Swoope, VA; Columbia, MD; Harpers Ferry, WV
Here's an overdue post on my days off from last month.
First, I visited Polyface Farms in Swoope, VA. I first heard about the farm when I read Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan in my organic farming class at The University of Alabama. Joel Salatin calls his farm a grass farm, and his management practice is to move the animals around so they never overgraze an area and the land gets many nutrients. For example, first the cows graze in an allotment and then the eggmobile (the chickens aka the layers) come through and eat from the cow's waste. I learned a lot from the tour and hopefully I can implement some of his practices on my future farm. Here's a short video if you want to know more about the farm.
Next, I went up to Maryland to the Merriweather Post Pavilion to see bands, Brand New and Modest Mouse perform. Brand New was my favorite band when I was 18-20, so it was nostalgic to see them play. I don't know much Modest Mouse music so it was a bit difficult to understand the lyrics during the concert.
Another day I went whitewater tubing down the Potomac River in Harpers Ferry. The outfitter dropped us off at the river with our tubes and we floated back to their property, roughly a 2 hr trip. They said you can go as many times as you want till they close, so I took them up on it and went three times, spending 6 hours on the water. The whitewater wasn't too intense and it probably would have been more enjoyable to have company with me, but it was nice to be out on the water anyhow.
Other than that, I chopped off all my hair cause I can't stand having long hair on the trail. Going ten days without a shower your hair gets tangly, plus it's too hot. My next days off my dad picked me up and took me home to AL. I got to visit Mary and her new baby, Aidan. I also visited my granny who is recovering from a recent stroke.
Next: Pictures from the trail
First, I visited Polyface Farms in Swoope, VA. I first heard about the farm when I read Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan in my organic farming class at The University of Alabama. Joel Salatin calls his farm a grass farm, and his management practice is to move the animals around so they never overgraze an area and the land gets many nutrients. For example, first the cows graze in an allotment and then the eggmobile (the chickens aka the layers) come through and eat from the cow's waste. I learned a lot from the tour and hopefully I can implement some of his practices on my future farm. Here's a short video if you want to know more about the farm.
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| Daniel Salatin discussing the eggmobile and the chicken shelters |
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| Eggmobile (free range) |
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| Turkey paddock with portable electric netting |
Next, I went up to Maryland to the Merriweather Post Pavilion to see bands, Brand New and Modest Mouse perform. Brand New was my favorite band when I was 18-20, so it was nostalgic to see them play. I don't know much Modest Mouse music so it was a bit difficult to understand the lyrics during the concert.
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| The venue- Merriweather Post Pavilion |
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| Brand New performs |
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| Brand New |
Another day I went whitewater tubing down the Potomac River in Harpers Ferry. The outfitter dropped us off at the river with our tubes and we floated back to their property, roughly a 2 hr trip. They said you can go as many times as you want till they close, so I took them up on it and went three times, spending 6 hours on the water. The whitewater wasn't too intense and it probably would have been more enjoyable to have company with me, but it was nice to be out on the water anyhow.
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| About to hit some rapids on the Potomac River |
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| Tubing the Potomac River |
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| Mary & Aidan |
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| Bye bye long hair |
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| Granny & me |
Next: Pictures from the trail