Sunday, April 17, 2016

Farm Stay 4, April 11 - 27, 2016

by Eamonn
April 26

The orange and blue tinted sky
appears almost an oil painting 
lovingly created for the enjoyment of life itself.

grass gleams with the hopeful rays of tomorrow
the air feel
warm with a promise
a promise whispered by the sun
if nothing else but to return
and return it must.



by Saxon
April 26

Last night there was a storm. This wasn't just a small little rainstorm, this was a big storm with tons of lightning, rain and thunder. There was so much rain the creek started flowing and was still flowing the next day. I don't have good experiences with storms, however this was one of the best storms I have ever seen. There was so  much lightning and thunder that every few seconds the whole room would flash and then rumble. However this was not all good because I was on farm chores so I had to close the chicken door. I gathered some friends, which actually took a really long time because no one else wanted to go out in the rain except for me. Eventually I had gathered my crew of 4 people. The idiots who ventured out into the storm were: Zane, Billy, Oskar and of course me. 6 of us went into the pit, and by pit I mean down the hill into a bunch of puddles, and by 6 I mean 4 6 just sounded better. Then we all geared up to head out, everyone except for Zane. He wasn't even wearing shoes! 

We burst out of the door. The amount of puddles was over 9000! There probably weren't 9000 where we were but probably 9000 for the whole land school. When we reached the bottom of the hill my pants were immediately soaked. My flashlight looked like a searchlight on the side of a ship. We looked over at the creek and someone pointed out that it looked like rapids. After many days of traveling across the wetlands - well it wasn't days it was more like a few minutes - we finally reached the chicken door. Billy quickly ran over to shut the door. All of a sudden Oskar started yelling about the chickens missing, when they were actually up the perch and when Oskar opened the door I foolishly turned on the light. This mistake led to a flurry of feathers and the rapid close of the door. We then ran back to the homestead as fast as we could. All that I gained from closing the chicken door on a stormy night was a great experience and very wet pants.  


by Lily
April 25

Looking out across the fields, I see all the times I have been here.
Growing up, shedding tears, and laughing until my stomach hurt.
Telling stories on the picnic benches around a fire, 
doing cartwheels across the A field
Pushing through 6 foot tall stalks of corn, laughing and hiding.
Sitting in the A field, looking up at the stars, staying out for way too long.
The walls of the land school must have heard my secrets hundreds of times.
Felt my tears, and were annoyed with my jokes.
I've heard thousands of birds, killed many a tick, gasped at the sight of deer, and stared at the light of fireflies.
The Land School is more than just a place.
It is my home from home.
Where I feel at most myself.



The Most Dangerous Game
by Zane
April 25

Here at the Land School we play a game called The Most Dangerous Game. We are told that we were just brought to an island and that it turns out that the owner wants to hunt us!

We are given 5 minutes to run away and make strategies. I went with three of my buddies: Eamonn, Oskar and Saxon. Oskar and Eamonn climbed a tree. We heard some real spooky noises and Saxon and I went to investigate. We found Calvin stalking us up Strawberry Hill. I was closest to Calvin yet somehow I didn't get caught. I ran back to the tree of life and ran down the hill to the safe house. Even though my friends lost because of me I still won. The moral of the story is: "Life's a dirty game and you gotta play dirty to win it."


The First Farmstay
by Billy
April 24

Even though my family has come to the land school for countless amounts of years, nothing could prepare me for what Farm Stay is like. It is much more fun than I thought that it would be, and it is nothing like coming for a class overnight. Everything is so much more fun. Both of my brothers told me what Farm Stay was like for them, and I thought it would be almost the same as their experience. I didn’t realize that my experience would so different. I have enjoyed my Farm Stay tremendously and I can’t wait to do it again.


by Rio
April 24

I have been taking trips to the Land School ever since I can remember and I have formed a connection with the land and the natural aspects of it.

The Land School is like a home. You feel free. You can wander around and know you’ll always make it back. I have created so many memories here. I have found areas that I consider “mine” because I have such a strong connection with the land. The places me and my friends have found feel special and I feel safe there because of the happy memories associated with it. 

Before I came to the Land School it could have been someone else’s special spot. They could have created memories there. But you never can tell. So, now, I am going to live in the present and enjoy my time here at the Land School.


by Oskar
April 23

The Spring Festival was a very fun and cool experince. It was exiting to see our parents and to see our products being sold, with some of the money going towards our bowling and pizza party. We all had lots of fun seeing our families and working for credits.

Everyone enjoyed all of the products and games, including bocci ball, finger painting, and water color art. Everything at the time felt very chaotic, and a bit out of control, but looking back on the festival, I had a lot of fun and cannot wait for next year.


An Ode to the Land School
by Paige
April 21

Wispy skies
And rooster cries
Peaceful nights
And warm sunlight 

Bursting Colors across the wide expanse 
Moving outwards
And onwards 
Filling the land
End to end
Red 
Yellow
Blue 
Green 
Flowing around the trees
Rolling over the hills

Mud caked forest floors
And tall trees blooming with greens
Crackling branches
And slithering leaves
Capturing the air
Eating away all other sounds

Fluffy marshmallows 
Paint pictures in the sky
Natures hum is alive

So many doors could lead me out
The whole world one pane of glass away
“Come outside” the branches whisper
Light breezes waft through the open door
Urging me on
Swaying grass 
Pleads with me 
Inviting me in
“Run through my long leaves”
“Play with me”

Strong trees stand boldly by the river bank
Begging me to climb their sturdy, rough branches

One step
I could be at the door
One push 
And I am free
The world is hovering inches above my fingertips
It is all one step away


by Sarah
April 19

Today the Junior High visited us on Farmstay. It was both strange and fun to see my friends from school at the place I have been calling home for the last week or so. I had a lot of fun seeing my teachers and friends, and I wish we could have had a bit more time to talk and hang out. 
I always love these Land School visits and catching up with the friends that I have been away from. It is great to share inside jokes again and go on adventures around the Land School. I am sad that this is this is the last Land School visit I will ever experience, but I am also excited to go on to have new adventures.


Ode to Friends
by Sydney
April 18

I appreciate friends.

They keep you going, they give you strength. Friends bring you joy when you are sad. They listen, they story-tell. There are all different kinds of friends. They are there for you, when you fall. They cheer you on, they congratulate you. Friends help you soar. There are different qualities to each. Each quality is important. Each quality is inspiring. 


Spring
by Zoe
April 17

Warm weather
Calling out to me

Beaming sunshine
Urging me outside

I look away
Hoping the spell won’t take over me

I look at the paper
But the ink won’t flow

Only a window separates me
From running outside

Feeling alive
Feeling free.


Equity And Justice
By Imelda
April 17

Race. You can’t change it or do anything about it. It’s just there. You’re not weird, you’re just different. But even when people try to change that big difference, it always comes right back. When people look at me, they see me as one of  “them”. I’ve gotten used to it now because I know that they only look at my skin tone. They don’t focus on what really counts, and that’s what the person looks like on the inside. These days, I still wonder how the world became this way. They say that “we” are invading their “world” when we immigrate. But we are just trying to find a better lifestyle. It's the same thing when they come to “our” world. But the difference is, that “we” are not allowed to point that out. I’m not different. I’m like everyone else. I may not look the same, but most people who know me, don’t focus on what I look like on the outside. They don’t judge me. I’m just trying to grow up and become somebody in this world like everyone else. I just look different that’s all. Why do people make such a big deal out of it? It’s really no big deal. But that’s just my opinion.


by Noah
April 12

Challenges… what are challenges? Challenges are everything we take on in life, no matter how easy or how hard. They ensue in every direction regardless of our passions, and the path we take in life. We look at challenges as something negative, something that will be mentally or physically tiring. Yet they’re more than that. Every day, we overcome countless challenges, from getting out of bed to going back to bed. It all takes motivation, and they are always difficult to overcome. But with every challenging situation comes a reward… a positive feeling that we get after the matter. And every time we overcome a challenge, it gets easier to overcome the next time we encounter it. That result after overcoming a challenge will always reward us mentally, sometimes physically, and will sometimes even reward others. Challenges and accomplishments go hand in hand, yet the rewards afterwards will always be greater than the effort put into overcoming it. When I encounter a challenge, I always think about the rewards that will benefit me in the end rather what effort I’ll need to put in. My challenges always bring me further in life, and benefit me greatly whenever I finish what I start.