This upcoming week is National Volunteer Week. The Cibolo was built by a group of volunteers and friends who had a shared vision to transform a little piece of Boerne and share it with the community. Today, and every day, we celebrate all the people that give their time, talents, and treasures to help the Cibolo grow and thrive. We are pleased to highlight the contributions of a special volunteer, Sarah Lindaur, who helps the Cibolo each and every day. Friends like Sarah are the continued magic of the Cibolo.
--Mornings at the Herff Farm are quiet, but like all small farms, there is no shortage of work to be done. That’s where Sarah Lindaur comes in. Sarah started volunteering in the Teaching Garden in 2019 after retiring. Since then, she has woven herself into the daily routine of the farm, feeding and caring for the chickens and Radish, the rabbit, tending to bird baths and feeders, and working in the garden beds alongside our employees and other volunteers. Over the years, she has developed a close bond with our chickens who are very drawn to her as they follow her everywhere she goes. Whether it is because they can sense her genuine care towards them, or just because she brings them varieties of foods they like, the connection they share is obvious. Last week, I interrupted her cleaning out the chicken waterers for a quick interview.
Why did you start volunteering here?
“I needed something to do to stay busy and exercise. I grew up on a farm in Michigan, so I’m used to farm life, like growing things. And my house has no good dirt, and there’s good dirt here! It’s a good routine to come out here every day.”
What is your favorite part about volunteering in the garden?
“I have several favorite parts. Seeing the seasonal changes. Seeing that things die down and then grow back and die down and grow back. Watching the birds and watching the sky.”
And the chickens?
“The chickens, they’re more a social thing. [Volunteering here] is perfect for me because I’m not a social person. I’m not a people person. Working by myself is fine, and I like people, but the chickens...”
She chuckled and so did I. Her nickname around the Cibolo is “Chicken Sarah.” It started out as a name to distinguish her from other people in the organization named Sarah, but it stuck.
Did you work with plants and animals in your career?
“I worked as a vet tech for a while, in pet practice mainly. Then I got an MBA in finance and went on to work in administrative finance.” We talked about life in the corporate world and how that can take you far from the simple farm life and your close connection to nature.
“And I’ve been there, done that. I did all of it. But it gets old! And people get so hung up on their day to day lives. They can’t take just a second. For example, people take a full container of food with half eaten stuff and throw it in the trash! They don’t realize or don’t care that the food can be composted, and the container could be, or maybe not be, recycled. They should separate it out. But they don’t. They just put it all in the trash and waste management comes and picks it up and dumps it in the landfill. The little bit of effort can mean a lot. If we had to pay for the trash we produced, the packaging companies would package things differently. We would handle our trash differently. The landfills wouldn’t grow so fast. And that’s sad.”
“Of course, I’m retired so this is my day-to-day life. I’m lucky to have found this place. It’s beautiful. It really can give you a lot.”
What are you looking forward to as a volunteer?
“I’m excited by all the good growth and improvements that have happened since I started volunteering. For example, the children’s garden, the pollinator garden, the herb garden, and the gourd house. There’s always something happening so it’s always new.”
Sarah continues to be an important and valuable part of the Teaching Garden. Her hard work and positive attitude are inspiring, and the Cibolo is so thankful she found us. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, please reach out to Heather Austin, Volunteer Coordinator, at volunteer@
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