On the Farm

By: Liz Anderson, Charlestown Farm

The first morning that the Food for Thought van arrived at Charlestown Farm,  I began to question our decision to participate in the program.  So many people poured out of the van, I began to wonder what we could do with all of them?  Some were eager to work, some were eager to take breaks, still others were most interested in harassing one another.  Over the course of the next five weeks, I got to know them well as we all worked side by side, pulling weeds, harvesting garlic and pulling out stakes.  It was a tremendous learning experience for every one of us.  Farming is healing work, and it was so at FFT.  The combination of physical work, tangible results, and the opportunity for conversation while your hands busily worked, was transformative.  As we squatted to pull weeds, FFT youth told me about their hopes for the future as well as some of their problems at home or at school.  The farm was a safe place where they could do productive work and share a bit of themselves.  I found that some of the youth who seemed least interested in the work could be the best workers with encouragement and an opportunity to tell their story and feel needed.

One of these young adults worked best with an adult one on one.  Initially, he had been one of the people who would take frequent bathroom breaks only to return half an hour later.  Once he felt productive and needed, he worked tirelessly and refused to take even a snack break. At its core, FFT offers youth and the host farms a chance to connect with one another doing productive work, both physically and emotionally.  We look forward to participating again next year.