Austria 'ist sehr gut'

Today I woke up to the sight of mountains. I scraped a tie stall barn for the first time in several years. I stuffed goat cheese into cups. Dana stirred the curds of the cows milk cheese in the copper lined cauldron. We ate wiener schnitzel. We pushed a very full wheelbarrow of hay with an awesome cover to (hopefully) keep it all in. We milked a goat, by hand. We listened while our current host family talked over dinner in a language I do not understand.

Today I have spent almost a week in the mountains of Austria. We arrived in Austria on Friday the 17th and are staying on a dairy farm southeast of Salzburg. Our host family uses the milk from their small herd of cows and goats to make delicious cheese on the farm. Each morning, Dana and I scrape behind the cows after they have been milked and go help with the cheese making process. Several days we have helped in the garden as well. One of our greatest accomplishments has been tilling the garden by hand! We have also helped sort the compost piles - separating the newly decomposed soil from the plants that haven't decomposed yet.

We are enjoying Austrian meals and talking with our host family. Some of the family speaks English and Dana does well speaking German with those who don't and translating for me. We have been able to take a few walks up the mountain trails and in the woods around the farm. It is so beautiful here!

We are having a wonderful time and are excited for what else is in store for us! Enjoy a few photos of what we have been up to and the amazing scenery that surrounds us!