Visitors to the Farm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Stacia, husband Chris, and daughter Neela

stopped by the Farm today.

It's not exactly on the way

from Colorado to St. Paul.

But it was today.

Stacia is one of my former students,

and one of my teachers too.

Stacia's professional work

has focused on horticultural therapy.

You could call that

using the Earth as teacher and healer.

On this beautiful day,

Neela and her companions

came to the Farm to play.

First, she visited the baby Chickens.

Throughout, she was fascinated

by all she could see.Next, we visited the Strawberry Bed.

She learned the difference

between a warm Strawberry straight from the patch

and a cold one transported long distances to the store.

Or perhaps, we all learned that.

She learned she should follow Melanie

to zero in on perfect Berries.

She learned Red Berries

are for picking and eating,

white Berries not.

She learned Farmers love Buckets.She learned Missouri is a shorter distance to travel than Colorado.

We are eager to have them back. After they left,

I thought "Farm Therapy",

why not?

That seems

to describe

what we're doing around here.

~~~~

Glinda Crawford, 2010

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~