Week One

After packing and repacking at least twice (never have lived on a farm before I wasn't sure what to bring) I moved onto Marble Valley Farm last Sunday April 3rd.  Within minutes of arriving I met the other apprentice Jon.  Jon, from Boise Idaho, has had some experience working on a farm before in Idaho called Peacefully Belly.  For our first dinner on the farm Megan prepared a delicious meal of vegetable soup, bread and pesto, and sauteed Jerusalem artichokes.  I spent the rest of the evening unpacking and setting up the apprentice living area.
Jon and I are living in the basement of the main farm house.  Although, the basement is unfinished it has a certain Je n'ai ce que.  We have done a good job at making it cozy and bringing a homey touch by putting down carpets, buying kitchen appliances, and brining in reading chairs, a bookshelf, and a kitchen table.
Due to the cold and wet weather much of Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday was spent seeding and transplanting in the greenhouse.  We started planting tomato, lettuce, eggplants, and spinach seeds.  To make the process of seeding and transplanting better, which can be tedious and repetitive, we play a bootleg cassette/CD sound system. (Who owns cassette players anymore right???, but it does the job)
Thursday and Friday the weather warmed up, and we spent time in the fields digging up Jerusalem artichokes, rolling up drip tape, moving hay stacks, and seeding peas, onions, and shallots.  I also got to drive the tractor.  By the end of the week my body was defiantly feeling sore from the heavy lifting and digging and I was ready for a relaxing weekend.  Despite the aches and pains, overall I really enjoyed my first week.  I like how the nature of the work is not routined, how each day the work is unique, and allows me to be outdoors and active.