Post 2 - Cornell Farms
My work at Cornell has become increasingly impactful with more hours and more responsibility. I've certainly gained a greater appreciation for 9-5 work, particularly recently while working in the rainstorms. The rain gear Cornell provides is amusingly bad. The jackets soak through after 2 hours in the rain, leaving the remaining 6.5 with little to no protection. Thankfully, the weather has improved and the gear has become less of an issue.
After so much exposure to the trees and plants of Cornell, I had an urge to buy a tree. My idea was to plant it somewhere significant and see it grow during my visits from college. This week I'd been learning about trees and shrubs located in the lower portion of the farm so that I could help guests more easily. During this time, the baby giant sequoia tree (Sequoiadendron Giganteum) drew my attention. These are the redwoods that can grow up to 30 feet in diameter. Ideally; in 150 years, the Sequoia I plant will become that big. In addition, Sequoia's are native to the Oregon climate. Meaning I could hypothetically leave it unattended and it would thrive. I purchased one Sequoia from Cornell and I'm now brainstorming where to plant it (feel free to give me suggestions). Hopefully, I'll be able to return from college in four years and delight in its growth.
I've exceeded my plant learning goal recently with my study of Cornell's trees and shrubs. This also ties into my second goal, finding ways to be more helpful to customers. I'm able to give advice/information on some plants without finding help from experts. During my work, I'm also thinking through a monetary lens, appreciating the impossibility of sustaining oneself through 13.25/hour pay. I'm accumulating many stories through customer service, plant learning, etc. Looking forward to telling more.
Bianca - we do sell many ferns, but I'm not sure about that specific variety off the top of my head, you should stop by and I can look for you!
Alec, nice job with this post! I'm still so intrigued by the Sequoia Project--may I call it that? I've made my suggestions about where you can plant it, so I'll leave it your other readers to offer theirs. You should talk it up, though. I've mentioned it to a couple of people, and they're also very intrigued by this idea. There's something about it that grabs our imagination. Looking forward to reading and hearing stories about your customer experience and your interactions with plants. Remember that photos are most welcome!
ReplyDeleteAlec, I don't know what the best spot to plant a Sequoia tree is, but I'm intrigued! What do the people at Cornell Farms think? The city of Portland also has a free tree planting service they do each year to promote the growth of native trees, (just in case you get really into planting trees!) Good luck!
ReplyDeleteYour point about financial compensation for work is a valid one, Alec. There isn't a single state in which a person working full time for minimum wage could afford to pay rent for a market-rate one bedroom apartment. I look forward to finding out where your tree ends up! How big is it now and how long can it hang out as-is before you get it into the ground? The summer's shaping up to be another hot and dry one; you might want to consider somewhere that it'll have access to enough water while it's getting established to not die in the first few years.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of planting the tree. We need a picture? How big is it now?
ReplyDeleteHi, Alec. Whoo-it must have been a shivery, damp adventure to work through the week's rainstorms after getting soaked. It makes me wonder about the experience of people who work outside all the time, in the fields, with minimal gear. That has to be rough. I'm impressed to hear you thinking through so many connecting areas: botany, native plants, working conditions, and the economics of minimum wage. Good for you. My mom used to say (and now I do) that everyone should have a service job for a season to see what it's like. Glad to hear that you're doing well, and good luck finding a home for that baby sequoia.
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