The corn was taller than the 11 year old boy. It was summertime and the boy was spending another summer with his grandmother on the farm, but he didn’t mind. His grandmother was a kind woman who always cared for the boy.

Zhu Zhang pulling weeds at ACRE Farms Saturday morning. Zhang enjoys to volunteer at the farm regularly during the summer. (Photo: Sara Davis)

 The summers were hot. Back then, no machinery was used on the farm. Grandmother taught the boy how to work on the farm. The boy learned to fertilize the corn by using a small spoon to place fertilizer close to the root of the corn and bury it.

 After working in the field for a while, the grandmother would check on the boy. The boy, being from a city, was not used to working on a farm. The boy said Grandmother made sure he was alright. Grandmother would make sure he was drinking water and he was allowed to stop helping on the farm whenever he tired.

 As the years went by, Grandmother got older and she no longer works on the farm. However, the boy still farms because it reminds him of his grandmother and his home far away.

 The boy is now grown up and a PhD Geophysics student at the University of Wyoming. The boy, Zhu Zhang, grew up half-way across the world, in the city Xi’an, but Zhang’s grandmother’s farm was located near the town of Chang’an in China. Zhang has not been home since 2006 yet he has found a way to feel at home in Laramie by volunteering at ACRE farms.

 ACRE Farms is a volunteer run farm located at the corner of Harney and 30^th Street in Laramie. All ages and experience levels are welcome to volunteer on the farm.

 Zhang has been volunteering for ACRE farms for a couple of years. Zhang said, “it is great (for me) because he gets to enjoy the sunshine on the weekends, meet a lot of people, chat a lot on the farm, and be part of very social teamwork.”

 This year the farm planted flowers, strawberries, potatoes, spinach, lettuce, arugula and herbs. These items and more will be available to purchase at the Laramie Farmer’s Market this summer and few other local events.

 ACRE Farms Assistant Manager Sarah Legg said although Acre Farms is not a certified organic farm, the farm uses sustainable and organic growing methods to produce foods such as the use of crop rotation and lack of pesticides or herbicides.

Photo: Sara Davis

 Legg said she got involved with ACRE farms two years ago with the aspiration of contributing to sustainability and encouraging the local food movement. Products bought locally helps economic development.

 Legg said her favorite part of working with ACRE Farms is selling items at the farmers market. Legg added it allows her to connect with the community and “what better way to connect with people through food.”

 ACRE farm’s regular volunteer hours are Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. When the farmer’s market starts on July 1, volunteers will be needed Friday mornings to gather and prepare produce to sell later in the day. Volunteers have the opportunity to earn $1 tokens for each hour of volunteer time that can be used to purchase product produced at the farm.

 Though miles apart, Zhang feels like he has his family with him. The soil might contain different minerals and the climate is colder but using his hands at ACRE farm takes him back to spending summers with his grandmother. Volunteering at the farm reminds Zhang his family is with him always- through his memories, experiences and in his heart.

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