By: Cailyn
When the day of the pancake breakfast came, we were ready. Our projects were done, the batter was made and shifts were all figured out. We each had two shifts, we could do set-up and also serve during the second half of the pancake breakfast, or serve during the first half and then do clean up at the end. I chose to do set up and serve during the second half.
The first customers came right on the dot. We served them with smiles and as many pancakes as they wanted (as we did all the customers). However, pancakes were not the only things we served, you could get two sausages for free and you could pay extra for items like: quiche, scones, banana bread, caramel rolls, fruit cups, hot chocolate, 2 extra sausages, and coffee.
The highlight of the pancake breakfast for me was doing dishes. Yes, I don't think that would be most people's first choice, but it was fun for me. I did the dishes with Alice and my sister. We had a great conversation about how Alice always has a song stuck in her head. It was also great to see my sister (and do dishes with her). I had not seen her for a week and a half. Before now the longest time I had gone without her was 2 days.
After the pancake breakfast we had some time to relax. We sang some songs with Dave and generally had a great time.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
A day with birds, with photos
By Ora with photos by Sophia;
It was the day before the pancake brunch. We all needed a break from the micro-economy work. Andy's occupation group headed out for a little relaxing hike.
We strapped on our snowshoes and put on our mittens to head outside. I stepped and squinted my eyes because of the sun shining brightly. The rest of the group came out with squinted eyes. We took steps on the snow, not sinking. It was amazing that you wouldn't sink into the deep snow. It was because of the great invention of snowshoes.
Our group walked and walked, staring at all of the frost imagining what it would be like with still frost covered on you. We kept walking till we reached the bird blind. We filled the feeders, but since we had snowshoes on, we did not go into the bird blind. Instead we stood silently. It was the first time the birds trusted us. All we did was stand there and the birds came. They flew everywhere, eating, sitting, looking, listening, chirping. It was like a dream, as if we weren't there. That moment was a moment that I have dreamed for, and there it happened. It was amazing. That feel of connection to nature was unspeakable.
That moment was a dream. As one of my friends has said; Don't just dream your dream live your dream.
It was the day before the pancake brunch. We all needed a break from the micro-economy work. Andy's occupation group headed out for a little relaxing hike.
We strapped on our snowshoes and put on our mittens to head outside. I stepped and squinted my eyes because of the sun shining brightly. The rest of the group came out with squinted eyes. We took steps on the snow, not sinking. It was amazing that you wouldn't sink into the deep snow. It was because of the great invention of snowshoes.
Our group walked and walked, staring at all of the frost imagining what it would be like with still frost covered on you. We kept walking till we reached the bird blind. We filled the feeders, but since we had snowshoes on, we did not go into the bird blind. Instead we stood silently. It was the first time the birds trusted us. All we did was stand there and the birds came. They flew everywhere, eating, sitting, looking, listening, chirping. It was like a dream, as if we weren't there. That moment was a moment that I have dreamed for, and there it happened. It was amazing. That feel of connection to nature was unspeakable.
That moment was a dream. As one of my friends has said; Don't just dream your dream live your dream.
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| Hoarfrost on the prickly ash. |
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| Filling the feeders |
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| watching the birds. Still as a statue. |
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| The chickadees come in first. |
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| Downy Woodpecker |
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| Patience pays off. The Cardinal came at the end. |
Junior High Visit
by Annie
Today the rest of the Junior High came out and joined the Farm Stayers for a Land School visit.
In the morning we worked on our stewardship projects, which included cleaning out the Llama Pen, Chicken Coop and Greenhouse; pruning the fruit trees around the Farmstead; continuing to tidy up the Long Barn; tending to the bird blind and beehives; and getting the bottles and buckets ready for the syrup season.
We then had lunch and, as today was Laci's birthday, we had cobbler and ice cream. After lunch, we had an hour of free time until they had to go back to the urban campus. During free time many people went out to the tree house, some went to the bird blind, some played football and some went on a hike.
After they left, we had a rest, then got to deep cleaning and packing and readying for our departure tomorrrow.
Today the rest of the Junior High came out and joined the Farm Stayers for a Land School visit.
In the morning we worked on our stewardship projects, which included cleaning out the Llama Pen, Chicken Coop and Greenhouse; pruning the fruit trees around the Farmstead; continuing to tidy up the Long Barn; tending to the bird blind and beehives; and getting the bottles and buckets ready for the syrup season.
We then had lunch and, as today was Laci's birthday, we had cobbler and ice cream. After lunch, we had an hour of free time until they had to go back to the urban campus. During free time many people went out to the tree house, some went to the bird blind, some played football and some went on a hike.
After they left, we had a rest, then got to deep cleaning and packing and readying for our departure tomorrrow.
Farm Stay Essay
by Ora
Why do we live? Why do we climb the tallest mountain? Why do we chew gum? Mr. Shaefer asked us these questions, I thought about it as hands went up in the classroom. Then, I stretched my hand up and asked why would we do nothing? No one had an answer to that question because there most likely isn’t an answer for it.
These questions can relate to most anything such as the Land School. Why would I choose to do a Farm Stay? I choose this, because it is an opportunity, an opportunity that will open me up. Why do we do the Land School? Pride, accomplishment, sharing, helpful, thoughtful, followers, leadership, independent, caring, connecting, and loving, loving nature and the community. Those are some words that I think stand out about the Land School and that I think will come up during the time I will be there.
Those words will be my goal for the Land School. I want to support others and the community I want to connect with nature and have a connection with every person there. While I am there I wish to be a follower and a leader. The Land School is much more than learning and working, it is about finding something in you that are dying to get out like a turtle fighting is way out of its egg. I heard every student will come back a different person, but I would like to add to that statement and say: every person will go to the Land School in their turtle egg but as they are there longer the egg will start cracking and when they come back the egg is open. This is an odd way of saying it and there are many other ways of saying it.
As I am cracking that egg, I will sometimes struggle to crack some parts of the egg.
Overall, I am looking forward to the farm stay and I can’t wait for all of the learning we will get to do. I am so excited to see what farm stays are like and what maple syrup is like.
Why do we live? Why do we climb the tallest mountain? Why do we chew gum? Mr. Shaefer asked us these questions, I thought about it as hands went up in the classroom. Then, I stretched my hand up and asked why would we do nothing? No one had an answer to that question because there most likely isn’t an answer for it.
These questions can relate to most anything such as the Land School. Why would I choose to do a Farm Stay? I choose this, because it is an opportunity, an opportunity that will open me up. Why do we do the Land School? Pride, accomplishment, sharing, helpful, thoughtful, followers, leadership, independent, caring, connecting, and loving, loving nature and the community. Those are some words that I think stand out about the Land School and that I think will come up during the time I will be there.
Those words will be my goal for the Land School. I want to support others and the community I want to connect with nature and have a connection with every person there. While I am there I wish to be a follower and a leader. The Land School is much more than learning and working, it is about finding something in you that are dying to get out like a turtle fighting is way out of its egg. I heard every student will come back a different person, but I would like to add to that statement and say: every person will go to the Land School in their turtle egg but as they are there longer the egg will start cracking and when they come back the egg is open. This is an odd way of saying it and there are many other ways of saying it.
As I am cracking that egg, I will sometimes struggle to crack some parts of the egg.
Overall, I am looking forward to the farm stay and I can’t wait for all of the learning we will get to do. I am so excited to see what farm stays are like and what maple syrup is like.
Sunday March 13th
Sunday was a day of rest. Rest from the Pancake Breakfast, a break from homework and a break from the world. After all of the last minute crunching to get things done and the hustle of the Breakfast itself, some time to sit around and do nothing at all was very nice. Relaxing in trees is one of my favorite things to do. Jahlil and I spent 3 hours climbing one tree, seeing another, and then rushing over to climb that one. After being called back to the Homestead, everyone got into cars and we drove to town to go bowling. After a filling meal of pizza and then bowling, we headed back home for a good night's sleep.
By Evan
By Evan
Sunday, March 13, 2011
The Bird Blind
March 9, 2010
By Ruby
The Bird Blind (Science class):
Behind the bars we watch.
Do they see us or not?
5, 10, 15, 20!
They all fly quickly.
We sit,
Sit, sit, sit.
They fly,
Fly, fly, fly.
Eat birds eat the food that we put out.
Come,
Come, come, come.
See them now!
They are here!
Red, yellow, gold, black, gray.
They sing.
Sing, sing, sing!
How beautiful the sound.
We leave them.
We leave all the birds.
They leave when we leave,
They come when we come.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Tuesday, March 8th
By Alice
Today, Tuesday the eighth, we started on a good foot, most of us having got a good night’s sleep after a long day Monday of yawning and blinking back sleep from tired eyes. I started my day by going out to the Farmstead with two thirds of the group to do Farm Chores. Today’s group was larger than normal, because my group, who had been doing Farm Chores since the beginning of the Farm Stay, was teaching the second group how to do the chores so that we could trade off/transition smoothly. We fed and watered the llamas and sheep first, then watered and fed the chickens. Some of the chickens that had been making nests (and spending the night) in the Red Barn took off immediately after we opened the chicken coop door. They scurried up the path made by our boots to the barn, looking over their shoulders at us all the way like misbehaving children. We then collected eggs from the chickens (one off from a dozen!) and headed back to the Homestead for breakfast.
At breakfast, the group finished a delicious loaf of “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes” from the night before, so good that when I decided to make a copy of the recipe to bring home, everyone that heard me asked if I would make a copy for them as well.
We had an early and smooth transition from breakfast to math, very improved from yesterday, when some alarms did not go off and the schedule lagged ten minutes behind.
After math we worked on Occupations/Community Work. Donna’s group made a delicious lunch of risotto, and Andy’s group, after a long conversation on education and our complaints about it, headed to the Long Barn. Andy’s occupation group had been working on permanent directions/trail marks/signs for the Land School’s trails, so we worked on making the wooden sign frames- sawing wood, smoothing it with a planer, drilling the signs, nailing the signs together, and sanding the final product.
After lunch, we began to work on our Micro-economy crafts and food for the Pancake Brunch on Saturday. Lately, we’ve been getting to taste test people’s projects- chocolate chip oatmeal cookies, banana bread, granola… it’s all been delicious.
For “Physical Expression” we went outside onto the driveway and played broomball- it started as an organized game, but gradually evolved into something else, which involved people screaming as they barreled towards the person who had the ball, Annie turning into a snowman (or snow woman, if you insist on being politically correct), and everyone on the Blue Team leaving except for Andy (who had to leave for raising his broom too high) and Jahlil, the goalie. The Red Team won the game after we scored a goal against an almost nonexistent Blue Team.
After chores and dinner (enchiladas), we had a focused study hall, when Doug arrived. We closed the day listening to some of Katie’s music- Pachelbel’s Cannon and Somewhere Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World.
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