This week's half-term holiday was an opportunity for 15 students, aged nine to 15, to plant vegetables, feed a variety of animals, make blue bird boxes and even shovel manure -- all at the Bermuda Agricultural Camp.

The hands-on camp is run by the Bermuda Agriculture Group under Caroldey Douglas. The camp started as a summer programme four years ago, however this fall is the first time that it was available over the half-term school break.

The camp combines instruction with actual experiences and allows the children to make the best use of their time.

The activities throughout the camp required them to `get down and get dirty' as students participated in gardening at the Paget Community Garden, making bluebird boxes, planting at a local park, as well as feeding and cleaning the areas of the animals at Wind Reach.

At the Paget Community Garden, students learned many skills and techniques of gardening, including double digging, edging and the proper way to plant.

They also learned how organisms, such as earthworms, were vital for proper growing. By the end of the morning, the group had put down a chip path and planted tomatoes and cabbage.

For many of the students, this was not the first time learning how to work the soil; some had attended earlier this summer.

Twelve-year-old Nathan Rego said this week's experience was his second at the camp. He said that although his favourite activity the first time out was feeding and taking care of the rabbits and chickens, this time around he was looking forward to the trip to Wind Reach.

"I wanted to come back, since I had fun last time. I learned a lot and overall it was a great experience,'' he said.

Since attending the camps, Nathan has planted his first home garden and hopes to provide his family with fresh carrots, tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower this winter.

Frances Eddy, a counsellor, was quick to praise the camp. She hopes that each of the participants will not only learn something new, but will also leave with an interest and awareness of Bermuda's natural environment.

She pointed out the need to care for Bermuda's fragile environment and how important it is to educate people from an early age: "It's fine to just learn about something, but these kids aren't just doing that. They're going out and getting things done. That's what is so great about the initiative,'' she said.

*** Christine Mayor is in her fifth year at Warwick Academy. She is a student reporter for The Royal Gazette's Young Observer.