The group of 40 broke up into smaller teams of around 6 people, each with one or two crew leaders, and we hit the trail. We hiked for a mile or so, then stopped while our crew leader explained what we'd be doing in more detail. Our basic job was to build drainage ditches at low spots where water tends to collect. Small ditches quickly get filled with dirt and stop working. I teamed up with a woman named Lynn and we got to work.
People generally work in pairs or threes, depending on the size of the job.
One person would have a grub hoe, pulaski, mcleod, or other ground-destroying type tool. The other would have a shovel to put the dirt where we wanted it. We made the ditch twice as big and continued on. The rest of the morning was pretty much the same. Then, he'd come by and tell us to make it even bigger.