Welcome to Blue Sky Farm

The garden

[As many of you perhaps know, I’m WWOOFing (basically, working part-time on an organic farm in exchange for meals and a place to sleep) in Mendocino County, Northern California. I’ll be here through early November, when I fear it may get cold enough that I don’t want to sleep in a tent any longer (though for now my tent is very comfy and warm!). I have highly unreliable cell service here so it’ll be hard to keep in touch, but I’m currently sitting behind the little farmhouse—home to the electricity and wifi—in hopes that I can get this post up and share some of my last few days!]

My wifi spot

Wow. First day out at Blue Sky. I already feel so much more alive. The air smells amazing, like sweet pine. The drive felt long today even though it was probably two hours shorter than yesterdays’, but the windier roads required me to pay attention and my brain got tired. I listened to a podcast about Munchausen’s by Proxy; depressing but interesting.

After driving through golden fields for awhile and passing some beautiful lakes I definitely want to check out on my off days, I arrived and parked. The directions Laura (the WWOOF host) sent me said to park and honk, so I did that. Laura came out of the house down the hill and said to come on down. She’s a 60-year old woman with long greying dreadlocks, wearing a flowered smock shirt and big heavy-looking hoop earrings. Immediately her energy came across as kind. 

Garden and car

I had seen the aerial shot of the farm but I’d imagined it being flat - it is not flat! Laura led  me to the camping areas which are just down from the parking spots—I’m camped basically on a ledge carved out of a hill. Even farther down the hill is the community house (a small cabin with a gas stove, small fridge, sink, and table), the outdoor shower (aka love of my life), and the outhouse. The community house, the garden, and the main house where Laura and Andreas live create a triangle on the side of the mountain. 

Laura is very interesting and easy to talk to. She has no kids and barely any remaining family, and has done a lot of traveling. (She taught English through JET (Japan English Teaching) in Japan for three years!) I feel conversation with her is purposeful, imparting knowledge or thoughts one way or the other. Her husband Andreas is German, also has long dreadlocks, and gives a lot of knowing looks.

Laura showed me around the property a bit, then left me to set up my tent. It took me longer than I’d expected to get it up (haha) and I felt a little dumb for not having set it up outside when I was home. I was struggling with the stakes.

My little home

I finally got it sorted and with many trips back and forth to the car got my pad, bag, pillows, stuffies, warm clothes, and a few photos into the tent. I decided I did actually want to take a shower, so I grabbed by (biodegradable!) shampoo, conditioner, and soap, and walked down the hillside.

The shower has three sides so you have privacy from above but a view of the trees and hillside below, and the water can also run down the mountain. The water is heated by a gas tank. A very good shower! I was honestly so pleased.

After that I made the short trek to the main house which is full of miscellaneous items from Laura’s and Andreas’ travels, lots of framed posters and artwork, and three cats who I already (surprisingly) really like: Anime, Aribella, and Viola. All black.

Another pretty garden shot

I talked with  Laura while she finished toasting some corn tortillas in coconut oil for tostadas, and then we sat down to eat with Andreas and Justin, the other WWOOFer. Justin’s been here only about three days and is maybe in mis mid-50s. He makes art out of found objects and has a daughter, that’s pretty much what I know so far. Dinner was delicious with the main star being a salsa fffresca (that was a typo but it just felt right) with lots of tomatoes. The conversation was good too, ranging from my depressing roadtrip podcast and cults to quitting nicotine. I helped wash up, pet the cat a bit, and made my way back to the tent, stopping to brush my teeth and do my little night routine by the Jeep. I’ve set up my car so that the front seat is kind of my little vanity/bathroom and in the back I have different laundry baskets with clothes so I can pretty easily navigate the mountains of stuff I brought with me (I’m moving after this okay!!). 

Glowing home

My tent feels cozy and I’m (as writing this) warm. I have my little camp-light casting a warm flickering “fireplace” glow over my orange bag and matching tent seams. I feel still and calm (though still coughing a bit too). I’ll wake up at 7:00 tomorrow to start my first work day! I’m looking forward to this journey here.