Farm work

Hi everyone! It’s Mady Gordon.

Today when we split up into two groups, my group went to help out at a local farm. Most of the girls in the group, including myself, painted new signs to label each of the fields. The rest of the group sorted onions and moved crates, so I felt lucky to have a job in the shade. After we had all finished we helped carry out the farm’s produce and help set up their farmer’s market. The vegetables all looked so fresh and different; each one was a different shape and color, not like what you see in the grocery store. One of the farmers talked to us about eating organically and shopping locally, and told us some interesting truths about mass farming today. Did you know that in all the cotton fields you drive by every day, every single plant there is a clone? Their seeds have been unnaturally altered so that each plant is absolutely perfect, and that any insect that eats it will die. It really got me thinking about what I eat, and made me want to shop locally so that I know I’m eating what’s actually good for me. The farmer even told us about her favorite locally grown farm in the Phoenix area, Crooked Sky Farms. We’re learning all about producing your own food here and I hope to learn some more tips for when I get back!