Sky Meadow ( part 2 )

For lunch we decided to make hummus, challah, and potato kinish. I started the challah early in the morning because it has many rises. I made my Nannie Tillies recipe, but made of a few changes. I added in some poppy seeds and did a 6 braid instead of a 3. Everything came out real good especially the hummus and challah. Everyone seemed to be impressed by the braid and the fluffiness of the bread, which made me feel good.
After lunch Miles showed us around the property and told us what would need to be taken care of when he and the family went away for the week. He showed us how to care for the sheep and chickens, and how to make sure the pipes don't freeze.
The day after they all left, wewent for a walk through the woods. We went off the trail for a while. Then we realized we didn't really know exactly where we were. We were looking for the trail but couldn't find it. We probably wouldn't have worried so much if the sun wasn't starting to set. I could tell which direction we needed to walk because of where the sun was. We walked real fast and after a while we ended up on an old overgrown road that took us to the path.
When we got back we had a nice tempeh and broccoli dinner. I didn't know that kale and broccoli could stay in the garden so long and take all this freezing. After dinner I made a sponge for the bread I would bake the next day. It ended up coming out really tasty but it didn't rise as much as I would like. I used the sourdough whole wheat recipe in Laurels Kitchen Bread Book.
We've both been getting pretty good at jenga.
I've been using the crock pot a bit to make soup. It's real convenient. Michelle and I have been eating really well.

Sky Meadow Retreat (Part 1)

Miles and his family run a retreat center they call Sky Meadow which is 100 acres. Miles moved here over 20 years ago. They grow about half of their food and are working towards growing more. This land is really incredible. There is an amazing view of the mountains. To bad i forgot the wire that hooks my camera up to the computer. Most of their land is forest with paths going throughout. There are 2 sheep, Hiedi and Ashley, and a bunch of chickens.

When we first pulled up we were sitting in the car feeling really excited to finally be here. We were kinda making high pitched noises. I turned around and looked out the window, Miles was standing there. I got out and he greeted us both. He gave us a map of the land and told us to explore and we would meet back up later. On our walk Michelle said we should be real quiet and stand still, we could hear absolutely nothing. It was so still and calm.Later that night we met his wife Cella and had dinner with them. We talked for a while and then went back to our apartment. Our apartment is very cozy. The bottom floor has a small kitchen, dining area and a lounging area. The upstairs mostly is a bed, a dresser, and a big huge water tank. We had to shimmy up the hose that was connected to the well pump to fill up that tank. The tank flows down to the kitchen sink. Connected to the downstairs is a tiny room with a composting toilet.

For breakfast and dinner we cook our own food , and for lunch we eat as a community. They provide all the food

Every morning at 7 there is group mediation for a half hour, then we meet back up at 8 30 to check in and talk about what needs to be done. That first day we mostly worked in the forest collecting and stacking firewood, and making brush piles.

The next day Cellas 3 girls came back from Quebec Canada where their father lives. Cassandra is 13, Lidia 12, and Emma 11. They are all home schooled and very smart and mature. That day we worked with Lidia and Cassandra harvesting and processing Kale to be frozen. We would blanch the Kale, drain out all the water and put it all into bags. It was a lot of work, so much kale.

The next day we spent a few hours with Lidia in the kitchen watching her cook so we could become more familiar with kitchen, because the next day Michelle and I were on lunch. Later in the day we grated up lots and lots of cabbages and made about 7 gallons of sauerkraut. We mashed it all up with a apple limb Miles cut 20 something years ago. To cap of the night we played many intense matches of foosball with the girls.

Burlington, Vermont

A week or so ago Michelle and I left Canton and drove 4 or 5 hours to Burlington Vermont. We stayed with a guy named Ross we met on couchsurfing. I gave him a loaf of banana cranberry bread I made, but he couldn't eat it because he's vegan. So me and his friends ate it all.That first night the 3 of us went out to a resaurant called Stone Soup. I had a Seitan Reuben. After dinner Michelle and i walked up Church st, took a right and went to a cafe called Radio Bean. We sat outside for a while and listneed to the music that was inside.
Ross is very much into the bike scene. He and his friends started a group which fixes up bikes and lets anyone borrow them for free. We rode along the path that went alongside Lake Champlain. The water, the mountains, the sky!!!! On our way back we sat on a bench and watched the sun set.
At Ross's place we had our own room down in the basement. The old grandfather cat had the rest of the basement.
One morning we went to breakfast at Magnolia. They claim to be the first "green" resaurant in Burlington. Theire food was awesome and the atmosphere was great. After breakfast we went to the college to a free market that Ross and his friends were part of. There were people offering to repair bikes, give away stuff, do workshops, give food, and more, all for free. The night before we went to a potluck we heard about. We walked in the door with a loaf of bread, hummus, and pickles. I felt really shy because everyone knew eachother and I knew only Michelle.There was about 15 of them. We talked with a really nice guy, Yens. I think thats a German name.
When we left Burlington toward Stannard Vermont we took route 15. It was a little slower than going the highway but I'm sure it was much more scenic. We enjoyed the ride.