her travel cage.

One surprise about flying squirrels is that they're pretty small compared to the more robust ground and tree squirrels we're accustomed to in California. Max noted that to be aerodynamic, flying squirrels need to be small enough to glide from destination to destination. Persephone is a variety found in North America (there are two). In all, world wide, there are 44 known species.

Flying squirrels are not capable of sustained flight. Instead they glide between trees, with flights recorded up to 295 ft. The direction and speed of the animal in midair is varied by changing the positions of its two arms and legs, largely controlled by small wrist bones. This changes the tautness of a furry parachute-like membrane that stretches from wrist to ankle. It has a fluffy tail that stabilizes in flight. The tail also works as an airbreak before landing.

Also, unlike other squirrels, flying squirrels are nocturnal. Their large eyes indicate the importance of vision as they navigate and forage at night. Because of their small size and elusive behavior, flying squirrels are difficult to observe, which is why this class felt very fortunate to observe a tame one up close. Students took notes and drew pictures of Persephone in their nature journal.

For more information about flying squirrels, visit www.flyingsquirrels.com, the only website dedicated to these fascinating creatures. Art Farm weekly summer camps still open for enrollment are Sessions 7, 8, and 9, starting the last week in July and continuing through mid-August. For more information and registration materials, visit our website at www.CarlsbadArtFarm.com and click on the "Camp" tab. If you wish to make a reservation today, email the director at director@carlsbadartfarm.com or call 760-688-6147.

Art Farm Camp Students Show Off Their Work

These session three campers display paintings completed on the last day of camp last week (click image for a larger view). During the week, students learn to sketch animals; color mix using a limited pallet; how to block in their subject for a painting; a little about animal anatomy, and then use the colors they create on their own pallet to render their subject (in this case: a bunny, chickens and a mouse on a wheel). These students will be entering Grade 4 this fall. First row center is Emerson Coman, who will be starting Grade 6 this fall, and whose mother, Perrin, owns and directs Art Farm. Directly behind Emerson is Kris Finch, who teaches painting at Art Farm.

For more on camp life, read previous recent posts on this blog and visit our website. Art Farm has several sessions still open for enrollment (see previous post) and our Saturday morning art class continues through the summer and year-round. Adults interested in taking classes this coming fall at Art Farm should email the director at CarlsbadArtFarm.com. Please indicate your level of experience and what type of classes you are interested in taking. Also, please type "Art Farm Classes" in the subject line so we don't delete your message as potential spam.

All registration forms for camp are available on our website under the "Camp" tab. When sessions fill, we post that information on our blog immediately. For more information, contact the director at www.CarlsbadArtFarm.com or call 760-688-6147.

Science Lab Students Taking Notes on Adaptation

Art Farm is a living classroom in so many aspects. Summer camp students work in outdoor studios, where they interact with our farm animals while learning to draw and paint them. We make nature journals unlike any others, and art boxes based on the assemblage tradition first introduced by Joseph Cornell in the early 20th Century.

New this year is the Art Farm Science Lab, taught by biologist Jennifer Stowe. Our science lab makes brilliant use of our natural riparian habitat -- and its year-round running creek -- to introduce students to hands-on natural science disciplines, including the importance of keeping a naturalist's journal for chronicling their discoveries. Today, these students, who will be entering Grade 4 this fall, hiked down our trail, journals in hand, with Jennifer on a "Scientific Scavenger Hunt". Their assignment was to (1) find 10 examples of plants or animals changing the environment, and (2) to find 10 things in the environment that would harm the habitat if they were removed and to list why. The students were so engaged in their work that several dropped their journals into the creek while trying to get a better view. Earlier this week, they all took water samples from the creek to view under a microscope.

Following lunch, this same class studied the horse sketching book of Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec to see how artists develop their sketching skills. So many times students see only finished work in museums, which can be daunting to the beginning artist. It is empowering for them to see that even the greatest artists had to work out exactly how to draw a horse through constant trial-and-error. Working off sheets depicting anatomy and bone structure of the horse, these students practiced charcoal drawing skills in preparation for doing a finished study by camp week's end.

Art Farm Summer Camps that are still open for enrollment this season are Sessions 7, 8, and 9, beginning the last week in July and continuing through mid-August. For information, enrollment forms, and session dates, visit our website and click the "Camp" tab. If you would like to make a reservation today, email the director at director@carlsbadartfarm.com. Specify what session date you would like to reserve and we will get back to you shortly. Camp is open to students entering Grades 2 through 8 this fall. Classes are grouped by age and are age appropriate.

Art Farm Camp Sessions Update

Art Farm Summer Camp 2010 morning into afternoon sessions that are now closed are as follows:

• Session 4 (July 5-9)
• Session 5 (July 12-16)
  
• Session 6 (July 19-23)
  

• All late afternoon sessions (2 PM to 5 PM)
  

There is still time to enroll in all other sessions including Session 3, beginning next week, Monday, June 28. Sessions are one week and continue through mid-August. For information and enrollment forms, visit our website and click on the "Camp" tab.

Art Farm Enrollment Continues as Summer Season Begins

Our first summer camp session is off to a great start this week with lunch-time hikes down to the creek with alpacas Harry Potter and Mr. Weasley; getting to know our 44 baby chicks; a goat washing lesson; ice cream making; science and nature journaling classes with Jennifer Stowe (see previous post below to learn more about Jennifer); drawing and painting classes with our talented instructor Kris Finch; and multi-media class with Perrin, Art Farm's director and owner.

To answer your many questions: Yes, there is still time to enroll at Art Farm this summer. We enroll all summer on a space-available basis. When Sessions are full we post that information immediately on this blog. At this time Session Two is nearly full. Other classes are filling quickly. If you want to reserve a date, email us at director@CarlsbadArtFarm.com or call 760-688-6147. Tell us what session you want to reserve, and for how many students. We will get back to you very shortly with a confirmation email. We can hold your reservation for a few days pending arrival of your registration papers and payment (see our website under the "Camp" tab for camp dates and to download registration papers).

We offer nine week-long sessions each summer. Sessions are open to students entering Grades 2-8 in the fall. Sessions are 9 AM to 1 PM. On Fridays, at 1 PM, we have our popular All Camp Family BBQ featuring Jumbo Hebrew National Hotdogs and veggie burgers. Yum, yum!

Don't let your art and animal-loving nature enthusiast get left standing in the barn this summer. Enroll today.

Art Farm Summer Camp Kicks-off in One Week

It's hard to believe, but summer is here. If you haven't enrolled your student at Art Farm yet, don't worry. We continue enrolling all summer as long as space is available. Classes begin June 14 and continue through mid-August. For information about our week-long art and nature camp for Grades 2 through middle school, read this blog and visit our website. Camp schedules and registration forms are available for download under our "Camp" tab.

When sessions fill, we will immediately post that information here, or you can call us at 760-688-6147. You may make a reservation by phone.

New at Art Farm this summer is our natural sciences curriculum taught by Jennifer Stowe (see previous post). Students will learn about Art Farm's unique 10-acres woodland environment. Art Farm will also host a series of classes presented by the San Diego County Humane Society on topics such as how animal adapt, habitat preservation, and environmental preservation.

We are also still enrolling in our 10:30 AM to Noon Saturday morning art class. Saturday Art Class runs from $100 to $125 monthly, depending on the number of Saturdays in the month. There is also an annual $50 materials fee. Students must be in Grade 2 through middle school and able to stay focused for the duration of the class to attend. All instruction is taught at an age-appropriate level. Our main focus is developing studio drawing and painting skills. For more information on Saturday morning classes, email the director at director@CarlsbadArtFarm.com.

Natural Science Studies Coming to Art Farm this Summer

Art Farm is a living classroom in every sense of the word. Many native plants species, birds and animals call our 10-acres home. A Great White Egret fishes out of our year-round creek; hawks raise their young in nests above our roof; and songbirds flourish in old growth oaks and sycamores. As my husband, Chase, notes, "This is what Carlsbad looked like when I was kid."

For Art Farm's first five years, we have concentrated on developing our art curriculum taught in outdoor woodland studios where students learn drawing and painting techniques using live farm animals as models. We teach animal anatomy for young artists and we also get them involved in basic animal husbandry. Anyone know how to bathe a chicken, wash a goat, or teach an alpaca proper trail etiquette? You've come to the right place.

All along, our purpose has been to offer local students a chance to spend time in and learn from the natural world by offering real art education at an age-appropriate level for elementary and middle school students. We started with our popular summer camps and have now branched out into year-round instruction. Area schools have visited Art Farm for day field trips, scouts have been here to earn badges and for bridging ceremonies (on our bridge!), and adults dropping off their children have lamented, "I want to go to Art Farm!" (good news, we will be offering classes for adults in the fall).

Now Art Farm is set to use its natural resources to educate young students attending Art Farm Summer Camp in the natural sciences specific to our riparian habitat. Our natural sciences teacher, Jennifer Stowe, pictured above during a recent visit to Grand Teton National Park, has developed a fun and challenging curriculum that will introduce students up-close to animal, bird, bug, and plant life by the creek and under the tree canopies.

"The science is serious, but it will be delivered in a fun and engaging manner," notes Jennifer. "Students will be asked to think about biological and ecological concepts that they will learn in the coming school year while they sketch animals and plants found during a guided tour of the farm and riparian stream habitat." Jennifer prefers an inquiry-based learning approach where materials, environments, and questions are presented to students so that they may discover the answers for themselves.

Jennifer holds a Master's in Biology from the University of California at San Diego. She has worked in research and development for the biotec industry and as a science teacher and tutor to all ages. A native San Diegan, Jennifer loved biology from an early age. She was inspired by her mother, an herbalist and amateur botanist, who would take the family for nature hikes and point out herbs and plants used by Native Americans. She credits her engineer father with teaching her to think about how things work and how everything connects.

This love for nature and science evolved into many hobbies, including: surfing, hiking and nature tours, snorkeling, creative writing, and gardening. She also grew up around animals. Raising rabbits and chickens in 4-H, among many other critters. “My parents made me write a report about the care of each new type of animal I wanted to get so that I would know how to take care of it," she said.

That's good advice for any child OR adults considering a pet!

Don't let your student get left standing in the barn this summer. For more information about our summer camp program or to enroll, visit our website and click on the "Camp" tab. Registration materials are available there for download.

Carlsbad Art Farm is a Parents Pick Nominee

Well, almost. Actually we have been nominated to be nominated for a Nickelodeon ParentsConnect Parents' Pick Award as a desirable venue for kids in San Diego County. We're not sure who threw their hat into the ring for us with this nomination, but thank you! We are up against better funded name-brand nominees such as Chucky Cheese, so we appreciate every vote.

To vote for Art Farm (and time is running out, so now would be a good time) simply click on the link to our website, scroll to the bottom of the home page, and click on the logo that looks exactly like the one posted here. Hopefully this won't be a deal breaker, but they do ask you to register with Parents' Connect. You can always register, vote, and then unregister. Annoying, I know, but on the flip side you can be part of a grassroots campaign to put an independent, high-quality, childrens' art school up against the Goliath of shlocky kids venues.

Summer Camp enrollment is ongoing and will continue through the summer. For more information click the "Camp" Tab on our website.

Chickens in the Land of Oz

Does this happen to you? You're on a tight deadline, desperately trying to finish a 12'x14' canvas painting of the Emerald City of Oz for your daughter's upcoming 5th grade play when up pops a chicken to inspect the wet green paint.

Didn't think so. This particular chicken seems to be a real art fan as she keeps popping back up to peck the canvas no matter how many times she's removed. Either she doesn't approve or the flowers look so real she's determined to eat them. So far all she's gotten for her trouble is a cap of green paint on her head.

Art Farm is pleased to announce that Jennifer Stowe has joined our team as a natural sciences teacher for our summer camp program. Jennifer holds a Master's in biology from the University of California at San Diego. She has been involved in local nature tours and environmental protection groups for many years. Jennifer notes: "I hike our mountains and trails, surf our waves, and grew up catching tadpoles in our local creeks. During college, I spent one summer in Montana identifying and cataloging native trees and shrubs as part of a conservation effort with the University of Montana's Biological Station."

As Art Farm's naturalist, Jennifer will provide students with a solid introduction to our unique, creek-side woodland habitat and the life it supports. She will instruct students in age-appropriate groupings with an emphasis on hands-on learning. The addition of Jennifer to our staff represents Art Farm's continuing commitment to educate local children about the beauty and importance of our biomes.

Art Farm enrollment continues throughout the summer! Visit our website at www.carlsbadartfarm.com for more information. Enrollments forms for summer camp are under the "Camp" tab. You may also contact us at 760-688-6147.

Requiem for a Dog

Our family at Art Farm lost a great dog this week. Hilda, our gentle and ever vigilant guardian of children, died from a sudden onset of seizures which led to a heart attack. Despite the best efforts of the ER vet who attended to her, she did not make it. Hilda was just six years old. Why this happened in an otherwise healthy dog is unknown, other than the fact that certain breeds of dog are known to be at risk for seizure disorders at Hilda's age.

Hilda was an intelligent dog of great dignity. Even here, dressed in a tutu and feathered purple headband by our daughter Emerson, left, and her cousin, Bey, she manages to maintain her noble bearing.

At Art Farm, Hilda was beloved by the many students who came for summer camp and classes. Even children who came here with a fear of dogs (and Hilda was a large dog at more than 80 pounds) couldn't resist her charms, and through her overcame their fear. Just last Saturday night, she was featured in a Girl Scout skit during a campfire. The scouts, our daughter's troop, was here for a camp-out. As always, Hilda was game for whatever young people had in store for her.

From earliest puppyhood, Hilda was a self-appointed guardian of children. As a puppy, we took her to our daughter's nursery school every day so the children could pet her and thus condition her to be gentle with them. Hilda took her puppy classes and then obedience training classes at the excellent Hidden Valley Obedience Club in Escondido. The club is a cooperative of experienced dog enthusiasts who work with owners and their pets at a nominal cost. It was a bit of a drive for us from Carlsbad, but well worth it because a well trained dog is both a responsible and joyful approach to dog ownership.

Art Farm, which is also our personal home, is dog heaven. Our dogs have free run of the 10-acres, and there are always people here to play with them. Hilda and our miniature mule, Picasso, who is also free to wander about our property, made endearing, if unlikely, companions. Mules very often don't like dogs, but this pair played together as if they were the same species.

Hilda was a very special dog, and her leaving us so suddenly and so relatively young has left a hole in our hearts. Many tears have been shed. Our daughter has lost a special friend, one that has been with her since kindergarten. A dog that guarded her at sleep and at play. A dog that always knew when we would be coming home across the bridge after school and waited for us. When it was time to retrieve Hilda's body from the vet and bring her home for burial under an old oak tree, Emerson, who is just 11, insisted on coming with me. She is brave that way. As we turned into an otherwise empty parking lot, we saw a brand new, slobber-free, bright green tennis ball just sitting there as if waiting for us. Hilda LOVED green tennis balls. It made us smile to see that tennis ball. I told Emerson that perhaps it was a sign. Perhaps, when dogs die and go to that great dog park in the sky, they drop tennis balls to earth to let their owners know they have their wings, and that they are OK.

Rest in peace dear Hilda.

Harry Says Hello to Girl Scout at Art Farm Campout

Our Art Farm alpacas, Harry Potter and Mr. Weasley, are now sporting their summer haircuts, courtesy of Jaimie Rios, our delightful shearer from Calexico. Jaimie, who shears sheep for a living, is kind enough to come all the way to Carlsbad just for this annual event. Harry positively detests getting his hair cut and created quite the fuss. To answer a commonly asked question, yes, Alpacas do spit. But generally they do not spit at people unless provoked. Even then it's usually more of a sputtering, as if the animal has allergies and is sneezing. Harry felt that being hogtied for a haircut was sufficient provocation for much more voracious spitting and so he spit at yours truly with great vigor several times.

But generally, Harry much prefers to give out kisses. Here he is greeting a local girl scout who attended a campout at Art Farm this past weekend. The girls had fun walking the alpacas around Art Farm on leads. The girls were also thrilled with the arrival of 45 day-old baby chicks on Saturday (more on that in the next post!) This troop of scouts also had their bridging ceremony to become cadet scouts on our wood bridge, traversing our creek.

Enrollments continue for Summer Camp and Saturday morning art classes at Art Farm. For more information and forms, visit us at www.carlsbadartfarm.com.

Art Farm at Carlsbad Beach Fest

Art Farm was pleased to be invited to participate this year in the 3rd Annual Carlsbad Beach Fest at Frazee Beach. The event took place this past Saturday. We had a great time helping kids (and quite a few adults!) make art using recycled metal bottle caps. It seemed like the perfect project for a day devoted to environmental awareness and beach clean-up.

Pictured right are me, Perrin Weston Coman, and one of my Art Farm aides, Kayli, who is taking AP art classes at Carlsbad High School.

Carlsbad Beach Fest's main goal is to support and promote the stewardship and protection of our beaches, the marine environment, and coastal waterways. Beach Fest is organized by the local State Parks office. As a participant, I was very impressed by their staff and volunteers. Kudos to them!

Our summer camp enrollments are continuing. Our week-long day camps begin June 14 and continue through mid-August. For more information about how to enroll read the previous posting on this blog and visit our website.

We are having a busy week at Art Farm. Students from Del Mar Hills Nursery School visited us today to make nature journals and spend time with our animals and more are on the way tomorrow. On Friday, a local girl scout troop will be spending the afternoon with us. For updates on Art Farm, we recommend subscribing to this blog. We post once or twice a week.

Carlsbad Art Farm Summer Camp Registration Ongoing

This post is an Art Farm Summer Camp FAQ, so here goes:

Q: How do I register my child for camp? A: Easy! Visit our website at www.CarlsbadArtFarm.com; click on the "Camp" tab; scroll down to the bottom and download the registration form.

Q: When do camps begin and how long are they? A: Camps are one week and we have two sessions daily to choose from (9 AM - 1 PM and 2 PM to 5 PM). Dates and times (plus a whole bunch of other information) are posted at our website. Camps begin June 14 and continue weekly through mid-August.

Q: Is there still room in the session of my choice? A: When sessions fill, we will immediately post that information on this blog. Unless otherwise stated here, there is still room in the session of your choice. Traditionally, our heaviest enrollment period begins in late April and continues throughout the summer. If your camper wants to attend with friends, we recommend enrolling early to be sure there is space for your group.

Q: Is there an age requirement for attending camp? A: Students must be entering Grades 2 through 8 in fall 2010 to attend?

Q: Are younger kids in separate classes than older students? A: Absolutely! Art Farm's outdoor studio classrooms on 10-acres allow us to conduct three classes simultaneously in small groups. While older students are taking painting class, a middle-range group might be taking drawing, while the youngest group is working on a multimedia project. These groups rotate throughout the camp day so that the art instructor can teach according to the age-level of his or her group.

Q: I have a middle-schooler. Will there be other middle school students in my child's session? A: As we get closer to the first day of camp we will be able to answer that question better. You may always ask by emailing me (Perrin Weston Coman) at director@CarlsbadArtFarm.com. We have had many middle-school students come with friends and they have a blast.

Q: What is that large-eyed animal staring out at me from this post? A: That's Hairy Potter, one of our resident alpacas. He can't wait to see you this summer!

Spring Chicks Coming to Art Farm

Carlsbad Art Farm has placed it's spring chick order for summer camp. Arriving May 17 are 31 day-old chicks: Silver Polish (pictured here); Golden Polish; Buff Laced Polish; Barred Rocks; White Crested Polish; Black Polish; and Light Brahmans.

Our daughter, Emerson, 11, is the resident chicken expert at Art Farm. She did all the ordering at McMurray Hatchery, assuring us that kids will especially love the Polish hens for their fabulous feathers.

The chicks, believe it or not, arrive care of our local post office. After pick-up, they are placed in brooders to keep them warm and safe until they are ready for the outdoors.

The polish variety are known for their wonderful feathered heads. Students will learn how to hold baby chicks and wash their hands after handling birds. Older students may enjoy learning how to bathe and blow dry a chicken for show.

Chickens at Art Farm are free-range during the day. They enjoy roaming our 10-acres woodland habitat for bugs, worms, and weeds. Students are delighted when the chickens cruise by during art classes. While doing so, they help fertilize and turn-over our soil. At night time, they all voluntarily return to their coop to roost. All of our birds are inoculated against disease.

Weekly camp sessions begin June 14 and continue through Mid-August. We offer two sessions daily to accommodate busy families. Students must be entering Grades 2 through 8 in Fall 2010 to attend. All classes are small and grouped according to age. Art projects are geared toward the age level of each student group.

We are located off El Camino Real and College Blvd. very near the Village of Carlsbad and Palomar Airport. Students come to Art Farm from all over north San Diego County. For more information visit our website and click on the "Camp" tab. Registration forms are available for easy download under the Camp Tab. You may contact us directly at director@carlsbadartfarm.com.

Close Encounters of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Kind

Pictured here is a 3-Day-old Olde English Miniature Babydoll Southdown sheep bred at Sugarsweet Farm in Olivenhein. This little fella visited our art students at Art Farm on Saturday, where he followed them around as best he could, given that he's still learning to work those legs. He was beyond cute.

Babydolls are a miniature breed with sweet temperaments and faces that look like they are always smiling. They are hardy and make great little lawnmowers. Hobby farmers like them because they handily keep the weeds down without being tall enough to strip leaves and low-hanging fruit out of trees.

A reminder that Art Farm will be participating at Kid's Day at the Flower Fields on March 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. This is a free event. Art Farm will have a booth with an art project, as well as registration forms for summer camp and other information about Art Farm. We will also have a raffle. The winner wins a certificate good for a one-week session at Carlsbad Art Farm Summer Camp. Tickets are $1. We hope to see you there!

Registration for Summer Camp is now open. For information and registration forms, visit our website. For our latest postings and information about classes, seminars, camps, Open House events and other Art Farm news, we recommend subscribing to this blog as a follower.

Art Farm's Coming to Flower Fields March 27

Mark your calendars! Carlsbad Art Farm is joining the fun at Kid's Days at The Flower Fields in Carlsbad on Saturday, March 27. The event is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Look for our booth where students can learn how to make pictures from die-cut paper leaves in the images of animals and birds. Once you get the idea, you can collect and press your own leaves to make fantastic creatures.

We will also have information and registration materials for the 2010 Art Farm Summer Camp season beginning June 14 and continuing through mid-August. We will be raffling off a certificate worth $315 good for a one-week session during the 2010 Summer Camp season. Students must be entering grades 2 -8 next fall to attend camp. Sorry, no exceptions.

Summer Camp enrollment is now open for a unique experience your young artist won't forget. Don't let that kid get left standing in the barn this summer. Early registration is recommended. To register online today, visit our website at CarlsbadArtFarm.com and click on the "Camp" tab.

Harry Takes in the Rain

Here's is one of Art Farm's alpacas, Harry Potter, after the rains yesterday afternoon. Beneath all the hair, Harry is dry and warm. He has a shelter, but he doesn't mind getting wet. Beneath all the fur, Harry is less than 100 pounds. Come May, he and his buddy, Mr. Weasley, will be due for their annual sheering.

Harry is a very friendly alpaca, curious about people. If you stand still and bow down to his level, he will sniff very delicately all about your face. It tickles!

Alpacas are very hardy and easy to care for, but they can live up to 25-years so it is not a pet one should acquire without thinking about the long-term care requirements. Also, they need a companion animal of their own kind to stay healthy and happy. As for diet, they eat orchard hay supplemented with llama pellets (a nutritionally balanced feed), and as a treat some Alfamo, which is shredded alfalfa soaked in molasses.

Harry, like our other farm animals, earn his keep as models for student art work.

American Kestral Visits Art Farm

Perhaps the most colorful raptor in the world, the American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) is the most common falcon in North America. It is found from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, and in towns as well as wild lands. The Kestrel pictured here during a recent visit to Art Farm was visiting from Sky Hunters Raptor Education & Rehabilitation in Alpine, CA. Sky Hunters is a non-profit that rehabilitates injured and orphaned raptors of all kinds.

The male Kestrel's wings are blue-gray with black spots. The tail is reddish-brown (or rufous-colored) on the back with a broad black subterminal band and a white or rufous tip. The tail is white underneath with a few incomplete black bars. The back and rump is an orange to rufous, with a variable amount of black barring. Underparts are pale buff to orange, with variable amount of black spotting, especially along the sides. The crown (top of the head) is blue-gray with some orange. Buffy spots with dark centers are on either side of nape (back of head), making "eyespots" visible from behind. The female Kestrel's wings are rufous barred with black. The tail is rufous with black bands and the underparts are creamy to buff, heavily streaked with brown. The back is rufous with heavy dark barring. The crown is gray and the legs yellow.

Based on these descriptions, can you identify the gender of this Kestrel?

Art Farm Now Enrolling for Summer Camp 2010

Carlsbad Art Farm is now enrolling students for Summer Camp 2010. Enrollment is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

New this year, we are now offering two sessions daily to accommodate more students while keeping our class sizes small. All information, schedules, and registration materials are available for download on our website.

Also new are Saturday morning classes at Art Farm for students currently enrolled in grades 2 through 8. Information about all programs are listed under our website "Programs" tab.

For an invitation to our upcoming BBQ open-house you must be on our e-mail sign-up list, also available on our website. Don't get left standing in the barn: sign-up now.

We are looking very forward to another busy camp season this summer thanks to the overwhelmingly positive response from families to our program during the previous several summers. If you have never heard of Art Farm, that's because we mostly advertise word-of-mouth. If you have an art and animal-loving nature enthusiast in your home, it's hard to beat Art Farm for a unique summer camp experience.

Live From Carlsbad Art Farm: A Rainy Day Feeding Time

Hello Art Farm Fans!

Like the rest of you in San Diego County we are getting drenched in rain. But rain or shine, animals want their breakfast. So here, for your viewing pleasure, are some of our critters: Picasso the miniature mule, Kandinsky the rescue goat, Harry Potter and Mr. Weasely the alpacas, and a variety of chickens.

This machinery you see to the right is an antique spray rig. In the animal pen is what's left of an 1800s buckboard. People who have been to Art Farm wonder how we get in and out during storms as the dirt country access road becomes flooded by our normally sleepy little creek (during storms, it quicky morphs into the Rio Grande). We have an alternate access road closed to the public that we use when it gets too wet to come in on Sunny Creek Road.

Enjoy the clip! For information about our new Saturday drawing and painting classes for students in grades 2 through 8, contact us at director@carlsbadartfarm.com. Stay dry and enjoy the storm.