Wild Willow Farm Observation

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I volunteered at Wild Willow Farm and Education Center on March 25, 2017 from 10 AM to 3 PM. I felt as if this session gave me a better understanding of the farm and all the activities it entails compared to when we went as a full class during our lab period. With less than half the class present and the experiment in full swing, this visit involved much more labor and less petting of the goats than my first trip. I can fully admit that I did not expect to work as much as I did. I carpooled with two girls from my lab group and I was glad to have them alongside of me so we could experience the community service learning together, so when it comes time to present on the cover crop experiment at the end of the semester, we can all expand on our shared involvement. …show more content…

While capturing images, I saw firsthand the fickleness of farming. Despite all being planted at the same time, some tomato plants have begun to wither with the extreme heat and harsh sunlight. Before this class began, I always rolled my eyes at how expensive local produce is at farmers’ markets and I often chose to buy produce from the grocery store. I knew the environmental impact of my actions— shipping food from place to place adds unnecessary carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, speeding up global climate change— but I wanted to save money. Now, with what I have seen and experienced at the farm, I have learned that their prices are just. Farmers put everything they have into their livelihood of farming, yet they often have little control over their total crop. I would never be able to commit my entire life to farming, as I need full control over everything I

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