Before I tell you too much about Marama Farm (which will come in a later entry) I just wanted to show you what I did on my first day on a sheep and cattle farm.
We took down an electric fence. Happy, happy, joy, joy it was bloody cold (but a cool experience nonetheless)! And at the top of those hills, there is no mercy from the wind. No trees to protect you, just lots and lots of open space.
I wanted to experience what a working farm was like. I got to go to Marama Farm, an organic farm, and I got to stay there as a Wwoofer (Willing Workers on Organic Farms), an organization that started in New Zealand and is now world-wide. This system permits anyone to go on a farm and in exchange for between 4 and 6 hours work per day, you get free housing and board. I think it's a pretty good deal and you learn a lot!
We took down an electric fence. Happy, happy, joy, joy it was bloody cold (but a cool experience nonetheless)! And at the top of those hills, there is no mercy from the wind. No trees to protect you, just lots and lots of open space.
I wanted to experience what a working farm was like. I got to go to Marama Farm, an organic farm, and I got to stay there as a Wwoofer (Willing Workers on Organic Farms), an organization that started in New Zealand and is now world-wide. This system permits anyone to go on a farm and in exchange for between 4 and 6 hours work per day, you get free housing and board. I think it's a pretty good deal and you learn a lot!
Below: bootless foot
End result (this after both gumboots got stuck in the mud, my socks were worthless and sogging and cumbersome and Sonya and I had to pull a small trailer out of the very sticky mud. There was no option but to do it barefoot. 
After my muddy day pulling down a fence. I could have been rolling in the mud! And because of my incredible intelligence in putting my feet in the cold and wet ground, I ended up with the joy of joys of living: chillblains. Brace yourself!
Definition of Chillblains taken from Wikipedia:
Chilblains (also known as pernio and perniosis[1]:25) is a medical condition that is often confused with frostbite and trench foot. Chilblains are acral ulcers (that is, ulcers affecting the extremities) that occur when a predisposed individual is exposed to cold and humidity. The cold exposure damages capillary beds in the skin, which in turn can cause redness, itching, blisters, and inflammation.
It's healing now. Most of the redness is gone and the pain and itching is also gone. Always on a new and unexpected adventure! Tune in for more adventures on the farm!
6 comments:
Hi Leita,
Your blogs are varied and garnished with videos which enriched your narrative enormously.
I am very glad to witness the increase in the frequency at which the blogs are now produced. It is great to watch different animal species interacting, in their own natural habitat. I also enjoy the serene atmosphere in which you present the wild life. Thanks for sharing. Cuss
Thank you for your comments! It's good to see you back here!
Nice content. Thank you for your information.
I've just been googling chillblaines, as I think I might have them on my fingers. Then I saw your photo of your feet. Eek, they're just like my feet at the moment. It thought it was because my winter boots were too small.
Thanks for the useful diagnostic tool!
All the best x
Too bad! I wouldn`t wish chilblains on anyone. It's the strangest itchy/burny feeling. Take good care of your hands and feet. It'll take a few weeks for them to go away.
Good luck!
simply dropping by to say hi
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