An hour later, the coach arrived at Rocklands Farm in Poolesville, Maryland, transporting 45 students and 6 teachers from The Next Step Public Charter School in Washington, D.C.. Many of the students (ages 19-25) are the same age or even older than farmers Shawn Eubank and Greg Glenn, who are recent college graduates in Finance and Agricultural Economics.
The day was sunny, hot and humid. The 35-acre family farm is typical of small farms in America from the 1880s. Sustainability now--as it was back then--is key.
Everyone gathered in the cool, covered barn for introductions. Farm interns: Megan, Caroline, Anna and Joel --and teachers Alonso, Josue, Scott, Marcelo, Jose and Claudia. First, in Spanish; then English. Most students are recent immigrants who _____.
Two groups formed: one went first with Greg to meet the animals and trek through the pastures; the other half went with Shawn to the field crops, greenhouse, compost and cover crops.
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| Greg (checked shirt) explains how the animals move freely throughout the pasture. Greg rotates the animals throughout the pasture so that they can move freely within a certain radius while at the same time having access to fresh water and grass for sustenance. In this sustainable environment, the pigs, cows, sheep, goats and chickens all help one another, contributing nutrients to the soil and making it more fertile for growing crops. |
CAPTION: The chickens eat grass and some grain. Their waste goes into the compost, which then enriches the soil. They also lay eggs which are sold through the farm's CSA, at the local farm market on Thursday and during the summer at their own community farm market "Old Seneca," on the grounds of Rocklands.
