When I arrived at the deGaule RER (train) station, having left Joe to fend for himself on his return to the States, I was not sure if I would find the right train and how long it would take me to get to the nearest station to the Helbert farm. I spent 1/2 an hour in an information line and finally was directed to the right place to buy my ticket. Then it took an another hour to buy the ticket. Fortunately, I found a lovely person to talk to, a French woman who has lived in the States in Atlanta 20 years with her French husband, a medical doctor. She was buying tickets for herself and her two daughters and then together they would visit relatives in a few different places in France. Our conversation helped pass the otherwise boring time advancing my heavy suitcase in the crowded area snaking around in front of the not so big ticket area.
I didn't have even enough time to buy some breakfast. I had to let the Helberts know when I was arriving and though I had bought a French cell phone, I hadn't yet charged it or really found out how to use it (I am not a big phone user in the States). I asked about the public phones at the station and was told in the little store that it would cost 50 euros to get a card that I could use later if I needed it (no more cash allowed in the public phones). No way was I going to pour more money into using a phone!
So, I approached what I thought looked like a friendly French woman. It turns out she had married an American and had also lived a long time in the States and was returning to visit relatives. She said she could make a call for me as she had found herself many times in the past, in that same position of needing to use a cell phone and not having one in her possession. Unfortunately, neither Nicole's or Claude's cell phone answered. So the woman left a message about the time of my arrival at the Laval station.
The train was late, but once I was on the train, I found myself seated next to a young Canadian whose family was spending a couple of years in France. He was charged with taking care of the "homestead" in Quebec as well as finishing his degree in music (recording mechanics).
Suddenly the conductor came along and told me that I would have to change trains at a different place thus would arrive 2 hours earlier than expected. He was very sweet when I asked him if he had a cell phone and would make the call for me. Again, Nicole did not answer her phone, but a few seconds later she phoned back but said she would not be able to go earlier for me. At least I knew that upon arrival I would finally have time to have breakfast!
Suddenly one of the women in the seat in front of me jumped up and said it had just been announced that those going to Lavel had to get off and board another train. I rushed out to grab my bag and Vincent helped me put it off the train. It turned out new plans had been made for the next leg of my journey. I managed to loose my ticket but was provided with a replacement. Normally there is a huge fine for not having a ticket in your possession. I guess they took into account that this was a sudden second change in plans.
The station at Laval is very small (you will see it in a future blog). I bought a I ham and butter sandwich and the latest edition of Le Monde and spent about two hours just relaxing. I dragged my too heavy suitcase outside about the time Nicole had told the conductor she would arrive. There was a young woman looking around as if she expected someone and she finally came up to me and asked if I were X. It turns out she works at the local information center and indeed was expecting a colleague from Sweden. We chatted for a few minutes about her job and I noticed a woman who I thought might be looking for someone. Nicole had arrived!
On the way home she stopped at a local bio (organic) store and I had a chance to look around but not really check the prices. I already knew many things about Nicole since when one signs up as a wwoofer, hosts send a somewhat longer letter than their original note (listing) in the Wwoofing website. I asked if she had invited many other wwoofers and she had had only two and it had not been a great experience. I had already decided before I started my trip, that I would try to be an ideal wwoofer, a hard worker and easy going with whatever I found at each experience. It turned out I had made a fortuitous decision to visit the Helbert's!
Both Nicole and Claude were very welcoming. Their children are all married so I had an upstairs bathroom all to myself as well as a bedroom under the eves. I bonked my head twice as I put my things away in the empty clothes cabinet that had been completely emptied for a guest. I learned quickly since I'm tall, that I had to walk a little stooped to keep my head intact but I felt happy to have such a lovely room with a window opening onto the orchard. I knew no matter how cold it might get, I would sleep with my window open.
That first evening we had lots of interesting conversation and I learned that Claude had rented a machine for the next day as he planned to make a pen for his geese so they wouldn't make such a mess on the lawn. They have grandchildren who often visit and even for the Helberts themselves, having a place to put the geese during the day would avoid the usual problems one has with geese.
The first three pictures show their herb garden behind the house as well as the shed where they hang the clothes. Most people I have met so far use a washer, but almost never a dryer. Saving energy by using the wind is not new for me as I do the same at home.
There is a fox in the area so this is where the ducks and geese hang out at night.
The pond to the left.
In front of the pond there is a row of "groseilles," (gooseberries) that are used to make jellies and syrups.
In the next picture, behind the swing set and to the left there is a little bridge and then behind that a small vegetable garden where I later picked a huge bucket of peas. There is also lettuce, carrots, Swiss chard, spinach, beans, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and probably some others that I haven't remembered. Then behind the vegetables, there is a field of hay (organic) that Claude's son-in-law uses to feed his cows. At least one of the trees in the foreground is a chestnut.
Claude left the house at 6:00 the next morning to pick up the tool he had reserved to use for digging post holes. Unfortunately, it began to rain. I say "unfortunately" with much reserve, as it has been an extra dry year here in France and growers and farmers have had problems with the inadequate supply of rain. In May when we arrived in France, we learned that there had been some demonstrations in several cities and famers were agitating for government money to help them out.
I offered to take my turn at the machine, but Claude told me this was a "man" thing and I had to agree. I couldn't imagine, though, that even being a strong man, he could possibly make 84 holes in one day as he eventually did. Claude suggested that picking the groseilles and the cassis would be a great job for me.
I decided to take a few more pictures of their beautiful farm before settling into the berry picking task. Picking berries is my very favorite job in the garden. Planting, weeding and water are necessary to be able to eat from one's own garden, but berry picking is pure joy, at least for me.
You may notice the absence of the sun in the next few pictures. In this first picture, you see the back of the house to the left and the duck pen to the right (pond not visible). The orchard is visible in the middle.
This shot is taken from the orchard
One option for Woofers (or gandchildren) is this tent set up in the apple orchard. I guess perhaps my camping days are over - if, in fact, they ever did exist. It sure was tempting to stay there since these are my favorite colors!
In the middle is the herb garden and to the right another barn that contains several freezers where Nicole and Claude freeze the fruits of their labors (literally). They have a wonderful two-part cooker where they steam the berries (stems and all) Unfortunately, I didn't take pictures of the 8 buckets of fruit I picked that day nor a picture of this very nifty way of juice extraction. To the right of the barn is the back of the house. At far left you see the same barns you saw earlier from a different angle.
Here are the many hives where Claude's bees leave him many kinds of honey - depending on what flowers they happen to be eating.
Though it rained all day, we continued working outside - me with the berry picking and Claude digging his holes with Nicole cheering him on. They came in around 1:00 but I didn't stop. By then I had picked about 5 paint cans full of berries and I didn't notice I was completely soaked through the wool sweater I was wearing under my light rain jacket. About a half hour later I went in and changed my clothes and shortly thereafter, we stopped for lunch. I couldn't believe it when Claude said he was off again to finish the holes! I had many more berries that were very ripe and I couldn't let stay out in the rain. Back I went to try to finish the picking.
Below the field has been completely "posted" with a of posts in the middle to create two different fields for "rotating" the ducks and geese.
Later the next day I wondered around looking at the various barns. Here is where the inserts for the hives are kept.
To the left is the old hand cider mill. These day Claude has a distiller come with a large machine once all the apples have been picked. He makes "eau de vie" and then adds various berry juices to make delicious and unique liqueurs. It is a beautiful farm with so many wonderful products - but - sooo much work. I was happy to be a part of it all if only for a few days. To the right you see their long private drive.
And here is the view from the driveway!!
The house is covered with ivy
and below the poppies start the row of groseilles.
Nicole and Claude have lots of flowers in addition to their herb and veggies. Some are in the ground and some are in pots hanging on the walls of the house. In the second picture you can see the ingenious device that delivers water automatically to the Fuchia, a plant needs lots of water.
The machine below is part (?) of the apple distilling process.
This is one of my favorite views!
After a hard day of working in the rain, we were enjoying the evening when we lost electricity. It was early to bed and hopes for repairs sometime during that night. Claude called several times, but no one came. He told them his situation: several freezers stocked with all their berries and juices and veggies for the winter months.
Finally a neighbor dropped by to see if Claude and Nicole had electricity and as soon as there was someone else who needed help, a truck appeared. As it turned out, Claude had cut some trees just before he rented the hole making machine. Because the rain had been so hard, the trees branches had fallen on the wires, more than likely causing the outage.
It had not looked good all morning for getting the electricity back plus it was still raining intermittently and the report was not so good. Claude said it would more than likely not be such good weather on the coast so he called and cancelled my reservation for Mont-Saint Michel. No sense going in such weather.
So, very soon Claude and Nicole were off to visit a friend who was celebrating both a retirement and a birthday. I was happy when they felt comfortable enough with me to leave me with their house and little doggie, Swanee. You will see her among the pictures below. She is 10 so she sleeps a lot, but she seemed to love the massages I gave her when she jumped into my lap.
This is the large terrace I had to privilege to spend Saturday afternoon and evening and all day Sunday. Claude and Nicole had told me they spend most of their time here when not working on the farm. It is like being out in nature with a view of 180 degrees. There are 3 slidding doors and I spent time listening to the birds and watching them swoop around in the front yard. I could see the black sky and imagine how it would look if there were some bright sun. At home everything is always closed up to avoid the cold in winter and the heat in summer. Claude told me that many people who sit on this porch eventually end up adding one to their house. I would like to be added to this list.
More flowers behind the barn. I was trying to get a good picture of Swanee!
This is the shed where the distilling takes place.
In the evening I noticed a light in the garden and it turned out to be a solar powered flower that changes color. I have some solar lights at home, but not one like this.
The eyes say it all. Both Claude and Nicole have a twinkle.
And here it is Monday morning - time to go on to the next Wwoofing site. As we ride to the Lavel train station, Claude and Nicole tell me that the river Mayenne is full of small chateaux and people can take a tour down river to see them. I realize I have seen a place where there is much more to discover, but the best find will always the people who live here on this beautiful farm and who received me by sharing their home and their life with me. When they left me at the station, they were off to build a "toilette seche" (ecological toilet). Perhaps I will be able to return in the fall for apple picking. Thank you both so much for your generosity!
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