So I’m starting to get settled at the farm – learning more and more of the daily chores. This week I tried milking a cow for the first time. It is definitely a skill that takes time getting good at, but I didn’t get kicked or dropped the milk bottle. I was however competing with the newborn calf trying to get to the utter.
I also had my first dinner duty. The produce on the farm is top quality, but it is slightly different from what I normally cook with at home, so I decided to make falafel with pita bread and a cabbage chop salad. I think I have finally figured the wood stove out. I was very happy with the result and it seemed the other people on the farm agreed:
Of course one of my first projects has been to bake rye bread. I have already gone three weeks without, so I could wait no longer. I made a sour dough and got baking. They turned out great and newcomer to the farm, Swedish Kristina has approved, so I’m happy. I wonder if it is worth while trying to make liquorice?
I try to find time to do hikes, since the island is amazingly beautiful. Just look at that scene above…5 minutes from the farm. When it warms up a bit, there is a campsite right there and I can’t wait to sit around a fire and enjoy that view!
This week also provided a special dinning experience as one of the residents from Blue Jay did a French Fine Dinning event at her work place – the local CO-OP. It was Michelin worthy with the white table cloths and the food was really delicious. I already suggested that Carly should do a pop-up restaurant this summer.
It was a real treat and a fun experience to try. Of course our Blue Jay table made a bit of a scene when the napkin from the bread basket caught fire at the table, but we stopped the fire and pretended nothing happened 🙂 It is not all farm life out here.
This weekend I am in charge of feeding at the barn, so twice a day I climb to the hay loft and push hay through to the cows and goats. Who would have thought I would be doing that just half a year ago? It has shown me the level of commitment needed when dealing with livestock. I love the fresh dairy products, but it seems too big a commitment for one person, so I guess having livestock will have to go on the back burner as long as I’m single. I will just have to buy my dairy as most other people do.
I will end this blog with a picture of one of the farm dogs – Kassidy is 15 years old and deaf, but such a sweetheart. She guards the farm along with the other dog Sadie, who will always try to trick you into a game of Stick, even though she is not allowed to.
