This column is designed to tell folks how and where to enjoy themselves so I don t intend this editi

Stuart Faber helping to harvest the broccoli crop. It might seem to those who have read the last few columns of Flying With Faber that I am having an identity crises. In a number of columns, las vegas hotel deals I described las vegas hotel deals trips which were conducted from my airplane. The next column may have included a description of my sailing on a boat Sailing With Faber. Finally, I recounted las vegas hotel deals the story of, Horse-And-Buggy With Faber; my epoch of operating a horse and buggy along the trails of Mackinac Island, Mich.
I can t make up my mind about how to banner this article. So let s call this, Gleaning with Faber. During my recent trip to Monterey and the Salinas Valley in California, I met with a group called Ag Against Hunger, a non-profit organization which recognized las vegas hotel deals that even though we live in an area where there is an abundance of food, millions of Americans, and of course folks all over the world, suffer from hunger. From time to time all of us have exclaimed, I m famished! For us, the phrase is really hyperbole. I doubt that any of us has ever really suffered from famine the word from which famished is derived. When we claim to be starving, we are not accurately describing our current level of nutritional sustenance. The truth is that when we use any of these phrases, it means that we haven t stuffed ourselves las vegas hotel deals for a few hours and the clock tells us that it s time to eat again.
When you and I do feel pangs of hunger, we can generally do something about it within moments. We can always get our hands within reach of something Tater Tots, Big Macs, Doritos or a Hostess Cupcake. las vegas hotel deals These items may not be the healthiest things for us to consume, but at least they will make our famine subside.
las vegas hotel deals But what about folks who don t have the luxury of food at their fingertips? In some parts of the world, poor soil and no rain means no crops. Since there is no water in some of these parts of the world, fish tend to select other habitats. What little food is available is insufficient to feed the overpopulated communities.
In other parts of the world, las vegas hotel deals such as the United States, there is an abundance of food. Nevertheless, some folks don t have the money to purchase it. Whatever a person s political beliefs, I doubt that anyone would view a starving child as a good thing. But no matter who is at fault for a child s hunger, no one can support las vegas hotel deals the notion las vegas hotel deals that innocent babies and small children should go without food.
This column is designed to tell folks how and where to enjoy themselves so I don t intend this edition to be a sermon. But can anyone disagree with the notion that hunger in our country is not only a bad thing for the hungry folks, but also deteriorates the fabric of our entire nation as well? If we want to be purely selfish about it, hungry people, in an effort to assuage their pain, often resort to desperate behavior. Those of us, both the sympathetic and unsympathetic, can end up as victims of this desperation. I ve visited countries, such as Brazil, where the well-to-do are forced to build ten-foot high electric fences around their homes. Their kids cannot run across the street or next door to play with Johnnie or Susie. I don t want to build an electric fence around my house. I don t think any of our readers do either. We would rather contribute food than have it stolen from our homes.
Ag Against Hunger has developed partnerships with growers, shippers, processors, food banks and other agencies. The result is that over 158,500 hungry people in Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties of California are recipients of fresh and nutritious fruits las vegas hotel deals and vegetables. It s alarming that, within these three counties, 25 percent of the population is served by food banks 15 percent of the people are homeless. Hunger las vegas hotel deals impacts the most helpless of the population. At least 45 percent of the people served by these food banks in Central California are children. I was astounded when I learned of these statistics.
In 2010, Ag Against Hunger collected healthy and delicious produce from the Salinas Valley and distributed more than 12 million pounds throughout California and neighboring states. Where does this food come from? For a number of reasons, there is a surplus of fruits and vegetables produced on some of our farms. Every month, las vegas hotel deals a group of more than 50 growers las vegas hotel deals contacts Ag Against Hunger to pick up the surplus stuff. The result is a collection of tomatoes, potatoes, stone fruit, apples, las vegas hotel deals lettuce, broccoli, spinach and strawberries, all of which is shared with food banks throughout the state. When the growing season is over, Ag Against Hunger folks hop in a truck and pick up fresh produce in neighboring states.
How is this produce harvested? By people like you and me. Along with a group of volunteers, I showed up at a farm in the early hours of the morning. We were handed knives and gloves, given a crash course on how to harvest, and off we trotted into the broccoli fields. Within about an hour, I had picked around 30 pounds of broccoli. Not only is this a worthy cause, it s an effective way to teach children about where food comes from and how to appreciate what we eat. It was exciting to see parents bonding with their children and with other families. Kids as young as three years old were working in the fields and having a great time. It also made me and others appreciate how back-breaking this work really is. By noon, I was hot and exhausted. Imagine las vegas hotel deals having to do this work 12 hours a day for months at a time.
The experience also raised questions about our attitude toward guest workers from other counties. None of us wants to pay $10 a pound for apples or lettuce. And few Americans want to pick these items for minimum wage or any wage for that matter. So what is the solution?
Most of the time, we fly our airplanes to have fun. We use our planes to reach exotic places, to discover fertile fishing holes, find a great restaurant or attend a sports event. I admire those who use their aircraft to help other people, such as Doctors or Dentists Without Boundaries, missionaries or gleaners.
For those who don t know where the term came from (including me), I suggest las vegas hotel deals a look at Deuteronomy in the Old Testament. Gleaning was described as the gathering of crops, which remain after the general harvest. The bounty was given to the poor. I am not a student of the Bible. But I can t argue with the idea that modern-day gleaning is a great idea. For more on the subject, contact www.againsthunger.org .
Several years ago, a California Central Coast superior court judge, John Phillips, became frustrated with sentencing juvenile offenders to jail. He realized that a vast majority las vegas hotel deals of these kids reoffended shortly after they were released. He had a vision, which has now transformed into Rancho Cielo Youth Campus. The judge was convinced that, if we could take youthful offenders and teach them a trade and provide them with the feelings of self esteem that grow out of developing vocational skills, these kids could stay out of trouble. He was right. According las vegas hotel deals to his figures, more than 82 percent of Rancho las vegas hotel deals Cielo graduates have remained trouble-free.
The judge organized a group of local business folks and landowners. las vegas hotel deals Together, they acquired a 100-acre parcel of land in the Salinas foothills. Classrooms, a commercial kitchen, an amphitheater and other buildings were constructed. Many of these structures were built by the kids as they learned the construction trade. The curriculum grew to a number of trades. One class consists of a wildfire suppression program. Another is the construction program where kids learn framing, masonry, painting, fencing, graffiti removal, custom woodworking, painting and landscaping.
The Rancho Cielo Drummond Culinary Academy is dedicated to providing youth with an opportunity to gain skills which can translate into making them employable in the culinary and hospitality industry. Kids learn basic culinary and computer skills. Not only do they spend hours in the kitchen, they also attend a program which earns them a high school degree. Another program consists las vegas hotel deals of furniture making and woodworking. I saw stunning examples of hand-crafted furniture from Adirondack chairs to garden trellises las vegas hotel deals and benches.
HyThe Silver las vegas hotel deals Star Youth Program accepts students between ages 15 and 18 who are screened for vocational and school programs. Kids must show a desire to learn a trade and seek employment. The program includes Monterey County las vegas hotel deals s Community Schools program. Kids who were destined for a life of adult crime have been turned around.
I had the pleasure (and the honor), of being invited to tour the ranch. Later, we gathered for a gourmet dinner prepared by the kids. We had fresh salmon, just-harvested vegetables and dessert all made from scratch. The dinner rivaled in quality and service many I ve had in upscale restaurants.
At the ranch, I had a tremendous amount of fun, learned las vegas hotel deals a great deal and left feeling invigorated. Travelers can ski, swim, golf or frolic anytime, but this was a unique las vegas hotel deals and life-altering experience. For more information, contact Rancho Cielo at www.ranchocieloyc.org .
Back to work, it was time to visit and evaluate a few hotels and restaurants. Situated on 22 lush green acres and just minutes from the Monterey Peninsula Airport, downtown and the waterfront attractions, this comfortable, las vegas hotel deals pet friendly resort offers the best of both worlds seclusion and accessibility. Newly renovated guestrooms, a spa and workout center, three great restaurants, and meeting space for any function from a family reunion, las vegas hotel deals a pilot s club meeting or a high powered mega-conference, this resort has enough to keep you occupied las vegas hotel deals for a long weekend.
The newly renovated guestrooms and suites are cheerful, comfortable and just-right luxurious. Take your pick of golf course or pool views. The furnishings are fashioned from natural materials such as leather las vegas hotel deals and walnut, all in soothing earth tone colors. After an exhaustive midnight walk adjacent to (and on), the golf course, with my two