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. 

blog seven

After visiting the Portrero Nuevo website, I learned that it is protected from threat of development and guarantees agricultural land production in the San Mateo County. This is possible through land acquisition, legal land protection and strategic investments in farmland infrastructure. This project is called the Farmland Futures Initiative (FFI) created by the California Council of Land Trust. This initiative agreed to legally protect Portrero Nuevo through conservation easements that protect natural resources through the Peninsula Open Space Trust. POST was founded in 1977 in order to protect open space, farms and parkland around the Silicon Valley. They have been successful in saving 70,000 acres of land.

This is a great example of how City councils make policy. The books describes councils of governments (COGs) as examples of "regional coordination that are loose collections of local governments designed to increase communication and coordination in an area. They provide a neutral forum in which local leaders can come together to identify and discuss issues of common concern". They have improved area-wide policy planning throughout the years and have improved operational capacity of rural local governments. They do this "by providing expertise to small local jurisdictions that cannot afford to hire specialized staff" (262). One common concern among the community is the loss of 35% of farmland over the last 30 years. Protecting Portrero Nuevo farm is important because it helps the community in ways other farms do not. It donates its use of land, harvest support, seed, use of farm equipment and other materials to Abundant Grace Coastside Worker which feeds the low-income and homeless. 

Blog 6

Three principal functions of legislatures are to policy make like enacting laws, revising old laws and allocating funds. Legislatures compete with governors in the policymaking process. Governors have the power to veto, but legislators have the power to override a gubernatorial veto.
 Issues that attract legislators are improving productivity of public colleges, addressing both legal and illegal immigration, deciding which incentives and tax credits are most effective and many more issues. Another function is to represent the people who live in their districts. This can be difficult because on quiet issues, they hardly have much of a clue on public opinion but on noisy topics opinion is usually divided, making it difficult to find a solution. Sometimes, legislators serve constituents through casework where dividends are paid at the polls when a constituent favors the legislature that assisted him or her.The third function is to oversee. In other words, to ensure that the laws they passed and funds are being allocated properly. They pay special attention to state bureaucracy. By overseeing legislatures can often take the administrative realm but agencies do not like this even though it is a logical extension of their policymaking function. Legislatures operate with their own formal and informal rules. Violations of institutional norms result in sanctions.
Legislatures in 2011 had legislative term limits in effect in 15 states. Term limits create open seats which creates an increase in competition for legislative seats. But when legislative terms are limited, other institutional actors such as the governor gain power.

Blog post 5

In the Constitution, the First Amendment states that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof", in other words the law cannot tell a person they can or cannot practice a certain religion. By default, it states that even atheists can practice being atheists. Many individuals throughout the United States, especially religious individuals, wish to abolish the right to abortion. Although the Constitution does not explicitly say "abortion is legal" the Supreme Court established in the 1973 case of Roe v. Wade that abortions cannot be criminalized under personal liberty in the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause. Anti-abortion laws before the first trimester of pregnancy are unconstitutional under the Bill of Rights' personal marital, familial and sexual privacy protections. However, in order to protect a viable fetus or the health of a mother, the State may reasonably regulate abortion if after the first trimester. 
The feminist movement is not only advocating for equality among the sexes but it also advocates a woman's rights and the freedom of choice. Many believe that the act of abortion is murder and are challenging state constitutions to completely abolish abortion. I personally believe that because a woman's body is carrying a child, and is making a child, it is a part of her body and should be her choice, not anyone else's. In addition, individuals with strong religious beliefs should not decide for the mother because that would be forcing their religion on her which is a violation of the First Amendment. 

Blog post 4

Before reading the Catholic Social Teaching text, I thought that subsidiarity was merely the belief that local and smaller governments should have political power with the exclusion of a federal government to grant smaller governments political power. After reading the CST text, I found out that a federal government or a higher level of government is necessary and is responsible for giving smaller governments power, much like what is supposed to be practiced today. The CST reading states that "without the authority and funding mechanisms of a centralized government, neither national defense, nor a parks system for preserving wildlife, nor many other desirable resources would be possible" (pg 90). This type of help from a centralized government is very much needed and can also serve as a system of checks and balances. For example, without a national defense, a state stands no chance against an opposing country who wishes to do damage. However, one of the main principles of subsidiarity is the crucial distinction between state and society. The state is meant to serve the people not control it. Similarly, higher levels of government such as the federal government is meant to serve the people not control it, unless of course, for example, a state is acting inhumane by discriminating against a certain group, then the federal government should take action in order to ensure all members of the state are being served well. In the State and Local Government textbook, devolution is described as the delegation of power granted to state and local governments from the federal government. Subsidiarity and devolution are both very similar and one of the benefits they both share is that both definitions respect the natural groupings that people form with their neighbors. In Kenya, as an attempt to decentralize and bring government closer to the people, devolution is being practiced. Because Africa is so large and diverse, power to county governments may be more beneficial than a centralized government and may alleviate much of the tension faced in Kenya today. The intent of the establishment of this new constitution is to better understand fiscal implications of revenue and addressing the imbalances. In addition, its purpose is to strengthen the county through public financial management and public sector capacity. To ensure better access to county level data and monitoring of subnational performance so that the county can compare their progress and address their weaknesses. Also, to enhance devolved service delivery via the World Bank's portfolio and donor coordination. The new constitution also ensure proper checks and balances which can decrease the chances of political corruption. In the Catholic Social Teaching reading, it states that "Overly intrusive government reduces incentives for beneficial self-help and may have such unintended consequences as fostering an attitude of learned helplessness" (pg  90). Over dependence of the federal government not only gives the government too much power making it easier for corruption to take place however, because it is so far from local people of a county, it is difficult for the government to know and understand what exactly it is the people need. In addition, it gives the federal government, in my opinion, too much to handle. Quality over quantity should always be practiced in governing and serving the people that is why it is necessary to have many smaller forms of governments. That is why the devolution system in Kenya, if done properly with the purpose of truly serving the community, should be a success.

Topic 3

One way for citizens to interact with my CP, the State Senator Jerry Hill Internship, is through attending events. An event that just passed was Java with Jerry held on Saturday January 9th from 9:00 am- 10:00 am. Not only was the event held on a day that most likely worked for many, it was also meant to be a casual and comfortable event for citizens to bring "ideas, questions and concerns about legislative issues affecting the community" (California State Senator Jerry Hill website). Citizen participation at this event, for example, can very much affect a community. An individual who raises a concern can really deliver insight and possibly help the senator realize that a certain decision or situation may be very unhealthy for a certain community. The relationship between citizens and my CP could be range from good to ok to bad. In other words, not everyone will agree with the decisions Jerry Hill makes because they can affect families and communities in different ways. However, his decisions could very much benefit some. Although some may be unhappy with the results produced by their state senator, it is important to note that the senator cannot always please every individual but he is doing his best. If the citizens are unhappy, there are influential ways that they can make a statement. One very influential way that the community can be involved with my particular CP is through popular referendums. Popular referendums allow citizens to petition to vote on actions taken by legislative bodies. This can provide a mean by which the public can overturn a legislative enactment. If they are really unhappy, citizens can also recall which is a procedure that allows citizens to vote elected officials out of office before their term has expired.

Blog Post 2

Local governments may wish to meet their community's needs but "it is up to the state to determine the amount and type of authority a local government may possess" (p 234), so local governments may sometimes be frustrated with the state because they have limited authority. Some local governments, however, abide by the home rule that gives the legal ability of a local government to run its own affairs, subject to state oversight. The benefit of the home rule is that local officials can taylor their policy to better fit their community. However, most local governments are not run this way. Most of the conflict between state and local governments arise from unfunded mandates. A mandate is a requirement or order set by a state, such as solid waste management. When these mandate are not funded by the state, it makes it harder for local governments to meet this mandate. States believe mandates are necessary in order to ensure that activities are performed and goals are achieved. They also promote uniformity among jurisdictions. Thankfully, local governments have mandate reimbursement requirements making mandates easier to carry out. Not only is funding a problem for local governments to cope with but time and specific rules to these mandates pose a challenge to local governments. Local governments believe that more leeway in implementation would also take a big weight off of their shoulders. Having to deal with rising expenditure demands from residents while their authority to raise money is highly circumscribed by state law is an added weight. While localities want more money, they also want more control over how it is spent and to raise additional revenues themselves. This tension is healthy for our political system because state level advisory commissions on intergovernmental relations (ACIRs) are established. ACIRs are intended to offer a neutral forum for discussion of long-range state- local issues. Another benefit from tensions is the establishment of specialized administrative agencies such as the department of community affairs (DCAs). Established in all 50 states, DCAs are meant to offer a range of programs and services to local governments. DCAs are meant to act more like service deliverers rather than policy initiators.

Blog Topic 1

The opportunity to assist State Senator Jerry Hill was my first opportunity. Because he works for the 13th district and I have lived in the 13th district my whole life I thought it would be necessary to do what I can to help my home. I believe this CP is definitely affect by federal policies. The need for a state senator was recognized by the framers of the constitution. As stated in the Constitution, having a state senator is not only necessary but it helps better assist the people in a certain region. As do the more local governments. This opportunity will help me assist a larger community. On a smaller scale, my second CP choice is to assist Meda Okelo in the publishing of the El Ravenswood magazine. I believe this new magazine definitely arose from a local need. Meda most likely saw that the EPA community was in need of a free news subscription that was unique and catered to its community. The articles written are honest and informative. I believe local governments did not fill this need adequately because their responsibility to government in some cases overrides what the public really needs. A magazine is a great way to help the community feel like they are not alone if they do not like something the government is or is not doing, for example. Articles are meant to be the voice of the people. Many times governmental officials will look to these published articles as a gateway to access the opinions of the community. Further, these published works can also help the community better understand certain issues within the community and how to fix them. It may even help readers better understand and see the affects of certain policies made.

First post

Done. Yay!