For some people, picking weeds eight hours a day doesn’t sound fun, but Juliette Crellin cherished the opportunity. In fact, she had been looking forward to it for years.

The junior policy studies major returned to Syracuse University this spring after taking two semesters off to work at AmeriCorps, where she participated in the National Civilian Community Corps.

In a span of 10 months, the program took Crellin across seven states in the Midwest where she was able to work with adults with developmental disabilities, provide dental care to the Amish and protect oak trees with Benedictine monks, to name a few.

“You see some quirky parts of the world,” Crellin said.

Being on an organic vegetable farm in Minnesota was Crellin’s favorite project, she said. The farm where she and her team were stationed grew 40 different types of vegetables. Working behind the scenes gave Crellin a better understanding of why organic agriculture is priced so high, she said.

The experience on the farm also gave the New York City native a new connection with food.

“Growing up in the city, we had a community garden plot and everything, but you’re so disconnected from your food — even if you shop at a farmer’s market,” Crellin said.

Crellin said one of her most memorable days on the organic farm was a rainy day in which her team was tasked with planting seeds and digging the holes by hand for four hours. She called it the most unpleasant thing she’s done in her life.

But when describing the experience, Crellin had a huge smile on her face. She had been thinking about doing AmeriCorps since she was 16, and she’s still elated to have had the experience many months later. Reflecting on her decision to take some time off from school, Crellin said she’s happy she did it.

“It’s so hard to understand what it’s like to not be in school, since the entire beginning of our life is school,” Crellin said. “It was really nice to step back and take a moment to breathe.”

Published on April 6, 2015 at 12:01 am

Contact Momin: mrafi@syr.edu