(Continued from May 15, 2010)
During the early years of operation, the former owners of the farm had about a dozen dairy cows and most of the milk was used for the production of butter and cheese. Therefore, they needed a very large kitchen. That spaciousness turned out to be extremely beneficial for Thea’s purposes. It made Aunt’s Dorothy’s accountant remark enthusiastically: “Many medium-sized restaurants would love to have that kind of room.”
The adjacent dining area rendered the vastness of the room even more impressive. The end of a lengthy table had been placed against the sill of an enormous window. There was a bench on either side from which one could enjoy the view of the undulating terrain.
“Twelve adults can sit here without feeling cramped,” Thea said. “And, since it is all open space, an eye can be kept on the cooking in progress. Also, the large surface of this table allows the volunteers to do the packaging while they are enjoying a snack or an ice-cream dessert. Take note of the soft ice-cream machine beside the fridge.”
Thea walked to the cooking area to get our soup. She realized that the cook was fully occupied with a number of dishes that she was preparing. While I was alone at the table, I observed the ceiling beam that extended across the entire width of the room. I imagined that it had been cut out of a fair-sized Douglas fir. In the center was a supporting post. Hooks, which served as coat hangers, had been screwed into it. They had obviously been chosen to blend in with the natural color of the wood.
“I can see that you are admiring our rustic beam,” Thea said as she placed the soup bowls on the table. “All men seem to be fascinated with its size. It was a frequent conversation piece for the renovators.”
“Many decades ago, the main carpenter in charge of constructing a farmhouse would go to a local sawmill and choose the tree from which an important beam like this would be cut. Often, there is an inscription somewhere in the corner of the beam; it gives the name of the mill and the year it was produced.”
“That is mighty fascinating,” Thea, exclaimed enthusiastically. “After lunch, we can take a few minutes to inspect the beam. I have a good flashlight in the Audi.”
During lunch, we admired the view from the window. Right in front of it, a cultivated field stretched for at least half a kilometer down a gentle slope. At the end of it was a stand of tall evergreens. To the left of the field was a lengthy greenhouse, which was much bigger than what Thea’s casual indications had made me envision. And, on the right was an orchard, which also appeared to extend as far as the lofty evergreens. I was curious about its width.
(To be continued)