Happy Summer Solstice!

I've lived in Evanston for about 4 weeks  now. And I love the farm.  I work with really great people.

The high school students are working with us everyday now and that has been going well so far.  The past few days the temperature has been creeping up close to 100 degrees, but that aside it has been mostly positive attitudes and production.  Sometimes I feel like I am literally in a steaming pot of hot water, being blanched or something.  But, what are ya gonna do? =)

 Just to give a better idea of what I do here, this is a typical workday:

6:35 - Leave Evanston to drive to Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe

7:00 - Pack up the truck with coolers, supplies, etc.

7:30-8:00 - Drive to the Green Youth Farm site in North Chicago/Waukegan

8:15-8:45 - Optional free breakfast for students.  Thanks to a donor, the kids can come early everyday and get a healthy meal before work. 

9-9:20 - Students work day starts with a group teambuilder

9:30-12:30 - Farmwork

12:30-1 - Lunch and end of day activity, students work day ends

1-2 - Finish up tasks on the farm

2-2:30 - Drive back to Chicago Botanic Garden

2:30-3 - Unpack truck, recap the day, prep for the next day, etc

***There are also farmstands, WIC demonstrations, and field trips that the students participate in.  Also, once a week the staff puts on a workshop for students.  Each workshop takes about 45 minutes and we cover different topics each week such as sustainability, composting, diversity, public speaking, personal finance, etc.

It's a dense program and there is always stuff going on and work to be done.  Hopefully this gives a better idea of what I'm up to.  And, on a personal note, I have been able to see so many important people over the last week! Mitch came to visit, and I also was able to visit family in Joliet!  Then on Sunday I took the Metra into downtown Chicago to meet up with a couple of friends from CMU.  It's been a wonderful week. And I've been falling asleep early. =)