My First Week's Impressions at Songaia - by Steven Miller - Garden Intern 2015

My first impressions of Songaia after my first week's stay would have to be overwhelming. I choose the word overwhelming because of all the new people in this community and the vast space for potential upcoming projects. After searching for months on how to expand my passions for growing food and sustaining healthy communities I arrived at applying here. 

Inspecting the Honey Bee Hive

My first workday was filled with moving temporary fences around some of our Hugelkultur beds so the goats could eradicate the invasive blackberry bushes. It took the goats a week and they did a great job and have since been moved to another area to continue feasting on their favorite blackberry dish. 

The other interns and I have had the great pleasure of working with Brent as he showed us the beehives and explained the ins and outs of bee keeping. 

Building a Bean Trellis

Securing the Goat Fence

Their focus is not so much on feeding the world but the message is much stronger; it’s to lead by example an inspirational path for those in pursuit to change the world. What I’ve learned most importantly in my first week is the importance of community and friendship and how inspiring and being inspired by those closest to us is the only way we’re going to keep motivated and succeed. 

Collecting Mason Bee Larve

We have spent many wonderful hours in the garden pulling weeds, sowing seeds and absorbing the contagious passion for permaculture in a classroom like educational environment from Helen and Patricia. 

All in all it’s been a great week and I’ve already grown so much since arriving. I look forward to the rest of the summer watching myself and those around me grow and create together.