40 Acres and a Dream
By Tyra Cowan Email
Only days after Hurricane Katrina, Ellen Byrd made her way through the sunlit trails and towering trees observing as if she was looking through a microscope. This was not a typical walk for this elderly woman on the grounds of the Black Freedman’s Historical Children’s Farm, in Furman, Ala .
With her boots strapped up and her broom as a guide, she made her way through the mud evaluating how much damage had been done.
As Byrd roamed from marker to marker she couldn’t help but drop her head and weep. All she had worked so hard for looked as if she had done no work at all, and all she had hope to create in the future seemed to be lost.
Trees the size of whales were scattered over the grounds like broken branches. Buildings once used for storage and resource centers now only served the purpose of sheltering birds. Trails were lost and covered because of overwhelming debris, and tree markers were blown away.
As Byrd took all this in, she remembered why she first started this place. She had a vision for young children that she wanted all to share. “I want children to be aware of their surroundings of their natural resources. I want them to become good stewards of nature,” she said.
So she began to pick up the pieces trying to recreate what was once so beautiful. The USDA came in during the spring to help clean up the scattered trees and other debris. The Alabama Natural Resource office came in to help rebuild the trails. Byrd knew it wouldn’t be an easy process, but she knew this would give her a chance to rebuild bigger and better.
Byrd once had a vision that’s now a reality. She envisioned children learning about nature while learning about themselves. She started with 40 acres of land and marsh and turned it into a place that has the greenest grass one has ever seen, trees taller than giants, and beauty that never ends.
Rural Alabama to many has no relevance or meaning, but to those in Furman, Ala., it’s their little piece of wonder. Byrd made sure of that. She has created a legacy, she has created a means of opportunity and she has created a model program.
Dreams Come True
Today, The Black Freedman’s Historical Children’s Farm is an outlet for those children who never thought they could learn about things they only saw on TV or those who thought the highway stopped at the end of their small town.
The program targets students in grades fifth through eighth in the Black Belt region and provides special outdoor classroom field days offering educational opportunities and career development exposure in a non-traditional setting. The farm serves about 2,000 students a year.
“The children are in awe when they visit the farm,” said Missy Buford, an eighth grade science teacher in the Wilcox County school system. “When they arrive they’re so anxious asking what’s this and what’s that.”
Buford added the school systems allow these field days because they see it as all educational. It is not just a day at a farm running and playing. It is actually reinforcing the state curriculum.
A typical visit to the farm starts with a walk around the lake. Followed by walks through the trails doing tree and flower identification. Next, students have exhibits with art, haiku poetry, and photography. There are also study sessions in subjects like earth science and horticulture.
The farm receives help from professors and other professionals from Auburn University through the university’s outreach program and the AU Center for the Arts and Humanities at http://www.auburn.edu/academic/college_of_liberal_arts/news/cah.htm.
The AU Center for the Arts and Humanities has been involved with Byrd and the farm for about five years. “We don’t always want to be the outsiders coming in. We just want to help showcase what the community already has,” said Jay Lamar, director of the Center. “Our goal is to help Wilcox County youth learn about art education and environmental science at the farm.”
Byrd recalled how she felt this goal was reached one day at the farm. It was around 1997 when a group of children were visiting. A marine biologist from Auburn University was tteaching them about the things involved with the subject. Byrd said she just sat there observing when one of the 12-year-olds jumped up shouting, “I want to be a marine biologist, I want to be a marine biologist.”
“This was one of my most exciting experiences on the farm,” Byrd said.
Another barrier Byrd saw broken down was when a reptile/amphibian specialist was at the farm teaching the children about different types of snakes. Then the children began to fight over who could hold the snake first and who could pet it. “This showed me that the fear that young children have with snakes is out the window,” Byrd said. The farm also hosts events for the community as well. Bryd hosts an annual gourd adventure. This event is in its eighth year at the farm. At this event, visitors learn how to plant and grow gourds, a multipurpose squash, and they learn the different uses it has.
Another event the farm hosts is a wellness forum for the elderly in the community. Here they discuss various health issues and what to do to maintain a healthier lifestyle. Byrd is able to have these events each year because of generous donations and the selling of raffle tickets.
Byrd also has great future plans for the farm. She has the blueprints in the making for a multipurpose community center. This will be an outlet for things ranging from church programs to community movie nights. Byrd would also like to build a playground at the farm for smaller children.
Another project Bryd wants to further develop is a tribute to the Freedmen Period. She wants to dedicate a portion of the farm to the post-Civil War era. There would be role play with characters enacting things done in that time period.
With the help of Dr. Royrickers Cook, Assistant Vice President for Auburn University Outreach, Byrd also wants to have a youth forum this summer.
“It’s amazing to see a woman in her eighties doing what she’s doing,” said Cook.
The Black Freedman’s Children’s Farm is located at 430 Bogan Road in Furman, Ala.
For more information concerning the farm or to schedule field days, contact Ellen Byrd from 9a.m.-5p.m. at (251) 746-2203 The farm’s operating hours are 9:30a.m. to 2 p.m.
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Last updated May 03, 2007