May 29, 2009

This is the thirteenth day of my research assistant role of the Youth Gardening Project. Today's location was at the Tuskegee University Chambliss Building(old business bldg) and other areas on campus. Today was a very relaxed day for me. The task for today was to get my time-sheet completed and corrected for processing through the agriculture department. During the close of every month--excluding days that are on the weekend--we must completed our time-sheet. I also checked on the information to get my contract for this wonderful program extended.

May 28, 2009

This is the twelveth day of my research assistant role of the Youth Gardening Project. Today's location was at the Tuskegee University's Greenhouse The other three research assistants as well as myself finished planting varies seeds. We have five rows of soil used to plant crops for the Youth Garden Project. We planted gourds, cucumbers, black-eyed peas, tomatoes, watermelons, and okra. During harvesting time for the gourds, we will used them later for a bird-feeder project for the children.

May 27, 2009

Today In History: Ms. Mae Lean Jones lived four years of her remaining life with breast cancer before she got screened. She lived another four years knowing she had this deadly disease. That was nine years ago from this date. If, she was alive today she would be 57 years old with a birthday on the 21st of June. She left behind two wonderful children, and I was one of them. I love you, Momma!

Go get screened! Preventive care can help save lives!

This is the eleventh day of my research assistant role of the Youth Gardening Project. Today's location was at the Tuskegee University Chambliss Building(old business bldg). Today was another arts and crafts day. All the research assistants--including myself--had the opportunity to "Build-a-Bear," social work style. This activity we were practicing today was to help us to demonstrate to the children how they can create their own build-a-bear. Once I completed that particular task, I visited a few website Professor McArthur emailed us on how to make macrames. I practiced four different knots: square knot/square knot button, Half Knot Sennit, Josephine Knot, and the Alternating Double Half Hitch Knots.

May 26, 2006

This is the tenth day of my research assistant role of the Youth Gardening Project. Today's location was at the Tuskegee University Chambliss Building(old business bldg). Can anyone say, "arts and crafts!" I can!! It was an awesome day that Ashton--one of the four research assistants--and I had the opportunity to sew varies texture of fabrics. I never used a sewing machine before, but I knew I was eager to find out how to use the machine through trial-and-error. Once I mastered the sewing machine. I knew it would be a great skill we could offer the Youth Garden Project children along with their current gardening skills. In hopes of maybe having a beneficial fashion show from the clothing the children will make. I ended the day with a fantastic, vibrant, and an original work of art: a pillowcase.

May 21, 2009

This is the ninth day of my research assistant role of the Youth Gardening Project. Today's location was at the Tuskegee University Chambliss Building(old business bldg) and the Tuskegee university's Greenhouse. During the morning half of the day, I helped the other research assistants put the charts into the research paper about the Macon County Farmers Market. After lunch, we all went to the greenhouse to tie string around the tomato plants we planted yesterday and to check on the other crops in the children's boxes. I ended the day brainstorming about the children's garden that will soon be located on N Elm St. in downtown Tuskegee. I also helped get some of the binders ready for the children's journal who are current participants in the Youth Garden Program.

May 20, 2009

This is the eighth day of my research assistant role of the Youth Gardening Project. Today's location was at the Tuskegee University Chambliss Building(old business bldg) and the Tuskegee university's Greenhouse. The morning portion of the day was spent planting rows of watermelon and tomato plants. Our professor, Ms. McArthur stated to us that rows of corn was planted by the scientists and they are dedicating it to the Youth Garden Project; therefore, all the crops produced from the plants can help benefit our program and the market as well.

I completed my first rough draft of the research paper from the Macon County Farmers Market surveys.

May 19, 2009

This is the seventh day of my research assistant role of the Youth Gardening Project. Today's location was at the Tuskegee University Chambliss Building(old business bldg). This day was very laid back than other days. I worked on the name tags we are going to have drilled on each child's garden box at the greenhouse. I painted the wooden bears and water-container varies colors such as: yellow, black, two different shades of pink, and red.

I also worked on the research paper from the Macon County Farmers Market surveys that was printed, copied, and distributed on previous days earlier.

May 18, 2009

This is the sixth day of my research assistant role of the Youth Gardening Project. Today's location was traveling opportunities around the City of Tuskegee area. I, along with fellow research assistant Ashton Wells started the day getting the other inner-city residents' opinions and views on the Macon County Farmers Market in the form of a survey and Market Basket orders.

That experience was very interesting as we walked door-to-door of an apartment complex hoping to get our surveys completed. I felt that some people did not want to open their door in thinking we were Jehovah Witnesses. In spite of the false speculation, Ashton and I were able to have all the surveys completed.

On a good note, Ashton and I were able to have an advertisement of the Market Baskets in the Local newspaper free of charge. The paper "The Tuskegee News" will be available on stands around the Macon County area on Thursday, 21 May 2009.

May 15, 2009

This is the fifth day of my research assistant role of the Youth Gardening Project. Today's location was at Tuskegee University's Greenhouse. The children of Safehaven come every Friday from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. I assist the children in planting their seeds, caring for them, and how to harvest their gardens. The children enjoy working together, knowledge about a variety of foods, and have fun at the same time.

May 14, 2009

This is the fourth day of my research assistant role of the Youth Gardening Project. Today's location was at Tuskegee University Campus Technology [Wilcox B]. All the research assistants including myself and professor McArthur met in one of the computer labs to put the Macon County Farmers Market Newsletter into its vibrant, creative, and new template along with new information to be added. Our task for today was to have as many surveys completed as possible. Ashton and I completed 61 Macon County Farmers Market Surveys by the staff, workers, several patients at the Central Alabama Veterans Health Care System in Tuskegee, Alabama.

Some of the reactions I received from this experience was that many individuals at CAVHCS never heard of the Macon County Farmers Market let alone knew Macon County has one. The behavior of the respondents having to fill-out a 23 questioned, double-sided survey was very negative. Once I explained to them: who I was, what the survey was about, and the benefits from a program such as the youth garden project, the respondents behavior totally changed to a more positive one. I realized and came to the conclusion that most staff personnel, workers, or patients did not want to write; therefore, I volunteered--with their consent--to ask the questions and write their corresponding answers to each question. I came across people from other areas outside of the Macon County region and they simply did not want to take the survey, but I gave them several flyers about the upcoming Youth Garden Project:Tomato Sale on June 10, 2009 at 8:00AM-2:00PM.

This experience allowed me to see that the awareness of the Macon County Farmers Market is by "word of mouth." Hopefully, when the newsletter is printed and distributed it will open the door-way for other entities of the market to be known by the more citizens of Macon County and various local areas as well.

May 13, 2009

This is the third day of my research assistant role of the Youth Gardening Project. Today's location was at the Tuskegee University Chambliss Building(old business bldg) and the Macon County Farmers Market. We all meet with Mr. Pace--the coordinator of the market--to discuss some of the upcoming ideas to promote the awareness of the local farmer's market. The agenda for today was to complete the monthly newsletter for the Macon County Farmers Market and articles related to gardening with the elderly, youth, and farmers market. I worked along side the other research assistants--Aminat Babalola, Sarethia Grant, Ashton Wells--to complete the monthly newsletter. My newsletter contributions included the sections: Recipe and Meet The Farmer. We each picked an entity that we will contribute to the Macon County Farmers Market website. I am responsible for supplying a list of weekly produce that will be offered at the market each week. The other research assistants including myself completed ten articles on the topics of gardening with the elderly, community gardening, gardening with children, and farmers market.

May 12, 2009

This is the second day of my research assistant role of the Youth Gardening Project. Today's location was at the Tuskegee University Chambliss Building(old business bldg). I worked along side the other research assistants--Aminat Babalola, Sarethia Grant, Ashton Wells--to organize the room occupied with material in implementing the successful youth after-school program. We will be using this room to instruct, share knowledge, and help the current youth with the summer gardening project. We finished organizing the complete room; therefore the materials can be easily recovered because of the neatly sectioned-off binds of various items.

May 11, 2009

This day began my official research assistant role of the Youth Gardening Project. Today's location was at the Tuskegee University greenhouse. I transported the smaller tomato plants into the children boxes; therefore, I had to weed out the boxes before planting the tomatoes. After completing some of the children boxes, I helped the other research assistants--Aminat Babalola, Sarethia Grant, Ashton Wells--pot the white seed trays which we will later be seeded with cantaloupe, flowers, okra, and radish. We finished filling the remaining black medium-sized pots with the larger tomato plants.