Day 4 Garst Springbrook Farm

To begin our day, Joe and Dylan got up at the break of dawn to move the tents to the beach so that we could start camping outside tonight since the weather had finally cleared up. At 7:30 we started our longest trip of the week yet to Garst Springbrook Farm, a dairy farm in Frederick. Rob Schnabel, the restoration manager for CBF spent the day with us to teach us about our service activity. We started with best principles for wetland restoration. Garst Springbrook is in a fifteen year partnership with CBF in which they plant trees to help with managing water flow. We helped maintain existing tree shelters for young trees and shrubs that had been planted along the stream bed the previous year. A tree shelter is a hollow plastic tube with diameter wide enough to surround a young sapling. The shelter is held upright by a wooden stake that anchors it to the ground. Many of the shelters had been blown over, which could affect the trees' growth and left gaps to unwanted critters. We felt satisfied with our work having maintained hundreds of shelters. We were hungry so we sat down on a tarp gently laid upon mounds of manure. After lunch we headed over to the barn. Dana Garst, the farm owner, told us that they 80 cows on 180 acres. Rob told us the cow to acre ration was ideal for the pasture rotation method that is ultimately the best for the environment, animal, and human health. About two acres of pasture per animal allows enough room to feed the cows, give portions of the pasture enough time to regrow, provides the land with enough manure to be self sustainable without the use of chemical fertilizers. This method also eliminates the need to invest in equipment for corn-based operations, bringing in a steadier profit for the farmers as well as giving the cows grass-based food, which they are naturally adapted for. After this discussion, we unloaded young potted trees from Clagett farm - where we had potted saplings on the first day of service - to be planted beside a different part of the stream. CBF had helped build a fence around this stream to separate it from the cows, in observation of Maryland law. They had also helped subsidize the price of a bridge that crosses the stream. This financial aid from CBF helps offset the collaboration from Dana and farmers like him. Rob then directed us in placing trees in appropriate positions, to be planted during tomorrow's service. These trees will help slow down erosion caused by flooding of the stream and help clarify water flowing down into it from upstream. After service we went straight to an alumni dinner, generously hosted by Codder's (an AB alum) family. We were nervous about arriving in our work clothes and smelling strongly like manure but our hosts were very gracious and we all thoroughly enjoyed the Asian Buffet (the restaurant's actual name). We arrived back to camp, set up sleeping bags, took much needed showers, and are now getting ready to enjoy another vulnerability reflection session, this time around the campfire! (hopefully accompanied by s'mores)