BESSEMER WEEK 1: THE GARDEN

by: Patrick Harmon, "Dee" Stewart & Ashlei Eaton

Bessemer TRACErs first day working in the garden

Here at Bessemer Park our first week was a busy one. With loads of workshops, gardening, and team building exercises we got a considerable amount of work done. We met with Mama Zahra to use a more creative approach to express our ideas and thoughts. Instruments that many of us Tracers had never even heard of were used to create extraordinary musical pieces and work songs. Our work songs were humorous, serious, and over all, a bunch of fun to make. Zahra also helped us develop a strong bond as co-workers and friends. We discussed community and how to welcome each other respectfully and courteously. We opened up to one another and formed a trust that would allow tremendous success when it comes time to complete our final project. 

The gardeners  Emily and Francisca are two lovely people who helped further our knowledge in an agricultural environment.  Once we got to be better acquainted with one another we went outside and got straight to work.  They taught us how different vegetables and fruits need to be planted in order for them to grow properly.  They also told us that everything will not grow and that it is not because we did something incorrectly, but because that is how nature is.  We ended up messing up our shirt, pants, shoes and gloves by getting elbow deep in dirt.  First we put in the soil for the plants, and then we added the compost to give the plants food.  Then we dug holes in our tubs of soil and started planting.  We planted carrots, watermelons, squash, tomatoes, flowers, zucchini and corn.  We planted all of these healthy foods in hope of producing a productive garden that will bring the community together.  

 Throughout our productive first week, our TRACE counselor Nicole kept us organized and on task.  with a positive attitude and eloquent approach she kept us energized and excited to work.  We started a food journal, which helps us keep track of our daily food intake, and wrote about our families, communities and the world.  With her help we got a significant amount of work done for our project by outlining our main intentions and how to further involve everyone in our urban agriculture initiative.