Weekend at Sawyer Farm
Weekend at Sawyer Farm
By Sheela Raman
IttookLaurathreelonghourstodrivefromNewYorkCitytoSawyerFarm.Therehadbeen
lotsoftrafficallalongtheway.Asshefinallypulledupthewindingdirtdrivewaythatledto
thefarmhouse,shesuddenlyfeltwearyandexhausted.Hersilversportscarjumpedandjolted
alongthebumpypathuntilshegottothefrontdoor.
Susieand Willheardthesoundofthecarengine andcame outsidetowelcome Laura.They
ownedSawyerFarmandusedthelandtoraisetheirownanimalsandcrops.TheyknewLaura
fromlongbefore,whentheywereallincollegetogether.
“Greattoseeyouaftersolong!”Susiesaid,kissingLauraonthecheek.Fromtheopendoorof
thefarmhousewaftedthedeliciousaromaoffreshlybakedbread.
“Greattoseeyoutoo!”saidLaura.“ButareyousureIdidn’tcomeatthewrongtimeofyear?I’ve
heardwinterisnotthebesttimetovisitafarm.”LauralivedinNewYorkCityandworkedasa
lawyer.Thiswasthefirsttimeshehadbeeninthecountryinalongtime.Shewasabitnervous.
“Notatall,”saidSusie.“Winterisagreattimetobehere.”
“There’sstilllotstodoonafarminwinter,”addedWill.“Wehavetokeepallouranimalsfedand
warm.Youcancomewithmetofeedthecowsandchickenstomorrowifyouwant.It’sfun.”
“Soundsgood,”saidLaura.
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Weekend at Sawyer Farm
SusieandWillinvitedLaurainsideandshowedhertoherroom.Ithadahighantiquebedandits
veryownfireplace.Willlitthelogswithsomekindlingandmatches,andsoonagreatfirecrackled
away. Susie and Will left Laura to settle in for a few minutes. She turned her smartphone off,
washedherface,andletherfeetwarmbythefire.Herheadachewasalreadygettingbetter.
ItwasabouttimefordinnerwhenLaurawentdownstairs.Susiewasbusystirringagiantpot
ofbeefstew.Abowlofcreamymashedpotatoesandabigtrayofroastedvegetableslayout
on the table. Susie explained to Laura that the roasted vegetables were a mix of butternut
squash,turnips,andparsnips.Thesewereall“wintervegetables,”shesaid,becausetheygrow
underneaththesoil,protectedfromsnowandcoldweather.
LaurahelpedSusiesettheplates,forksandknives.Itstartedtosnowoutside,andsoonthe
hillsandfieldsoutthewindowseemedtobecoatedinathinlayerofpowderedsugar.Itwas
so peaceful and quiet in the country, compared to hectic, fastͲpaced New York City. At last
Susiefinishedstirringthestewandbroughtittothetable.Thenshetookthesteamingloafof
breadoutoftheoven.Theyallsatdowntoeat.
“Wow,”saidLaura,asshetastedherfirstspoonfulofstew.“Ihavebeencravingaheartymeal
likethisallday!”
“Ofcourse,”saidWill.“Inwinter,whenit’sverycold,allanimals,includinghumanbeings,need
toeatbig,warmmeals.”
“That’sright,”saidSusie.“Ourbodytemperaturealwayshastobearound98.6degrees,even
whenit’sonly20degreesoutside.Tokeepourbodytemperatureup,wereallyneedthatextra
fuelinwintertime.That’swhyImakebigmealswhenit’scoldandsnowy.”
Lauraneverthoughtmuchabouteatingdifferentlyinwinterandsummer.Herjobkepthertoo
busytothinkaboutfood.Oftenshegothomelatefromworkandonlyhadtheenergytoheat
upasmallcanofsoup.
“You know, Sue,” said Laura. “I think I need to learn more about cooking good food. It’s
embarrassing to admit, but I can barely make an omelet! I’m so busy with work that I don’t
havetimetoexperimentinthekitchen.”
“Whydon’tyoucomeandstaywithusoneweekendeverymonth?”saidSue.“Icanshowyou
howtocooksomereallyquickandeasymealsthatwillkeepyoufullinwintertime.Youwon’t
besotiredallthetime.”
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Weekend at Sawyer Farm
“Iwouldlovethat!”saidLaura.
SoonLaurawasstuffedwithfreshbread,stew,potatoesandvegetables.Shefeltrelaxedand
happy. The friends sat together in the living room for a while after dinner, drinking hot
chocolateandlisteningtomusic.Outsidethewindow,thesnowkeptfalling.
Thatnight,Laurasleptlikeababy.Whenshewokeupthenextday,allthehillsandfieldswere
coveredinathickblanketoffluffywhitesnow.Sheateabigbowlofoatmealandraisinsfor
breakfast,andthenputonherwintercoatandsnowboots.Shefeltpeppyandfulloflifeas
shewalkedoutsidewithWilltodothechores.First,shehelpedhimuntiebigbatchesofhay
and feed them to the horses. Next, she and Will patched up a hole in the barn wall where
snowhaddriftedin.Thesheephadallclusteredtogetherinonesideofthebarn,awayfrom
thesnowdrift.“Theyreallyhatethecold,”Willexplained.
IntheafternoonLaurastayedinsidewithSusie.Shehelpedherwaterallofherindoorplants.
“It’samazingthattheseplantsneedmostlyjustwaterandairtosurvive,whileweneedtoeat
bigmealswithdifferentkindsofvegetablesandfruit.”
“Yes,”saidSusie.“Inthatwayplantsarealotsimplerthanweare.”
Therestoftheweekendflewby.Thefriendshadsuchfunhavingasnowballfightwitheach
otherthenextdaythatLauradidnotreallywanttoleave.Butshehadtogotoworkthenext
day.Asshedroveawayinhersportscar,wavinggoodbyetoSusieandWill,shethoughthow
luckyshewastohavesuchgoodfriends.ShefeltinherpocketforthestewrecipeSusiehad
writtendownforher,andlookedforwardtotryingitoutathome.
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