Saturday 10 September 2011

Trip to Farm pt. 2

This morning I woke up at quarter till six from the brightness of everything, even though the sun doesn’t come in the widows till 7:10am.

Before breakfast Joel and I went out and fed the chickens being raised for meat. He gave me a small tour of the garden. Then we went in for breakfast. I ate a breakfast of sweet potatoes and fried eggs cooked by Megan, it was quite good. After breakfast Joel and I went out to the laying chickens, they have 150 of them, and we fed them. They keep them inclosed in a fence and have them in a field grazing rotation. We then herded four cows to an inclosed area of the field and then went back to the house. We didn’t have that much to do so I read some and hung out for a while. Then Shawn went out to harvest greens and other vegetables so I went out to help him. He had me harvest sweet potatoes. I harvested about 45 pounds (the average length of the sweet potatoes was 10 inches long) of sweet potatoes. Then I helped Caroline (I think that is her name) sort out the vegetables for their CSA customers, they had 6 that day. After that Joel and I fed the pigs two barrels of food that they get from a shelter.

Then I took a bike and biked back to where my truck was, threw it in the back and drove around to the other side of the farm, the other way to access the farm. After I got back I went up to the barn where they hold events and such. Joel and Megan were serving food for the event, I joined in and afterwards while the speaker was announcing we ate. Then I went on the tour that Greg gave to everyone at the event. The tour was helpful to me, explaining some questions, giving me a clearer idea of what the farm is like.

After the tour I helped do a few things. While Joel and I did the chores we had a good bit of time to talk about farming, Rockland’s Farm, what my goal is, Joel and Megan’s goal....it was very good.

When we had cleaned up everything Joel, Megan and I talked some, I have to say Joel, Megan and I share the same view pretty much of what we like about the farm, what we would eventually like to have or do. We all agree that we don’t really like the business or marketing so much of farming as much as farming it’s self. We would like a more simplistic and less expensive farm then what Rockland’s is. However, Rockland’s is a new farm meaning that the interns can try out different ideas and see how they do, where as if it was an older farm you wouldn’t have as much leeway.

To conclude I really think that Rockland’s would be a good place for me to work at, learn exactly what I do and don’t like about farming and learn all the aspects of it. I would especially be interested in it if Joel and Megan stay on, which, at this point they are planning to do so, though that is not set in stone.

So, if they do end up offering interns next year I would like to intern. If not I would still want to spend a few weeks working there in the late spring or summer.

(please pardon any mistakes, I didn't read this twice, tell me the errors and I'll correct them if you are so inclined.)

English Vintner

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