Ah, I love this place. I can't believe an entire summer has just about passed and that I've been fortunate to have spent it here in this beautiful place doing work I've grown to love. The mountains here never disappoint and I never grow tired of looking at them. Here are a few shots I've snapped over the months, all within the Arpisson valley (my lovely backyard), minus the second photo which was taken on the other side of Conge in Gran Paradiso National Park.
At last, the move to Arpisson after a month of building anticipation!
I have to say it was well worth the wait and truly a beautiful experience I will never forget. We started preparing the night before packing up food, bedding, cheese materials and equipment, personal belongings and animals to be taken up by the helicopter the next morning. The cows and goats were to be taken up by foot via the trail, leaving eight chickens and six chicks, one cat and her four kittens, ten geese and eight calves (two of the biggest were to go up with the cows) to be taken up by helicopter as well.
The big day began as usual, first milking the goats and then cows. After the cows had been milked six of us led them up to the beginning of the trail, from there I was the lucky one chosen to scramble back and forth and yell like a crazy women in order to keep the cows on the path heading in the correct direction. I have to admit I was a bit terrified at first to be left alone and held responsible for the transportation of 34 cows and two calves, a handful of which are the most stubborn creatures alive, but in the end I was really happy to have gotten to experience this.
By the time we (the cows and I) reached the last hill to Arpisson the cows were practically running, knowing exactly where they were and completely content to be at their summer home. And amazingly, minus the few stubborn cows and calves (some of which I literally pushed up the trail), the rest went directly to Arpisson completely on their own.
I was at Arpisson no longer than an hour before I heard the distant sound of the helicopter arriving with the first load of food and equipment and Atillio with three WWOOFers (Maya, Elli and Donato). About six trips were made by the helicopter from the lower farm to Arpisson, taking an average of four to five minutes one way. My favorite was the load of eight calves flying through the air with legs dangling in all directions with a box of ten geese strapped to the top. Needless to say, they were all happy to be on solid ground again. What a site to be seen!
About an hour after the final load had been dropped off the first goat was seen crossing over the finally hill in sight of Arpisson along with the rest of the WWOOF gang and Gabriela. At last we had made it to our new home!
Our daily regime resumed pretty much as normal with a few tweaks. After milking in the morning, a handful of us go down to the lower farm to harvest hay and return in the evening for milking and dinner. Those that remain at Arpisson make cheese, clean the dairy and the stall, prepare for the next milking, wash and salt cheese, bring in the cows and goats at night and other misc jobs. Remaining at Arpisson definitely makes for a more relaxing day, but harvesting hay is very satisfying.
Days that we remain at Arpisson we try to take advantage of and go for short hikes after lunch as well as when we have days off! More to come on my explorations of the Arpisson valley, as well as Gran Patadiso!!
As for the future, as of now and my plans are to continue to stay here at Arpisson. Of course I'll keep you all updated on any moves or of plans (as much as possible!) I'm missing you all very much and think of you daily. I hope everyone is in good health and spirits! Live to you all from Arpisson,
Car
Bucket list: Dolomites. Check!
Wow, this place is amazing! My four day vaca away from the farm was well spent in the Brenta region of the Dolomites. I was met by my friend Jason (from Portland), who was coming from Istanbul and heading to Germany looking for a little outdoor adventure. We spent three days enjoying some of the most spectacular views and landscapes, staying in mountain huts called refugios, which were equipped with luxuries like cold beer and hot food. There's nothing better than a tall one after a long day of hiking!
We definitely took advantage of our time covering lots of ground, tracing through lots of snow at times, hopping across giant fields of boulders (some the size of houses!), zig-zaging up forested switch backs and river beds, and hugging the side of cliffs. Ah, paradise! In Italy they say there are two kinds of people: people of the sea and people of the mountains. I think I can definitely confirm that I am the latter of the two. As much as I love the sea, I always feel completely at home in the mountains!
After day four Jason and I parted ways, he to Germany, and I back to Cogne with the farm, mountains and most excitingly the move to the Alpine farm, Arpisson, awaiting me!
All photos are at Arpisson, minus the animals and the one in the barn which were taken by a previous wwoofer, Odile). The really unattractive goat is the male of the group and we call him Uggs... looking at him makes me laugh!
Wow, I'm not even sure where to begin. So much has happened since my last post, yet it feels like no time has passed at all. All expectations I had for my current farm were completely blown out of the water; and it may be no surprise to some of you that I've decided to prolong my Italian adventure and remain at Azienda Agricola Arpisson.
The farm, Azienda Agricola Arpisson, is quietly and impressively nestled in the Gran Paradiso National Park above the adorable yet touristy, mountain town of Cogne. We get to enjoy the beautiful panoramas of slowly melting, snow peaked mountains, including that of towering Mt. Blanc, every second of the day. A combination of mountainous green fields and forest make up most of the fifty acre farm land that the goats have free roam of the cows whose boundaries are constantly changing thanks to portable electric fences. There are about forty milking goats, twenty caprette (young goats), thirty cows, nine monstrous-milk driven vitelli (cafes), eleven oce (geese), chickens and lots of cats and kittens running all over the place. It's unreal. And yes, they all have names (minus the vitelli who are still awaiting their unknown fate...).
The milk producing goats currently share a stable with the cows and get milked by hand twice a day along with the cows. After the goats get milked, which usually takes about two hours, they are set free outside (one lucky wwoofer gets to accompany them) then we begin with the cows. The cows are milked by portable milking machines and also usually take about two hours to milk and they are also let outside after the milking. Normally, I milk both the goats and cows and currently have very sore hands!!
This is when the real fun begins! Think about it. About seventy animals share a stable in which they spend the night and pass part of the morning. It gets pretty dirty and needs to be cleaned every day. At first, naturally, I was A LOT grossed out but after two hours of scraping, shoveling and bucketing up poop and pee (and having these things splashed in places the should never be splashed) I learned I had to get over it real quick and eventually did. It's inevitable that someone has a good poop story to share by the end of the day.
Cheese making occurs every day, goat and cow, specifically Ricotta, Thom (and another kind I can't remember at the moment) along with yogurt and the most delicious butter one has ever tasted! Other daily jobs include feeding the vitelli (which usually turns into a giant milk bath battle), cleaning the other stalls that belong to the caprette and vitelli, washing and salting cheeses in the cellar, changing electric fences, working in the garden and various tasks that come up at random.
Attilio and Gabriella are the two owners of the farm and make every day with it. I try to keep up with them but let me tell you, the life of a dairy farmer is tough. They are never ending machines that love what they do and chose this path because of their for animals and nature. The days are long (6:30am to 12:30am) and the work is never ending, but I love it. And the best has yet to come. July 6th we move all animals up to a high Alp mountain pasture called Arpisson, an hours walk from the lower farm by trail, where we will remain until the end of summer. All the chickens, geese, cats, food and supplies will be taken up by helicopter as there is no road to Arpisson. Life will go on more or less the same although with more impressive views and a bigger backyard consisting of the most beautiful wild flowers whose smell is carried with the wind, rivers made of glacier melt and towering mountains patiently waiting to be climbed. It's impossible to do justice to its beauty and I wish so badly for everyone to experience it as I do.
Quick description of some photos: all photos of animals were taken down at the lower farm. The barn, cheese cellar, and house are also at the lower farm. Attilio and Gabriella live in the house, wwoofer's quarters are above the barn. The rest of the photos are at Arpisson. In one you can see the house from afar; the cow stable on the left, goat on the right, latteria and cheese cellar in the center, kitchen behind and our bedroom in an attic like room above the kitchen!
OK, hopefully I'll get some more pictures up of Arpisson and my fellow wwoofers soon (two English girls, an American couple and an American man who are all great!!). Tomorrow I'm off to the Dolomites for four days of adventuring then back to the farm! Love to you all, hope everyone is well! And don't forget, you all can drop me an email every now and then... I would be OK with that ;)
Ciao ciao!!
Oh beautiful Siena, how I've missed your towering city walls, bustling piazzas and squares, your tranquil cobble stoned alleys filled with restaurants and bakeries, and your beautiful panoramas of the countryside that surrounds you. Ahhh, it feels good to be back here.
Last night I met up with Joe, my Italian tutor from Portland who's taking classes here in Siena, and his wife Naomi! They have graciously offered to host me for two nights before I leave for Cogne in the mountainous north. It was pretty crazy to see Joe strolling across the piazza yesterday when I first met up when him after his class. It felt like I was back in Portland once we reached their adorable, tiny flat and he whipped out a piece of paper to give me a mini lesson over some questions I had. Naomi cooked up a killer dinner and we passed the night eating and catching up on each others adventures. Good times!
Today we head to the center of the city for some sightseeing and to enjoy the sunshine that has finally decided to show up. Hopefully more to come on my quick pit stop in Siena before I leave for Cogne. If not, I may be MIA for the next month as I'm not sure I'll have internet access at my next farm or on my adventure to the Dolomites after.
A quick tidbit on my next farm: it's located 5 km up the mountains for Cogne in the Valle d'Aosta region of Italy. On the farm they have thirty plus cows, sixty plus goats, chickens, geese, pigs and horses; and they make and sell cheese, butter and yogurt at the local markets.
If you don't hear from me, know that I'm happily milking goats or (hopefully) learning to make cheese! Lots of love to all!!
