Sarah Serrano has come from Brooklyn to experience Farm
Life first hand at the Fesko
Farm this summer. She is part of an Intern Program that is run
by the Agriculture Dept. in John Bowne High School in
Queens, NY. That's right, they study agriculture in Queens! Sarah,
described by Chris Fesko as "an exceptional lady" feels
that this summer has been "an exciting
adventure".
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Click on each photo to enlarge.
List of Sarah's "Firsts" |
Sarah's own words about her 6 weeks in Spafford:
When I first came here to Spafford my breath was taken away by the
view and how friendly the people are here. Every day during these
6 weeks has been filled with new a different experiences. Hey, who
gets to milk a cow everyday back in the city! I'm just so grateful
to the Fesko family for taking me in and treating me as one of
their own children.
One day I was in the car with their daughter Kim, she was going
to take me home, when we stopped in to check on the pregnant cows.
Sure enough a calf was being born. It was so amazing! I even
helped deliver the calf. It lives!!
Ever since I came here I have learned to do so many new things.
I baked my first blueberry pie from scratch, and I made blueberry
jam!
Twice a week I milk cows. Milking cows is not easy. Trust me,
but when you come from the city to the country you don't take
anything for granted.
A big dream for me was for one day to learn and ride a horse. I
didn't know Mrs.Fesko knew how until she told me "OK, Sarah,
time to learn how to ride a horse." I was so ecstatic. After
a couple of lessons she took me on a trail that lasted for an hour
and a half. As soon as I got off the horse I could not move my
legs. I told Mrs.Fesko, " Oh, my lord I can't move my
legs!" She cracked up laughing making me laugh as well.
After a couple of days here I would come home telling the
Feskos how I learned something new. They decided to make a list of
my "Firsts". They have been keeping track ever since
then. So far I have 32 "Firsts"!
I have made tons of new friends up here. I went to one of my
friends house for a small farewell party for two of the members in
church. They took me swimming in Otisco lake and went jumping on a
trampoline. When I told them that this was the first time I ever
went swimming in a lake they were surprised. They love to hear me
tell them something new.
Some usual chores that I normally do everyday are helping
Mrs.Fesko with the Discover Center, mowing the lawn, and helping
any other family member care for the farm. Every morning I wake up
expecting all this to be a dream. It seems like a wonderland here.
When I go home I have so much to tell my friends and family about
my exciting adventure in Spafford.
Thank you Mr. and Mrs.Fesko for being my "parents"
here and Kim, Todd, and Ben for being my "brothers and
sister. "Thank you for all you have done. I'm never going to
forget this wonderful experience!
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SARAH'S
FIRSTS: |
- Saw first falling star
- Milked her first goat
- Baked her first pie
- tasted her first blueberry
- visited her first meat locker
- Made her first batch of jam
- Sang in her first Choir
- Bitten by her first "real" bug
- Milked a cow
- fed a calf
- ride a horse
- first bottle collection
- first camping trip to Adirondacks
- unloaded straw
- First riding lawn mower
- Shot a gun
- learned to drive
- tread water
- snorkeled for the first time
- slept under the stars
- drove tractor and planted grass seed
- saw a hawk up close
- saw a batch of kittens be born
- dehorn calves
- saw a hummingbird up close
- wrote first real poem
- experienced a family reunion
- deliver a calf
- drank root beer
- jumped on trampoline
- swam in lakes (4)
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Chris has thoroughly enjoyed her newest visitor.
"She is very good to ask questions and step up to the plate in
order to learn". It has made us appreciate our lifestyle
even greater as so much we had taken for granted."
"When Sarah came here, she gave us a
new set of eyes. She is the greatest!" Chris
Fesko August 17, 2003 [top]
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