Greenhouse Work
On September 26th, our class took our first excursion
to the Fort Worth Nature Center. After the half hour drive from campus, we met
up at the Visitor’s Center and met Daniel and Michelle, the head staff at the
Nature Center. They gave us a brief introduction to the Center and told us what
we would be doing for the next several weeks. They also loaned us some rain
boots since it had been raining and we were going to be working in the mud.
We all drove out to a different area of the Nature Center
where the staff had begun constructing a green house. For some reason, the
green house needed a large plastic silo next to it for water drainage or
storage, so a few of us in the class had to pick it up and roll it next to the
green house. The two hours that we spent working were spent digging ditches
next to the green house. The staff needed plenty of room to lay some ground
work, so we dug the entire two hours with pickaxes and shovels.
The rain seemed like it was going to be an inconvenience,
but it loosened the dirt, so that made it a little easier for us to dig. However,
it did make it difficult to walk around. It felt like we were walking in quick
sand the whole time. I’ve done my fair share of shoveling, but using a pickaxe
was a new experience for me, so it took some getting used to.
It was exciting to see all the new ideas Daniel and Michelle
have for the Nature Center. They plan to use the greenhouses to grow several
plants and have a few nurseries for the local community. They are also working
to expand the bison viewing areas and having a local fundraiser. This first
experience at the Nature Center provided me and the entire class with a great
learning experience and an awareness of nature in Fort Worth.
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