Being a wwoofer(willing worker on an organic farm) has been an amazing experience so far. I have a new respect for all farmers because the work is surprisingly challenging, gross, and energy consuming. The mornings have been lots of hard work and the afternoons have consisted of lots of pool and ping pong. My first task this week was a two-day job at Anne’s farm. Jessie and I partnered up to clean out the pens where all the calves have been raised this past year. We had to clean up all the manure and bring it to Anne’s garden at her house. The whole time I was cleaning I was surprised at the fact that I wasn’t gagging or quitting because the odor was constantly present and the poop was flying all over my body when I was water blasting the floor. I found it weirdly amusing. I also did some grubbing which involves ripping up thistles that have started to dominate some of the farm paddocks. Ben and I cleared two whole paddocks even though there was some serious weather challenges and excessive amounts of thistles. Today, Rebecca and I deconstructed a fence and started to dig out an area that will become a scale station for Sheila to weigh her cows. The food has been amazing here; sheila is an amazing cook and has been generous to open up her fridge to us and share some of the local meat with us. I feel that the group is growing closer and closer together and it really feels like a family. I couldn’t be happier.
Sincerely,
Bilbo Bloggins
a.k.a Will Cigno
