PRESS RELEASE: Log Cabin High School Visits Pie Ranch
SAN FRANCISCO, CA—September 14, 2009—This summer, City Youth Now funded a field trip to Pie Ranch for all of the young men at Log Cabin High School. This is the first time that all of the residents at Log Cabin Ranch and the teachers of Log Cabin High School were able to go on a field trip together in the past decade. The field trip was initiated by Log Cabin Ranch Assistant Director, Timothy Diestel, and the Log Cabin High School outdoor educator from Urban Sprout. Below is an entry submitted on behalf of Log Cabin High School Principal, Sonja Taylor:
"On the day of our visit a couple of the students said they had no interest in going. They were intent on staying behind. When the students boarded two vans at the appointed hour, even the unwilling ones had been "convinced" that they should go. There were two teachers, fourteen students, and six counselors.
As everyone jumped out of the vans, some goats wandered toward us. "Look!" one student exclaimed. "Walking human goats!" As we walked along, with the Outdoor Educator explaining as we went, we fed goats and cows, saw many-hued chickens, and witnessed food growing in its natural state. We picked and ate sun-kissed strawberries, dug up new potatoes, tried warm tomatoes off the vine, and saw rows of green things ripening. There were even some rope swings to play on like kids.
There were smiles and expressions of enjoyment all around. It was a happy time, but the hours passed all too quickly. The call came to hurry back to the vans, since counselors had long since finished their shifts and had places to go. As I passed one of the loaded vans to get to my car, one of the students (who originally didn't want to go) put his hand out the window of the van, looked me in the eye, and said, while shaking my hand, "Thank you for bringing us on this field trip. We really had a good time!" I said, "You should thank City Youth Now for paying for it. I'm glad you enjoyed it."
We left amid invitations to return for a longer visit next time. We left so many things undone, like milking the goats and gathering eggs. We were promised that next time we would bake and eat pies made from berries and wheat harvested at Pie Ranch. It was a first-hand lesson on where food comes from."
City Youth Now is proud to be a supporter of this field trip and community partner of both Log Cabin Ranch and Log Cabin High School.
About Pie Ranch
Our mission is to inspire and connect rural and urban people to know the source of their food, and to work together to bring greater health to the food system from seed to table. www.pieranch.org
About City Youth Now:
City Youth Now supports youth in the San Francisco foster care and juvenile justice systems by providing funds for services and programs that promote stability and personal growth. www.cityyouthnow.org
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Press Contact:
Brittany Jarabek
Executive Director
City Youth Now
brittany@cityyouthnow.org
