Woof Woof

For the past 13, I've been WWOOFING in Okinawa doing farm work in exchange for accomodation and meals for 2 weeks. The farm I'm volunteering at is Kiyuna Farm and they have appr. 30 cows, 8 goats, 10 rabbits, countless chickens, 1 enormous pig, 2 boars, and dogs and cats. 

I can't explain how interesting of an experience this has all been for me. 7-8 am, 9-12pm, and 3-6 pm are the daily work hours for a total of 7 hours a day. After 6 when were done the nightly cow poop scooping, we also have to make our own fire to heat up the showers which takes an hour to warm up. What a contrast to my lazy life in Tokyo! 

Although the work is hard, I'm really enjoying my time here. My mind hasn't been this empty in awhile...no thinking, no stressing, just feeding and taking care of the animals. My biggest worry is keeping the rabbits in the cage so the dogs dont eat them. Or trying to avoid getting knocked over by the playful cows as I shovel their poop. Or getting bit by a poisonous habu snake as I go for a walk. Sometimes its nice to empty your mind and escape to a remote (very very remote) city, thinking about absolutely nothing. Actually, I doze off constantly in Tokyo anyways (*^^*)

I feel like although I worked for 7 hours a day doing physically challenging tasks, I may have gained a bit of weight due to all the food. Oh the food, the glorious food.

For the first few days I was here I was accompanied by 2 other Danish wwoofers, who made us this delicious danish bread thats traditionally made with marzipan but substituted with walnuts.

They also made banana cake out of mochi flour, and a raisin and walnut dessert. I love danish desserts!

Ellie and I, my Australian friend from Waseda also made lunch and dinner numerous times.

Our shephards pie and Ellie's wonderful sweet potato dish that is for sure going to be added to my recipe repertoire when I get home.

Here are some photos of the farm..

     The ocean view from the cow barn

We also held a few dinner parties with other wwoofers from the neighbour farms nearby: An Italian themed pizza dinner and a French 3 course dinner. 

First the Italian...

Toki, the Italian and Japanese half. Sanshin trainee and pizza master.

Avocado and cheese was my fave

And then the French dinner...

Made by Vico the French Guy. He cooked for 7 hours straight. おつかれ！

Vegetable soup before it was pureed

Cheese souffle with pumpkin+celery base

And beef bourgignon! Looking nice and purple-ly from the wine.

Damn it, this turned into another food post. But farming and wwoofing really comes with its perks..meeting interesting people from around the word and eating lots of food!

Today was my last morning at Kiyuna Farm. お父さん drived us out to the bus station in his pick up truck and we talked the whole way there. What a genuinely friendly man...I'm gonna miss him!

Ellie and I had a very relaxing afternoon in Nago, eating and talking and cafe hopping. 

My first Vietnamese food in Japan! Spring rolls, I missed you too.

My banana and kinako and black sesame smoothie.

And iced chai tea latte and a gateau chocolat cake warmed up and gooey in the center. Definitely the most hipster cafe I've been in since coming here. Wooden tables, high ceilings, and good music. 

Should I just make this into a food blog? 

Thanks Ellie for introducing me to WWOOFING!