The cavalry has arrived!

Just when we were looking at the to-do list and coming to the sobering realization that we were either going to stop sleeping or delay some things until next year, an amazing thing happened.  A wonderful woman we met at the clay plaster workshop called to say that she had two friends participating in the Worldwide Opportunities in Organic Farming (or WOOF) program in the area and she was wondering if we needed help on our farm.  Seriously?  YES!  Of course we could use help on our farm!

So last weekend we met up with Aaron and Sara to look at the farm and talk about what we could offer in exchange for their time.  The WOOF program's normal arrangement is that the WOOF'er works for 4 hours a day in exchange for room and board at the farm and an education in the things the farm is doing.  For our part, we take the responsibility to feed and house them and to help them learn about everything we're doing. 

So now Aaron and Sara are camping at the farm with arrangements to be able to come to our house for laundry, hot meals and showering.  We're providing food either that they can prepare on the farm or that we have prepared ahead of time.  Aaron has already finished painting the north end of the greenhouse and finished priming the south end.  He did a fabulous job - much neater that I am with a paintbrush!  He's also taken over the daily goat care and regular garden watering which is a huge relief.

Aaron and Sara

Check out the awesome paint job!

Over the course of the 3 weeks they plan to stay, they'll have the chance to learn about how to do swales both on contour to retain water and off contour to move water, how to plant trees, how to create lasagna garden beds, how to plant a vineyard and probably a few other things.  For our part, we'll be able to get several garden beds built, create the vineyard for our grapes and get our new fruit trees planted.  Those were going to be a struggle for us amid all the other things we have to do so its fantastic news!

We can't express our gratitude and appreciation enough.  Sometimes the cavalry really does come riding in!