Yesterday was Trevor's and my first day volunteering at Green Flamingo in Oak Hill... an extremely positive experience, to say the least! Our hosts, farmers Elizabeth and Mary, were exactly the kind of people that we see ourselves being in a few years. They have done a number of internships and volunteer programs around the country, and have finally re-settled in New Smyrna to run this fabulous, 100% organic operation. The four of us spent a full day shoveling/spreading mulch and compost, installing an irrigation system, planting, and harvesting. Above you'll see some of the yummies they let us bring home... bonus!! Here they are after being cooked into a Thai/American Southern fusion dish...
And YES, okay, fine, you caught us... we DID forget our camera when we went to volunteer. We're totally new at this blogging thing; cut us some slack!! We plan on going out again in a couple weeks, at which point we'll take pictures of tranquil groves, truck-chasing dogs, and flying saucer squash that would make E.B. White sob with jealousy. Also, stay tuned for more on the Paradise saga... I will visit Homestead on Tuesday (camera in hand, I promise) to learn more about their facility and see if I can't lend a hand for the afternoon. Unfortunately as great as it was to meet Elizabeth and Mary, and much as we'd love to be in on the ground floor of their project, it would not be feasible to do a full-time internship at Green Flamingo for the coming season; so Paradise is our "ultimate decision of the moment." It's not without its difficulties. For instance, we will not be able to take our beloved kitty cat :( :( :( due to anticipated disputes with the local guard dogs. But Trevor and I agree that it's a wonderful chance to learn more about growing organic produce, not to mention cooking with slow-food techniques. Plus, there will be opportunities to earn extra money while we're there. So we are very excited :)
That's all for now... If I don't have pics of an actual farm for you by Wednesday, feel free to click "unfollow" (is that even a word?)
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