Two Gross Things

One peaceful afternoon at the farm, I was sitting around with most of the group cleaning garlic. Sophia comes into the lower barn to find me and tell me that I need to take Theo to the hospital. Theo doesn't really like the hospital- his words to me once were 'don't ever, ever take me there, no matter what', so I was a bit surprised at Sophia's declaration. I head up the driveway to find him bleeding all over the grass from an incredibly deep cut on his finger. How'd he do it? Sharpening the scythe. Very grim reaper-esque, if you ask me.

So we headed off to Athol Memorial Hospital, a wonderful, quite little place down the road from the farm and they fixed him up.

I, of course, thought the excitement was over for the day. We got ice cream cones, because what trip to the hospital shouldn't end with an ice cream cone, and drove back to the farm. We pulled up and found The Grossest Bug Ever lying under the maple tree behind the farm house. It was so big the chickens wouldn't eat it and I don't blame them.

A couple of gems...

I'll post a couple of photos over the next week that I found on my camera. I forgot that I had taken these this summer!

We spent a few hours taking a break from the busy summer season to shell beans with Carlen. And, of course, to make smiley faces out of them.

And, later that week, we braided Red Torpedo Onions into long chains. It helps to have monstrously large hands, which I'm blessed with. I added some flowers to the chain which dried along with the onions.

Graduation!

Let's start with the sad part: the tomatoes just couldn't handle all the rain. They are ghosts of their former glory. It's kind of ok at this point, because with Fall coming I'm excited for some pumpkin soup and roasted winter squash. That is the joy of seasonal eating.

There was a huge party at the farm with all our friends and families for graduation. My Mom and Dad and Rebecca and Anthony all came to help us celebrate. We kicked off the afternoon pressing cider in the orchard.

Mom helped take the leftovers down to the pigs. They were so excited! (And huge!)

I think the most amazing skill anyone has learned this year is the rare ability to levitate pitch forks. Theo is obviously a master.

We all sat on hay bales (and were given the above pitchforks as a present) for a wonderful ceremony full of poems, thank yous and a violin duet by Emily and Rebekah.

We made Sara a cake for her birthday on Tuesday.

I put a rabbit on it in honor of the angora rabbit she has taken care of over the last year.

Post graduation on the tractor!

With Maggie's Field in the background.

And our diplomas!

And the best graduation presents ever! Sweatshirts for our new farm. I'll post more about this soon, I promise!

Dad, who used to be a welder, checking out my fire cube with me.

And finally, the T-Rex that Betsy and Sarah gave Theo as a graduation present with the Prosecco from Rebecca and Anthony. You can also see Theo's bingo card from Thursday night with Josh, Stephen and Justin on the coffee table as well.

Power Out = Awesome

Ok, it's not really awesome to have no power, but my school was closed yesterday and I got to spend a day back at the farm! What a wonderful gift!

Woo Hoo! We're Famous (Again!)

Check out a new article about the farm!

Things I wish I had known

I had a lot of questions this time last year, so I'll do my part in passing along a bit of knowledge, or at least experience (some of which was learned the hard way).

What to bring?

You need really good boots. We all have the neoprene and rubber muck boots, either from Muck or from LL Bean or one of the other places that make them. Imagine walking through muddy water with manure in it that's higher than your ankles.

A really great set of rain gear. I have a gore-tex rain coat which I love and I really wish I had a pair of the carhartt overall rain pants. I have non-overall rain pants which are fine, but I have to wear suspenders with them. Another image? Bending over to harvest and having rain run down you pants because your jacket is above your waist. It makes it a completely horrible day.

Theo would like to add that he wishes he had a set of warmer rain gear and then something lighter for when it's hot out. He has those carhartt overall rain pants and says they're great, but they're too much for the spring and summer.

Speaking of having rain running down your pants, if you're living off the farm for the year, I highly recommend keeping a complete change of clothes either in your car or at the farm house. Not just dry socks and stuff like that, but shorts and a tshirt for if it suddenly gets warm, warm clothes for if it suddenly gets cold, something comfortable for sitting around the farmhouse for class and never, never leave your rain jacket at home.

A lot of people wear carhartt work pants (or deluth- there's lots of brand loyalty and comparison). I'm a fan of carhartt because they make women's clothing and it's really comfortable.

Multi tool/ and or pocket knife. I got mine from Chainsaw Bill (who you will meet and love any maybe win a pocket knife from) but I wish that I had the kind where part of the blade is serrated.

Work gloves are also a good thing to come with. Theo likes the $4 Ocean State Joblot kind and I like my leather Carhartt ones. It's funny that none of us really wear gloves any more, probably since we're just used to having poop on our hands and getting our hands pretty beat up everyday, but we wore them all the time in the fall. Also bring a pair of lined gloves (I got Kinco ones) because it get's colder sooner than you think and I wish I had had some from the beginning.

For the winter? I loved my wool shirts and my onesie LL Bean long underwear. Quilt lined overalls are good but I really wish I had (and might buy for myself one of these days) the full body coveralls that are quilted. So warm and cozy! I also got a winter work coat (also from carhartt... seeing a trend?) since I didn't want to ruin my nice ski coat.

Bring warm blankets for the winter since the farm house is pretty cold, and slippers since nobody wants work boots inside (or sandals for when it's warmer).

Bring musical instruments and board games and cards.

Bring a really, really good hat and really warm socks.

Some general advice?

There is so, so much food at the farm which is such a blessings. Part of what I'm saddest to leave behind is the meals we all ate together. However, if you have a non local or out of season food that you really like (for me, avocados and for Theo, any type of fish) you can expect that you'll have to buy that yourself.

I also think a real strength of the program, and the management is their willingness to accommodate what each person wants to learn. Obviously, one person can't change the whole curriculum, but the staff is really supportive if you want to go deeper into a certain subject. Advocate for yourself- it's really helped me when I wanted to do more welding and Theo when he wanted to spend more time canning and preserving.

One other tip for the few weeks left? Come to the farm prepared to carry heavy things. I wish I had spent more time building strength- you'll be carrying 50 lbs of turnips down a rocky path and lifting it into the back of a pickup. Also heavy? Throwing hay bales, lifting two five gallon buckets of water and 50 pound bags of grain.

A final thought: leaving the farm school is hard and figuring out what to do after is even harder. There was a lot of stress in March and April about everyone's next step. Wm (who you will also meet and love) told us that it happened every year and hearing that made it a little better. Throughout the summer we've met many, many farmers looking to hire us. Theo and I had many opportunities of where to go to start our own farm. And who knows, maybe we'll need someone this time next year.

I'm sure there's other things and if I think of any, I'll post them later. Off to go shuck the corn for dinner!

Dear Boots

Dear hiking boots,

You promised me you were waterproof. I wore you all over the white mountains and you stood up to stream crossings in late spring, puddles around the farm. Unfortunately, you were defeated by morning dew as we moved the sheep to a new pasture. I'm disappointed in you.

Sincerely,

Wet Socks