McDowell Farm School
- 205-387-1806, ext. 106
- farmschooldirector@campmcdowell.org
Farm Staff
Meet the team!
FULL TIME FARM STAFF
Scotty Feltman, Director
Scotty grew up in the small town of Berry, AL where he roamed the woods and creeks surrounding his house and fell in love with being outside. After high school, he attended the University of Alabama at Birmingham and graduated with a degree in early childhood and elementary education. For the next seven years, he taught fifth grade in Birmingham where he first began using farming as an educational tool. He then transitioned to a high school teaching position within the system where he taught environmental science as well as developed and oversaw the programming and growing of a two acre sustainable urban farm behind the high school for four years through a local non-profit. As part of this program, he ran an internship with high school juniors and seniors growing and selling produce to the surrounding community while cultivating curiosity, hard work, and self sufficiency. Scotty was drawn to camp by the overall beauty and peacefulness of the land as well as the opportunity to live and work amongst a community of environmental educators. As farm school director, Scotty gets to continue to share his passion for teaching and sharing his excitement for the natural world and farming with the thousands of individuals that attend McDowell’s programs. Scotty and his wife Julie live at camp with their three children, Samuel, Betsy and Susanna. He’s really really psyched about learning, climbing, exploring with his family, and getting his hands dirty in southern soil.
Kelly Baker, Program Coordinator
Kelly Baker grew up in Mobile, AL and it took her a while to develop a love for farming. While attending Auburn University for a degree in Human Development and Family Studies, Kelly was introduced to the world of farming and plants. She received a minor in Hunger studies and began to understand and appreciate the connection between the earth and humans. This connection solidified during her study abroad trip to Fiji where she worked on a Permaculture farm.
After graduating she began teaching and farming at Jones Valley Teaching Farm in downtown Birmingham. This is where she gained valuable experience in both teaching and farming. Her favorite part of the job was coordinating the High School apprenticeship program, where she got to work alongside a small group of high school students in the farm every day.
In July, Kelly led high-school students on a field trip to Camp McDowell Farm School and fell in love with the program! Only a few months later she became the McDowell Farm School Program Coordinator.
She is loving living at Camp McDowell and feels like a real camp person after adopting her new puppy Peanut who was found in the parking lot of a Jasper thrift store.
Holt Akers-Campbell, Farm Manager
Holt grew up in Nashville, TN, and came to farming through starting a vegetable garden in his family’s yard during high school. He was a student farmer throughout his time at Wesleyan University and after graduation, spent the next five years as a professional market gardener and small livestock farmer. He has farmed in no-till operations, by draft horse power, and with traditional tractor cultivation in New England, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Alabama. While a vegetable grower at heart, he is also a passionate swineherd and loves the art of home butchery and curing. He graduated with a M.S. in Agricultural Education through the University of Tennessee and is currently working towards a MS in Horticultural Science. He has enjoyed exploring the fields and forests of McDowell with dog Vergil and partner Katie.
Debra Feltman, MFS Nurse
Debra grew up in Hueytown, Al where she met, fell in love, and married her amazing husband of 47 years, Dennis. They have spent the last 40 years in the small town of Berry, Alabama, where they raised 2 great kids, quite a few horses and some dogs. (also a garden every year). After Debra's youngest child went off to college, she went to college to become an RN. Debra worked in several different nursing areas, then found her love for the operating room. When Debra retired from her job at Birmingham Surgery Center in Homewood, she was approached about the need for a farm nurse at Camp McDowell. As the farm nurse at Camp McDowell, Debra gets to take care of the amazing children that come to camp. She also enjoys getting to work with the awesome farm school staff and exploring the camp with her little dog Greta.
SEASONAL STAFF
Ferik
Hello Friends My Name is Ferik. I grew up in many big cities like Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, and Montreal.
I have always been very curious and passionate about farming. Finally, here at MFS I have the chance to discover and learn the incredible life-changing experience of farming, which I am completely in love with. It’s also very beneficial to my cooking and writing career. Now I can say I am officially a farmer!
Mission
Hello my friends! I'm Mission, and I'm from Birmingham, Alabama where I worked as a farmer and outdoor educator for 5 years. I'm passionate about food and impacting youth. I always accept a friendly challenge and encourage self love and positivity. So never be shy to come say hi to Farmer Mission!
Allie
Allie grew up in Huntsville, AL. They spent most weekends with their family hiking or playing outside in the dirt, growing a love of the outdoors that would stay with them into adulthood. They grew up going to Camp McDowell, and spent three summers on McDowell Summer Staff and three years at Church of the Nativity in Huntsville working with their youth group. They graduated from Auburn University with a degree in Biochemistry, but took a gap year before grad school to work on a regenerative farm in Huntsville. Instead, they fell in love with farming and caring for the land and have spent the last two years on that same farm. In their free time, they love foraging, hiking, and playing music. They are excited to be able to spread the love and knowledge of land stewardship with the youth.
Lenore
Lenore grew up in middle Tennessee and was exposed to farming on her family’s farm at a very young age. When Lenore was 13 years old, she started her own small business raising goats and sheep. This enterprise would later grow to around one hundred animals, and she started marketing her products online across the United States in 2016. Lenore has always been passionate about agriculture and education, teaching classes on her farm in subjects ranging from animal processing to wool art. This passion for animals and agriculture led her to pursue degrees in veterinary technology and animal science. She graduated with an associate degree in Veterinary Technology from Volunteer State Community College in 2020 and a bachelor’s in agriculture with a concentration in Animal Science from Tennessee Technological University in 2022. She is also a licensed veterinary technician in the state of Tennessee. Lenore recently spent the summer working abroad in Mongolia teaching veterinary skills and English through the Christian Veterinary Mission and plans to return in the future. Lenore is so excited to be part of the team at Camp McDowell and loves the opportunity to share her love of agriculture with children through hands-on teaching. In her spare time, she also loves cooking, especially unique foods from foreign cultures.
Ginger
Ginger is from Daleville, Alabama. As a kid they spent most of their free time wandering the woods and climbing trees, activities they have reconnected with as an adult. Ginger has worked at a couple permaculture farms in the Birmingham area where they discovered their passion for farming. They have a deep connection with nature and particularly love learning about the wildlife and plants native to Alabama. In their free time they enjoy tending to their garden at home, journaling, crafting, and learning more about nature!
Kendra
Kendra grew up in the Pacific Northwest. They were taught early on by their mother and grandmother the importance and beauty of being able to grow your own food. Never shying away from bringing home a new furry friend, there were always animals around. Kendra began working with children early on in life and has worked in childcare settings as well as being a nanny for many years. Throughout their career Kendra has taken many courses in Early Childhood Education and believes it is important to always keep learning. These last few years they have taken a break from their career path and explored the west coast, traveling in vans or on boats and learning how to live more simply. Being at camp McDowell is an exciting opportunity for Kendra to jump back into work with children while also combining her love of connecting to the earth. Kendra loves camping, hanging with doggos, reading, drawing and generally being in the outdoors.