Veritable Vegetable

Veritable Vegetable was the nation’s first organic food distributor, open since 1974 VV has been spreading organic produce all throughout the united states. They employ over one hundred workers, and work with over six hundred customers and vendors. They mainly focus on bringing organic produce to as many places as possible, and keeping a sustainable working environment for their employees. VV pays their employees very well for warehouse and trucking jobs, and focuses on giving women a place in their work environment.

We visited VV in the morning of our second day on the environmental science trip. We had stayed at the Trueblood’s house in Oakland CA. I was in the first car to arrive at VV, and after trying to enter though their kitchen, we found the front entrance and waited for a while for the other cars to arrive. We were greeted by a very friendly receptionist who called the manager to come down and give us a tour. They allow their employees to bring their dogs to work, and keep them in the office area, and not at all in the warehouse, so we were greeted by three very friendly pooches.

First we got a brief overview of the company, and then we went back into the warehouse where they keep all of their veggies before being shipped out. Something I had never thought about before caught my attention is that different types of food prefer to be stored at different temperature. For some reason this had never crossed my mind, but it makes total sense. Different foods grow in a diversity of climates, so why would they all like to be stored at the same temp? Bananas for example, have their own fridge because they need to remain a very particular temperature, and will turn brown if they get a few degrees up or down. Most of the produce has in one of the three main fridges, and all were at slightly different temperatures. The coldest being 34 degrees fahrenheit.

I think VV is a company right on the forefront of the future. They have good working conditions, and focus on healthy food. What more could we ask of a company? They are doing almost everything in their power to create the ideal environment for the staff and the workers.

Woolman has Begun!

I'm here!

After all of this time preparing, I am finally at Woolman! And it is everything I had imagined.

We will be leaving on a four day backpacking trip on Tuesday, down the Yuba river. There will be a day and night solo, and pooping in holes. I cannot remember being more excited for anything ever, except getting back and getting into the flow of classes here at the campus! 

Today we spent most of the day getting a tour of the campus, and learning little rules about the kitchen, mentors, and advisers. I have an adviser named Gram, and a mentor named Danya. Both are very cool and down to earth people. The role of an adviser is to help with all school related problems, and the role of a mentor is to help with anything we would like help with, from tutoring, baking, and driving to town, or helping with any issues inside the campus.

5 Days

I have raised $2370 of my total so far, and and so very grateful to everybody who has helped me in this journey. Without the support of you all, this would never become a reality,

I recently got a Woolma.org email of my own! Emilyrichards_f13@woolman.org. Also, It came with a calendar of every single day that I am there, and this will be the most rigorous schooling I could imagine. Breakfast is at 7 am, and then I have classes until 6 pm, when I have until 10 for homework. Lights out at 10:15.
Luckily, I get weekends off, except tutoring Sunday evenings.

I have never been so excited about anything in my entire life. Every time it crosses my mind that I'm leaving soon, which is all the time, I tear up and have a hard time holding back my excitement.

I could not be more ready for this

I am already just as prepared as I should be the night before I leave. I cannot think of anything else to pack, or being with me because it is all that my mind focuses on. Ever. I'm packing for the semester in a trunk that my grandma refinished for me years ago. She would be so happy that I've finally found a use for it that is very practical. I have even packed the little things I want to hang up in my cabin, like pictures and posters. I hope my room mates wont mind if I have some silly stuff :)
There are two downsides to Woolman. The cost, and the fact that I have to be away from my cat for the whole time. I will miss her so much that its already starting to hurt. I mean look at her... She's so cute.

So, what IS Woolman?

Woolman is a Quaker school located in Nevada City, that focuses on environmental science and peace studies. A big part of the Quaker beliefs is to preserve our earth and resolve issues in a peaceful manner. I will be there for four months, living in a little cabin with the other students.
 Woolman Semester School grows all of their own produce, and is vegetarian. Although you are allowed to keep cured meats in your cabin.
Over the course of the semester, I will be taking four field trip to various places in California, such as a backpacking trip in the Sierra Nevada, and a food science trip where we go experience a few of the ways that food is grown, processed and shipped. This is a picture of where the backpacking trip goes :)
When I'm there, I will be taking environmental science, peace studies, pre calculus, farm to table, global issues, art, and nonviolent communication. I will have a very full work load and I could not be more excited.
I am anticipating all of the fun that will be had while I'm at Woolman so much, that I'm mostly all packed, and going there is literally the only thing that occupies my mind. I am so grateful for all of the effort put in to make this dream a reality. Thank you everyone who has supported me.

First Payment Due.. Oops

Time to get a list of the people who will be receiving my donation letter. I need to spend a lot of time inputting peoples names/addresses and email. There will hopefully be a little over 200 people on my list, and I'm having trouble finding quite enough people to ask.
Last night I realized that 20% of my final total is due at the 15th of june! But they didn't tell us that except in a little box on the back of the contract! That might be too soon for me to be able to get $1100 dollars, but I'l try. I'll try.

The Journey Begins

Now that I got my financial aid packet, I know that I need $5,725. Although I'm worried about raising this money, it seems as though the universe is reaching out and saying "let us help you". I KNOW that I am get there. 

Here is a picture of my cat wearing a cave woman outfit with chickens on it. Hand made by moi. :)