The agricultural community in Mendocino County proved the dictionary wrong though. For a few weeks before arriving at the Grange Farm School in Willits, CA, I lived with the understanding of a grange as an association that serves a network of farmers. After looking it up in the dictionary though, I was proven wrong. I would have sworn my AmeriCorps team leader had made up the word grange, like frindle, when I first heard it. Written by Carinne Maravilla of AmeriCorps NCCC It has been such a blast and good time!” This place has set my imagination on fire and I haven’t done this much art in a good while - that is a big deal for me. One of my favorite projects is building compost here.” I’ve learned so much since being here and it’s only made me want to experience more in the field of sustainable agriculture. Ruthie doesn’t just give us tasks to do, but explains the background behind it. It’s been such a joy working with people like Ruthie and Ellen. I immediately felt welcomed by our sponsors, community, and the natural beauty at the Ridgewood Ranch. “This is the sort of special place you come to and never want to leave. Heck, I might end up back here at the Grange Farm School pretty soon.” Experiencing and learning how we can create a green space with agricultural practices that are sustainable and healthy for the land and us is awesome! Working on this organic farm has triggered my urge to go out and WWOOF in the near future. I’d like to return to college to study Social and Cultural Anthropology. Working here at the Ridgewood Ranch with the Grange Farm School and The Golden Rule has already made a tremendous impact on my life - I have become more aware of farming culture and methods, educated on food production, developed skills, and found a whole new love for dirt. I want to create meaningful life experiences for myself and others.
This was such an enlightening experience for me and I knew I wanted to be part of this program that made an impact on communities. The road ahead is somewhat blurry for me right now, but one thing is clear. An AmeriCorps NCCC team coordinated us volunteers and worked along side us in the field. One summer, I volunteered in Joplin, MO to help clear debris after a devastating tornado. “Looking back, a particular experience got me “hooked” on AmeriCorps. Carinne is from The Colony a suburb of Dallas, Tx.
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