It is the season of life and death. The ears of corn, dead corn husks and stalks lined the horizon. Yet, small flowers were popping through the ground to say a much-needed hello. The ground was covered in dead yellow grass, crisp as it crunched under your feet. But more, younger, new grass was growing in – green and strong, just as the circle of life repeats. New birth takes the place of death, bringing the world new light.
As I took my first step off of the bus, I inhaled the fresh spring air, the smell that I had been waiting for, for the longest time. It is the smell of life. This enchanting smell carried me through the day of work.
The work even represented what was happening with the season change. We were putting away and cleaning from the winter and preparing to host new life, as the spring quickly comes upon us.
Lucia
****
…Yesterday we worked on repairing and building a new hive. I think Doug may be regretting the day he put me on a woodworking project. My job was to build new frames for the bees to store honey. When Doug did the demonstration it looked rather easy…the only problem was that the nails were super flimsy and almost always bent and they only gave us the exact amount of nails. So we had to try to bend them back again. So that did not really work…
Sienna
*******
Staying at the Land School was a blast. Everything was a highlight. However, my favorite part was when we split up into groups to explore nature.,,. I was in the Nature Art group led by Donna. We did not get much done at all, but none of us minded. Instead we climbed many trees, played in the ravine and made a bridge/fort thing (which we claimed was our art)….
Cailyn
****
…This was the last visit to the Land School for the year, and a great end to the visits as well. It seemed to ring in the changes – it stood in likeness to the cycle of seasons during our visits; fall, winter, and now spring. The weather, farm, and nature was beautiful this visit. As the winter drew its clutches from the tired earth, the gray began to give way to the color we had almost forgotten. The sun shone; the sky was clear and blue; white and purple crocuses sprung up from the musty ground; the dirt, dusty wool coats of the sheep were sheared, revealing beautiful hues of browns, blacks, and tans; the creek ran over the dark leaves that had covered it…
Alice
*****
*****
…When we got there it started out as a normal Land School trip with stewardship. In my group, Garden and Greenhouse, Anna, Josefina and I prepared for he plant sale by putting eggplant and pepper plants into peat pots, ready to sell for, I think Andy said $2.50 a plant (wow). We were working in the greenhouse and it was VERY hot. Long story short, I was VERY dirty and regretted wearing long jeans by the end. After eating lunch at the campfire circle by the Long Barn, we made Ukranian Eggs (I love mine!). Then we played thicket (ouch - - so thorny) and had free time. In the evening we had a campfire and sang songs and told stories. We also went to the sauna (loved the sauna)> After a night of AWFUL sleep we went to stewardship. I had a great day today! I loved seeing the small barn burn down! Overall, AMAZING trip and I can’t wait to go on farmstay! Claire W.
********
During our two days we were at the Land School, the Birds and Bees group did a lot. We discovered that our one hive did not survive the few weeks since we last checked in on it. We then had to start two new hives. We painted the boxes white and scraped off the dirt. Then, after a while, a long while, we had two hives ready for the bees to bizz in the next day.
We also checked in on the nest boses and found out that there was a red squirrel living in the twelve foot high nest box…
At the Land School we also cooked delicious meals and played extremely fun games. And towards the end of the day we sat in a circle with the smell of smoke near our noses and told ghost stories, laughed, went to the sauna and enjoyed the outdoors. Ora
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I also really enjoyed our afternoon activity. I was with Dave in a group where we were doing a cool thing that was called “sound drawing” or something. We did some cool stuff like sitting in the woods and drawing where sounds were and what they were, which was really fun. The woods we were in were also beautiful….
Today in stewardship we finished mulching the garlic bed (which accidentally took a really long time and we put herbs and things in peat pots. We had tons of fun.
My almost favorite part was watching the shed burn. It was amazing…
Anna S-C
****
Our stewardship was Trails and Orchards and we carried tipi poles and tools to the orchard. We cut branches off the trees. Anna and I cut weeds…. Today we put up signs on the trails and cleared the path…
For All Play, Doug took half the Junior High to play thicket. First we played thicket in real thickets. It was very painful. Then we played thicket in the woods.
Maria
*****
Bumpity bumpity bump,
The bus flew over a hump.
We went flying through the air and then
Landed on our rump.
We’re digging and digging, so dig.
So glad I got this gig
Potting plants and mixing manure
And finally mulching weeds.
Munching munchity munch,
We we just finished lunch.
We ate our last food from home
For a while; I have a hunch.
Walkity walkity walk,
The woods are full of thorns and stalks.
Our “Nature Art” hike without art
Just trees and dirt and talk.
Munching munchity munch,
The tacos are better than lunch.
We ate our first food from Donna
Which is worth a bunch.
Talkity, talkity talk
I sang right on a rock.
We met around the fire
At exactly 8 o’clock.
Sweating, sweating, sweat,
But then there’s that freezing jet
Of ice cold water from a hose
And after the sauna we’re wet.
Sleepy, sleepy, sleep.
We’re piled in a heap
Of sleeping bags and teenagers
And we can’t make a peep.
Risity, risity, rise.
The sun just hit the sky.
‘Kay fine! We’re up! We yell out loud
As we open our eyes.
Munchity, munchity, munch.
We had a feast for burnch.
With pancakes, eggs and sausages
Were stuffed and lay on the bench.
We’re digging and digging, so dig.
So glad I got this gig
Potting plants and mixing manure
And finally mulching weeds.
Munchity, munchity, munch.
We ate a Donna-cooked lunch
With spicy chili and sandwiches
And some chips for some crunch.
Crackly, crackly, crack,
The sky is turning black.
The powerful flames absorbing the wood
And all of the tin on the shack.
Talkity, talkity, talk,
I sat right on a rock.
We met around a fire
At exactly two o’clock.
Bumpity bumpity bump,
The bus flew over a hump.
We went flying through the air and then
Landed on our rump.
Amy G
(Sara’s editorial comment: We sure did a lot of eating! I tried to be true to the poem – goofy but some good moments for sure!)
***8
Wow. That was not just my last full group Land School visit, was it? I’m in denial of the fact that this is my last year, that I am no longer coming to this school as a student. 12 years. Yup. That’s how long I’ve been here and the Land School has been a part of it, whether it was coming out with my mom when I was in Children’s House, or going on the Farm Stay now. The Land School has always sort of been there… How many urban schools actually have that choice?
Annie
***
… I’ve been visiting this farm since I was 3 years old, and at 14 I’m still not sure I’m ready to let it go. Ranging from 2 hours to 2 weeks, I could say the amount of time I have spent here has added up to a small/decent portion of my life. I know this place and I love it…
Yesterday the Animal are group moved poop and pee all day. So fun. It was a tiring and stinky job, but I guess we had fun with it…Today we did a quick clean of the llama pen and then we had to shear/vaccinate the animals…
Cascades of land pouring out over the view,
Blue sky stretching beyond the tipping point,
Trees protrude from the earth, standing proud.
Houses are rare, and frankly unwelcome.
I see corn and deer and birds flying free.
My heart is unraveling like a seamstress’s thread.
One can’t help but wonder why some places
Are so beautiful and others are so not.
As buildings become more common,
I yearn for the place I have just sadly left.
It is curious, the saying, “Absence makes
The heart grow fonder” because it is true.
Dearest Land School of mine
How horribly I already miss you.
-- Raven
(Sara’s editorial comment: Way cool how much these kids love the Land School – exactly what we wanted!)
…No bloodsucking ticks attached to me, no mosquito bites, a fairly good sleep on the concrete, no bad food. The only low point was getting pink with sunburn… My favorite activities were hanging out on the back porch Monday night, ghost stories around the campfire, and watching the back building burn…..
Emma M
***
…I am in the Maple Sugaring stewardship group. This time of year is a great time for our group because there is a lot to do, such as gathering maple sap and turning it into syrup. That is basically what our group did. We started out on the 11th making a fire at the boiling station and dividing up buckets. We collected one barrel of sap, which is one gallon of maple syrup….In the morning…I boiled and filtered maple syrup. After lunch we had chores. I went to the campfire circle to clean up…Donna started the pig barn on fire. It was very hot and cool. I got soaked by Andy [with the hose, there for a safety precaution]…
Ruby
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