Add another great experience to our Germany travels! Ryan and I got to work and help out at a market selling organic produce! The day started at 5:20 when Ryan and I woke up in order to meet Andreas (Martin & Eliane’s neighbour) to head into Waldshut. The first stop was the farm where Andy works, Eulenhof Gemüse Gärtneri (http://www.eulenhof-dogern.de/)
We loaded up the van with trolleys of food and hooked up the trailer which serves as the market stand. We then drove into the town of Waldshut to set up. This early in the morning it was still very dark which meant that the town was also filled with cold air. I had prepared for this by wearing about 8 layers of sweaters, my new hot pink toque, and 3 pairs of socks. Ryan on the other hand forgot his gloves at home and so for the first time in history, I felt warmer than him.
Even when setting up the produce, Ryan and I learned how orderly everything is and the strategies of selling food at a market. Every item for instance has its specific place on the trailer which does not change from week to week. Then there are the specials of the day and specific spots for food that is currently in season. It was really neat to learn how it all works. Once the customers started to arrive, it was time to put our language skills into action. Most people who come to the organic stand speak English so Ryan and I never really had a problem, but we tried to utilize everything we have learned from staying with Martin and Eliane. I knew for instance the name of pretty much every food item on the trailer which made it easy to understand what the person wanted. Although it was a cold day, (we were there from 7-1:30), it was awesome. We had a lot of fun and are hoping to hep Andy again.
After working the market, we headed back to Andy’s farm where he gave us a tour of the fields and animals. He explained a few of the differences between organic and non-organic farming, some of the techniques they use, and the machines they use for planting, harvesting, and whatever else. We also got to meet the chickens of the farm and the 2 pigs who serve as the compost. As Andy was showing us around the fields, I definitely took full advantage of sampling the food...nothing beats fresh peppers, tomatoes, and figs picked straight from the plant!
Once we came home, it took me the rest of the day to warm up but this is the kind of cold I will gladly accept...totally worth it.