Are
you sure you want to shut down your computer now? The window on my screen prompts me to click
proceed or cancel. I look out the
window, the sun is out, and big sky country is living up to its name. It’s 11am
on an April afternoon and already starting to get hot outside. I choose to
proceed. My computer checks and double checks that it’s closed every vital
application, then the screen goes dark with an audible click. I feel the invisible tethers of modern life loosen. I check
my pockets: wallet, keys, pocketknife, pen, chap stick, but no phone. Perfect.
I head outside, strap on my helmet,
hop on my bicycle, and hit the river trail. It’s a five-mile bike ride from my
apartment to Clark Fork Organics (CFO) , the perfect distance to shake off any
trailing anxieties or lingering feelings of obligation associated with student
life. Clear of those negativities, I fill myself with excitement at the
knowledge that I get to spend the whole afternoon playing under the sun in the
dirt.
By playing, I mean working, but the
difference is not always clear to me at CFO. When I show up I take time to look
at all the different seeds I planted, it’s absolutely amazing how fast they can
grow in a week. Because it’s early in the season, much of my time at CFO has
been spent in one of the larger greenhouses planting seeds or transferring
starts to larger trays. The last time I was out there, though, we started
planting starts into the fields.
Out at CFO I find myself in a state
of relaxation, despite the heat and the gentle pressure to plant quickly and
precisely. I signed up for Wilderness and Civilization for a brief escape from
the screen wielding masses in my Media Arts classes, and being out at CFO has
solidified my stance. On a personal scale, I’ve realized the importance of
connecting yourself to something bigger.
Spending time planting and
nurturing things has helped me develop a greater respect for the vegetables I
pick up at Orange Street Food Farm every week. I believe everyone should spend
time volunteering or working on a farm, developing a closer connection to their
food and their earth. I’ve gained a lot of perspective at CFO, as well as a
personal sense of accomplishment and happiness. I look forward to volunteering
at the P.E.A.S. Farm this summer and continuing my agricultural learning far
into the future.
