Eating locally is so easy in Vermont, especially this time of year. Over the weekend, we were on the hunt for local eggs and meat (for Jim), and found the Teleion Holon Retreat Center and CSA Farm, located just up the road from our campground.

Reality Check: Life as a Farmer

It was Friday, produce pickup day for their members, and we got to get our hands a little dirty by helping the managing farmer, Oliver, load up produce and set the table. He didn’t have any eggs available; we learned that because of fewer daylight hours, chickens lay fewer eggs in the fall, even stopping altogether in winter. As a result, it’s getting harder to find local eggs from smaller operations like his. No worries though; he very kindly offered up some beautiful salad greens, garlic and other goodies like homemade saurkraut instead, which we gladly went for.

Before the CSA members showed up, Oliver spent a lot of time chatting with us, giving us a reality check on running a farm, and a tour of his beautiful retreat center and property. He was so gracious; we didn’t even have an appointment, and he made himself available to share with us the things he loved most about being a farmer. He also shared what he didn’t like about the job.