Ground Up!

~~~Fullness~~~~
by Tahz Walker

Within the long hot days,
And the cool
Dips into night

Sanctified and naïve brush strokes
And the remembrance of summer

In its wildness and wonder

In the saltiness of work with the earth
And laughter at the shared hands
And shared sweat

Fly' s that light our way as the sun sinks
Down

Squawks as the star rises

Meeting I meet you in a mid day slumber

Big sky opening big arms
For circles connecting

As we live with the summers past
And await their return





Last week at the Stone House we hosted 7 youth from the Durham Inner City Gardeners (DIG) for a weeklong intensive program about food, food systems, identity and expression called Ground Up! The Ground Up! program consisted of practical farm trainings, healthy cooking, workshops about mass media and food systems, music and photography journaling.

Ground Up! is a leadership and community building program whose intention is to not only provide practical farm skills for youth interested in food and agriculture but to also provide support to youth interested in building relationships and creating change within the food system.

During the week youth had opportunities to play, cook and create fellowship with each other around questions like: How far does food travel and where does it come from? Does media play a role in how we are shaped as consumers? And, how do celebration, ceremony and intention play a part in how we interact with the food we cook and eat?

We had an amazing time together and look forward to bringing the program back next summer!