VIDEO: Children's Camp in the World of Nature - From Feeding Donkeys to Making Cheese

August 24, 2020 – Nikolina and Josip Lukač are always trying to think of events to draw people out of the city and into the countryside. They own a farm that holds indigenous breeds of animals. This time, by organising an all-day children’s camp, they won the hearts of the little ones with some very unique experiences.

The children’s arrival is scheduled for 8 am. While their parents say goodbye to them, the animator makes sure that all the children are protected from the sun, smearing them with sunscreen. “Look, it’s like you’re disguising yourself – you pull on your nose, then a little on your forehead and each cheek,” animator Jelena explains to the curious faces.

After everyone is given hats, the introduction follows. Children aged 4 to 14 stand in a circle and throw a ball to each other while saying their names. When concentration drops, they go to a wooden house for refreshments. Breakfast consists of scrambled eggs, homemade hot dogs, bread, and scones. There is no Coca Cola or Fanta on the tables – for drinks, only water, and homemade juice.

One would think that it’s difficult to govern twenty children. But, Nikolina introduces them to the rules of behavior before they can even think of any mischief. “The property is large, but you must not go to the animals alone. We will all go together,” says Nikolina in an elevated tone which gains everyone’s attention. Although some ate before others, there is no getting up from the table until everyone has eaten. They learn patience and are always in the eyesight of the animator and farm owner.

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Animal feeding follows. It’s one of the children’s favorite activities. But before that, the food must be prepared. The children listen carefully to Nikolina’s instructions. Three of her own children live on the farm. The visiting children follow their lead and copy how Nikolina’s children remove the corn from the cobs. When this turns into a competition for who will do the most, there’s the possibility that the Lukač family will be left without corn cobs. So, they start feeding the animals. They begin with the pigeons, geese, and rabbits before moving up to the donkeys, pigs, sheep, goats, and cows. When they reach an animal, Nikolina tells the children something interesting about each of them. For example, why donkeys only get six corn cobs or what is the difference between fleece and wool. These are not dry lectures, but consistent interaction with the children, undertaken to hold their attention. It works. She asks the children how they think an animal sounds or how many udders they have. The guesses can reach the high numbers, but Nikolina answers with a smile: “No, a goat does not have four or six udders. She has two, and she gives milk when she has a goatling.”

The donkeys win many hearts, although they won’t eat out of the children’s hands. But the sheep will. Thanks to this gregariousness, they gain extra attention from the children. There is no shortage of positive experiences. Little Jakov (5) singles out the feeding as his favorite activity.

After the animals have had enough to eat, the children return to the farm building for home-grown plums, pears, and a glass of water. On the way, they dart into small camping tents which they erected themselves earlier in the day. Even though there will be no overnight stays this summer, it’s important to give the children the full experience of a camping trip. They store their board games and excess clothes inside the tents. They can go inside for a rest if they need one, or to escape the sun or any rain. Some aren’t tempted by the tents. They can’t get enough of the outdoor farm environment. For those, sunscreen is reapplied throughout the day.

It’s 11 am and coach Matija Roginek from the Sportska Abeceda association from Varaždin is coming. Once the children have split into two teams – Owls and Pandas – village games begin. Carrying a glass full of water to a bucket, or eggs on a spoon, and pulling a rope are just some of the activities that build team spirit. In two hours of play, laughter, and competition, the children are so engaged that only a few sit down to rest. The animator and coach always remind them to drink water.

Exhausted but satisfied, they rush to a lunch that Nikolina has prepared. The menu is again exclusively homemade food; chicken, peppers, grilled eggplant, french fries, and salad. Not everyone is thrilled with the vegetables, but a healthy diet is part of the Lukač farm experience.

After lunch, it’s time to make the cow’s cheese. While Josip makes necessary preparations, the children count aloud how many tablespoons of vinegar he is putting in the milk. Everyone wants to try and mix the milk, so the 15 minutes needed for the milk to start turning into lumps passes quickly. The freshly made cheese is left to stand so that later, parents can try what their children’s hands have made.

Nikolina explains the trailer ride is next. She’s unable to finish the sentence before the children start running towards the vehicle. Nikolina looks at the animator with a big smile, “When it comes to the trailer, I never manage to reach the end of what I have to say.”

Since the boys are a little more impatient, the patient girls wait for them to take the first ride. The numbers in the trailer are restricted, ensuring everyone is comfortable and safe.

Everyone wants to repeat the ride, but it’s time to mow the clover for the animals. First, Josip mows a part, then Nikolina and her daughter Tena (5) carefully collect the grass with a rake and pitchfork. The other children put the grass in wheelbarrows, drive to the animals, and throw the grass over their fences.

When they are sure all the animals have fresh clover, animator Jelena takes the children to a creative workshop. Their imaginations are set free when gluing corn kernels and pumpkin seeds to jars. Decorated with shapes of flowers or the sun, they have just enough time to dry before the jars are proudly presented to their returning parents.

While the children finish their artwork, Josip brings a horse, a mare, and foals to a specially fenced part of the estate. The children learn that the stallion is an uncastrated mature horse and that horses are ungulates. The children can’t take their eyes off the four-legged beauties. They don’t notice that teacher Tomislav is tuning his guitar a few metres behind them. By the time they realise, everything is already ready for the mini-concert. If some children don’t know the words, no matter -Tomislav has prepared several copies of the texts.

While the guitar’s sound is still ringing around the Lukač family farm, Josip prepares a campfire. Each child gets a wooden stick. It’s first disinfected over a fire, then Nikolina puts sausage or bacon on them, depending on who wants what. Smoke slowly rises into the sky, and the children squat over the cooking bacon, eagerly waiting for the moment they can start eating. The question, “Buddy, is it finished?” is often repeated. When they finally receive an affirmative answer, the children cheerfully rush for a plate and bread.

The parents slowly begin to arrive and get to try the cheese. At the end of their strength, but still running around, the children want to show their parents every corner of the farm. Parents are also more than satisfied with these rural activities. “And the best thing is that this is a corona-free place,” two mothers pointed out.

With the sounds of the guitar slowly fading in the distance, the children use the last of their energy to walk towards their cars. Darkness is slowly descending on the farm of the Lukač family. Falls in the mud, occasional bee stings, friendships between young and old, and a euphoria accompanied by shouts of “I’m coming back, for sure” – all these mark an all-day camp in the World of Nature, a place that city children are increasingly choosing before classic playrooms.