When I was in college at KU a friend took me to what he claimed to be an old buffalo rub in the countryside to pick wild strawberries. These were very tiny but packed with flavor. Wild strawberries are a companion plant for asparagus as are parsely, petunia, nasturtium, and comfrey as a dynamic accumulator of minerals from the soil (I prefer the Bocking 14 comfrey cultivar which produces sterile seed and spreads only by root division). I have also hear that horse radish ( probably as a decoy plant) and rhubarb make excellent companion plants for asparagus as well. I was searching for wild strawberry seeds when I noticed this discussion. I was amazed that the differing experiences others had with wild strawberries which were so divergent from my own. Jellyman's comment on digging some up to transplant made me wish I could return to Kansas for the ones I first tasted.

2014 back to the "Beaten Path" in the Absaroka Wilderness, northeast of Yellowstone National Park, this time with a fishing rod in hand. I assisted taking a group of scouts last year there. This time it will be an adult-only fishing trip. If you have the skills to backpack, this is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Can't hike? Take the car can ride from Red Lodge, Montana to Cooke City, Montana, a breath taking trip up over 10,000 feet. Best time is mid July to mid august. Dine in Red Lodge, really nice town! Be sure you have good brakes, some parts of drive not for the faint-hearted. Be sure to stop at the Top-of-the-World store along the way. If you hike it, start on Cooke City side at about 7500 feet, up over top at about 9900 feet, then down to 6000 feet at East Rosebud, about 26 miles. 2 really long days for super athletes or minimalist light weight hikers or a nice 3 to 4 day trip for the average Joe. Abundant water and nice lakes to camp by such as Russell Lake, Ouzel Lake, Twin Outlets Lake, and Rainbow Lake. Huge waterfalls thundering through many sections of the trail on the north end. 200 folks in the area on an average summer day, spread out over miles of wilderness but lots of side lakes/trails if you want to explore without others nearby. Camping at trail heads is $20 a car per night, parking free at trail heads, and camping is free in the wilderness. Some special camping rules apply, mainly distance from water sources, but very manageable. Check it out on Google Earth, East Rosebud going south-southwest toward Wyoming. Steve

Hi neighbor! We are from Minnesota, and do a lot of camping. One place you may want to consider is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area... Beautiful! It's up in the northernmost part of MN. We go to a lot of state campgrounds... some of our favorites are St. Croix State Park, Interstate Park (I prefer the Wisconsin side), and Lake Itasca. Try the MN DNR site for good descriptions of each park; you can even reserve camping on the site. We like the walk-in or backpack sites- more privacy, and usually they really in the middle of nature. In Wisconsin, we like Big Bay State Park (Apostle Islands- in Lake Superior.) You take a ferry from Bayfield, WI out to the island (Madeline). Amnicon Falls Park is also a winner. Really... there are so many, I can't name them all. Northern MN or WI are the best locations- you really can't lose there. Have fun!

Like any job, there should be specific reasons for why she wants to work there. During my college years, I worked at a residential camp for the physically challenged. So, a camp environment, but with a population I was interested in learning more about. Yes, the day is a long one with probably one day off a week. Often these camps attract foreign students from around the world. This too makes for an interesting experience. I agree with Joanie. There are many opportunities that can also tie into her interests as well as give her new skills. Both my daughters worked in summer camps. One taught gymnastics, one worked at a Girl Scout camp. What is your daughter's rational for working at a summer camp?