Farmer? Proud Parent? Babysitter?

So Monday morning we had 70 2nd graders out to the farm to and poor Josh was more than a little nervous. They toured the high tunnel, planted seedlings they grew in their classrooms, created a compost bin, hiked the stream and woods identifying habitat of our two, four, six, eight and our hundred legged neighbors and pulled weeds in the garden. It was the pulling weeds in the garden that had Josh on edge. Of the many job responsibilities Josh has at Mountainside, the primary one is growing food, the other big responsibility is teaching.

Often teaching and growing conflict with one another. You never have enough time to take care of the tasks at hand and teaching can consume some of that precious time.  Teaching can also mean that plants are mistaken for weeds and weeks of effort can be undone by one class.  I am happy to report that most of our plants are still in the soil and not compost.

But observing Josh on Monday was a bit of a revelation.  He really looks after his seedlings as if they are his babies...thousands of them.  As tedious as weeding is, he tenaciously keeps bully weeds away from his family.  Last night with the temps falling into the 30's Claire (a teen volunteer) and I helped him spread covering over his tomato and pepper plants in the green house no less to keep them warm and healthy. It is a labor of love and when he snips a leaf of swiss chard or spinach to give me a taste his eyes brighten with pride. It really is compelling.  So much effort for the satisfaction of a flavorful salad or side dish.

Babysitter is not adequate to describe what the produce means to Josh.  Eat what he grows and you can almost almost taste the love that goes into what he does.  It really does taste better and I will never take a salad for granted ever again.  Proud parent seems more like it.