Oh, my! How much is there to learn about farming?...I guess a week might not be enough to leave us experts, but we're certainly getting there! After morning chores and fresh farm breakfast, our friend Heather shared with us her histor with and expertise of canning, pickling and basic food preservation. We were able to taste canned pumpkin, tomatoes, apple sause, pickled cucumbers and beets...new flavor adventures for quite a few of us! Lunch was a dee-lish taco salad with fresh canned salsa and then it was time for some "farm-maintenance" type of chores...We measured babies, yearling goats and calves, washed areas of the barn. Basic work that farmers do when everything else is done. But then....what is that? Over there? The bleating and fussing in the goat pen? A mama goat delivered her kid 5 days early, and we were all able to see him come into this world! Dee, the barn animal specialist, took the kid into her lap, vigorously toweled him off, wiping his nose, trying to promote him to sneeze, thus clearing his nose of amniotic fluid and starting his little goat life! And...here's the rub...By the time all of the baby excitement was over, it was time for afternoon chores. And how did we know that? The cows were all looking into the barn, ready to be milked and fed. Just another day in the barn, and life goes on, I guess.
Afternoon chores started, and by the time they were finished, it was time for "Dinner with David", a local college intern who has come to have a "comparative breakfast" with us. The conversation is directed toward discovering the difference between fresh and prepared food, and talk about the importance of supporting our local growers and farmers...of course!
Evening was filled with laughter-filled "mafia" rounds, during which this writer was included as murderer and murdered! Mr. Kiefer then led us in a directed meditation, and off to sleep we went, recharging for the last full day of farm chores tomorrow!
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