Icebreaker Rams

Icebreaker is a company based in New Zealand who make amazing merino wool base layers, and clothing.  What we like the most about Icebreaker are their awesome ads!

This is a fave:

Check it out...so powerful.

Parque Llao Llao

 Arrayan Forests in the Parque Llao Llao, Nahuel Huapi National Park

After leaving the farm, saying goodbyes to the plants, animals and friends, I traveled back to Bariloche for a couple of days.  Back to the hostel where the entire trip began.

Of course the view, as always, was stunning.  I had an entire day to roam around, play and explore.

After studying a map and reading reviews, I decided to take a bus out to Parque Llao Llao which is in the heart of Nahuel Huapi National Park.

Coolest architecture...Patagonia Perfect.

Lakes, mountains, sunshine, trails and hiking, bamboo, an Arrayan forest and my loads of new photos for my camera.

Here are some photos of the expedition through the park along Lake Perito Moreno.  The trees were stunning, the bamboo thick.  At one point, I came to a beautiful lake overlooking Cerro Chico...there was a meadow with grass up to my knees.  I stood there, looking through the viewfinder of my camera, and slowly let it fall and hang around my neck, the sun was warm yet the wind gusted, my hair was blowing across my face...I closed my eyes and soaked it all in.  Sometimes you just can't capture it.

And before you know it...it's over.  2 months went by so fast...

Early Primavera

Hiking up to the mirador/overlook after work has become a habit.  The sun sets and a pink hue is reflected off the mountain range along the Rio Blanco.  Swallows will begin to arrive for the spring season any day now, 2 new baby lambs were born today!  Now there are 8 on the farm.  15 more sheep should give birth before December and if each have twins that will be 30 baby lambs! 

The other 6 that were born a few weeks ago are all like a little family.  They run around in the field below the gardens chasing each other, making the cutest little attempts a baaa-ing, they will skip and hop around with excitement. All four of their legs will jump into the air…it’s so cute. 
Look how much they've grown!

All of these are just pictures taken around the farm.These are a few of Jorge's kids.

Today we hiked up the mountain and took a look at the hydroelectric turbine that provides electricity and hot water to the farm.  It’s incredible!  There was a stream that the settlers dug over 100 years ago from the river leading down the mountain. Now they’ve utilized it to their advantage.  About 2 years ago they created a filter along the stream, then the water flows down into a pipe that goes underground.  10 L flow through a little valve that generates 10-15 kilowatts of power every second.  There is a little engine that runs off the energy from the water…so it’s the reverse effect…rather than the engine running the turbine, the water runs the engine that runs the turbine.  I love it.  SO efficient.  Usually during the fall they go without electricity for a while because the snow from the mountains has had plenty of time to melt away and the stream isn’t flowing at a steady current anymore.  The dependence on nature…for the snow to fall, to melt, to flow, for electricity, for a hot shower…The plants need to grow and produce food…for fresh raspberry jam and salads from the garden…mmm.

The two girls are gone now, and a new couple arrived on Friday.  Cat and Matt from Michigan.  He’s a school teacher and she is a marketing director.  Welcome to La Confluencia…make yourselves at home.  Cat speaks Spanish which is great for Julia…I know she is happy about that.

We made chicken pot pie tonight…Peter worked at a bakery before he came here and he made this delicious biscuit crust on top with lots of yummy carrots, onions, potatoes, chicken…always a comfort food.  I’ll sleep well tonight. 

Around la huerta

This was taken on the farm in a cute little forest beside the garden beds.  The floor has a soft cover of pine needles and the trees totally block out the sun.  I love this spot.

My favorite lookout spot...about a 20 minute hike behind our house.  It's a 360 view of the gorgeous mountain ranges that surround the farm.

This is Diva.  She is quite literally a diva. See her posing? She is also a beautifully pregnant diva. 

Rio Azul, always so dramatic

This was taken on a hike nearby...I came to the top of the hill under a dense forest and was drawn toward light...

Cabinmates

For all of the families of my cabinmates who I've heard are following this blog...here are some favorite photos of your beloved children...y mis amigos.

BioIntensivo

Over the weekend we were able to attend an Organic Bio-Intensive Workshop with Fernando Pia, an agronomic engineer who has worked with the founder of La Confluencia to help develop their farm.  The class was about a 20 hour program and we learned so much about what we eat, insecticides, fertilizers, how to start your own compost, how to create a biointensive garden bed, how to maintain it, how to transplant...He basically explained to us why we are doing this work, how to do it correctly, and how to prepare our own gardens from digging the first bit of soil, to reaping a bountiful harvest.  Half of it was in a formal class setting, the other half was out in the field.  Fernando Pia did the class in a mixture of Spanish and English; we had some good laughs.  Here are a few pictures that Mark took for the Confluence blog while we were learning about transplanting seedlings from a flat in a greenhouse, to a bed in the garden.

In this picture, Fernando Pia is showing Emily and I the correct way to transplant lechuga seeds, lettuce!

Through the season, these little baby seedlings will be watered daily, and covered with a tunnel to trap humidity and heat.  This time next year, they will look something like these!  We've been eating fresh salads from the garden lately..delicioso!

On a different note, I've been eating differently down at the lodge, and we had a meet and greet with a new Wwoofer here from Michigan, named Peter.  Something happened either Saturday or Sunday that did not sit well with me...a parasite perhaps, or some type of germ exchange..not sure.  But I've been so sick for the past 24 hours...unable to retain water, definitely not food...feeling horrible.  But today I'm better!!  and I just ate a big plate of rice with veggies and mushrooms...Rehydrating.  

I NEED to feel better!  Tomorrow is a special day...I need to be on my feet, dancing under the stars next to a bonfire with music and new friends...tomorrow this needs to happen.  And I think it will!

Lost in the wilderness

Exploring around the area is a favorite thing to do here.  What is on the other side of that hill?  What if I leave the trail and walk towards the sound of the rushing river below?  What would I see if I climbed to the top of that rock?  I've been collecting answers to these questions as I hike, getting lost frequently, constantly finding exactly where I am, exactly where I should be.  An exploration of the self...that's what happens when panic sets in because you've been lost in the woods for almost 3 hours...But I found the way back...don't we always find our way back?

spiritual sunshine

magical forest

Here are some shots I took while lost in the forest..

WWOOFing

The director of La Confluencia keeps a blog with updates of the farm etc. He has been taking a lot of photos of the Wwoofers. So to put names with faces, I am posting some of the photos here.

We enjoyed an awesome potluck in the lodge on Sunday night. Julia made homemade pizzas, and there were also delicious fresh cheeses, jamon de Argentina, olives, guacamole, freshly baked french bread de Ellie, beer made in El Bolson and red wine. Here we all are, sitting around the table enjoying great company. I am in the red shirt with my back to the camera with Julia to my left and Michael from Oklahoma to my right. Ellie, the director, is next to him. Marlon, Lauren from NYC, and Emily (who can't be seen) from Miami. We are the team!!! Getting things ready for Spring and sharing our cute little cabin, getting acquainted pretty quickly. Just last night we all bundled up into our sleeping bags and watched Wall-E on Lauren's computer. It was very appropriate...how to change the world? Organic farming.

We do alot of work in the gardens outside of the lodge. Here we are pruning the rasberry bushes! It was coooold that morning.

The 3 of us standing on the front porch of our house. I am explaining something of the utmost importance to Marlon from Australia and Julia from Buenos Aires.