HardCorps FarmiCorps #02

Meet Carinne! 

Carinne is from The Colony; a suburb of Dallas, Tx.

“Looking back, a particular experience got me “hooked” on AmeriCorps. One summer, I volunteered in Joplin, MO to help clear debris after a devastating tornado. An AmeriCorps NCCC team coordinated us volunteers and worked along side us in the field. This was such an enlightening experience for me and I knew I wanted to be part of this program that made an impact on communities. The road ahead is somewhat blurry for me right now, but one thing is clear. I want to create meaningful life experiences for myself and others.  I’d like to return to college to study Social and Cultural Anthropology. Working here at the Ridgewood Ranch with the Grange Farm School and The Golden Rule has already made a tremendous impact on my life — I have become more aware of farming culture and methods, educated on food production, developed skills, and found a whole new love for dirt.  Experiencing and learning how we can create a green space with agricultural practices that are sustainable and healthy for the land and us is awesome! Working on this organic farm has triggered my urge to go out and WWOOF in the near future. Heck, I might end up back here at the Grange Farm School pretty soon.”

“This is the sort of special place you come to and never want to leave. I immediately felt welcomed by our sponsors, community, and the natural beauty at the Ridgewood Ranch. It’s been such a joy working with people like Ruthie and Ellen. Ruthie doesn’t just give us tasks to do, but explains the background behind it. I’ve learned so much since being here and it’s only made me want to experience more in the field of sustainable agriculture. It has been such a blast and good time!” This place has set my imagination on fire and I haven’t done this much art in a good while — that is a big deal for me. One of my favorite projects is building compost here.”

-Written by Carinne Maravilla of AmeriCorps NCCC