July 13

Trip to the Farm

I got a call from Judith at 7.30am. She wanted to confirm about coming to her family farm today. So Jayne and I got ready to go. Judith arrived with her mother and brother in the family car at 9.30am.



(Our restaurant is where the last four windows are in this picture.)

(Part of the beautiful view from the balcony of the restaurant in Plaza Grande.)

The drive was about 1.5 hours.

Her father had left the day before to prepare for our coming.

I learned that the farm had been in the family since the 19th Century. They have a little house that looks like campers or hunters would stay there. The land consisted of 10 hectares or about 25 acres. Since they don’t live out there they have share croppers whom they have till the soil and plant the crops, of which they give them 50% of the income.

What they have growing now is corn, hops and alfalfa.

After we took a walk around the property and were in the drive way we Jayne and I saw Mathieu and his family pull up. We were surprised as we didn’t know that they would be there. Also with them was another brother of Judith along with his wife and son.

There were a total of 13 of us.

Shortly after Mathieu arrived in his car we had a nice meal with plenty of food. Edwardo, who must have prepared all the food since it was ready before we arrived, had beef, pork, potatoes and corn.

Then another tour of the property was shown to those who came later. I didn’t go but Jayne took another walk. I lay in the newly put up hammock.

We left about 4.00pm, but this time we rode back with Mathieu and his family. The trip back took over 2 hours as there was traffic going back. I was told that this is usually the case Sunday afternoons as a lot of people take a trip to the country on this day.