I came to visit the farm a few days ago. I have been working hard everyday and eating well. it hasn't been easy, but the work is of the variety that is rewarding by virtue of being able to see immediate results. My first day on the farm was a harvest day. Harvest day is a special type of madness. Everyone signs up for a task on a huge list of products that need to be harvested for the market and the box program. Guests "get" the privilege of picking perennial arugula. It is rather tedious work, but having a partner to talk to makes time go by quickly. I helped Sasha dig potatoes by hand. Digging potatoes is like robbing graves - you turn over the dirt and hope to find something good. Afterwards, it was my duty to make lunch and do the dishes. communal lunches are a beautiful way for everyone to catch up with the plan for the remainder of the day and get on the same page. Finally, we collected edible flowers, then went in, had dinner and went to bed.
The next day we packed the truck early for market day. After the truck was packed, we all arranged bouquets of cut flowers. Sasha and I drove into Victoria for the Moss Street Market. We unpacked teh stand and set the produce, flowers, bedding plants, and seeds. It was really cool being able to experiment with the display and getting into the heads of customers. Sometimes, putting things into the right sized basket goes a long way. The market is a busy day, but it is characterized by the soft, cool ocean breeze carrying the sounds of a bluegrass band over the buzz of activity at teh stalls themselves. People rushed about asking questions I couldn't answer and spending a lot of dough. Later that evening, despite coolish weather, we walked to Kemp Lake and had a swim at sunset, sampling Bill's homebrewed beer. divine!
Sunday is the farm's day of rest. Sasha and I slept late and had breakfast with Bill. Afterwards, we rode to Metchosin along the Galloping Goose Trail. The Goose is an old railroad-turned-trail that runs from Sooke into Victoria and up to the ferries. In Mertchosin we met a young couple who have only recently broken ground on their farm. It was so exciting to see what a brand new farm looked like, and Sasha and I were greatly encouraged by the fact that these people are only slightly older than us, and that they are at a phase in their lives that is more or less the same as ours. It was a great trip, and we both left feeling capable of doing things the way we want to.
Today was the best day I've had in a long time. I woke up and made oatmeal while Sasha tended the chickens. Then we set to work weeding this huge-ass patch. I was at it most of the morning, and now I see plants when I close my eyes. Afterwards we had a yummy lunch and spent teh remainder of teh day harvesting soil ammendments. Yes, we shovelled shit! Well, first we went to the sea and got a truckload of seaweed, which was great work, though hard. Then we went to the Alpaca farm nearby and scooped turds to wrap up the day. Why was it so great? I shared teh time working with my lover. Sasha and I went to hang out with the Alpacas in the field for a bit, then cam back, had a light dinner, and hung out with Bill before crashing. All in all a beautiful time. But now I'm tired and I have a long ride ahead of me tomorrow. a dios!
