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jlailin Today I got to pet a goat!
You see, I went on a field trip to Growing Power, a really awesome urban farm place that operates with closed loop systems. We went there for studio because that's the precedent for what we will be designing for this semester. The place was absolutely brilliant. You'd think that it's simple--fish live in water and poop, plants take in water and cleanse it; worms take old food and make it into soil for new food; as compost breaks down it creates heat and in the winter time, greenhouses need to be heated.
Seriously, why didn't anyone think of these things before? It's ingenious. It's almost stupid. It's how the world used to work. Urban farms just take these big systems and condense them down to work on smaller sites.
We went on a tour of the place and I, the plant and animal lover, was in heaven. They even let us nibble on the plants! I tasted the best sprouts I've ever eaten in my life plucked from the soil. In another greenhouse, the workers seemed amused by us and tried to feed us everything there. I ate nasturtiums, which are a very interesting green. There are three layers of taste--the first is like a sweet, buttery lettuce; the second is a refreshing lemony tang; and the last is a slightly bitter pepper. They'd be lovely in a salad. They also fed me watercress and dandelion greens.
After that, we discovered the animals. I nearly ran to the goat pen. I tried to get them to come so that I could pet them, but they were being stubborn. Fickle beasts. I gave them a carrot that I found next to their pen and see how they repay me. I had a hard time pulling myself away from the goats, but then there were HUGE ducks that weren't really ducks but something duck-like or in the duck family. There were GIGANTIC turkeys. Or perhaps that is the size that turkeys always are. I just can't ever remember seeing one alive, and they gobbled at me! And then there were the adorable fluffy chickens! For some reason, I've found myself rather ataken with chickens these days. Unfortunately the chickens were locked away in a coop.
As we walked back, we passed the goats again. I once again tried to pet them. This time one of them trotted over to me. He perched on the embankment and stuck his head over the fence for me to pet (more likely for food, but I'll just stick with the petting story). And I got to pet him! Best moment ever! I love that he trotted up to me and I didn't chase him. It made it just that much more special. :D
And thus is the story of how I pet a goat... all the way up in Wisconsin.
You see, I went on a field trip to Growing Power, a really awesome urban farm place that operates with closed loop systems. We went there for studio because that's the precedent for what we will be designing for this semester. The place was absolutely brilliant. You'd think that it's simple--fish live in water and poop, plants take in water and cleanse it; worms take old food and make it into soil for new food; as compost breaks down it creates heat and in the winter time, greenhouses need to be heated.
Seriously, why didn't anyone think of these things before? It's ingenious. It's almost stupid. It's how the world used to work. Urban farms just take these big systems and condense them down to work on smaller sites.
We went on a tour of the place and I, the plant and animal lover, was in heaven. They even let us nibble on the plants! I tasted the best sprouts I've ever eaten in my life plucked from the soil. In another greenhouse, the workers seemed amused by us and tried to feed us everything there. I ate nasturtiums, which are a very interesting green. There are three layers of taste--the first is like a sweet, buttery lettuce; the second is a refreshing lemony tang; and the last is a slightly bitter pepper. They'd be lovely in a salad. They also fed me watercress and dandelion greens.
After that, we discovered the animals. I nearly ran to the goat pen. I tried to get them to come so that I could pet them, but they were being stubborn. Fickle beasts. I gave them a carrot that I found next to their pen and see how they repay me. I had a hard time pulling myself away from the goats, but then there were HUGE ducks that weren't really ducks but something duck-like or in the duck family. There were GIGANTIC turkeys. Or perhaps that is the size that turkeys always are. I just can't ever remember seeing one alive, and they gobbled at me! And then there were the adorable fluffy chickens! For some reason, I've found myself rather ataken with chickens these days. Unfortunately the chickens were locked away in a coop.
As we walked back, we passed the goats again. I once again tried to pet them. This time one of them trotted over to me. He perched on the embankment and stuck his head over the fence for me to pet (more likely for food, but I'll just stick with the petting story). And I got to pet him! Best moment ever! I love that he trotted up to me and I didn't chase him. It made it just that much more special. :D
And thus is the story of how I pet a goat... all the way up in Wisconsin.
(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-19 12:44 pm (UTC)Sounds like you had a great time! But wasn't Wisconsin freezing this time of year?!
(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-19 04:50 pm (UTC)And yes, Wisconsin and Chicago are COLD. But the extraordinary part was that inside the hoop houses was pretty darn warm. Seriously. It's absolutely mind blowing how much heat a pile of compost gives off. It's a brilliant system. We should just pile giant mounds of compost next to our walls for heating!
(no subject)
Date: 2012-01-20 11:17 am (UTC)Yeah, I remember being around compost piles for... God knows what, and they can get hella hot! XD They're gross, though, and they smell. I wouldn't put one next to my wall. XP But they're good for farms!