A Girl's Guide to Camping

My first camping experience was a success. I must admit I was not too excited when the idea was first proposed by the energetic college intern, Stephanie, working with me this semester. Taking a dozen teenagers camping sounded more like an episode of MTV’s Real World than an activity for a fifty-something woman whose idea of roughing it is having to carry my own luggage into a hotel. However, Stephanie’s enthusiasm prevailed and before I knew it I was on my way to the great outdoors.

I am proud to say I survived. I guess, as camping experiences go, this one was rather cushy. Stephanie’s enthusiasm infected almost everyone at our non-profit organization and before they knew it they were volunteering to assist, and/or attend the trip. We arrived at the campsite to find three R.V. campers, complete with bathrooms, refrigerators, and sleeping accommodations. There was one for the boys, one for the girls, and one for the adults. Wow, who knew camping could be so easy? Not I.

There were a few hard-core attendees who wanted the full camping experience, so a couple of tents were pitched. Guess who got to sleep in one of the tents to serve as a chaperone? That would be me. But even that didn’t come close to the horror I had prepared myself for. When the provider of the R.V.s (who also happens to be our staff nutrition educator) learned of my fate she quickly provided an inflatable bed and a down-filled comforter. I think I probably had even more comfortable accommodations than those in the heated campers. Except for the brief rain that fell around midnight and came in through the mesh ceiling of the tent, my night was comfy, cozy, and uneventful. My tent-mates never even knew we had undergone a campsite baptism of sorts.

We performed all of the standard camp rituals; we roasted hot dogs, we made s’mores, we sang (and danced) around the campfire, we smelled of wood smoke when we went to bed, we hiked, we caught bugs, and we had a real “camp” breakfast cooked over an open fire. How many campers can boast their meals were prepared by an Executive Chef? Yep, Stephanie-the-intern even convinced our staff chef to attend and cook for us. In addition to the chef and nutritionist she also recruited other employees. Our chief financial officer led a hiking expedition, our executive director served as photographer, our Ph.D. horticulturist conducted the bug hunting/identifying/labeling excursions, and even our accountant, dock foreman, social marketing director, and two kitchen assistants got in on the camping action. Our farm manager and her husband kept the campfire and a pot of coffee going all night.

I’ve always believed in the adage, “It takes a village to raise a child,” but I now see that it takes an entire non-profit organization to orchestrate and pull off a successful camping experience – not only for me, but for the eleven lucky teens that this trip was for. Thanks to my co-workers and especially to Stephanie, the intern, for making this an experience none of us will ever forget.

Burial

We buried Farmer Roy today. He was laid to rest in his denim bibbed overalls and a sweatshirt proclaiming he was a member of the GRUB Team. The silk lining of his coffin was embroidered with a John Deere green tractor – a fitting emblem for a man who loved plowing fields and growing things.

We buried Farmer Roy today. The church was full of family and friends and a diverse group of teenagers he had taken the time to know and love and influence. There were tears of sorrow at our loss, mixed with tears of joy because Roy did not suffer a long and debilitating illness.

We buried Farmer Roy today. The minister knew all the right things to say because he knew Roy. A loving and inspiring tribute to a man who did so much for others and asked very little in return. We should all be so lucky when it comes our time to be eulogized.

We buried Farmer Roy today. At the graveside a military contingent played taps and presented the folded flag and thanked the family for Roy’s service to our country. His first tour of duty was followed by three more in Viet Nam. He was highly decorated. He was a good soldier and a good man.

We buried Farmer Roy today.

Step Up

What a day I have had. How do you tell teenagers that the man they have worked with and loved for years has passed away? Some of the GRUB teens had already heard the news, others found out this morning when we met for our Saturday workday at the farm. Instead of pretending we could go on as usual, we spent the morning talking about our Farmer Roy. It was amazing to hear the kids (I call them kids, even though they are young adults) talk about their relationships with Roy. Several mentioned that he had been a father/grandfather figure to them. We laughed and we cried as we remembered how Roy has touched each of our lives. How fortunate we all are to have known such a kind and caring man.

David Weaver, the Executive Director of the food bank, joined us this morning. What a kind thing for him to do. He knew it would be a difficult morning and his presence was appreciated by us all. He reminded us that Roy’s kind acts had left a ripple effect and it was up to all of us to continue his work. I know we are up to the challenge.

Roy had a vision for the GRUB Program, a vision that was contagious if he ever spoke to you about it, a vision I hope to carry out with the help of the young adults in the program. As Roy would say, “Step up.” So, the kids and I will step up and fulfill his dream. We are up to the task.

The South Plains Food Bank has set up a special memorial in Farmer Roy's memory.
http://spfb.kintera.org/Riddle

A GRUB Legacy

The South Plains Food Bank has set up a special memorial in Farmer Roy's memory.
http://spfb.kintera.org/Riddle

Loss

If you are very, very lucky once in a while someone great enters your life. That was my luck when I met Roy Riddle in the late 1990s when I discovered a community garden in my neighborhood and was bitten by the idea to garden. I had no gardening knowledge, so I turned to a class called “Gardening in West Texas,” taught by a former Army pilot known as Farmer Roy. Roy taught me the basics of gardening and even offered me some additional land to try out my new skills. I had a bumper crop in my community garden and learned to grow broccoli and onions on a small plot at the South Plains Food Bank Farm. A love affair was begun – a love of growing my own vegetables and a love for the wise old gentleman known by all as Farmer Roy.

Fate, or luck, or karma soon intervened and shortly after my novice gardening experience I was offered a job at the food bank, a job which soon turned into the best job I could ever imagine. Before long I was overseeing and administrating the efforts of Farmer Roy and others on the food bank’s 5-acre farm and the 2,500 tree apple orchard and in the youth project called GRUB. I loved my new job, but I was in over my head. Farmer Roy came to the rescue. He taught me what I needed to know in order to do my new job. He didn’t want to sit behind my desk, but he was glad to show me the ropes and led me to a point where I could make it through my work week without a nervous breakdown. He was my mentor, he was my rock, and he was my confidant.

Now he is gone. On Monday we will bury Farmer Roy. Ironically Wednesday was to have been his last day of work. Roy was retiring. Roy was hanging up his shovel. I could never really picture him in a retirement role; maybe he couldn’t see it either. Today I had to call Roy’s friends to tell them the news, one friend remarked that perhaps God needed a good farmer in heaven – he sure got one in Farmer Roy.

Rest in peace, Roy – you will be missed.

Spring Break

With Spring Break coming to an end I want to thank the teenagers in the GRUB Program for putting in so many volunteer hours on the farm this week. What an amazing, unselfish bunch of teens we have in GRUB! I don't know too many junior high and high school students who would give up their vacation from school to do manual labor on a farm.

Here is a great big THANK YOU to GRUB! The farm manager, Debbie Cline, actually told me we were caught up with the work. I rarely hear those words from her!

Update on Farmer Roy

Farmer Roy made it through surgery with flying colors! He will be in I.C.U. for a few days before transferring to a "regular" hospital room. Unfortunately, the surgery did not paint a brighter picture of the prognosis than we already had. Roy is fortunate to have such a wonderful family support group. When I entered the surgical waiting room I knew immediately which cluster of folks was Roy's family - it was the BIG group. He will be well taken care of. We love you Farmer Roy.