The Friedrich Farm

It's rainy and chilly but I could care less. This morning after a farmer's breakfast I followed Joachim out to his garden and pulled weeds for a while. It was wonderful. The tomato plants inside his hothouse are already 3 feet tall and loaded. There are mounds of potatoes, rows of strawberries and cucumbers and heads of lettuce inbetween it all. He showed me the bulbous celery that will be ready to harvest in the fall. Right next to the garden is the orchard yard that has trees with about 5 different kinds of fruit, plus about 7 kinds of berry bushes and... oh yes... some grapevines.

Behind the garden is the chicken coop and pigeon house. I got to hold some baby pigeons but you can't get too attached because they'll be the centerpiece of meals one day. They are Joachim's pride and joy. He's been raising pigeons for food since he was 10, taught by his uncle.

After the morning in the garden, Angela and I walked to a neighbor's house where we bought about 10 jars of local honey. The elderly many has a collection of taxidermied animals that is out of this world. I suggested to Angela that she ought to make a documentary about him.

Right now I'm in the kitchen watching Ute prepare Sunday dinner. So far she's peeled and trimmed white asparagus from the garden. I think there are also potatoes on the boil. She begins cooking each vegetable with water, salt, a little sugar and butter. That's basically the way she prepares all of their fresh vegetables, then they are served hot with more melted butter and perhaps some bread crumbs sprinkled on top.

I am absolutely in love with this family, their farm, their little village and rural (East) Germany. Later today we'll drive around Brandenburg and tomorrow Angela is taking me to Pottsdam.

In Germany

I've left Sweden for a visit with Angela Friedrich, a young woman I met while teaching in Jonkoping three years ago. We became friends and she came to stay with us in Winter Springs two years ago.

Germany day 1 June 5, 2009
When I arrived at Angela’s family home in Weseram Ute and Joachim seemed excited to see me. For dinner, Ute had prepared a soup of potato and kholrabi and sausauge. It was delicious. We also had bread and ham and cheese. I like the way Ute keeps the cheese and meats in separate Tupperware containers in the refrigerator. Refrigerators over here are much smaller. Tupperware is very valued over here, because it just arrived in the East in the early 1990s. We watched Barack Obama on the German newscast and then I slept very, very well in the guest room.

Germany day 2 June 6, 2009
I woke up early and Joachim took me for a walk in the garden. It was beautiful. They have a new flock of chickens that are very cute. The rooster is actually smaller and prettier than the hens. For breakfast I enjoyed Ute’s plum preserves and she made the key lime coffee I had brought. Angela mentioned that I had remarked about the 80s band Spandau Ballet. The next thing I knew Joachim had brought up Spandau Ballet’s “This Much is True” on YouTube. Today I think we will go out on a boat and drive around their county, Brandenburg.

10 Minute Film

Here's a 10 minute film