Welcome Ingrid!

Ingrid and I met at a bridal shower. She told me she was interested in organic farming. She is a teacher at a private school in the valley and had planned to spend part of her summer vacation volunteering on a farm somewhere in the US. Before the shower came to an end, Ingrid and Krystin, another teacher and mutual friend, offered to come out to the farm and help pull weeds in the garden.

They came out and spent hours with me, pulling weeds, sweating and chatting about life and marriage and God.

A couple of weeks later Ingrid asked is she could be an intern on the farm for a week or two. Last Thursday she arrived...

Right as we gathered up our baskets to head down the road to pick berries.

I suggested she get on some shoes that would handle briars and brambles, and off we went, 8 kids, three moms and Ingrid. Two hours later we returned to the house, bellies full of berries, baskets laden jewels: ruby red wineberries and glossy blackberries.

Ingrid and I discussed that an interesting form of premarital counseling could take place with a mentor, the young couple and a garden full of weeds. But berry picking would be the place to take your potential sweetheart. After a couple of hours of berry picking you would probably know all you need to know about the character of your "friend." Is he/she willing to get a scratch or two in order to find the best berries? Will he/she give up after a few minutes of itchy sweating or will he keep on going long enough to get a basketful for jam? Just how obsessive/compulsive and work driven is this guy/gal? Are you compatible?

I don't know. But it seemed like a good idea at the time.

We are glad Ingrid is here to help us on the farm. I hope she will learn lots and lots. We are so grateful for her hard work and eager attitude. The kids are already in love with her sweet personality. This week Maggie will be mentoring Ingrid in goat milking. I hope to teach her pickle making and jam making. Probably some cheese making. I bet there will be many things Ingrid will teach us. Seems like that is the way it usually works.

Welcome, Ingrid. We hope you are blessed by your time on the farm!