by Katie
Oofta. They're watching a movie now. Don't worry, Anne's with them while I write. Farm Stay 3. Really it is Farm Stay Number 1 for me and like I said to many of the parents today at the Pancake Breakfast, it has been a funny two weeks thus far.
Imagine yourself amidst 14 adolescents, all day (and night), everyday for 13 days, and 5 days yet to come. I think a lot of questions might come to mind as to the sanity of a person who would choose such a life, but as for me, I wouldn't have it any other way. I am continually entertained by their antics (antics that they think we have no idea what they are up to) and am amazed at their ability to always (and I mean always) have something to say. But I am also amazed at their ability to dedicate hours of work to the things they love to do, like baking, singing, constructing greenhouses and cutting boards, creating great learning spaces, capturing pictures, watching sunsets, and the list goes on and on. I'm glad they have this authentic opportunity at the Land School to feel/be productive and useful. I told them a story the first night about "not going to bed hungry" and challenged them to take advantage of all that they could during the stay. Whether they realize it now or in twenty years, while here they really are continually learning about and searching for more opportunities to express their need for action and creation and picking up after themselves. Okay, that last one has not quite made it into the collective conscious effort, but I sometimes dream of it at night..!
It's an awfully great experiment, throwing 14 adolescents together. Given enough time to normalize, they can come out the better for it in the end. Time will tell :) Ooops, Andy just called. The chicken door was left open...again. Ah well, we still have five days to get that right..
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