A large part of what we do on the farm has to do with my kids learning where food comes from, what work looks like and why it’s important, and how to handle animals safely and with care. I think it’s important that they realize that work happens every day and the typical American Monday – Friday work week isn’t actually that typical the world over and that each day you get up, you have something to accomplish. While they are too young to really understand the complexities of all the above right now, they are seeing the example, much as I did at their age.
However, not every day can be collecting eggs and mucking stalls. Some days you have to mix it up. Thankfully my good friend Dustin was foolish enough to buy a sailboat recently. I took the opportunity with this boat to have some new adventures with Spork. I explained to SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) that the boat was going to require a lot of work and that it was my intention for Spork to go down and help me with all that work. Having seen Captain Ron a number of times, Spork was enthused about the idea of being a “Swab” instead of his normal Sporkness. After a number of days of work, yesterday was a day for just sailing. Mr. K, Dustin, Spork, and myself made a day trip out of it and got in about 4 hours of pure clean sailing with a fresh breeze and great weather. Although I spent a lot of time at the wheel, I did get a break which you can see above. I went forward to sit on the bow pulpit and immediately Spork came and sat on my lap. We had about 15 minutes of just us two riding through the waves and talking about whatever. It was the highlight of the trip.
Here is Spork learning to read channel markers. End game I’d like him to be comfortable tackling any job shipboard so that he carries those skills and that confidence into adulthood. I’ve had to learn sailing as an adult, and have always been a little jealous of the kids I see sailing by themselves at 9-10 who grew up on the water.
Of course we had to feed the hungry crew after a hard day of sailing. Last time we were in town we took Spork to a fancy restaurant where he had Pomme Frites cooked in duck fat along with other items he’d never had. He tried everything served and was a champ. Here he’s trying “gator bites” which are fried pieces of alligator tail. He liked them.
Sailors have to have their rum, well gin, and beer, and bourbon.
No children were harmed in the taking of this picture, that’s sweet tea for Spork.