Good Earth Farm Mission Trip

From Thursday, June 13 through Saturday, June 15, members of the Columbus Episcopal Youth spent time at the Good Earth Farm near Athens, Ohio. The youth and the adults in attendance really enjoyed their time with Paul Clever, his wife Sarah, and their baby daughter Ruth; Kelly; and the summer interns Teresa. Callum, and Samantha.

After arriving at the farm, we had to set up our tents. Most of the tents were borrowed from other people, so in some cases, it was a bit of an adventure getting them set up properly. But through perseverance and some helpful Boy Scout knowledge, we got them up without much delay.

After setting up tents, the residents of Good Earth Farm served us our evening meal. Lunches and dinners were served ouside, beside the main house. The foot was--without exception--delicious.

After dinner, Paul Clever took us on a brief tour of the farm. We also got a bit  of knowledge on the persistent history of food insecurity that is a condition in Appalachia. The Farm's main goal is to provide a healthy, sustainable source of food to aid in the mission of food distribution to the poor of southeastern Ohio.

The main garden plot rotates new crops in and out according to season. The fruits and vegetables are grown organically.

Paul's wife Sarah works at a local community college in the Athens County area. They have a very cute daughter named Ruth. Here, Sarah and Ruth greet one of the two cows on the farm. The cattle are grass-fed, which is not as ëfficient"by most farming metrics, but is more ecologically kind.

The main house of Good Earth Farm. The upper floors are residential for Paul and his family. The bottom rooms are commonly used for visiting groups like ours who come to help out with the Farm's work. The farm house was originally built around 150 years ago, I think. It overlooks southeast Ohio's Hocking Canal.

A new project for the Good Earth Farm is a outdoor chapel and meditation area to the side of the main farmhouse. While there, one of our daily chores was assisting in the filling of earthen dirt bags that are being used as the structure for the walls of one of the chapel components. Once all the bags are filled and placed, a hard plaster (or maybe concrete?) will be poured to give final rigidity to the walls.

During the tour, the kids get a view of the farm's old root cellar (not pictured).

Everyone has a daily task at Good Earth Farm. No one sits idly by.

Friday morning's breakfast featured (among other things) fresh local honey.

This old photo of an engraving shows the original set up of the Armitage farm. Center right is the main farm house. The train tracks run at the bottom of the hill, paralleling the canal. Part of this route is now functioning as a bike path that is very popular with the families of Athens Country and the college students at nearby Ohio University.

Friday morning's garden harvest included fresh spinach, which we then triple washed and air dried.

A decorated concrete slab brings some color to the roadway leading from the farm house to the garden.

Sarah and Dana rest and grab some water after harvesting in the garden and before beginning the next Friday morning task--filling bags at the chapel construction site. These two grabbed shovels and filled buckets for about two hours with little rest.

One of the Farm's staff members, Kelly, rests with young Ruth.

Andrew demonstrates his proficiency with "devil sticks"while others watch.

After shoveling dirt for so long, Sarah needs to stretch her muscles and catch  her breath.

Everyone at Good Earth Farms displays a charitable and kind personality. We really had a great time while we were there.

On Friday afternoon, as part of our mission groups time of fellowship, we worked on art projects representing people and things that inspired us.

Some of the completed art projects.

Here is a bit of a close up of the Hocking Canal that runs along the front of the Farm . It is no longer used and the water level is not very high.

Friday afternoon, we go to a local lake to cool off.

On Saturday morning, Paul shows us how the cows are fed and how they are harnessed.

The Farm doesn't keep lots of livestock, as it isn't really cost efficient for a  group of their size. But the barn looks nice.

Paul is feeding up the cows to size and is training them to serve as oxen in a few years, so that they can be draft animals as needed. Currently, he is still teaching them to obey the directional commands. Here is is demonstrating those commands during a training session that leads back to the Farm house.

Back at the Farm, Paul and the cow Andy check in to see if the rest of the team is ready to get to work.

Saturday mornings's task in the garden was weeding the broccoli and cabbage rows. I got a bit dirty and sweaty.

The alternate chore on Saturday was decidedly less strenuous than helping to construct the chapel. We got a workshop on making and baking Irish soda bread from a local community volunteer named Elizabeth. (The bread was delicious, too.)

Our last task on Saturday before we packed up and headed back to Columbus . . . delivering the produce we had harvested over the last two days to the Community Food Services table at the weekend Farmers Market in Athens.

Cabbages I and other harvested on Saturday morning, ready to be donated to the needy.

In addition to the offerings of the Good Earth Farm, many other organizations provided goods on Saturday.

The Farmers Market was bustling with people on Saturday. 

Paul, Dana, Sarah, Fr. Karl, Lexi, Mya, David, Andrew, Dale, Martha, Sarah & Ruth