A Day at the Farm

A Volunteer Team of 30 International Students and Mentors from the University of Washington came up to Whatcom County for Spring Break to work with the WLTRG.  For two days, we had 6 small groups doing a variety of projects in Everson, Sumas, Deming, and Custer.  We mucked out garages and sheds; we rebuilt fences; we cleaned up the debris that was still piled up from the flood.  We took apart a flood-damaged deck; we hauled load after load of flood-damaged appliances and debris to the dump.

On the 2nd day, while the other 3 groups were continuing to do projects around the county, three teams headed to Custer to help out a small apple farmer.  He had lost so much in the flood, and didn’t know how he would ever re-open his little cider business.  Today, the team of 17 students and mentors gave him hope; his smile was filled with gratitude as he watched them work.  The biggest project that was accomplished today was the rebuilding of his flood-damaged greenhouse.  New plastic was laid out on the ground, and then carried and raised by this large group of students.  The students then learned how to use springs to attach the plastic to the frame.

While half the group was working on the greenhouse, other students were learning how to plant strawberries and how to prune apple trees.  I overheard one young lady repeat many times, “Many hands make light work.” So true!

Oh! What a day!  So much accomplished!  So much learned!  So many smiles!