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The AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) is made up of young adults 18 to 24 years of age who commit to 10 months of service within 3 different project rounds sponsored by nonprofits throughout the United States.

Pictured above: AmeriCorps NCCC team Green 2 serving at Elk Run Farm, a partner of Rotary First Harvest. Elk Run Farm grows fresh fruits and vegetables for the food banks of the South King County Food Coalition. Top Row (left to right): Jessica Monnette, Brian Beagan, Samantha Ard, Shelby Collins, Quinn Farnell, Aidan Sulak, Cheyenne Stanley, Mohamad Akhbari Bottom Row: Zachary Owens, Katherine Steele and Kesigh White.

Green 2 AmeriCorps NCCC members Zack Owens (Left) and Brian Beagan (Right) harvesting radishes at Elk Run Farm with the help of farm hand Mindy.

After their first project round in the gulf bend region of Texas aiding in disaster relief from Hurricane Harvey and just over a month after working tirelessly in the hot desert of Coachella Valley, California building homes for low-income families, team Green 2 of AmeriCorps NCCC planted their boots on the ground at Elk Run Farm in Maple Valley, Washington for their third and final project round.

During their time volunteering at Elk Run Farm, the team learned about the growing and harvesting practices of the many different vegetables (over 30 different varieties) on the farm. Green 2 also assisted in enhancing the infrastructure of the farm by assembling more raspberry and grape trellises, digging vegetable beds, and building worm bins to compost all food waste and organic matter on the farm.

The newly constructed and lined raspberry trellises mulched to ward off weeds and provide adequate walking space between plants to protect them from trampling.

Team Green 2’s biggest accomplishment occurred on AmeriCorps Action Day alongside other service members and members of the Maple Valley community. What originally started as a rocky, naked space sprouted into a beautiful food forest, King County of Washington State’s first public food forest! Over 30 fruit trees were planted and over 250 plants aiding in the health and well-being of the trees now call Elk Run Farm home.

Although Green 2 will not be around when Elk Run Farms receives water and electric on the property, they will continue their adventure and volunteerism on Whidbey Island helping Good Cheer Food Bank and Thrift in Langley, WA.

Elk Run Farm’s new food forest planted on June 13, 2018