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.