Monday

We had our first day of service today!

This morning, we split up into two groups - one group went to a traditional farmer's market outside and the other group went to a indoor public market. Before leaving, we had a discussion about asking the workers/farmers questions. Some of us had done it before and had found that most are willing to answer to curious customers. We also talked about how the labels for "organic" or "cage-free" don't always mean that the practices are sustainable. For example, Emelia talked about how one farmer got his organic label removed because he changed his practice by using a biodegradable plastic. This made his farming more sustainable but he no longer had this label.

The indoor public market didn't actually have a lot of farms represented. A lot of the stands were local businesses. We talked to a lot of the workers and we were surprised by how knowledgeable they were about where the food came from. One person that stood out was Rebecca, the woman who was selling the cheese. She had been working at the stand for about 2 years and had previous experience on a farm. She seemed very passionate about locally sourced and organically grown food.

Rebecca, the kind and wonderful cheese woman

Boston indoor public market

Kendall Center Rooftop Garden

After coming back from the farmer's markets, we got together and ate leftovers for lunch. After lunch, we had a little bit of free time and Sabrina blew everyone out of the park with this awesome card trick.

Next, we helped prepare a dinner for people who are experiencing homelessness. The dinner was hosted by our housing partner, Church on the Hill. It felt good to engage with community members. Many were grateful for the warm meal and company. The room was lively and we were kept busy plating and serving meals. 

Overall, we saw how important it is to have access to healthy food. 

We are all looking forward to more service tomorrow!