Service Learning

Project: Community Campus Farm Work Party

Date attended: March 7^th, 2017

Time: 11:30 am – 1:30 pm

Coordinator e-mail: marni.swart@email.edcc.edu

I participated in the farm work party on March 7^th and helped for two hours. The goal of the campus community farm is to expose students, faculty, and staff to sustainable living practices. Farm work parties have brought in over 350 individuals and 1000 community service hours. Volunteers keep the farm clean, help harvest, and help plant produce and flowers.

Although I was working outside in the pouring rain and cold, I still really enjoyed the experience. This project helps you learn more about food issues, gardening skills, nutrition, and many other issues. This relates to animal biology because nutrition is a major component of all animal lives.

The first half of my time was spent carving a canoe, and the second half was spent gardening. I planted about 10 pea plants and watered them in the greenhouse. I planted about 6 herbs in the stone spiral near the cultural kitchen. I was responsible for carving one corner of the canoe. It was fascinating to see a simple object be converted into something humans can use. I felt satisfaction knowing I helped shape an average log into a usable mode of transportation. This experience opened my eyes to how much nature really provides us with. We sometimes rely too heavily on commercial products for everyday living, when a lot of things we need can be found right outside. Planting peas reminded me that you can grow your own food rather than buying from a store or restaurant for every meal. It inspired me to start a garden when I have my own house someday and grow my own food. Growing your food is not only rewarding, it’s fun too! I’m excited to go back to the farm to see the completed canoe and check the growth of the plants I planted.

Working on the farm relates to animal biology because a lot of animals are seen on this land. I saw an earthworm while I was planting peas and remembered discussing feeding behaviors in class. Earthworms are deposit feeders so they are obtaining their food through this soil. The farm not only benefits animals like earthworms, but it benefits from animals as well. Bees can land on the flowers, collect pollen, and transfer it to other flowers to cross pollinate. The flowers can then reproduce, which allows new flowers to grow in the farm or elsewhere.

Four questions I had after the farm work party:

·      How does making a canoe in a factory compare to carving one yourself?

·      Which crops grow best during this time of year?

·      In what ways do animals (other than humans) help or benefit from this community farm?

·      What are all of the ways this farm practices sustainability?

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