Lillipo Article

Lillipo Magazine is devoting one of their editions this year to the Camphill Communities of North America. Many of us submitted articles that will be considered for the section on Triform. Here is the article that Elijah and Sarah wrote about his apprentice project. Maybe you will see it soon in the Lillipo Magazine!

“First the pigs. Take down a bucket. Now add two scoops of grain. Can you pour in some milk? Okay, now pick up the bucket. Let’s go.” Across the barnyard I see Elijah helping one of the new students. It is September and a new group of young people has just joined the farm crew. They may have just worked in the weavery, bakery or garden. They might be new to Triform all together. In their fist days on the farm they will try many new jobs; like feeding the animals and they look to the apprentices for guidance. Elijah is one of these apprentices. After three years on the farm, he is confident in his tasks. His responsibilities include feeding the animals, cleaning the milk room, fetching the cows from the pasture, hand milking, and delivering milk cans while driving the farm golf cart.
Most new students, trial visitors, children, new co-workers and guests who come to the farm will work with Elijah. His enthusiasm and patience make him a natural teacher. These qualities have inspired his senior project. Each graduating apprentice must create a senior project. The project will highlight the skills they have learned in their work areas and their personal strengths. Elijah’s project will build on his abilities to work with other people and his desire to share his love of farming.
“For my senior project we are going have kids from different schools come to visit Triform and work on the farm. We have been writing to local schools for children with special needs. We want them to come for field trips or to have summer camp on the farm. They can learn how to feed, milk the cows, muck out, and do woodworking or painting projects.”
Children are an integral part of a healthy farm. They bring joy and vitality to the farm as they work and play. We see this very clearly each year during haying season. Even the smallest community children show up to help unload the wagons and stack the hay. Everyone works hard and gets hot, sweaty and covered with hay dust. In the end we all feel satisfied by a group effort and job well done, as the last bales go up the hay elevator at dusk. Elijah’s project will open up our farm to even more children. As they help on the farm, children will feel empowered by doing meaningful work. They will have the chance to develop a relationship to the natural world and understand where and how their food is grown and raised.
As a hand-on component of the project Elijah will be building a covered wagon. He will take an old running gear and build a new wagon for it. This will be his third wagon project. Last year he also helped build a hay wagon and a flatbed wagon. “I want to build this wagon so we can take the kids out and work in the woods and far pastures. We can bring tea break and supplies. We can bring it down to the creek. One of the projects for the schools group could be to help us build it or paint the wagon.”
Once the field trip program is launched it will be time for Elijah to graduate. The rest of us will carry on the work that he has begun. The project will be a lasting contribution to the farm and community. Elijah will go on to Camphill Village Copake. The skills he has learned at Triform will be a great asset to their dairy farm. “As an apprentice I have become more independent. I have learned how to drive the golf cart and stack hay. It makes me feel good because I know I can be working by myself. I am looking forward to working at the Copake farm. I still want to learn how to drive a tractor!”
-Sarah Bassett and Elijah Kent