Soon after I had unpacked my bags on the farm, the family and wwoofers finished their day. They invited me to go with them to go swimming in the nearby lake before dinner. After a short walk through field one,  we reached a small wooded area with a narrow, winding path. Only a few hundred feet from the farm was a marvelous lake so beautiful one can’t help but think of Maine’s reputation for its natural beauty.

Along the path, I got to chatting with one of the other wwoofers named Ellie. She is a tall, blonde beauty in her mid-twenties. She and I share many similarities including having graduated from University fairly recently with a Bachelor’s in History. We have both considered teaching, though I have lost hope in the current system, making that dream fade away. We walked and talked all the way to the pond (which I consider to be more like a lake.)

The farming family also went to the lake. The Head Farmer is the father of the group; he is a tan, strong man about my mother’s age. They have three sons on the farm, all of whom have their own expertise.  One son is a carpenter (pseudonym Tarp), another is a fabulous musician and the chicken keeper (pseudonym Jo), and another is an artist and the one who milks the cow (pseudonym Rick).  There is also a young woman who I will describe as the soon-to-be-daughter-in-law (pseudonym Dil). They seem like a very close family, and really enjoy eachothers company. To respect their privacy, I will describe them no further.

This lake was incredible; the temperature was warm for a lake, the water was clear, and the view was unbelievable! I would say that there are likely to be many more swims in this lake. We all swam in the lake, and then came back to the farmhouse for dinner. We were served pork, heart, millett and salad. The spread was great. I was given the ropes about the kitchen and then we all went on our way from there.

I felt awkward that first night, but I feel like that feeling will subside.