Final Days & New Beginnings

I have had a hard time sitting down and actually writing this final blog. Partly because the last few days of my internship and the weeks following have been quite busy. But I still want to give justice to my final days and give a bit of a reflection on the experience as a whole.

The last two weeks of my internship were a blur to me, mostly because I was working day in and day out on my final project. Dave, Kate, and I agreed that my time would be well spent on designing some raised garden beds for the septic tank area. These beds would cover up the unsightliness of the area, provide access to the septic tanks for regular maintenance, and allow for lawn mower access.

This area would act as the site for the raised beds.

The process started off with Dave and I sketching out some basic designs. Then, I took these sketches and sized the pieces of wood we would need for each bed. The beds would be different in appearance due to the accessibility of the septic holes and the spacing between them.

After the wood was ordered, Dave instructed me on the basics of drawing up a design plan. I had the opportunity to use a drawing desk and tools to outline my plans. These plans were referred to throughout the building process, and were great to have on hand if I wanted to describe my project to any passerby. This was a valuable skill for me to learn, because it helped me visualize my project. As a visual learner, everything is just easier for me to comprehend when it is drawn out on paper. And since I was the designer, the drawing process informed how the wood would be cut and assembled.

I spent an afternoon drawing the plans to scale.

The building process was equally as enjoyable as the designing process. It had been about two years since I had the opportunity to work with power tools and wood, so I was eager to immerse myself in building. Dave gave me some excellent woodworking tips that will help me with any kind of future building I decide to do, and I cannot thank him enough for his patience with me as I worked with tools I had never used before. I feel like with a little more practice, I could make woodworking a hobby.

Safety first! Goggles and eye protection became a normal part of my attire.

After a day and a half making all my cuts, I was ready to move into the construction phase of my project. However, since the ground at both of these sites was uneven, I had to clear away dirt so that the beds would be level with the septic tanks. This required quite a bit of digging, but I managed to do all of this and complete the construction of the beds in two days time. For the most part, the beds were constructed atop two sawhorses, but the pieces were secured to one another once the beds were placed in their holes.

I finished the construction portion just as Dave was about to leave for vacation. I feel so privileged to have had the opportunity to work with such an experienced builder and great instructor! Thanks for everything, Dave!

Once construction was complete, I moved onto filling the beds with soil. Since we wanted to keep the cost of materials low on this project, we decided to source as much of the material as possible from Yestermorrow. So I took soil from an onsite mound, and used this to fill the garden beds. It was some pretty fertile, organic stuff, too! It smelled great and it was full of life. I also decided to use some onsite flowers to fill the beds. Yestermorrow has plenty of onsite flowers, so I had plenty of options to choose from. I was able to successfully transplant a variety of different flowers, and the end result looked great! And almost immediately after I put my tools away, it began to rain, so the transplants got a nice welcoming drink in their new home.

Ta-dah!

I was incredibly pleased with the outcome of my final project. I felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment as I put those last plants into their holes. I had only just drawn up designs for the project a week beforehand, and now I was putting the finishing touches on my own design/build project. Not only was I filled with pride, but I felt determined to do more projects like it. Since then, I've drawn up a few concepts for a bookshelf and even a small table that I will hopefully get the chance to work on during Christmas break!

I finished my final project on my final work day at Yestermorrow. Immediately following packing up my tools, I began packing up my campsite. It was truly a bittersweet moment. Even though Yestermorrow had only been a part of my life for two months, I found that being immersed in this culture left me feeling unwilling to leave. Yestermorrow is a community a lot like Berea; in that, the people living there make it a home for all those that are visiting. I met some of most hospitable individuals that really took pride in the work that they were performing. It was uplifting to meet so many amazing individuals partaking in work that was improving the environment and steering us towards a more regenerative future. I miss Yestermorrow, but I also know that my work with them isn't in any way complete. I'm going to find my way back there someday and I'll do something to give back to the community that gave so much to me.

I'd especially like to give my thanks to Heidi, Dave, Kate, Dan, Mark, Luke, Susan, all of the interns (both new and old), my instructors, and all of the classmates and friends along the way. You truly made this experience wonderful for me. I'd also like to give thanks to my Berea advisers, Dr. Paul Smithson, Dr. Nancy Gift, and Dr. Richard Olson for being so supportive of me from afar. Thank you for allowing me to participate in such an unforgettable experience. I learned so much about myself over these past few months. I cannot wait to share this opportunity with others! I'm sure my successor will gain just as much, if not more, from this experience, and I cannot wait to hear about Yestermorrow will change their lives and others to come.

Goodbye for now. We will meet again soon.