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Published: April 7th 2011
Hard to believe it's already the start of our third project; this means my term with AmeriCorps is just over halfway complete...
It was a long ride up to Port Hadlock, Washington from Sacramento! We split travel time into two days: 10 hours the first up to Portland and then 5 hours the next day. While in Portland we were able to grab dinner with our favorite law enforcement officer/former teammate Brooks.
Our location this round is split into two parts: where we live and where we work. Part of the sponsor's agreement with NCCC is that they provide housing for the team and Sunfield Education Association doesn't have housing facilities on the farm the way Sugar Pine camp did. Instead, they worked out a deal with Fort Flagler State Park to let us live in their guest lodging for the project.
Fort Flagler is a beautiful state park on a small island. It's wonderful to be able to wake up to a wonderful view of the Pacific from anywhere we stand. On special days when the fog clears we get an exceptionally beautiful view of
snowy mountains in the far horizon.
Some of the most fun aspects of Fort Flagler are the remains of the fort and batteries used by soldiers long ago. Scattered throughout the park are old stone steps leading down to underground passage ways and dungeon-like storage rooms. Would have been an epic place to play in as a little kid!
Some "Paranormal Investigators" (read Ghost Hunters!!!) came to Fort Flagler one weekend to run some tests in some of the old buildings. We were invited to tag along and, even though I don't believe in ghosts, I dressed all in black and joined a crew. The guys had all sorts of technology; lights that detect spirits, super sensitive microphones, etc. Etc. (What companies make their living designing ghost hunting equipment?!). I had to try not to laugh the whole time; everything was recorded and analyzed later so if ever you made any noise you had to explain to everyone in the room that it was in fact your shoe that squeaked- not a communication from beyond. Definitely an experience!
The real reason Blue 3 was sent up to Port Hadlock was to help out with the organic farm at Sunfield Education Association. Our sponsors Neil and Verity are really awesome; they're a young married couple who have WWOOFed (World Wide Organization of Organic Farmers) all over. Verity is originally from England.
Working on a farm has definitely been a new experience for all of us! It's been great to get really involved and learn about all the little things that go into running a farm. Neil and Verity are great about teaching us the reasons behind why we plant certain things in specific ways or in specific places. I'm really learning a lot from everything we do.
A lot of our work has been prepping the fields for planting or transferring plants to better areas. We've replanted garlic bulbs that some kids planted upside down, moved raspberry bushes to add more rows, and pruned out the strawberry plants.
The best part is that we also get to work with the farm animals! There are 5 female sheep, all of which were pregnant when we arrived!! In the past few weeks 2 have given birth: Millie had a little boy the kids named Artemus (or Arty), and Mollie had two adorable twin girls named Maggie and May. THEY ARE SOOOOO SWEET! They look to me like tiny stuffed animals on shaky little legs they're just learning to use. Their Baa's are really soft and baby sounding. To keep them warm Verity made them sweaters using the sleeves of her old wool sweaters. Arty's is blue and the twins have matching pink ones. I almost can't handle how much I love them.
I also love the goats!! I would never have thought this before I interacted with goats, but they're just crazy and playful. They remind me of socially awkward puppies (which often makes me miss mine). They're always making weird faces and trying to stick their big heads through small cracks in the fence. They also stare at the baby lambs, which I think is creepy and rude. We're rotating who gets to milk the goats so I have yet to try this (although I have had some goat's milk from Sunfield).
There are also some chickens who never stay in their pen and strut around like they own the farm. We've been constantly supplied with fresh eggs since we started here! It's like a real Easter Egg hunt to wander through the hen houses and collect the eggs! They even come in a wide range of pretty greens and blues. Sunfield also has cows and some rabbits which I rarely see but try to sneak dandelion leaves as occasional treats.
The farm hosts some outside community groups as well; there was a group from a rehab center in earlier this week and every Thursday and Friday some developmentally delayed community members come to volunteer. I've become good friends with a young woman who greeted me by saying, "Hello. I have a boyfriend."
There is also a Waldorf school right on the farm. Waldorf is an independent method of schooling that focuses on children as developing individuals and values creativity and originality. We work with some students from 11-11:45 every day when they do their farm chores. I also got to tag along on a hike with kindergartners one morning! They were slightly shy at first and one girl explained that it was because at first she thought I was a boy because I was dressed like one... AmeriCorps uniforms and muddy rain gear will do that I guess!
An independent school on a farm is very different from inner-city Los Angeles public schools! For part of service learning this round Im hoping to have a discussion comparing the two. In LA the teachers carried whistles in case someone stepped out of line. At Sunfield the teachers sing to the students when they want them to gather together. My kindergartners in LA were practicing new reading words when I left. Waldorf students don't learn to read until they ask to learn, which is typically 2nd or 3rd grade.
Every Monday- Thursday two members of the team stay at Fort Flagler and do work around the park. Our first week was my turn to stay and for all four days we were repainting guest housing. As much as I loved skipping the 25 minute commute off the island I definitely missed the liveliness of the farm!
I've learned that in northern Washington there are no such things as rain checks, because it is always raining! We start our days with team exercise and head outdoors to work no matter the weather- we've just dusted off our government rain gear we used for sledding back at Sugar Pine Christian Camp.
Our unit leader said that this is one of the most unique projects NCCC has taken on, so we feel pretty lucky to have all these opportunities. It's easy to forget that when we get tired from long work days or a little frustrated with small town isolation, but I really think everyone will miss this when it's over.
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Art Hagy
non-member comment
My goat-loving Peacock
Kristen, Everytime I read your blogs, I know why I love you so much. Your values are so wonderful and your comments so welcome. Yesterday was my birthday and one of the blessings of my 80 years and 1 day, is to know you. God bless you. Art