Currently we are working with six people less than when I arrived. Steve, one of the apprentices, has gone off with one of the other workers from Klippers to Alberta to look for higher paying work together. Coming from the oil rigs, Steve was a good worker and knew his machinery well, however he expressed that he was not capable of living on such a low monthly budget. He doesn't cook and so the plethora of free produce we have at our disposal from the farm held no value for Steve. Further, he was not practiced in being frugal, like those of us who have remained, and so his solution has been to get a job that pays for the lifestyle he would like to live.
Next, both Moosely and Manon are currently away because of illnesses in their families. In both instances, the fact that they are isolated from their families has resulted in them returning to the city to be with their loved ones. Manon will hopefully be back this weekend, but Moosely situation is worse, so we don't know how often she will be able to work for Klippers.
On the flipside, we had a volunteer come from Germany this week to start work for two months - he lasted one day. It turns out that he was looking for something more low key (isolated) with far less people involved in the operation. (He had somewhat of a social angst of too many people.)
And last, Eva has packed up her bicycle and cycled off to Nelson to start her time at the ashram.
All this change in the three short weeks I have been here certainly highlights some of the major issues preventing young people from being farmers or living in rural Canada - the ability to make money farming and the social strains put on individuals who are trying to live apart from their family and friends.
So far I do not feel any of these pressures, and I hope that this remains the case. I know I will discuss these issues further in the coming weeks because they are vital to knowing if I can make Cawston (or another rural part of Canada) my home.
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