Thursday, August 29, 2013

The woes and joys of caring so dang much....

So I'm really glad to be on the faith and food journey, but sometimes I wish I didn't care. I'm glad I'm a passionate person and care about the pursuit of knowledge and justice, but sometimes I feel it would be easier to not care about what I ate, my health, or the state of the environment and bio-diversity. I am trying to figure out how to live out my convictions, but be balanced and have my priorities straight.  So yes it would be easier not to care, but it's not me and that's ok. Today I really wanted to get this flat iron chicken panini from the Farms and Fields station at Owens, but I asked the lady about the chicken and she said it wasn't local nor "small-scale/ family farmed," but was hormone free... so I didn't eat it. For me, my new vegetarian diet or pescatarian (I did eat some shrimp at Mexican the other night, whoops!)/ locavore diet is a daily walk and personal conviction. And I am a college student who is on a budget and quite busy, so I must live inside my means. It's been a cool journey so far because I feel that I am more so living out what I am learning about in my major and am "preaching" to my friends and family:) And everyone has been so supportive of me, which I am so grateful for. So no answers here or formula for sustainable living and eco-conscious life, but just a girl on a journey.

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Classes Starts Tomorrow!!

Tomorrow I have my Fish and Wildlife Class called Human Dimensions... I am really excited. It is a 400 level class and will be difficult, but interesting. Tuesday I have my Nature and America Values class and Resources Geology class and am then done by 12:15. I am excited for classes to start and get my education on! Tomorrow I also am MCing the first 180 for this semester! YAYAY!!

Saturday, August 24, 2013

NSO!!!!

NSO: New Student Outreach. IV's NSO has been so busy, so successful, and so exciting. Meeting new freshman, some of whom have faith in God and want to be missional already and others who really are not interested in religion and don't believe in God: we welcome both and look forward to reaching out and getting to know both types of people and everyone in between. We had an ice-cream social that had a great turn-out and we got contact info from lots of students. Today we had a frisbee game, which was really fun! It's been cool to see our student leaders step up to the plate and be so welcoming and intentional. It's also cool to see how God has been working on our campus and I'm curious to see what big things he has in store.

So my leaf lettuce has little sprouts growing up- how exciting! And I have had lots of time to do crafts (which I love doing) and I just painted this table white I found in a dumpster. Next, I am going to decorate it by painting a flower on it. It's been really nice to make this new apartment feel like home. We've been doing no AC, window's and porch open which has been lovely. And last night we had a bunch of friends from our apartment complex come up and have game night! Tonight IV is playing Walleyball (which is like volleyball and racquetball combined... SO EPIC). So I have invited some freshmen who will hopefully enjoy it and meet some new friends.

Got my books, got my planner, all unpacked: ready for classes Monday! Bring it!

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Hokie Helpers!

So Monday evening until Tuesday afternoon I was in Floyd, Va (45 min from Blacksburg) at Inter Varsities leaders retreat. It was really great to see all the small group leaders: get to know the sophomores better and reconnect with the upper class-man. We just went over New Student Outreach events and tried to get everyone pumped for the freshmen coming and a new semester. Last night we had our Returners 180 (large group for IV). It was really nice and a fellow Vision Team member, Jordan, gave a really nice talk. 

Today was the first day of freshman move-in and IV did the Hokie Helpers (volunteer move in crew) shift from 12-4. It was really fun to move people in and introduce ourselves. Then I had a meeting with my advisor to talk about my independent study, based off my internship. We decided to title it "Learning through outdoor and farm experiences." It will be about the psychology of outdoor experiences and children's happiness, comprehension, and ability to focus. As well as teacher student relations in alternative learning environments... and more. The class is to help me learn more about what I began learning this summer as well as prepare me for future career aspirations. We will taylor the class for what is important and interesting to me. I am pretty excited. So we will see how that goes. 

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Back in the Burg:)

I'm settled back in Blacksburg. Friday night and Saturday day I had Vision Team retreat (the leadership team I'm on for InterVarsity). It was awesome; we got a lot done and had a good time together... but it was also exhausting! During our free time we did a free workout class together: LOLZZZ

Then today I ran some errands, did laundry, finished decorating the apartment. I got some potting soil and planted lettuce and rosemary (all organic of course!). We will see how it grows!! Hopefully well. I called Steve to chat about it and he was so helpful, like always! It was nice to catch up with him to and hear about his sweet family and the farm. Roomie Katie is here now which is super exciting! So we hung out today and just did a bunch of little things. Then we made dinner. I made my first home-cooked vegetarian meal! Roasted chickpea tacos with cheese and lettuce. It was delicious and filling! 

Thursday, August 15, 2013

On the Road Again!

This morning I packed up and drove to Lynchburg. I couldn't get internet last night so I couldn't map-quest directions to my grandparents house. Then forgot to do so this morning. THEN my phone GPS wouldn't load... of course. Which is why I am very GPS resistant anyways, I hate using them. So I called my dad and mom, got some basic directions and prayed I'd get there in one piece sometime today haha. Well I never technically got lost! I did stop at one point to get confirmation I was headed in the right direction. But I made it kind of by myself and in good time, so that's all that matters. It has been a really nice day so far: lunch with the G-parents, picking up the U-haul, grandma gracie treated me to a mani AND pedicure! I'm so spoiled:) But I a'int complaining. Dad will be here around 8pm tonight with the inspected and bandaged suburban, we will load up some stuff, then head out early tomorrow for Tech. We have to bust a move once in Blacksburg because Dad has to be back to Lynchburg to drop the U-haul off and I have Vision Team retreat at 5pm! Crazy life. Currently, I'm blogging, John is visiting a dear friend recovering from surgery, and Grandma Gracie is cooking a vegetarian dinner (oh yea buddy!) and making banana pudding for dessert! NOMS! (I really hope steve and kate read this post, cause I threw the nom in for ya!).

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

New Chapter, New Title

As you know, I'm out of Goochland and soon headed to Blacksburg. I'm currently home, here till Thursday morning. I decided to continue blogging, I am turning my summer internship into an independent study at Tech. I got an email from my advisor and he wants to focus on my time in D.C. and we are going to study the Farm Bill. So I will continue to blog... but now,  about my adventures in the burg, my study of the Farm Bill, and well just life.

For anyone who didn't read my Rooster Kill post.. I am seeking an ethics of meat consumption... the easiest way to state where I am now is that I am a vegetarian. I currently do not have a moral or spiritual conviction for not eating meat in general BUT I cannot justify eating meat produced in the fashion that our industrial model does... factory farming. So I would eat local meat where I know the animals were raised in a humane way and I will eat that type of meat sparingly. Meat is not a faceless commodity, it is a product of a sentient being given to us by God. I will not be a vegetarian who thinks they are being so green by not eating meat and yet sits there eating a bunch of processed foods and feeding into the industrial system. I am trying to be a smart, educated vegetarian (or rather as I would say a locavore) that eats healthy, vitamin rich, protein filled (and yes you can get all the energy you need from vegetables and legumes) meals. So if I ever live on a farm or near one or can afford whole foods meat, I will eat meat in healthy, moderate portions:)


Saturday, August 10, 2013

Saying Good-bye:(

Friday was my last day at the farm, and today my last day in Goochland. Friday evening I had to say bye to the camp counselors and my roommate Claire. It was sad to be leaving all these wonderful people I had met, but they made me feel so loved. Lets just say I got an epic group hug at the camp dinner. Then I met Steve and Mandy at their house and we carpooled (with Mike as well- the fall farm intern) to Dominick's house in Richmond. It was the Shalom Farms end of the summer dinner. Almost everyone was there which was a blast. Dom, Claire, and Steve (the three full time Shalom employees). Kate, Mike, Chase and I (the farm peeps). Love and Cheralyn (city interns). Mandy and Ben (significant others). Oh and Megan, sibling love:) Anyways, we ate a yummy vegetarian dinner from a restaurant called Fresca's (I think?!?). I got to give my cards to Dom, Claire, Steve and Mandy. If you don't know this about me already: I am a big card writer, note leaver, and letter sender. I feel I can express myself best via writing. Shalom gave Love, Cheralyn and I going away gifts which was so sweet! A book about farming and faith, which I can't wait to read. Kate gave me some of her homemade body scrub and a very kind card. Steve also gave me a card which meant the world to me. It was a great night. It was really hard to say goodbye to my Shalom family. But the beautiful part is seeing how I have had the opportunity to develop new relationships and love on these people and let them love on me. Megan and I harvested this morning, finished packing up and cleaning, visited a friend in Richmond, and then made it home in time for dinner with Chip. So I'm here for four days, then headed to Blacksburg. I was bummed to leave the farm, but I'm also totally excited for classes and a new semester and being back in the burg.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

The Rooster Kill

Today I went to our neighbor farmer Stew's farm to kill two roosters. It would have been great to do meat chickens that are breed for that and were ready, but since I'm leaving Saturday this was my last chance to experience the process. It was nothing that anyone necessarily wants to do, but I think it is something everyone who chooses to meat should have to do and witness the long and nasty process which is killing and preparing meat. It was something I felt I needed to do this summer while trying to get the most and learn the most out of my time on the farm. Stew was so kind to do it for me as well and I am appreciative. Since being on the farm I have begun consuming way less meat. And if you worked out here.. and if you had to be there today.. I think you would too. I think America would consume way less meat if people took time to farm and had the chance to make that connection between a chicken running around a field and the meat on one's plate. My pictures explain better the process...














Weekend Pictures

We got a little crazy Saturday night...

The horses at Taylor's Grandparents Farm

Tickle Tickle


Sunday, August 4, 2013

A Great Last Weekend:)

This weekend was a blast! Friday I worked 8-12:30, had lunch at the camp, and then headed to Fridas Mexican in Goochland to meet Angie. Angie was spending the weekend in Midlothian celebrating her friend's birthday so she stopped by the Gooch for Friday afternoon. It was actually nice to get off camp and hang with Angie. Also Friday our new Fall intern arrived. His name is Mike and he is 35 years old. Has lived in Charlottesville and Philly. He wants to be a farmer so he is the Fall intern for Shalom. I kind of showed him the things he needed to know on camp and brought him to the camp dinner. We have a week overlap which is good, so this way he can learn my routine and routes for the rest of August. Friday night I went to the camp program and then Taylor (a camp counselor who is actually also a junior at Tech) and I headed to Glen Allen to visit her mom and stay the night at her house.

Saturday we had Panera for breakfast which was really yummy and then drove back to camp at noon for the ultimate frisbee game. Our camp (west view) played their rival camp (hanover) in a frisbee game. I played!! And I wasn't as bad as I was expecting haha. We crushed them though and it was so fun. Then we had a cookout. Taylor and I left at 2pm and headed to her Grandma and Grandpas house which was pretty close. We got to talk to them for a bit and then go pet their horses! I was lovin that.

Today we slept in and then just packed back up for camp. Dinner is at 5:45 tonight and it is going to be a busy week for the camp and Shalom Farms so I am trying to rest, do laundry, and mentally prepare for the hectic week.

Signing off,
Kels