Dear Friends,
Technology is a wonderful thing – especially when it works! You’ve probably experienced the frustration of your computer not working the way you want it to or your GPS taking you down the wrong road. ‘Smart’ technology vs. dumb people?! It seems to me that the challenge is to balance all this technology with human relationships. Not only relationships with each other, but with our communities, our land, our food, our environment.
Like in so many other places, technology becomes more and more a part of Fernbrook all the time. We use email and Facebook to send program and event updates rather than the postal service. We’re creating online registration for summer camp and eventually you’ll be able to pay for all programs online. Our solar array can be monitored online as well. We’ve planned several more improvements to our Kerney Barn thanks to the continued generous financial support of the James Kerney Foundation. This is what we might call low-tech: cooking appliances, biology, chemistry and physics lab equipment, projector and screen.
But the most important aspect of any of this technology at Fernbrook is to allow kids the opportunity to experience their wold firsthand. We want kids to build an Archimedes’ Screw (see article below), not just research it on the internet. We want them to catch a butterfly, dissect a fish, or unearth some creepy, crawly thing from a decomposing log. Children can touch, taste, smell and feel the real, not the virtual, at Fernbrook. They can develop a sense of wonder. They can challenge their curiosities through exploration and hands-on activities.
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As winter begins, we often think that our natural world becomes dull and uninteresting. Nature in winter can be a fascinating experience; it’s a different pace – slower, quieter – a valuable lesson in our fast paced, technological world. Put out a bird feeder, look for animal tracks, check out the night skies, and watch the sensational sunsets and sunrises we’ve had.
During this holiday time of year, we are given the opportunity to stop, listen, see and act with compassion toward our neighbors and our world. May you and your family enjoy a happy and blessed season!
- Larry “Farmer Q” Kuser
