First Day On the Farm
Yesterday was the first day for the Work Exchange Program at B.U.G. Farms. I've been looking forward to working for them for a really long time. I want to do what they're doing in a few years and it seems like working on a farm is the best way to become a farmer.
I also have had a a few dreams about being turned away at the door because of my hobbit-esque size, so there was a bit of nearvousness going into this as well. Over all, though, I was looking forward to the experience, and hoping to learn what it actually means to garden seriously.
I was the first to arrive and sat with one of the owners, Coleman, for a while as he asked the standard "getting to know you" questions. He had a big friendly dog that I immediately doted upon. Coleman was really nice and seemed to be actually interested in what I had to say. He said "right on" a couple times in response to my answers, which was surprising, but also awesome. Slowly everyone else trickled in and we shared names and intersting facts about ourselves.
After the introductions Carly, another owner, and Coleman then took us on a short tour of the farm, showing us the walk-in cooler, which was slated for repair that day, and where we could get our tools. Then they took us to the "Playground Farm" and set us weeding a long line of beets.
It. Was. Awesome.
It was just weeding and talking, but it was so much better than you would think that would be. It was a perfect day for outdoor work: cloudy, with just a trickle of rain near the end. Everyone else had intersting life stories, and I could just work and listen to them talk and chime in occasionally.
After a while, we pruned some damaged spinach leaves and then thinned the same beets we had weeded. I only thought about the time once the entire day, and that was only because I was getting pretty hungry. It had felt like it had maybe been an hour and a half, rather than four. The fact that I had enjoyed it so much reassured me about my chosen career path.
Lunch was entirely vegetarian and wonderful. There were mainly rice, beans, and chopped salad, but there were also mini roasted squash halves and some sort of cooked greens. I had thirds of almost everything.
The dog sat at my feet underneath the table, I think that means that we're best friends now.
I'm really looking forward to going back next week.
