This last week has been a great way to wrap up my time on the farm. I helped out at the farmers market today and now I feel like I’ve experienced the full cycle of organic farming. Week 1 I worked with compost and planted many crops. Week 2 I maintained the beds and even made my own stretch of garden. Week 3 I sold some produce at the farmers market. 

It’s been such a great time. I think being able to come out of this experience with some teaching ideas is great, but what will stick with me is the knowledge, confidence and independence I’ve gained over the course of the entire CFE. I think the process from beginning to end prepared me for encounters that I’ll come across everyday in the teaching profession. From researching where to live, contacting my hosts and building rapport over email, meeting new people everyday, and figuring out how farming works; I can see how these may all be paralleled throughout my teaching career. Parent-teacher interviews, preparing for contracts overseas, and teaching new curriculum are all job-related activities that I can feel more comfortable with after my time here.

Moving forward, I will be sure to recommend this international placement for future teacher candidates. The entire process was so smooth, inviting. The hosts, Gerry and Janet made it what it was by reciprocating my help with their kindness and hospitality.

Aloha,

Chris

A lot of time spent during my first week had to do with familiarizing myself with the area, the people, and the tasks. I found that this second week I was able to take-off and do a lot more work independently. The massive lettuce beds I’ve pictured here, for instance, were all weeded by myself, alone! I spent about 3 hours there, working away and building up an appetite, which brings me to my next idea.

Gerry, the farm owner, makes sure I’m well fed before I come to work. During work he lets me take ‘coconut-o-clock’, where we sit to drink coconut water and eat papayas. After work I’m allowed to eat anything from the gardens to get nourished and ready myself for the next day. I thought about this in relation to my teachings. If I want students to come to class ready for work, I need to make sure they’re well-fed. I haven’t worked out how yet, but I might have a big pot of chili, or a snack corner; something to fill them up.

The other thing that came up this week and really stuck in my mind was a discussion I had with Gerry about organics. I knew that organics are good for us, but the science around what sets them apart from conventional foods is something I didn’t entirely understand. I asked Gerry the question, ‘why eat organic?’ and for the next 20 minutes I was taking notes. There’s so many benefits to growing food organically, and one of the take-away messages would have been great to share with my practicum students during our sustainability unit. Organically grown food is a self-sustaining ecosystem that relies on diversity. A variety of crops allows for healthier bee’s and other insects to assist the growth of the plants, which later die and enrich the soil with a heap of nutrients that go into the next batch of crops. There is so much detail in organically grown food, and thanks to Gerry I’ve learned the importance of eating organic!

Mahalo,

Chris

I arrived at the airport on Sunday to be picked up by Gerry, the owner of Kapa’a Organic Farms in Maui, Hawaii. I slept well the first night and began my next morning with a couple of fresh fruits, pancakes and some homegrown coffee. Immediately I felt welcome, the owners, Gerry and Janet, have charming personalities that make me feel as if I’m at a bed and breakfast.

We started work early, and a lot of members from the local community came out to volunteer their time and support the farm. We split into small teams and headed toward the composting area at one end of the farm; little did I know this was the most testing job I’d have all week. Right away my nose knew that I was in the composting area, and as I looked to my left to see a rotting goat in a bucket beside me, my eyes quickly knew where I was too. We walked past the goat and lifted a big black tarpaulin to uncover an area of compost that was to be used in the gardens. It wasn’t that easy though, first the compost needed to be shovelled into a sifter where I would sift it by hand to separate and collect smaller materials. One hour and 12 buckets of sifted compost later, I could breathe easy. We spent the remainder of the day planting crops in new beds.

I feel like compost-sifting was the most trying time for me, and if it hadn’t been for that I would probably be complaining about the much easier, cleanlier tasks I’ve been doing. Being surrounded by strangers that were all taking part in sifting compost probably helped me too. I don’t want to be the one sitting out and watching as everyone’s working; it wouldn’t be the best way to make friends.

As much as I like the work, I also like my time off. Hawaii is great for that, and I’m making the most of it. Here’s a picture of some fresh food I picked for my lunch the other day.

Aloha,
Chris