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- Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Archives Revels Classifieds Real Estate Guide Weather Subscribe Contact Us November 6, 2004 Each October, more than 1,000 kids pick pumpkins at Eagle Mill Farm By Chris Ammon Tidings Correspondent In a time when agribusiness dominates food production, it is easy to forget where the vegetables we eat for dinner really come from; in this modern society many children would say that vegetables "come from the grocery store," but this answer is incomplete. Where does a cucumber come from before it is placed in a neat, dirt-free stack at the fluorescent-lit local market? With all evidence of the earth removed-soil, leaves, critters--the answer isn't so obvious. Photo by Chris Ammon | For the Tidings Wendell Berry puts it best when he writes: "We are now involved in a profound failure of imagination. Most of us cannot imagine the wheat beyond the bread, or the farmer beyond the wheat, or the farm behind the farmer, or the history beyond the farm." Each October, more than 1,000 Rogue Valley schoolchildren came out to Ashland's Eagle Mill Farm to experience food in a more intimate way. They pick pumpkins, and harvest vegetables and make meals together. Through these simple activities kids are reconnected with the land, its abundance, and to a particular kind of joy that comes from time spent in the garden. Their excitement at finding an ear of corn or picking a perfectly-ripe tomato continually renews my own sense of awe and wonder at the garden. I have tried to capture some of this joy in photographs. What I have found is that the vibrant colors of the garden and the charisma of the children make it nearly impossible to take a bad picture. These are images of kids at play, taking a break from the education of the intellect in order to enjoy an education of the senses - the sights, smells, textures, and tastes of the earth's incredible bounty. This year, with the support of Geppettos, the Carpenter Foundation, and the Ashland Coop, the Eagle Mill Farming Education Project had the honor working with Kids Unlimited, the Blenders from Lincoln School, Helman School, and Phoenix Elementary, Siskiyou School, Lithia Springs Boys' Home, as well as the Linda Vista Care Facility. DailyTidings.com Home Page Archives | Revels | Classifieds | Real Estate Guide | Weather | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2005 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Slippers Isotoner Slippers Dsw Shoes Ceramic Piggy Banks Fanny Mae Eloans Calenders 2005 Calender 2005 Accelerate Weight Loss Programs Citibank Student Loans Acs Loan Matchmaking & Dating Scripts Adventure Travel Conference Calls - $50/Month Security Systems student loan consolidation helzberg diamonds Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams