Growing up in an urban environment, a lot of people may have missed the opportunity of seeing a real farm in rural areas. A special trip was arranged for the University’s ‘campus farmers’ – the participants of Campus Sustainability Office’s urban farming programmes – that they were able to make their way to an organic farm and enjoy some lovely encounters with nature.
Farming is educational, and these PolyU staff and students have acquired for themselves a good lesson that extends beyond the campus upon this trip. With a visit the organic farm operated by Wildroots Organic, they had the chance to see the hard work and effort that goes into planning and growing of crops and vegetables. They learned about the differences between operating an organic farm and a conventional and chemical farm, and how the latter may constitute issues to the neighboring environment particularly when a chemical farm uses large amounts of artificial fertilizers.
When the participants enjoyed so much about working on the farm, the time they had in the farm translated into a valuable learning opportunity in which ecology was learned through direct observation and experience. They also had the time to reflect on the value of food as well. By the end of the day, these participants brought home some good harvest and a wealth of inspiring messages from nature which they can share with their peers. Alongside enjoyment and excitement, the trip brought about insights on how nature is nurturing us, and it is crucial to take proper actions to conserve our environment.
