A Working Vacation
When we travel outside of the U.S., it’s typically a vacation and it’s hard not to think of this trip in the same way. With the amount of sightseeing in Dublin and The Cliffs of Moher, it is a reasonable description at times. Then there are visits to places like the Redmond Farm in County Wexford that remind us that this is so much more.
It’s here the students were put to work planting vegetables that will be harvested in a couple of months and enjoyed at one of the two hotels the family owns. This farm produces beef cattle, barley, wheat, potatoes, and a wealth of seasonal produce. That’s where members of the group got involved. From pulling the screen down the field that will protect the crop in the cool mornings to getting down in the dirt to plant cauliflower, the students got off the sidelines and into the field to learn in a new, more memorable way.
On the surface this may look like cheap labor, but for this group of 4-Hers, this is service learning to the core. Our host, Andrea, took these kids in and taught them everything they needed to know about planting vegetables in the Irish climate this farm is situated in. That includes making sure the plant is as deep as possible to protect the stem when the wind sweeps over the rolling hills and that the plant spacing is uniform so they have room to grow to full maturity.
Learning can be fun, but it can also be tough work as everyone found out. Some of the guys were sent to the barn for shovels and rakes to clean up the rows. Levi is seen here posing with his rake, and if we’re honest, I have no clue what he was doing with the rake. Not sure he did either. Maybe just leveling off the dirt the other guys put on top of the row.
Andrew was part of the second group to come jump in the field and this farm kid was excited to get down in the dirt on a real working farm. He said this kind of tour is what he looked most forward to on this trip.
The ladies on the other hand did not necessarily have the back-breaking work, but they did have to sacrifice their back-to-school manicures to get the job done. Gracie and Abby were among the students digging in and doing their part to put food on someone’s table.
I interviewed Abby for a story here and she told me how tough the work is, but she never quit smiling. Gracie was a little dramatic about the nails, but said it was nothing a little soap, water, and scrubbing couldn’t solve.
While this type of tourism may not seem like your idea of a vacation, and let’s be honest, it’s not for everyone, it was a highlight for a lot of the group and really set the stage for a learning experience they won’t soon forget.