Goblin Market The spirit of Goblin Market is all about crafted, leftover, and found items—NOT buying things. So, send them to the junk drawer instead of Amazon for baubles they can trade with friends under a cathedral of fir trees. Pro-tip: A big Goblin Market is happening at our 20th Celebration.

Anything Realms We all know Realms rules and Rangers drool (not really… we love all the Guilds). But seriously, Realms truly does have a unique story all its own. Kids and staff co-create an entire world they act out in our forests. BREC, the home of our 20th Celebration, is a key place in the Realms mythos.

Roman’s Cooking Camp Chef Roman makes food that’s both kid-friendly and features handmade sauces even the most discerning foodie parent would hail as sublime. BTW, Roman will add BBQ to the 20th Celebration potluck and open his food cart at Trackers SE for our Harvest Festival.

THE Guinea Pigs While we often have chickens, ducklings, goats, and mini donkeys, the guinea pigs often prove to be the most popular creatures on the Trackers Ranch. We’re bringing this up because the Trackers guinea pigs may make an appearance at our 20th Celebration.

BREC (aka Bull Run Education Center) This is the ultimate outdoor wilderness playground. Your kids may know the 341-acre maze of forests and elk trails from camp. Together we see the land as a teacher and friend. Did we mention that this is the location for the Trackers 20th Celebration on Sept 7?

Just in case you missed it, Trackers 20th Celebration is happening this Saturday (Sept 7). This is your chance to come out for a fantastic day in the woods and experience firsthand your kid’s life at Trackers. So please come to connect with our family and yours!

Hope To See You At BREC,

Molly Deis
Trackers Earth
Founder & Mom

Two decades have passed since our Trackers community began, rooted in a core belief of connection—between people, across generations, with nature—and with an understanding of what we are capable of together. As we celebrate 20 years of Trackers, we reflect on what we’ve accomplished together with parents, kids, the community, and the more-than-human world.

This celebration is more than an anniversary party; it’s a convergence of kindred spirits who understand that the greatest gift we can offer our children and ourselves is the connection we forge with each other and the natural world. In a time when digital communication often replaces real conversation, and the internet pulls our attention away from the people in our lives, the importance of what we do at Trackers has never been more critical.
 

Celebrate With Us!

Help celebrate 20 years of Trackers by coming together to share food, stories, and community connections. Join us for:

• Free Range Kids Claim your family’s spot in the picnic field at the beautiful 341-acre Bull Run Education Center (BREC) in Sandy, OR. Let the kids roam the woodlands, finding new and old friends to explore with in free-range packs. Track elk, deer, bobcats, and coyotes. Remember, BREC is your land too!
• Community Potluck The food we share reflects our love and respect for our community. Bring your best potluck dish, prepared with your kids, and please label all ingredients for allergy safety. Don’t forget your own utensils and dishes to keep trash low and cleanup easy.
• Goblin Market Ask your kids—they’ll likely know what this is! Goblin Market is where families trade treasures like leftover baubles, precious sticks and rocks, and hand-crafted items. Enjoy music and merriment. Remember, the best trinkets are found or made—not bought—and all trades are final!
• Campfire Gather around the campfire to share memories with Trackers families, staff, and the community. Reflect on our stewardship and deep connection to nature that will sustain us and future generations. Learn about future hopes for Trackers Earth, the Trackers Foundation, and the land.

Join Us For What Lies Ahead

As we gather to celebrate 20 years of Trackers Earth, we also recommit ourselves to the work that lies ahead. We recommit to building a community that is inspiring, focused, connected, and leading the way forward in helping humans connect to the natural world. We recommit to teaching our children—and reminding ourselves—that we must care for the land that cares for us.

We hope you’ll join us in this celebration, this recommitment, and this shared journey. Together, we’ve accomplished so much, and together we can do so much more. Here’s to the next 20 years of Trackers Earth! Here’s to connection, community, and the land that sustains us all.

See you in the forest,

Molly & Tony
Wilders & Rangers Guild
Trackers Earth
Founders & Parents

At Trackers, we believe that learning shouldn’t stop when summer ends. Which is why we’re always excited to offer our year-round Apprenticeship programs, designed to help kids continue developing their skills and friendships throughout the school year. Running one weekend a month from September to May, these programs provide an incredible opportunity for children to deepen their connection to community and nature.

Friend Connections

One of the most rewarding aspects of our Apprenticeship program is the friendships that blossom among participants. I’ve witnessed firsthand how my own children have formed lasting bonds with their peers while engaging in shared adventures. The team environment fosters a sense of belonging, and many Apprentices return year after year, creating a supportive community that thrives on shared experiences.

Skills & Nature Connection

Each Apprenticeship is tailored to offer a unique set of skills, but they all have one thing in common: they immerse kids in the wonders of the natural world. As children explore the outdoors and learn traditional crafts, they also absorb important life lessons in resilience, thoughtfulness, and mutual respect. These experiences not only enhance their practical skills but also instill a profound appreciation for nature and the environment.

Leadership & Mentoring

Our long-term goal is to cultivate leadership skills and a sense of stewardship in our young participants. Our experienced educators serve as mentors, guiding students to take ownership of their learning journey. By encouraging self-discovery and responsibility, we empower children to grow into confident leaders who are passionate about their community and the world around them.

Join Us!

If you’re interested in giving your child the opportunity to thrive in our Apprenticeship program, be sure to register soon. Our wonderful Family Success team is here to answer any questions you may have about the program and how it can benefit your child and family.

We look forward to another fantastic year of exploration, skill-building, and friendship at Trackers!

See you in the woods,
Molly Deis
Trackers Founder & Mom
Wilders Guild

Most people bemoan the loss of simpler times because as children everything is naturally simpler. As babies we were fed. As children we were protected. As teens we were guided into adulthood. What truly changed as each generation grew up? Was it modern times or simply the nature of taking on more responsibilities? Well, both.

In longing for simpler days, many adults don’t factor in the natural responsibilities that come with growing older. Additionally, we often ignore the complex challenges modern life places on kids (and on us) – burdens that are often sold as “progress.”

Modern Complexity

Think about the last time you lived without your cell phone! When you waited for a friend to show up, you just waited. You were alone with your thoughts. Things or events in your immediate environment piqued your interest. Maybe you noticed a stranger sitting next to you and started a conversation.

And remember when the news didn’t happen 24 hours a day? Yes, bad things happened on this earth, but you only heard about them while reading a newspaper or tuning in to the evening news at 6 p.m. Nobody gets their news that way anymore. Now? Kids today see it in their social media feeds.

When Boomers were kids, they had nothing to do except go outside. TV was a new invention that not every family could afford. Books mostly came from a local library. Now, parents can order any book for their child, available to read (or listen to) online in seconds. Kids can meet their friends in Fortnite and create their own action-adventure story as whatever pop culture character they want to be.

Constant Availability

Having the always-on pocket internet gives us the perception that we can and should have whatever we want at all times. This web of complexity feels confusing. Meanwhile, out in nature, nothing is instantly accessible to our whims. Sure, the berries in that patch taste great today, but the berries weren’t ripe yesterday and may be gone tomorrow. Want to be warm? You need to find and gather wood. Want to eat? You need to forage cattail shoots, find a fresh rabbit run, and catch it with your nettle cordage snare. Or wade through a stream hunting for crayfish before snacking on miner’s lettuce. Nature isn’t instant and you have to work for it, which means you appreciate it more.

True Childhood Simplicity

Yes, your childhood probably was simpler because we had less technology holding us captive in a complex web of remote, digital communication. And when it came to raising kids, this aspect was often simpler for our parents. They did not have to consciously arrange your life, make playdates, or navigate a constantly changing maze of online safety protocols. Now we do. We know that any limits we place on our kids potentially remove them from their predominant social groups. Minecraft, Discord, Fortnite, and Friendster (thank you for still paying attention) have replaced the park or backwoods where kids used to meet up and play together. Parenting today is more difficult and that kinda sucks.

Yet, this is NOT a blog where some hippie nature educator lectures you to take away all cell phones and send your child outside for some good old-fashioned creek walking. (Though if you do, more power to ya.) It’s much harder than that for most parents. And these decisions are difficult to make on our own. Better to make them with a collection of adults at schools, neighborhoods, and in the community.

Our kids do need simpler options. They need real-life adventures with peers. They need to experience the forest as their teacher. But they also cannot be left in an empty social void. Alternatives are essential. That’s why I’m focused on programs like Trackers A-Team Apprenticeship, where the goal is for kids to develop the skills they need to camp out in the woods with friends. On their own—without parents or teachers.

Moving Forward Connected

But even a Trackers program is NOT enough (nor is it for everyone). Now is the time for parents to have the crucial conversation about how we can bring back the best of those simpler times while retaining the healthy progress made by our communities. It’s time to have a challenging discussion about what we should give up and what we should refocus on.

To me, “Natural Connection” is a better goal to aim for than Simpler Times. Natural Connection is the one element in the modern equation that always loses ground to “progress.” Natural face-to-face connection where we truly talk to each other. Naturally being present in your surrounding environment, especially with the more-than-human world. And naturally getting lost in your thoughts until you realize you aren’t thinking at all, just experiencing the quiet space around you.

Rediscovering these Natural Connections can transform our children’s lives and our own. Let’s embark on this journey together, embracing the simple joys of nature and the profound lessons it offers.

For Consideration: We are exploring hosting a series of parent and family gatherings with other organizations about these challenging conversations. Let us know at hello@trackersearth.com if this interests you.

Summer is in full swing and we are having a great time at Summer Camp! I love greeting families at the door and welcoming them to Trackers, and seeing the looks of fun excitement on camper faces. There’s a comforting arc to each week where kids get settled into the routine of the day, coming home tired and happy. Fridays are full of epic stories, gathering up projects, and remembering to check Lost and Found before heading home for the weekend.

For those of us who make Trackers go, this is an exciting part of our annual cycle of activity. June is our starting line. We hit the ground running and by July the initial sprint eases into our summer marathon. Connecting with families, new and old, and seeing kids have fun learning new skills, visiting awesome nature sites, and crafting incredible projects they are proud of—this is why we do what we. As the first quarter of summer camp wraps up, we are looking forward to seeing what other adventure await!

See you in the forest,

Molly Deis
Trackers Earth
Founder & Mom