Day 5: Sacramento → BeeGreen Farm

We all woke up quite tired due to the motion sensor activated lights that never turned off. So, it was nice to catch up on some sleep on the beautiful drive to Three Rivers, California. We arrived at BeeGreen Farm and Bettina immediately welcomed us in as if we were family. She showed us the extremely quaint house we would be staying in for the next two days and within 10 minutes, we were out in the garden. At BeeGreen Farm all the produce is grown organically in accordance with California Certified Organic Farmers. It is located in the Sierra Nevada Foothills at the entrance to Sequoia National Park. She gave us a tour of her farm and allowed us taste the large variety of vegetables she had been nurturing. We were introduced to the chickens, the mini donkeys, the horse, and the ducks, who all played an important role in maintaining the farm. With limited service, staying at the farm encouraged everyone to take in the country life and enjoy the incredible natural surroundings. We had an incredible hand-picked salad thanks to Bettina. It was absolutely incredible talking to and learning from Bettina because she simply breathed peace, environmental stewardship, and passion.

Reflection

Being on a small organic farm run by a single, passionate person really helped us understand the outcries of the people against large, industrial farms. We definitely would not have been able to eat fresh green pickings at a Dole farm. It was amazing to see how Bettina managed to maintain the small ecosystem on the farm in a way that allowed all forms of life to thrive. Unfortunately, small organic farmers have a tough time competing with large, industrial farms that use fertilizer and pesticides to increase the yield of their crop. Being able to see how Bettina runs her farm got us discussing about what ideal farm practices should be like, especially in the context of water drought. From keeping showers brief and utilizing every drop from the well, to keeping the small farm pond clean and enriching for the ducks and fish -- water is undoubtedly a precious resource that

one should thoughtfully allocate to themselves and others.