Terp Farm with Alpha Phi Omega (Service Fraternity)
November 15, 2025 in Upper Marlboro, MD
A picture of me planting the garlic!
Terp farm is an ongoing service event that my service fraternity participates in weekly. Every week, those who sign up go and help in whatever way the farm needs that day. One of the leaders, a man named Guy, directs us to whichever area of farming needs to be addressed that day. One of the main concerns this site faces is a lack of workers as Guy sometimes does most of the work by himself. He has other leaders to help with big decisions, but workers specifically that do grunt work is what he is usually lacking. In the past me and my fraternity have helped with various activities like digging up sweet potatoes, washing green beans, moving dirt, and many more.
A picture of the team that went with me that week!
This week, I planted garlic plants in the specific region he needed them planted. I stayed there for around 2 hours of near constant work. He had made little tunnels with open ends where the garlic plants could be somewhat protected from the elements in winter. He had a machine make a grid of spots about 8 inches apart that we could then work with. To plant the garlic, you first had to dig about 7 inches in the dirt, in the specific hole, then place the garlic bulb in the hole and cover it. While it wasn't difficult, there were hundreds if not thousands of holes that needed to be planted. I worked fast and was very efficient as we got half done with way less people than the Guy was expecting. These garlic plants will grow and thrive all winter, to then be farmed in the spring for use at one of the dining halls, or to be sold elsewhere. Their destination will likely be one of the university dining halls, where students like me can enjoy fresh, locally grown food, or they may be sold elsewhere to support the farm financially. Knowing that my work contributed to this cycle gave me a sense of pride. It was less about the actual work but it was about sustaining a food system, supporting local agriculture, and ensuring that Guy did not have to do all of this work alone.
This helped to address the challenge facing the site as we were able to help out Guy so he didn't have to do this himself. If the service is continued weekly, yes my work and the work of my fraternity will help address the concern as even 2 hours of dozens of people helping can get a tremendous amount of work done. Specifically for the 15th, my work addressed the issue by giving Guy a helping hand and completing some of the work he needed done. I would definitely do this service event again! I appreciated the physical aspect of the work. I do not mind getting my hands dirty, and I like being active and involved, so this was the perfect job for me. There was something grounding about working with soil, following a rhythm, and seeing tangible progress as rows of garlic bulbs disappeared beneath the earth. I loved going and it was fun to learn about some farming work like farming techniques, such as how garlic is planted and protected during colder months.
In conclusion, my excursion to Terp Farm was both productive and meaningful. I helped plant garlic bulbs that will sustain the farm through the winter and provide food in the spring. More importantly, I contributed to easing the workload of Guy, who often faces the challenge of limited manpower. This event was not only fun but also a reminder of how small acts of service can make a lasting impact on both individuals and communities.