First Week at the Farm

WOW!

Really- what more can I say?

I suppose I can give you some details and descriptives of that 'WOW' in question....

It has been an exciting week. A week jam packed with information, adventures, excitement, new faces turned familiar friends, dirt, sun, strawberries, wonderful meals, cool nights and basically much anticipation for what lies in wait for the next 6 months.

A week ago I was still slightly anxious thinking of what would be, who I would meet and what my days would consist of. A mere 7 days later, I feel solidly assured that I am in the right place at the right time. Groovin' with 40 other kids (of every age & genre you can imagine) from around the globe- the one common thread linking us all together... pure and simple: garden geeks! I am in heaven!

I walk across the farm on my way to the Farm Center with a grin plastered across my face. The views from my tent, rolling fields of fertile soil awaiting the seeds that will soon be sown, leading to views of the ocean that I constantly forget exists only minutes from where I walk. I can make out small sails gliding across the bay after the fog has lifted. Can this really be my home for the next 6 months? My thoughts go to the many friends who would love to experience this and be here at this very moment. I myself feel jealous of the experience I am currently experiencing. I only hope that I remember to pay attention and absorb every moment of every day and don't lose that magical feeling that surrounds me. May these things not become second nature, normal or mundane.

So- that being said... I've been sharpening tools, cutting rows of bell beans, oats and vetch used as cover crops- preparing the soil for planting. I've been creating compost piles, shoveling manure, digging in dirt, prepping for our upcoming plant sale, learning my way around the farm and UC campus. I've been sharing meals and stories with fellow apprentices, catching charlas on bee keeping and have been thinking about how wonderfully intertwined our ecosystem is and how everything really IS connected.

My days consist of usually getting up around 6:15am and biking up to the farm in time for breakfast. We have to be at our work sites by 8am and finish the day with dinner around 6:30pm at the farm. I then bike back home, usually arriving between 8-9pm. Long days and tired muscles, but a very, very happy heart.

I will attach pictures as I have them and write when I can. There quite possibly will be too many to take in, but check out what you can. And by all mean, consider coming to visit this amazing place.