I knew I was in need of and could make a farm tour happen, and I wasn’t sure how or if it would be possible. I went on a self guided on around Wolfneck Farms property, and still I hoped for more. At 3:03pm, I arrived to Sarah’s house. Sarah’s house is on the property of Winter Hill Creamery in Freeport, ME.
Pulled into a parking spot under the tree, a black dog, Jasper, if I remember correctly, came down from the top of the hill and greeted me gently. His brother waited for me and I knew I was welcome. If the farm dogs are cool with me, then things are cool.
I walked towards the farm stand, while also taking in the fact there is an entire fully operational facility spilling out around and behind the refrigeration room. I started to hear stirring about the property which, otherwise was so quiet. My playful sounds and the dogs joyful receiving of such, must have guided Sarah outside. I had already poked around the cheese, milk, meat, and egg selection.
“Do you need something?” Slightly embarrassed, I told Sarah that I was looking for the cheese, milk, meat, and egg selection AND that I was going to play with the dogs first.
A quiet young woman with careful steps entered the red barn and did not encourage me to follow her in. She was working. Sarah was too. I was yearning for more and it occurred to me that my stay was coming to an end. and I wasn’t ready for it to. So, I started poking around. Sneaking really. Entering every open doorway I could find. Tip toeing past helpful farm vehicles, watering hoses, and then an overflowing array of rows and rows of cheerful colored flowers. I followed the dirt path, past the self serve farm stand, past the barn where Mary tended to her farm friends, really past Sarah who was in the now known, Creamery… into a field of wild flowers, vegetables, cabbage more purple than a purple crayon, and tomatoes grown with so much love,
…one felt like lunch and two, made me realize I was exactly where I was supposed to be. 🍅
Ducking low into the earth, I reached out vocally, and there, my Katie with the bright blue eyes, met mine. Instantly, she stood, stopped her soil tending and embraced my eager gaze. I told her I knew I probably shouldn’t be back there and she affirmed it was totally good. Before I knew it, I was on a guided tour with a woman who understood the curious and was happy and willing to lead the way.
Katie took me to every garden, back to the livestock where I met the pigs formally this time, without scaring them this time. Mary was having some layered human emotions in regards to her relationship with the animals, which explained her docile nature. What an intimate relationship. Katie pointed me next to the calf’s with the big-brown- -wild-sweet eyes. Behind them lay a 3 hour old calf baby, sleeping in the hay. A baby. Piglets, calf’s born within the same day I went to see them, and… and…Katie told me there are also around 200 pigs or maybe it was 100 pigs, who are wild in the forest in the back of the property.
Before I knew it, Katie was taking me back to formally introduce me to Sarah and told her all about emotional eater, my private chef gig, and our need to connect. I was back to my car, in my trunk, and pulling on my hiking boots. No socks. To go and see the wild pigs. There were about 6 perusing their non permanent hunts and scratching posts. After taking another small walk to another meadow, I was able to see about 30-50 pigs at the forests edge. The cow showed herself. Sarah told me of her mom, $49 greyhound ticket that got her only away from Maine and over to California, her sister who remains in memory on an honest patch of land that reminded me how simple it can all be. How simple sometimes it has to be. It was hard to leave and still, how one must go. Katie gave me lunch directions and the feeling of friendship without needing to know me at all. Without having to call and schedule. Without keeping it short. Without having to grapple with it or weigh the anything. She looked me in the eye and showed me the way. Thank you Katie, Sarah, Mary and the Winter Hill Creamery. I hope to see you again soon.
<3 aijah
The piggies are so cute 🐖 what a beautiful time. Andddd 303 has an amazing meaning that aligns with this adventure of yours. I’ll chat it ✨