The internship is off to an amazing start. Two weeks in and things are going great. I have been assigned the task of evaluating the GRUB Farm program from past and present participants, and reporting results back to my supervisor and the supervisors of the farm. The farm is The Food Bank’s 5-acre Carolyn Lanier Youth Farm, located at 76th Street and Avenue B in Lubbock, TX. I am planning on conducting ethnographic research. This is when the researcher observes society from the point of view of the subject of the study. The subjects in my case will be the participants of the present GRUB program. I am working side by side with these students. My plan is to casually bring up different questions I am interested in for my study while working together. I have also given the group a question or idea to ponder when we dismiss for the day and later come back and tell me what they think or how they feel about what was asked.
The work on the farm is not easy. These kids really put in a hard day’s work. We start at 7:30 am and do not stop until 11:45 am. We get a break around 10 am to rest and grab a snack, but each minute otherwise is filled with pulling weeds, plating, harvesting, cleaning, hoeing, and preparing shares for the shareholders. It is honestly nonstop movement for four plus hours. The kids never complain. No one ever says they don’t want to be there. They are happy, talkative, enthusiastic, and their energy is motivating. It has been an absolute joy and blessing working with and getting to know each individual. They make me want to go each morning and later go back home and put together everything they have taught and shown me that day. This program is definitely a success and a much needed productive outlet for our young adults.
Find out more: http://www.spfb.org/programs-services/grub/
