Standing on A WIndy Rolling Hill in Dennysville

This weekend the family went out to Kilby Ridge Farm in Dennysville, home of Violet and Mark Willis. It was one of those very very very windy days, but the sun was shining so bright you didn't get cold. You are greeted by a yellow farmhouse with vegetable gardens in the dooryard; Ruby Red Chard, Sage, Parsley all growing around the entrance to their home. As you walk furthur up the hill you hear some light traces of a jazz trio playing in the open barn door and you walk through their long new greenhouse. There is a central aisle and on the left side you see spinach, kale, lettuce, scallions, carrots, all getting ready to be harvested in the coming months and on your right side you see small sprouts of mache, spinach and the like for the winter and spring. Perhaps you run into someone you know and they tell you a story of their day, their summer, their life and you share the same. As you exit the far side of the greenhouse you walk into a cider pressing, and the mouth of the barn. Their are Turkeys in the pasture to your right, Chickens and Ducks to your left, the Icelandic Sheep are in the far pasture. You greet more friends and gather a few children to wander up to the top of the next rise where there is a tent. In that tent there are a few platters of tender sweet lamb meat for sampling and they are just pulling a turkey out of the smoker. We each get a piece of a wing and settle in to clean off the bones. The children begin running, more friends arrive, and the folks chat in loose circles as the children invent chasing games and approach the animals.

I stood atop that hill and noticed the apple trees in the pastures. I took out my new knitting project and plucked away at that, listening and joining into the stories of the day. I enjoyed the freedom I saw in Cecilia as she was able to amble around the farmyard. She explored, sat down and chewed on some turkey meat. The wind was refreshing and without even a hat we were warm in the sunlight. With laughter and ease we enjoyed the day, an excellent reminder of the beauty and joy I feel here in rural agriculture.