Before my trip to Jerusalem Farm, the only thing on my mind was that I wouldn’t have my phone all week and would have to eat vegan. I spent the week with some of my classmates, Director of Campus Ministry Mr. Paul LeBoeuf, and Science teacher Ms. Amy Becker. On arrival, we took a tour of the place and got to meet the all-girls school from Chicago alongside whom we were working. 

On Monday morning, we split into different chore groups. I signed up for planting in the garden with Amelia, one of the counselors. We started by cleaning out the planter box, which meant pulling weeds, and then turned the soil to get it prepared for planting. Unfortunately, we forgot to bring a shovel, which meant I had to volunteer to dig the hole with my fingers. But when we finished, the garden looked great. It was awesome to see we created something that will someday be someone’s source of food. 

The next day, we were assigned to our work groups. My group worked with Larry, a Kansas City homeowner that needed his house painted. While priming Larry’s house, I got to interact with his granddaughter, Gemini, who loved to talk to us and play music. At the end of the day, it was amazing to see the house in a different color, and it looked much better than when we got there; our hard work paid off. 

On the third day, we were sent to work at the goat station down at the park. Our job was to move JFarm’s goat trailer down the road and set up the electrical fence in the new grazing area. After moving the goats back in the trailer, we started to pull up the fencing from the old area and set it up in the new space. We carefully planned out its path, and then hammered in the stakes. It was incredibly fun and rewarding to watch the goats explore their new home. 

On Thursday, we worked at Rob’s house, who lived close to the farm, and needed some interior home repairs. I was assigned to caulk the corners of each room, which was pretty easy once I started to get the hang of it. While I was caulking, the other people in my group painted the inside walls of the house. Rob wasn’t there that day, but hopefully, he was happy with the work that we did. 

Our last full day was Friday, and we were assigned to help out in the garden. I got assigned to mix the compost. Following that, I helped water the blackberry trees and cut down dead branches. We finished the day by watering the rest of the sprouting plants. It felt good to help maintain the garden where so many people can get their food. After work, we packed and got ready to depart on Saturday. 

I had a wonderful experience at Jerusalem Farms. At the farm, I had so many unique opportunities to learn and help others. It made me feel so proud that the work I was doing was positively affecting the lives of those in the Kansas City community. I was able to meet so many new people, and create relationships that will last a lifetime. This immersion also made me incredibly grateful for the opportunities I am given in life and I gained a greater appreciation for the planet. I brought a lot of the practices I learned at Jerusalem Farms home with me, and one day, I hope to build and take care of my own little garden.