So, after my first goat farm fail, I resolved to vet potential hosts more carefully. I tried again and connected with a goat farmer in the Coloma area. I told him upfront that I am not fit enough for construction or heavy outdoor labor but that I still believe I can bring value to a potential host. He seemed really laid back and said he wasn’t that picky and would be happy to have me. So Thursday I drove off to goat farm #2.
The drive there was spectacular! The weather was perfect and the views were amazing! The road was a little treacherous with almost no shoulder, no guardrails and a straight drop off a cliff. Yikes! But I took it slow and enjoyed the view and before I knew it, I was there.
I met my host and he was polite and personable. I started helping out in the cheese making facility and it was really fun! However, it quickly went downhill. I don’t want to write too many details because a lot of the issues I ran into were of a personal nature and I don’t want to put anything out on the internet that could hurt someone, but suffice it to say, it went from bad to worse quickly. It was really bad, so much so that I was in shock, shaking, and exhausted from everything that happened. Just like the last farm, I did have one cool experience, I got to help milk 50 goats! That was quite a learning experience and one I really wanted to have. But in the end, it was too much so once again I bugged out the next morning.
As I sat over breakfast and reflected, I felt like such a failure. Three bookings in a row turned out to be disasters. What was wrong with me? I have traveled before, booked lots of trips and I thought I was pretty good at making decisions. I doubted myself. Should I have stuck it out? Am I just weak? But I look back at my life and I don’t think so. I can handle tough stuff, I just don’t stick around when I don’t need to and in these cases, I think it was the right decision to leave.
Not having anywhere to stay for the night, I found a really cheap airbnb listing nearby in Pollock Pines at a yoga studio. Bohemian Chamber, they called it. I was intrigued, so I booked it. I told the host of my goat disaster and she said “come on over!” When I got there, I nearly cried at the room. It was so cute! It was very simple but beautifully decorated with yoga-esque decor and sweet little touches like a basket of fresh towels, soap, and candles. I fell on the bed and just laid there for awhile. As I settled in, this host was kind enough to let me have dinner with her family. They were very nice and it was a lovely evening. I felt my body begin to relax and let my guard down. So this is my second day here at the yoga studio. It’s called The Medicine House and it’s a yoga studio/cafe/massage/lodge. They are still under construction but it is coming along nicely and I can really see that it is going to be cool once it’s finished! The owner, Lisa, has a great vision and sense of style. We got along great! Here’s their Facebook page if you want to check them out:
So, what I learned from all this is that sometimes you find what you’re looking for in a different place than you expect to. I went to the goat farm looking for a great experience and in my desperation to get out of there booked this place and found some really amazing people that I connected with and am having a wonderful time! It’s good to plan but also be aware, keep your intuition up, and be able to change your plans if you need to. Always have backups, resources, and a Plan B.
I’m going to take a break from WWOOFing, I’m not sure if it’s the right program for me. I have booked another little airbnb cottage for the next couple of days so I’m just going to go there and do some more relaxing and catching up on business.
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