Heifer Ranch - Day 1

So we're here. We got into Heifer Ranch last night around 7:30pm. It was a little later than we'd planned because of bad storms in Kansas City so we waited our departure time to be safe, and drove a lot slower to keep the van safety rating as high as possible. We're in a great lodge, and praise Jesus it's got air conditioning! It's so hot here. We stepped out of the van in Perryville and it was 103 degrees... with dewpoints in the mid 70s. Whew! We're just not used to it.

Today was our first day of work and "courses." Before lunch and after lunch there were service projects around the farm and also learning classes people could take. It was difficult to organize because it wasn't an even split, and some projects only took two people, some took 8. Very confusing. BUT - when all was said and done, everyone worked half the day and took a class for half the day.

The classes they had today were "People, Land and Livestock" where they learned about sustainable agriculture and got to make tortillas and hang out with some livestock, "Caring for the Earth" ...I don't know what their little food tidbit was but Jenna said she learned so much and she came into the lodge saying she was going to save the planet, so I guess that's good. Look out planet! The other class offered today was "Just Dough It" where we literally made a pizza from scratch. We ground wheat into flour, we picked and smashed tomatoes, we milked a goat and made cheese. It was pretty sweet.

The "service" projects around the farm are basically helping run the farm. Some people worked in the organic garden (which is a CSA for people in Little Rock) and some people did construction and some people herded sheep, and other people got to landscape and learn about the herb garden. It was difficult work, but all in all students really enjoyed it. It's kind of fun having time to gather before dinner and listen to all the stories about what people did today and how they liked it. Tomorrow we take a ranch tour, do ropes, and then head into the International Villiage for our overnight. Can't wait! (I get to be a two-year old!... this should be FUN)

Prayers for health and safety with the heat would be greatly appreciated!

Natalia