Service Learning: Week 6

It was a great day for replanting... at least that's what Ryan said. Today was one of my favorite days at Urban Tree Connection. Our service was delayed an hour because Raheem and Ryan were in a grant meeting. Before they arrived Kate and I met Bill from Penn State who was leaving parts of the high tunnel that will be installed soon. We waited inside her gray Jeep until Raheem and Ryan arrived. In the back of their pick up truck they had baby kales ready to be replanted. "It's your babies!" Ryan exclaimed. They are the same plants we planted a month ago.

The South Philly site looks completely different than the last time I was there. There are rows upon rows of dirt ready to be planted. It finally looks like a farm.

We divided the work by who was going to make a hole and who was going to plant the kale. Ryan and I made the holes and Raheem and Kate planted the kale. It was slightly raining but not too cold. Ryan said it was a good day for replanting because the sun wasn't strong enough to dry out the fragile kales. Certain areas of the ground were muddy. I started using gloves and the Ryan was describing how good the ground felt so I took them off to feel it. There is a problem with the ground and the water levels. I couldn't fully understand it but Ryan explained that the organic products they use are better for soaking up the water. Raheem, who is in charge of the South Philly site, seems enthusiastic about the future of the farm.

Ryan and I talked about the food industry. Ryan began farming when he was young with his family in Ohio. He went to school in Pennsylvania where he studied Environmental Studies and Public Policy that is where he met his fiance. They are getting married in May. He smiles every time he mentions it. We talked about urban farms and eating locally. He said there is still a lot that needs to be changed within the food industry. I told him what I know from my Food and Justice class he expanded and gave me some of his personal anecdotes.

We switched-- Raheem and Kate dug holes and Ryan and I began to plant. The kale is so small, it's hard to hold. I wish I had smaller hands. At one point Ryan began to hum. I tell him his singing reminds me of my great-uncle. My great-uncle is a farmer in Puerto Rico and always sings, "Le lo lay, lo lay le lo lay." The tune of the Puerto Rican farmer.

We finished two rows of the baby kales. One row was dinosaur kale and the other curly kale. I was satisfied with our work. Usually Kate and I dig so it was nice to replant the same seeds we planted weeks ago.

                                                                   

Dino >>>











<<< Curly








(All images are from Creative Commons.)

Service Learning: Week 5

I got a farmer's tan... literally.

The West Philly site is beginning to come to life. One can start to see baby lettuces on the ground. Que seemed very tired today. His eyes were droopy and he was a little less energetic than usual.

Our first task was to bring more dirt to the site. We drove a block away; Kate and I squeezed in the passenger seat of the pick-up truck. When we got to the dirt pile, we filled the back of the truck with dirt. Que was telling us he wants to get a car. He said he wanted a convertible. A few moments later he saw my glasses and said, "Those are PRADA. That's expensive." I was struck. I usually don't notice eyeglasses' brands. I didn't know what to say back. I felt uncomfortable because I didn't know what he meant by it.

I kept digging. After we filled the whole truck, Que went to the corner store to get some candy. He needed some sugar to re-energize. He got a Pop-tart and a Flintstones powdered candy tube. I used to watch the Flintstones in Spanish when I was little. Pedro Picapiedra was the main character's name.

The truck felt heavier as we drove back to the farm. Our next task was to dump the dirt on a row where more vegetables will be planted. Jamal told Que to give us some water. It was much needed. Working on the farm when it's warm out is a different experience.

To keep the water theme, our next task was to install sprinklers. First Kate and I dug a hole where the sprinklers would go about a foot deep. We sawed a piece of wood in half, we drilled a whole in the middle and placed the sprinklers. Then we had to connect the sprinklers to each other and to the water using a thick hose. When it was done, we turned it on and there were sprinklers. I loved seeing the final product.

Que gave me some glue and told me to bring it to the high tunnel. I felt the heat wave that I feel when I get out of a plane to Puerto Rico from Philly except 3 times stronger. What once was the escape of the cold, is now a sauna. Fortunately, the sides of the tunnel can be raised up so it ventilates. They are manual so I helped Que with it. He said that some farms have automatic ones.

It was time to go and I was exhausted. It wasn't so much the work but the heat that really got me tired. I am really excited for the weeks to come. I also like telling people that I have a farmer's tan because I was farming.