CP Day 5

The last day was a rather gloomy day. Everyone knew it would be our last time together as a group. It was also a stressful time for most because it was nearing the end of the semester and that is when our biggest projects are due. We checked the progress of our strawberries. Jay and Suzie were so generous and let us have as many as we wanted by saying "I have a competition for you all, who can eat the most strawberries"? We were all excited to see the finish products. I felt like a child free to roam the land. The finish products were so delicious! It was fun to see how much we have learned and how much progress the strawberries made. Farming was a great experience. It gave me a better insight of what it takes to cultivate food. It is not so easy and I definitely believe farmers deserve to get paid more and deserve way more respect along with teachers. It also inspired me to look into urban agriculture and beekeeping. I will take what I learned with me and am inspired to learn more and educate. I also hope to one day own a big enough property to grow a few of my own organic crops like bellpeppers, carrots, lemons, avocados, apples and oranges. I had a great time at Potrero Nuevo and might even volunteer again out of pure fun a few times this summer.

CP Day 4

Day 4 was another tough day. We mostly plucked weeds the whole day. It was tedious and tiring but very helpful to the fruit trees. I wish I would have taken before and after pictures! The weeds were overcrowding and suffocating the poor plants! But the after math of all the weeding made the fruit trees look much healthier. I am curious to know how well those fruit trees grow a couple months from now. This is the day I learned more about the beehive Potrero Nuevo has which inspired me to write my research paper on urban agriculture. We also had the opportunity to taste the most delicious strawberries ever! These were the strawberries that Ahmed had sprayed with the compost tea and let me tell ya, that compost tea stuff really works!

CP Day 3

Day 3 was one of my favorite days! Lavender is one of my favorite scents so I very much enjoyed the first task. The first task was to gather and pull the old lavender roots. We were all conversing in the privacy of ourselves while Suzie took the old lavender to compost and did a few other tasks. Jay was absent that day. It was nice to have a moment to ourselves at the farm. I felt that they trusted us and we enjoyed talking about things that we wouldn't always discuss in front of adults. It was very clear that the CP group had grown closer that day. Krithi and I did some hoeing and weeding which I for sure felt the next day. It was a laborus task that we even got blisters from! This made me feel tough 8) That day we all planted 8500 onions in the onion beds. There was a careful and strategic way to place these onions. We all made sure that we had it right and all felt comfortable correcting each other and asking questions. Then, the super fun came after! Carrots are one of my favorite vegetables and we got to taste real organic carrots. They were delicious! We also did the asparagus challenge where we had to eat an asparagus that was still planted in the bed. It was safe and clean of course. We also tasted different lettuce that we would not otherwise buy or usually taste. All vegetable were delicious.

CP Day 2

Going to the second day of farming was difficult for me because I was extremely tired from staying up late completing an essay the night before. However, what helped me get out of bed was the fact that not only my classmates were counting on me for a ride but Jay and Suzie also were and seemed excited for us to be there. The second day of farming was a gloomy, cold but an eventful day. We continued the familiar task of weed picking then got to learn more about the crops and different types of crops and vegetables Potrero Nuevo has to offer. One of the crops we learned about was Rhubarb, a plant I never heard of before. Suzie even let us try the plant! It was somewhat sour but not bad. We then learned more about the strawberry field that we had seen the first day. It was awesome to see the compost tea in action after seeing some growth from the strawberries. We then helped Suzie prepare for a new crop she was planting. We also spent some time in the green house.

CP Day 1

At first, I was hesitant about volunteering at Potrero Nuevo. I was uneducated on growing crops and farming and did not know what was in store for me. However, I decided to take this opportunity because I enjoy being outdoors and this opportunity would have ensured this. Getting to the destination was difficult because the sign was somewhat covered by trees so it was easy to pass. The GPS was not very useful because if you were to put the name into the GPS it would take you somewhere completely different. Once we arrived I was pleased to see the open land, the friendly faces who greeted and welcomed us and the adorable fluffy dog called Bear (which was a very fitting name for him). I instantly had a great feeling about volunteering. The managers Jay and Suzie gave us a tour of the farm, educated us on what they did for the community and made us feel comfortable by telling us they were excited to have us. They wanted to know more about us and asked questions; it seemed like they really cared. I had no idea what was in store for me but I became excited rather than hesitant once I witnessed the beauty of the farm. The first activity we partook in was weeding; totally easy. Some may see this as tedious but after learning how dangerous it is to the health and growth of a plant I had no problem with weeding. They told us a little bit about their compost tea and asked which one of us wanted to do that while the rest of us weeded. Ahmed volunteered. Conversing while weeding made the task much easier. Time went by so quick.

blog 9

Until recently, the Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) decided to protect the agricultural land. Although it does not clearly state whether or not POST helps fund Potrero Nuevo, one can assume that by "protecting" the land, POST also means contributing to its health and flourishment which essentially means ensuring that they receive the funding needed to make this happen. I believe Potrero Nuevo receives funding for the educational program it offers to Pilarcitos High School's "Coyote Farms Project". Also, the U-Pick program where members of the community come pick flowers and certain crops available in season gives Potrero Nuevo a source of income. The bike stand that Potrero Nuevo has where certain snack foods and water could be found for bikers biking along the way is a small source of income if the biker decides to donate. The biker is not obligated to pay for the items he or she takes. It is based off an honorary system. I would conclude that money and services provided are not provided in a consistent and reliable manner. Because certain non-profit organizations rely on Potrero Nuevo for food, I would argue that other people and organizations rely on my CP to provide a sort of funding since people rely upon it to eat. 

Blog 8

Potrero Nuevo Farm is a noble farm that is one a kind. It donates much of its land and equipment to provide job opportunities to organizations such as the Abundant Grace Coastside Worker. This organization feeds the low income and homeless communities. This charitable action best reflects Hallmark two of "We honor the dignity and sacredness of each person" because ensuring that every individual eats, no matter their economic status, is a form of honoring the dignity of a person and ensuring social justice. Sometimes, certain inevitable circumstances make it difficult for an individual or a family to make a stable living in turn making it difficult for them to eat. For example, during the recession many of these individuals might have benefited from programs like these. In addition, Hallmark six of "We create community among those with whom we work and with those we serve" applies because individuals often need to work together when farming. This creates a bond and sense of community. Also, the sharing of the land creates a commonality amongst the participants. Potrero Nuevo also offers an educational program for Pilarcitos High School's "Coyote Farms Project" which shows the value in education that Potrero Nuevo owners and managers have. Hallmark 7 "we develop holistic learning communities which educate for life" is most applicable. Farming is not only a means to create a sense of community but it is also valuable information to life that textbooks cannot always offer. This hands on experience is essentially available to anyone who wishes to volunteer. Overall, Hallmark 5 of "We embrace the gift of diversity" is applicable to all organizations and opportunities for the community because people of different economic statuses, ages and ethnicities have someone contributed or benefited from Potrero Nuevo. This farm again is one of its kind and just keeps on giving and being good.