Let's Go Farm in Santa Rosa, California

There is nothing more peaceful and beautiful than sleeping underneath a vast, dark sky littered with stars and a moon just bright enough to emit an omniscient glow. There is nothing separating you from the dark that surrounds you except the comfort of your sleeping bag and the sound of a once roaring bonfire has now hushed to snaps and cracks of warn out wood. We are all bundled up and falling asleep on the hillside of Lets Go Farm in Santa Rosa, California. 

Last Monday, we arrived at Let's Go Farm to meet two past interns who have now started a small-scale farm on a gorgeous Sonoma property that one of their parents purchased back in the 70’s. As two young farmers with part time jobs to support their efforts, they needed a lot of help with the fields and we arrived ready to work (well, kind of). Our day started bright and early with a huge breakfast made by the mother of the house- fresh coffee, bread, a giant fruit salad and a mushroom and kale strata that kept our bellies full while we worked all morning. I am no pro at farm work and it gets incredibly hot in this area in mid-afternoon, so laying black plastic, hammering stakes and pulling up roots did a number on my back and my hands. Not to mention my roommate and I went on a >4 mile hike the day before and my legs were already killing me. But just a few hours of working on their farm gave me a great sense of appreciation for the time and labor that farmers put into making their fields successful and plentiful. Not only is the work physically demanding, but knowing that your livelihood is dependent upon what is growing in the ground can also be mentally and emotionally taxing.

As if breakfast wasn’t large enough, we gathered on the wrap-around porch for a big lunch followed by a piece of strawberry rhubarb cake for dessert; can you say food coma!? After a restful hour of great conversation, an exchange of hugs and grateful goodbyes, we piled into the van to head home. But any intern field trip wouldn’t be complete, however, without a pit-stop to a nearby brewery so we stopped at the Russian River Brewery in Santa Rosa for some pints…and air conditioning.

This trip was such an awesome opportunity for me to bond with my roommates and I am so glad I got to see what two past interns have gone on to do with their lives. Aside from actually living on a farm that is maintained by many volunteers and staff,  I was so grateful that I got to experience just a tiny bit of what a small-scale farmer experiences every single day and it gave me such an appreciation for what they do.  This experience drove my motivation further to continue to learn and bring awareness to the importance of organic and sustainable farming. 

As I mentioned earlier,  a few weekends ago, my roommate and I drove a few miles past the farm to Monte Bello open space for a small (ish) hike with a great view of the Santa Cruz mountain range.     

   

Santa Cruzin'

What a busy few weeks it has been! I’m finally feeling as though I am settled in here and things are picking up in the office. In addition to getting used to the rhythm of my work day, I’ve been going into Oakland for some workshops and taking some trips with the other interns.

A few Mondays ago, we took a trip into Santa Cruz to visit the LifeLab Educational Garden and help out at the Homeless Garden Project. Its so amazing that students are able to experience hands-on educational gardens and its so wonderful to see that there are people who work really hard to get students out and engaging with their environment. This garden was amazing. A huge avocado tree stood in its center, its branches mingling with smaller lemon trees to provide shade for the resident hens (for those who don’t know, hens are great for pest control in gardens and a tool to teach students about their roles in food production). We were able to shadow a fifth grade class that came out to learn about pollinators and it was great to see the impact that this kind of education has on developing students. The LifeLab is located on the UC Santa Cruz campus, which has a ton of agricultural space along with a nice view of the ocean when it isn’t foggy. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky that day and although it was quite hot, there was a constant cool breeze that made standing out in the sun pleasurable and refreshing. High temperatures, low humidity and cool breezes create an awesome environment for grapes and I’m definitely planning a trip back to try some of the wines Santa Cruz has to offer.

After a morning of touring the garden, we drove closer to the coast to visit a Homeless Garden Project and help out with any work that needed to be done. I have to say this was one of my favorite parts of the trip because this organization provides work for homeless families in the area as well as inviting a ton of volunteers to come out and maintain the small farm. All of the fields are turned, weeded and maintained by hand, which takes a lot of tedious work so after we snacked on some of their fresh strawberries, we got to work weeding a few rows of lettuce (by this time, I might add, I am extremely sun-burnt and will regret not putting sunscreen on earlier that day). It was great to see the impact that the farm had on creating a community where people can feel accepted, valued and enjoy the fruits of their labor.

Our busy morning called for an afternoon of fun so we decided that cold beverages and a visit to the beach was necessary to round out our trip. I mean, as one of the most famous surf spots in the U.S, we couldn’t go to Santa Cruz and not stop by the beach! This beach trip was much more tolerable than the last, and I forced myself to wade in to feel the pacific wrap its penetrating waves around my feet. We decided to wander up the beach to a rocky slope, spotted with tide pools and native vines that lead up to some pretty amazing seaside homes.




California beaches are totally different from the Carolina coastline that I’m used to. The coastlines are intense, often jagged and sloped, waves forcing themselves over rocks and slamming onto the shore. The water penetrates your skin and sends you running for warm, dry sand. Carolina coastlines are often more calm and serene, the waves slowly lapping onto shore. The water is a bit warmer and the sand is so hot you have to sprint back to your towel. But there is something beautiful about both and lend you to appreciate what they can offer: West coast excitement and adventure; East coast rest and relaxation.

Intern Group relaxing after a long day of work!