Service Learning Blog Post

1. The event I attended was the community farm work party on the 15th of November. I worked with Leia and Sophia ( the coordinators) from 1:30 to 3:30. Contact information:Nhu.tran@email.edcc.edu
2. a volunteer from the Nourishing Network ( a program to keep children on free and reduced lunch over the weekends) was on her way to pick up food from us and we needed to have it prepared for her.
3. While I was there I helped harvest and clean some of the vegetables they had grown, like radishes, kale, parsley, and cauliflower leaves. The goal that we had for the day was to harvest, clean, weigh and record all of the vegetables.
4. I believe that doing this kind of work has quite the impact on our bioregion. While I was working I found out that everything on the farm is organically grown. There are 3 giant boxes of worms in the garden that are fed the food that is too ripe or damaged and can’t be given away. The worms are also responsible for the fertilizer used on the vegetables. In addition to this, there is cardboard that is buried under the soil that eliminates weeds from growing. Weeds are not strong enough to push themselves up through the cardboard but the plants are fully capable of doing so. What really makes me think of the impact on our bioregion is that all of the produce grown on campus is given away to those in need. For example, we give the food away to the Nourishing Network, another program to feed homeless teens, and a local food bank. This was quite incredible to me because it helps look after the well-being of others in the community, some people in need may not have access to the healthiest food and it’s nice that we are able to provide them with nutritious food so they can remain healthy. However, working here I didn’t feel as if it really expressed the idea of science in society, there wasn’t much of a scientific factor involved in it other than finding out that worms are used to make the fertilizer and the use of cardboard in the garden, which was really unique. I think that this was a very special experience, in the winter I make little boxes of socks, gloves, and food to pass out to those in need in Seattle, I love being able to help people out and to give back to our community, and I was really excited to find out that the food I was helping harvest, wash and weigh would be given away for a good cause.

A couple of questions I have after the entire experience were

1. In the worm boxes on the farm, how do they maintain them over the winter?
2. With all the food that leaves the farm and goes to the food bank, how many families can be fed?
3. If other college campuses had small gardens/farms as well what kind of impact would we have on our community?
4. How many pounds of fruits and vegetables are produced on campus annually?
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