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| Meadows of Dan, VA. 2016 |
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| Meadows of Dan, VA. 2016 |
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| Abode 1 Meadows of Dan, VA. 2016 |
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| Cat & Cabin Meadows of Dan, VA. 2016 |
This cabin was not exactly the cozy space my host suggested it
would be. It was extremely fogging & damp in the Appalachian mountains of south western Virginia, resulting in a damp & mildewy den with an air mattress on a plywood stand. The cabin is furnished with a table & two chairs, a set of drawers, a lamp, a mini fridge & one outlet. So I had to choose between the light of the lamp, fresh food, & charging my phone, which is also my alarm. The one bathroom in her house was the only proper facility & she told me she preferred he space remain private apart from meal times.
At first thought, I could manage this, no big deal...but when it was pouring rain on my third night there, and I had to pee, I felt disgruntled to say the least.
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| Host & Friend Meadows of Dan, VA. 2016 |
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| Goblin & Elephant Meadows of Dan, VA. 2016 |
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| Woodland Lady Meadows of Dan, VA. 2016 |
When I began this project I thought that being a modern farmer meant connecting to the world wide web and everyone around me as I've grown up learning to do, while doing farm work & living as sustainably as possible. I thought that having an internet connection, posting on a blog, & sharing my adventures on Instagram, keeping that constant contact was what would make me a 21st century.
However, at Spoon Mountain Farm, in very rural south western Virginia, in a town called Meadows of Dan, there is no AT&T cell service. The wifi from my hosts house does not reach my tiny cabin. This is perfectly reasonable but, just as with the toilets, it took some getting used to.
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| Virginia Valley South Western VA, 2016 |
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South Western, VA. 2016
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| Grayson & Homer Meadows of Dan, VA. 2016 |
The final straw at Spoon Mountain Farm was the bewitched animals. Upon my arrival, Homer, the dirtier of the two male alpacas pictured above, tried to rush me, swinging his neck & exposing his teeth. I kept my distance from him for a day or two & after that time he got used to me & we became friends. Next thing I knew, the two male alpacas were fighting with each other, displaying dominance any time I passed the paddock. The day before I left the farm in Virginia, the rooster began to attack me. He would rush me, wings spread, lifting off the ground to attack my stomach with his beak. Luckily I had a pitch fork & I scooped him, over & over again, flinging him away & calling to my host for help. When she finally arrived to help, I backed the rooster into her hands & she put him in a crate. The next day, it began again & when I called for help, my host came out, hands on her hips, to tell me, "I don't have time to worry about your safety!"
I left.
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| Sparkle & Rory Meadows of Dan, VA. 2016 |
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