Running to Harvest at Echollective's Organic Food Farm

The Scene

• 13 students ready to harvest 
• 13 lunch boxes, snack bags and booster seats
• 13 pairs of rubber boots, a set of rain coats, and an umbrella
• 6 adults 
• 5 cars
• 3 sets of directions
• 2 very dusty gravel roads
• 1 excellent GPS (thank-you Kurt)

The Journey
As we set out on the road toward Mechanicsville, Iowa destined to read Echollective Farm on this crisp and damp day, friends made all sorts of wonderings. Friends were sure we would see sheep, pigs, horses and a cow or two. They were desperately hoping we would see a dog like "Fly" - Max's Border Collie. They also hypothesized that they would see a tractor, hoe, cone flowers, sunflowers, tomatoes, onions, corn stalks and a lot of ladybugs. Turns out our friends were right on track...

The beauty in a trip like today is that students actually got to live with the earth beneath their feet for awhile. We ate in a Prairie clearing on damp grass and Kelly the resident pooch sniffed around for forgotten compost. As they ate they each made the tiniest noticings - a cricket nearby, a grasshopper hiding, and the clouds moving away as the afternoon shed sunshine and blue skies on our picnic. Following a circle discussion with Derek, a resident Echollective farmer, we made our way toward the crops. Today was a gift to each child as they would run in the field, play in the dirt, grab a long piece of Prairie Grass to twirl in their hands, choose a bouquet for their hair and absorb the aroma of leeks, basil, and soil was as though.

Derek took the students on a journey of a Food Farm as he spoke about all of the decisions that are always evolving with a group of farmers. He described the importance of balancing the monetary responsibility of driving food to Iowa City for restaurants such as 126, Motley Cow, Atlas and The Wedge or The IC Farmer's Market and New Pioneer Coop to their growth ratio. Derek explained the idea of "aesthetically pleasing" vegetables that we purchase. His big questions is "How many holes CAN it have to sell at the Farmer's Market?" From money wonders to leaves with holes, Derek also described the weather and how that might influence their harvesting season. Tonight, for example, frost is coming 2 to 3 weeks early. However, preparing for frost is simply part of the job. A job that protects tender plants from getting frost bite - and turning black. We are hoping for a cloudy and cool night since the clouds serve as a warm blanket between the plants and the cool Autumn air.

Today students got to take away valuable knowledge. First and foremost they discovered where the food that they find in their lunch boxes - actually comes from before it sets up shop at Fareway, Coop or the Farmer's Market. Most importantly, however, friends came away with a new definition of Farm.

We talked about the word organic and what that means. I was so proud... friends were able to talk about locally grown concepts of healthy, non-sprayed foods. Derek added to our discussion by stating his dilemma in spraying foods or not spraying them. In that we learned about biodegradable tea sprays that help feed the soil and plants for a more thorough crop harvest.

And then...they were off! In our harvesting today we picked sweet, red peppers, Dinosaur Kale, purple kale and leeks. We were able to see onions, tomatoes, egg plant, jalapeno and ... one orange tractor. How I wish you could have been surrounded by the wonderful aromas of fresh vegetables readying themselves for Harvest.

To end the day we enjoyed snack in a circle, discussed our harvest success and dined on Sungold Tomatoes - a gift from Derek. This week we are looking forward to sampling an Autumn Snack with Chef Gaby such as Kale Chips and Fresh Salsa (Emma's suggestion). We will also work to preserve tomato sauce for lusciously warm noodles and sauce once winter sets in.

Although harvesting, Derek and Kelly the Dog were all interesting parts of our day, none fascinated these Willowwind friends more than the insect habitat that naturally made its way among vegetables, hearty soil and Prairie Grasses. Today friends held Cabbage Lopper Worms (they like to make holes in Kale Leaves), and Tomato Horn Worms (who love to suck all of the tomato juice out of tomato plants - and then turn into Luna Butterflies), grasshoppers the size of a 1st grader's hand, and crickets - all shapes and sizes. We also learned that true ladybugs are considered "good bugs" for plants because they keep the "bad bugs" away.

This experience, that used all of our senses to the very core,  redefined our definition of farm. It allowed them to see how soil provides the nutrients to grow seeds into flowers and finally vegetables.Today  students were apart of the process that prepares food for their table and their bodies.

Thank-you for journeying with us throughout the year. It is much appreciated. A huge thank-you to Chef Gaby, Mick, Matthew and Kurt for allowing us the opportunity to go the farm, explore, smell, taste and ... of course...be curious kids!