About Our Summer Programs
Welcome to HealthBarn USA, the only camp where you can eat, plant, cook and play! We offer Summer Camp (ages 4-5, 6-8 and 9-12) and Summer Seedlings (ages 3-5) in Ridgewood, NJ (we are no longer operating at Abma’s Farm). This hands-on fun and educational experience serves as an important building block for your child’s healthy future in the midst of our fast-food, high touch technology culture. Our goal is to give campers the tools to build strong bodies and healthy minds — it’s not only possible, it’s contagiously fun!
Celebrating 20 years of teaching our award-winning curricula empowering campers to master organic gardening, culinary, nutrition and life skills (including putting values into practice and exploring nature), while having a great time! The hands-on cooking includes our “test kitchen” as well as preparing a naturally delicious breakfast, lunch and snack each day with freshly picked ingredients from the garden. There is no need to pack any food! We will accommodate for food allergies upon request.
We are proud to be a New Jersey licensed summer camp and excited that our organic teaching garden is a certified sustainable habitat by the National Wildlife Federation!
Summer 2026 registration is OPEN for new families! This camp immersion experience definitely creates healthy habits for life, the best investment you can make for your families health and well-being.
About Our Summer Programs
Welcome to HealthBarn USA, the only camp where you can eat, plant, cook and play! We offer Summer Camp (ages 4-6, 7-9 and 10-15) and Summer Seedlings (ages 3-5) in Ridgewood, NJ (we are no longer operating at Abma’s Farm). This hands-on fun and educational experience serves as an important building block for your child’s healthy future in the midst of our fast-food culture!
Our campers master organic gardening, culinary, nutrition and life skills (including putting values into practice) while having a great time! The hands-on cooking includes our “test kitchen” as well as preparing a naturally delicious breakfast, lunch and snack from scratch each day with freshly picked ingredients from the garden, so no need to pack any food! We will accommodate food allergies upon request.
We are proud to be a licensed New Jersey Summer Camp!
“I am thrilled my son gets to experience this. The fact I don’t have to prepare snack and lunch is such a weight off my shoulders!”
– Summer Camp moms
Summer Camp for children ages 4-12
Space is limited to 60 campers each week separated into three teams (ages 4-5, ages 6-8, ages 9-12) who are adventurous eaters, love to cook and get dirty in the garden, picky eaters who want to expand their palette and kids who love exploring nature.
Our camp is offered until from June 15 through August 28, 2026, this one-of-kind garden-to-table experience runs daily from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. (summer enrichment programming is available from 3:00 – 6:00 pm and early drop-off is available if arranged in advance, please inquire!).
Each week offers campers a new wholesome experience to learn firsthand where their food comes from and why eating fresh is best for their bodies and the environment, too.
See below for our Summer Seedlings program, for children ages 3-5.
In addition to our award winning, nationally recognized food and nutrition curricula, we offer “themed” weeks that culminate with a Friday finale. The Friday finale event reflects the week’s theme, for example Be a Chef’s finale has the campers opening up their own restaurant; and Be a Farmer has the campers opening their own farm stand with signature recipes. Parents, sibling and caregivers attend the Friday celebration to sample their creations and to cheer their camper(s) on during the certificate and photo memory ceremony. It’s a celebration for the whole family.
Voted Best of Bergen and Editor’s Pick by (201) Magazine and makes headlines for it’s amazing activities from hatching turtles to first-time watermelon to giant sunflowers!
Here’s the summer line-up for camp 2026, weeks sell out quickly, don’t delay:
- Be a Farmer: June 15 through June 19
- Be a Chef: June 22 through June 26 **WAIT LIST**
- Be a Farmer: June 29 through July 3
- Be a Chef: July 6 through July 10
- Be an Adventurer: July 13 through July 17 **WAIT LIST**
- Be a Farmer: July 20 through July 24 **WAIT LIST**
- Be a Chef: July 27 through July 31 **WAIT LIST**
- Be a Scientist: August 3 through August 7 **WAIT LIST**
- Be a Green: August 10 through August 14 **WAIT LIST**
- Be a Chef: August 17 through August 21 **WAIT LIST**
- Be an Adventurer: August 24 – August 28 **WAIT LIST**
** Please inquire about the WAITLIST for sold out weeks by calling 201-444-2955, returning families get priority.
The Friday finale marks the difference of the week, but each week includes extensive cooking, organic gardening, environmental activities, nature hikes, active play and more!
Registration is OPEN for new families, there are limited spaces available each week, please register today!
If you are a new family and would like to take a private tour of the facility, please contact us at 201-444-2955.
Summer Seedlings for children ages 3-5
Get ready to eat, plant, cook and play! The Seedlings program is a nurturing activity filled weekly adventure as children rotate between harvesting and planting in our organic gardening; helping to prepare nutritious recipes from scratch, trying a variety of fresh foods; and being creative through nature art and crafts, too! Inquire about attending more than one class per week if you need more camp time!
Registration for Summer Seedlings 2026 opens for all families on January 2, 2026 ! Join us for the 10-week series June 16, 2026.
Traveling for the summer? Register for the 5-week sessions beginning June 16, 2026 or beginning July 21, 2026.
Classes are held once per week, with a choice of three session options:
- Tuesdays from 4:00-5:30pm
- Wednesdays from 3:30-5:00pm
- Thursdays from 4:00-5:30pm
Summer Seedlings for children ages 3-5
The Seedlings program is a nurturing activity filled weekly adventure as children rotate between harvesting and planting in our organic gardening; helping to prepare nutritious recipes from scratch, trying a variety of fresh foods; and being creative through art and crafts, too! The summer program is a longer format than the fall, winter and spring sessions.
Join us for one of two 5-week series beginning on either June 17th or July 22th. Enrollment for the full 10-week series is also welcome!
Classes are held once per week (inquire about adding a day or do all three days), with a choice of three session options:
- Tuesdays from 4:00-5:30pm
- Wednesdays from 3:30-5:00pm
- Thursdays from 4:00-5:30pm
Does Your Camper Want More Time at the Barn?
Had a great summer and your camper doesn’t want her healthy-lifestyle experience to end? Sign up for our year-round seasonal programs held after school or on weekends.
As a member of the HealthBarn USA family, please inquire about our returning families rate for all of our programs.
If you have any questions, please CONTACT US!