Noel David Meehan

Kindergarten

It’s May again, the start of the summer... HOT HOT HOT. This month in our kindergarten we invited all of our children and their parents to go on a field trip to a farm so that our kids could learn what it takes to grow food and raise animals. We started off at the kindergarten organizing groups, giving each bus their roster for that day and what each group will be doing. Once we left the school, I don’t think I sung as much in all of my life haha until we arrived at the farm. The atmosphere on the bus was something I have never experienced before, it was alive with excitement. Our kids were so excited about going out to grow food and to spend time with their parents, it was just amazing from the very start. Once we arrived at the farm our students followed the guidance of our tour leader and we started to plant vegetables (it was explained to all that once these vegetables had grown other students would eat them). Then we went on an egg hunt. Freshly laid eggs from that day, our kids had to go around and find then and collect them so that we could use them for our lunch. Then we took them to plant and dig up other vegetables for our lunch while replacing them to grow again for other students. When we began lunch all of our food was prepared and raised on this farm and it helped our students to understand the amount of work and time it takes to grow food and for them to appreciate food and not to waste it. After spending quality time with their families we went to have some fun on the playgrounds and on dragon boats around the farm before we all went to feed cows, chickens, ducks and pigs.

We are egg hunters

Planting trees

Planting vegetables

Preparing food together

Let me help you

cooking

having lunch

Dragon boat

The bus ride home was a very different story from the one we had when we left HuaMei. It was very quiet, all the students were exhausted from their day of hard work. They learned that for them to have food it is a privilege and with this privilege we all need people who dedicate their lives so that we can have food on our tables. It’s a very important lesson for children and adults alike to learn. These people give their lives and work so hard so that we can have food. We all need to respect them and thank them for their hard work. Never waste food, we are the lucky ones that have food.

It’s a life lesson that I have learned too. Well done everyone, you did an amazing job.