Well the day has finally come and passed for us to depart Arpisson (we left early September). As much as we all wanted to stay, minimal grass and rapidly lowering temperatures left us no choice but to return to the lower farm.
Before we knew it the helicopter was hovering above us, ready to take down the fruits of our summer labor (over two tons of cheese!), the cats and chickens (the geese got left behind, which shaped a later adventure - bringing a literal meaning to the term "wild goose chase!"), all milking and cheese making materials, bedding and the works. Leaving us behind the goats, cows and calves. The calves being the most difficult to bring down as it was their first journey on the trail, and they are by nature, the most stubborn and deceivingly strong little devils!
I'm sure it would have been very entertaining to observe us trying to corral them down the trail shouting out different cuts and types of meat at the ones that wondered off, as if their behavior determined their fate. "SALAME! Dai, andiamo!" You would go get one calf that wondered off and come back to find the others scattered in every other direction! Eventually (three or four days later) we had all eleven calves back at the lower farm.
In comparison, the goats and cows were a breeze. Put them on the beginning of the trail and they know exactly what to do and where to go - it's quite amazing to witness!
Life resumed as usually once we settled back into the farm, minus the fact that someone had to begin looking after the goats again - everyone's favorite job (not really). Every now and then, if you were lucky, they would find a patch of grass they were content with and remain there for and hour or and you could peacefully doze off in the sun. This is the romantic idea I had in my head before actually ever trying my hand at shepherding. In contrary, if you are lucky enough to catch a cat nap, it's only a matter of time before you're woken up by the sound of thundering bells and left in the dust of 62 goats sprinting off in the distant.
Most likely one goat stepped on a branch that snapped, scared itself and jumped, which in turned caused all the other goats to flee the coop. The next hour or two then consists of thrashing about the forest, scrambling through bushes, climbing riverbeds and running up and down terraced fields in order to keep up with them and 'prevent' them from going where they are forbidden (most importantly, people's gardens in the nearest village and back up to Arpisson in the mountains). It's easy to laugh about now, but at the time it's the most frustrating task!!
I didn't really have the chance to take many pictures of our move back down - here are a few that I did manage to take, plus some others.
The one of the cheese was one of two containers that were flown down. After the helicopter struggled to lift the first one off the ground and gain control we had to lighten the second!
Arpisson with a setting sun and me with the goats a few weeks earlier.
The waterfall just bellow Arpisson, taken in early October after we had come down. You can see the trees are beginning to change color - so beautiful!
