Lately, it seems like all anyone can talk about is how hot it is outside.
And it’s for good reason: The whole world, from Texas to California to even countries overseas, is experiencing a massive heat wave. In Baltimore specifically, the Baltimore-Washington area recently recorded a streak of four consecutive days when the temperature was over 100 degrees, with highs tying heat records set in 1954, 1995 and 1988.
While none of these temperatures have beaten the current record of 107 degrees, which was set in 1930, the weather is still having a significant impact on the local population’s well-being. Notably, it has created obstacles for people who primarily work outside, which includes volunteer workers at places like Pearlstone and construction workers for Jewish-owned construction companies.
This has led them to try and find creative ways to stay cool,
Jared Stein is a stewardship associate at Pearlstone, helping to tend the retreat center’s land full-time. His work differs from that of the volunteer farm stewards who also help out on the Pearlstone campus because he works to maintain some of its more permanent fixtures, such as its orchards, walking trails and the farm animals that live there.
But the heat has made work difficult for the volunteers that work the land.
“It depends on where you are. In some areas, there’s a breeze, and other places are basically humidity sinks,” Stein explained. “I work with animals, like the sheep and chickens, and the pasture is an especially hard place to be when it’s hot out. The heat really hits you from both sides.”
No matter how hot it is, though, the stewards at Pearlstone still have a responsibility to maintain the retreat’s campus. Another challenge has been trying to figure out ways to manage the heat while working.
Stein noted that staying hydrated has been crucial to his work. He and many of his fellow volunteers have been putting electrolyte tablets in their water, which provide extra hydration. All water contains a trace amount of electrolytes, which helps to push more water into the bloodstream.
Another major concern for Pearlstone volunteer workers is the welfare of the animals who live in its pastures. Stein said that they have taken extra measures to keep the animals cool so they don’t overheat, such as installing fans in the chicken coops and regularly changing their water.
Article by Jillian Diamond.