Woo-Finally-Hoo!

Folks, I gotta tell you, Lindsay and I were getting pretty worried.

After two of the farms we were going out to visit turned us down before we got there, we were left with only the three real prospects. We decided to start applying to more of them. Though I had floated a lot of applications back in October and November, many of them hadn't responded. So Lindsay set about contacting as many as she could, usually about five a day. Just in case.

Of course, we were actually thinking we were going to have to choose between the other three and we were weighing pros and cons. The one we decided we wanted the most was Rancho Durazno.

Then Rancho Durazno turned us down. The problem was housing, mostly, in that it's more of a risk to house a couple and then several other interns than it is to house a bunch of single interns. We certainly understood and we wish them only the best.

We were left waiting to hear back from Frog Belly and Black Cat, both of which would have been excellent.

We never heard back from Black Cat and Frog Belly kept putting off their decision, though everything had gone so well with Frog Belly, we figured we were a shoe in there.

Still, we kept talking to others. A lot of them turned us down without an interview. The big reason seemed to be that this year, there was a massive influx of people like us, so, with so many to choose from, people were avoiding the risks associated with taking on a couple. Or they wanted their interns to be local. Or they realized they wouldn't need full time interns because so many people were coming from around the area and volunteering. All of which makes me smile for the culture, but a little troubled from a personal perspective.

I'd been joking that if we'd done this a few years ago, they would have written stories about us on MSN. And that this year, we were following the crowd that had read those stories. Then that stopped being a joke.

We had some phone interviews, and though things always sounded like they were going well, I wasn't ever as sure as I used to be. I just didn't know where our real problems were, or if they were fundamental, like that no one would take a couple ever again.

Then came the rejection from Frog Belly and I began to devolve into breakdown mode.

I certainly didn't want to post about it. Maybe I should have, but it all just felt so depressing. Sure, I could have posted this article about "crop mobs," but my heart just wasn't in it. (Plus my friend Jessica at Orlando Weekly had already posted it. She, by the way, has left OW now, and we already miss her.) I also could have posted the letter that I wrote to the crop mob organization, and then their very heartening response.

But fortunately, right at that time, Lindsay and I got an offer. It was from Mesa Farm Market in Utah. It's a wonderful operation, focused on goats and breadmaking, with diversified vegetable crops and fruit trees. The whole setup is so lovely that we are set within seconds to go out there the first week of May.

And then the good news kept rolling. The next day, we get accepted to Seven Meadows Farm, perfect for us given their focus on farm-to-table dining, their projects with passive solar construction and, well, just the general vibe of everything about them.

There was still some deliberation to be had. Mesa Farm has a higher stipend and we are interested in goats and cheese. Seven Meadows encourages individual projects.

At the end of a lot of discussion, we realized our educational focus should be our top choice, and on April 25, we will be headed out for Seven Meadows in Mancos, Colorado.

Oddly enough, we haven't received any positives since, so it was just the two, but what a wonderful two. Breathing is easier now, and everything looks ... well, we know there are more challenges ahead, but it feels so good to have this one out of the way.

We have farm to go to, folks. We're really doing this.

Doveland Farm, Colorado Edition

Hello, all! Just returned from our lovely-mazing-tastic visit to Colorado. We got to hang out with friends and experience firsthand a few of the farms considering us for internships.

First of all, can I say that every time someone carries on to you about how gorgeous Colorado is, you can safely assume it's true?

Second of all, we visited a total of three farms.

Frog Belly and Black Cat were both named for animals and both located near Boulder. Black Cat has a lovely restaurant in the city proper called (you guessed it) the Black Cat Farm to Table Bistro. The Happy Doves ate their anniversary dinner in the restaurant, accompanied by James and Joy, their fabulous Boulder hosts. James and Joy are longtime friends of The Happy Doves, and have been living in Boulder about two years now.

We only dream of taking on an internship that allows us to grow and serve such amazing food! Thanks to Eric and everyone on the Black Cat team.

Frog Belly Farm features a number of dairy animals, two controlled climate areas where produce is grown, and several acres of outdoor growing space.

We were lucky enough to arrive around the same time that they hosted a planting festival for St. Bride's Day. We rose early to

help milk the goats, then got in on the fun as guests wove compost materials to offer to Mother Earth and gathered in a circle to sing, dance and rejoice for the coming spring. Thanks to Frog Belly for hosting us!

Rancho Durazno was a four-hour drive from Boulder, nearer to Grand Junction in the small town of Palisade. Like many farms in that area, they grow peaches (who knew?); but they are also a diverse operation that offers a well-stocked Community Supported Agriculture program. We toured the farm, enjoyed an excellent ale at a local brewery, and spoke extensively with the program's directors about what to expect if we're chosen to intern. Everywhere we looked, another gorgeous and completely un-Floridian sight awaited us. We loved the farm, the area, and our generous hosts. Thank you, Rancho Durazno!

Last but not least, thanks to Tamara and Matt, who introduced us to Duffy's Cherry Cricket in Denver (where we had awesome burgers) and then put us up for our last night in town. This allowed us some proximity to the airport and the ability to wander around Denver at our leisure in the morning; not to mention a fabulous breakfast of eggs and scones cooked by Tamara, Trevor's close friend since middle school. Thanks, Tamara and Matt!

Overall we had a smashing good time and hope very much to hear from the lovely farms we visited in the near future.