After a warm breakfast of Belgian waffles with plum preserves and marmalade, we were introduced to yet another side (or the uglier side) of farm work: mucking out the chicken yard. If the boys knew it was coming, I'm sure that they were hoping that they would be able to skip out on this little chore. Lots of sweeping, raking, and scooping went into clearing out all of the old hay and grass before we were able to make another clean bed for them. The chickens watched us as we worked, dutifully inspecting every clean nook and cranny as we progressed.
All of the hard work was worth it with what laid in store for lunch. The rabbits that we slaughtered earlier in the week were deliciously prepared in a French-style mustard sauce. Paired with potatoes, bread, and our finished goat cheese, we dug in to quite a treat. We went into it knowing that rabbit is incredibly lean, but after slowly braising in the sauce for 5 hours, it was fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy.
Following lunch, we took another trip to the greenhouse where the boys learned to plant seeds. Stuart reminded us that this was the most important part of what they do here, because it makes all of the other activities possible. Without sprouting seeds on a regular basis, the garden would not provide the fruits and vegetables to keep the farm or the kitchen functioning. The boys planted several flats of zucchini and arugula. After finishing this, we then had our final soap making demonstration. Julia showed us how to cut the soap into bars and discussed what was needed for it to completely cure into usable soap.
Tonight also marked our last time to milk the goats, and one more round of morning farm chores tomorrow will bring an end to our week. The boys have grown so much throughout the week. They are now not only experts at milking, but also show more confidence around animals and a good level of intuition about how to react around each different animal. Not only that, they are also walking away with valuable kitchen skills (cooking, baking, cleaning, chopping, knife sharpening, etc.) They have also seen that with some room and a little bit of effort, a household could really provide for the majority of its food needs. Other than a few kitchen basics (a few spices, flour, butter, and olive oil) we were able to prepare hearty meals that were the fruits of our own labor. This was further reinforced through readings and videos that we discussed as a group. This camp was all about exploring sustainable ways to feed our growing population, and the program here in Atherton has opened their eyes to some directions that we can take in the future. It has been a truly rewarding experience.
Jennifer
Teacher-Chaperone from Duchesne Academy, Houston
All of the hard work was worth it with what laid in store for lunch. The rabbits that we slaughtered earlier in the week were deliciously prepared in a French-style mustard sauce. Paired with potatoes, bread, and our finished goat cheese, we dug in to quite a treat. We went into it knowing that rabbit is incredibly lean, but after slowly braising in the sauce for 5 hours, it was fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy.
Following lunch, we took another trip to the greenhouse where the boys learned to plant seeds. Stuart reminded us that this was the most important part of what they do here, because it makes all of the other activities possible. Without sprouting seeds on a regular basis, the garden would not provide the fruits and vegetables to keep the farm or the kitchen functioning. The boys planted several flats of zucchini and arugula. After finishing this, we then had our final soap making demonstration. Julia showed us how to cut the soap into bars and discussed what was needed for it to completely cure into usable soap.
Tonight also marked our last time to milk the goats, and one more round of morning farm chores tomorrow will bring an end to our week. The boys have grown so much throughout the week. They are now not only experts at milking, but also show more confidence around animals and a good level of intuition about how to react around each different animal. Not only that, they are also walking away with valuable kitchen skills (cooking, baking, cleaning, chopping, knife sharpening, etc.) They have also seen that with some room and a little bit of effort, a household could really provide for the majority of its food needs. Other than a few kitchen basics (a few spices, flour, butter, and olive oil) we were able to prepare hearty meals that were the fruits of our own labor. This was further reinforced through readings and videos that we discussed as a group. This camp was all about exploring sustainable ways to feed our growing population, and the program here in Atherton has opened their eyes to some directions that we can take in the future. It has been a truly rewarding experience.
Jennifer
Teacher-Chaperone from Duchesne Academy, Houston