sadly my time at everdale has come to a close. yesterday i arrived back in Ottawa to organize my life and get things going. i feel pretty lost and heartbroken at the moment. i miss the farm and everyone there so much. my life in Ottawa is pretty ridiculous. i opened my closet and i have so many clothes. i have so much STUFF. i need to pare down to the basics.
with everything I've learnt this summer i feel pretty unstoppable. i feel like my dreams are achievable, i just need to figure out how to get from here to there. i want to have a small off grid strawbale cabin with solar/wind power. i want to grow all my own food. i want to bake and preserve. i want goats and chickens. i want a supportive network around me of like minded people without living on a commune.
people keep asking me if i intend to farm and a keep saying "no" because i just want to farm for myself but then i think about how ridiculously happy farming makes me and maybe i should farm for a living. humans aren't meant to work in an office doing menial tasks that have no direct results. as Cam, on of the everdale interns said, there is direct truth in the tasks we do as farmers. when vegetables are active so are we, weeding and harvesting. when they are dormant we curl up by the fire and plan for next season. if farming is in the cards for me than a proper internship is probably a good idea, otherwise I'm not sure.
stay tuned,
(farmer?) liz
9/26/2007
9/12/2007
Ruminations
Every week in the Everdale newsletter "Gifts from the Field" a different apprentice writes a reflection. they asked me to do one this week even though I'm not an intern. here's what a wrote:
When I arrived here at the beginning of July I never expected to be sitting here over 2 months later. My name is Liz Charles and I am one of the many volunteers that have made their way to Everdale this season. Unlike the others I never left. I decided to come to Everdale for 2 reasons. Firstly, because I had finished my degree in Environmental Studies and spent 4 years talking about organic farming and food without having any practical knowledge. My second reason is that I am striving to live a sustainable life and to be as self sufficient as possible. The hands on education in organic farming as well as sustainable living that Everdale offers to its interns and volunteers seemed like the perfect match. My time at Everdale has helped me connect with my food, the environment, and my community. Being able to see food go from seed to table is so amazing and makes every bite even more delicious because of all the hard work that went into it. I am truly grateful for every meal. Being able to see how a farm can give back to the environment and enrich the soil and water rather than devastate it is also a wonderful thing to witness. Most importantly I’ve found a group of people here, with the staff, interns and volunteers at Everdale, that are truly committed to sustainable living and are not only inspiring me but are also amazing friends and co-workers. If someone a few months ago had told me that the happiest day in my life I would be covered in mud, fish emulsion, baking in the hot sun after 10 hours of work I never would have believed them. Thanks to my time here I am so excited about my future, knowing that sustainable living is not only better for the planet, but also makes me unbelievably happy. ~Farmer Liz
When I arrived here at the beginning of July I never expected to be sitting here over 2 months later. My name is Liz Charles and I am one of the many volunteers that have made their way to Everdale this season. Unlike the others I never left. I decided to come to Everdale for 2 reasons. Firstly, because I had finished my degree in Environmental Studies and spent 4 years talking about organic farming and food without having any practical knowledge. My second reason is that I am striving to live a sustainable life and to be as self sufficient as possible. The hands on education in organic farming as well as sustainable living that Everdale offers to its interns and volunteers seemed like the perfect match. My time at Everdale has helped me connect with my food, the environment, and my community. Being able to see food go from seed to table is so amazing and makes every bite even more delicious because of all the hard work that went into it. I am truly grateful for every meal. Being able to see how a farm can give back to the environment and enrich the soil and water rather than devastate it is also a wonderful thing to witness. Most importantly I’ve found a group of people here, with the staff, interns and volunteers at Everdale, that are truly committed to sustainable living and are not only inspiring me but are also amazing friends and co-workers. If someone a few months ago had told me that the happiest day in my life I would be covered in mud, fish emulsion, baking in the hot sun after 10 hours of work I never would have believed them. Thanks to my time here I am so excited about my future, knowing that sustainable living is not only better for the planet, but also makes me unbelievably happy. ~Farmer Liz
9/02/2007
On Death and Dying
So one of the folks who lives here had some people up for the long weekend. one of their dogs got to one of the chickens that had escaped the coop. in short i watched a chicken die, it squirmed and shook violently and looked like it was in a lot of pain before she closed her eyes and went limp. then i carried her limp, warm body down to the forest to bury her. i wish i had an axe to put her out of her misery but there was nothing i could do but watch her die. it wasn't sad or disgusting it was just life... or rather death. all i know is that if i were a chicken i would rather die quick and relatively painlessly by the hand, or rather axe, of the farmer that cared for me than by a dog or weasel or some other sort of long drawn out death. i hope i'm here when we cull the hens. i hope i get to kill some chickens, but do so with all the love and respect that these birds deserve. i hope their death is swift and kind.
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