SEEDS Blog
June DIG Update!

June DIG Update!

Published Tuesday, Jun 23, 2020

This month, we began slowly expanding the number of high students joining us who are working in small groups with proper protective gear. The DIG Crew convened virtually at the end of May to decide when to begin their Summer hours, and to get clearance from their families to ensure we are working in a responsible way. From that conversation, the DIG students decided to begin working very early in the morning, starting at 7 AM to avoid the heat of the day. Every one of our Crewmembers shared that they were excited to be working together again and to get some physical activity.

And did we ever get physical activity! We dug up a row of concrete chunks that had been used to buttress a ledge in the chickens’ enclosure, which had become a home for pests. Removing the chunks, and then smoothing out the slope of the hill, allowed us to move the electric fence around the hens’ enclosure to include a larger tract of the hill that is still lush with grass – and bugs for the hens’ to scratch up! We also culled our Mustard Greens from one of the cedar raised beds (newly built this spring thanks to our amazing volunteers!) so that we can replant that space with Black Eyed Peas. One bed of Mustard Greens yielded over 12 pounds of greens each week for three weeks, which went into the produce bags we have been sharing with our families. Finally, we had time to debrief and share how everyone has been doing, and is doing, with the stress of the coronavirus now compounded by acts of police brutality, and we were very grateful to have each other in solidarity. 

This week, DIG students met again digitally to talk through more summer plans and plantings, and to decide on how they wanted to continue to make decisions as a group. This discussion was facilitated by our Farm Manager Trevor and DIG Crew Leader Kelley. Conversations around decision-making and leadership are just one of the ways that we are working to make DIG more youth-led and directed in the coming weeks and months as we grow together. We are looking forward to a summer harvest soon full of the best of the season!