Inishowen Farming

It's been a little more than a week since we arrived at the Fowler's farm, but they don't have a computer avalible at the house and when we go to town I never have time to really update. For the weekend Josie and I have come to Derry to get off the farm and be in the city, back at the great hostel I was at for 5 days a few weeks ago.

The farm is fantastic! It's about 5 miles out of a town called Moville on the Inishowen Pennisula, which is as farm north as you can get in Ireland. We are on the top of a HUGE hill from which you can see the Foyle and the ocean and Northern Ireland. The views are outstanding! The Fowler's have three cattle and a new calf, several pigs and some piglets, goats, billies, donkeys and many dogs and cats in the house, all with very distinct personalities. Jo and Geoff are a lovely couple, very welcoming with very good food and lots of stories. Theire son Lloyd is also living with them for the summer. They are from England orriginally and moved to County Donegal a few years ago to start this farm, as well as an organic shop in town.

We wake up at 9 in the morning, have a huge breakfast of porriage and coffee, then head out to the feilds. We have been doing a LOT of weeding, as well as picking wild blueberries (billberry's here, mind you), red currants and elderflowers for Jo to make organic wild jam to sell in the shop. Josie and I are working with a French girl named Amelie who is really awesome to hang out with, as well as practice my French skills before we head to Paris. We work about 5 hours every day, then get to relax, play with the dogs, walk, and read. I've been writing a lot. Lots of letters and lots of my novel, now that I've been to Derry and seen it I've figured a lot out that I was struggling with before. Jo makes great dinner, huge and hearty and we spend hours at the table talking. Then Josie, Amelie and I usually go and watch a movie, or play cards or talk until we go to bed. The sun stays up so late this far north, it's hard to sleep before 11:30 when it gets dark. Things have slowed down and settled into a pattern here, which is really good for me in the middle of this trip, settle myself and gather my self for the end of the journey.

My birthday was cold and wet. It's not been very warm here, actually, rather overcast and windy. After work, we took a taxi into town and went to a nearly empty pub for Baliey's flavored cheesecake and some drinks.

We came to Derry for the weekend, and planned out the rest of the summer, with reservations in hostels in Dublin, Paris, Lyon, Zurich, Milan, Nice and a plan ride back to London where we'll be for the last 2 days before I head home. We're also going on a bus tour of the southern part of the island next weekend, which should be great. Get to kiss the Blarney Stone!

In short, things are great. Josie have recovered from jet lag, and we will be back on the tourist road on Thrusday, jumping through adventures and cities until we're back home!