Last week was a gorgeous week weather-wise in Central New York. One weeknight, our family traveled south of the city of Syracuse to a very special farm in Lafayette, New York, called Matthew 25. Founded 10 years ago, the farm is completely run on donations of time, talent and treasure. The farm grows crops and gives them away to the poor.
We joined the Peanut Butter Club from St. Mary’s Church in Baldwinsville, New York to work for an hour on the farm. After enjoying some pizza and meeting everyone else, the kids got right to work hoeing and planting carrots, four long rows worth! The children’s ages ranged from 2 or 3 to 11 and they needed a bit of guidance. That’s where the parents came in. But, they managed to get all the seeds in the ground with time to spare.
I’m super glad we took the kids. They definitely learned a valuable lesson about helping others in need. In fact, when asked what she did last week, Lucia, who is 8, said, “We planted carrots for poor people.” Message received!
When we arrived home, after getting the kids in bed, we enjoyed a Pinot Noir I found at the corner liquor store. Cline was excellent! Cline Cellars are located in Sonoma County, California, a hotbed for excellent Pinot Noir. I even bought another bottle a few days later – it was that yummy!
Matthew 25 is always taking donations. You can sponsor a crop, volunteer to tend the crops or even harvest them, which we plan to do come August. There’s nothing better than to model the behavior you want to see in your children while helping those in need. We felt good about what we did and enjoyed a rare evening together as a family with no electronics. If you live in the CNY area, I highly recommend looking into Matthew 25 and seeing how you might be able to help its mission. Cheers!
