My Agri-Adventure

Tomorrow is the big day. Ten hours away from starting my year long apprenticeship at Bobolink Dairy Farm and I'm a little concerned I over packed. I know two bags worth of bedding may seem a bit over the top, but I really feel a feather bed and down comforter are going to come in handy. What do you bring to a farm anyway? there has to be more than overalls and boots.

Eight months ago I returned to Culinary School with no idea what the hell I want to do with my life. Now I'm still scared shitless of what's to come, but I've at least found a direction to start in. While taking a food ecology course I visited a little dairy farm that is the picture of pastoral peace. 100 Heritage breed cows grazing the land, about a dozen chickens, and a few massive pigs all supporting each other and nature. The air is so thick with life you feel full after yawning, and honestly the cow shit smell goes away after like 5 minutes. From the moment I stepped off the bus I knew I wanted to work there. So now after a few months of planning and applying I've scored an apprenticeship for a year. I'll be working the land, living off what I can raise, and making some really tasty cheese. 

When I tell people that I've just graduated with a Bachelor's Degree from Culinary School and I'm now going to work on a farm their initial response is a very supportive "Oh that's great" followed by a very concerned "... and why?" Yes I know it's hard to believe that someone who was once drama club president now wants to spend a year ankle deep in cow shit, and trust me I've heard all the milking and udder jokes out there by now. But the truth is that in my four years of culinary school I've learned that we all need a closer connection to food. That to truly be passionate about what I cook I can't be ignorant of its origins. So many people today don't realize how important eating is. We are what we eat and so much of what we eat is unhealthy. So I hope that with this blog I can bring people a little closer to some healthy sustainable sources of food. I want to share my experience of a year on a farm and all the weird wacky mishaps that are sure to arise. 

So follow me if you like and please understand, this is my first blogging experience so be patient. Pictures and videos will come a bit later on, but for now I'm proud of my self that you are able to reading this much.  

Fun food fact #1 - Cows have four stomachs