A Farm Life in Bavaria : How I spend my summer vacation

As I grew up in a bustling city of Bangkok, I always yearn for beautiful nature atmosphere, be intimate with flora and fauna and importantly to breathe fresh air. I’m absolutely impressed that big cities in Europe proportionally preserve green space for its citizens. Contrary to my hometown where the land is gentrified for commercial and resident units and if you want rich nature, you would have to travel 2 hours at least away from the capital. It is somehow a pity that we have to trade nature off for comfortable or so-called civilized way of life.

Last summer vacation was a great chance to go out of my student routine. I applied for a program called WWOOF which is known as a worldwide volunteer exchange on sustainable and organic farms. Just a few days after, a farm owner in the south of Germany replied.

I and my friend were heading to a place an hour away by train from Munich where we will do farming in an exchange with accommodation and food. The 8-hour-journey was tiresome as we connected several trains but it is the most economical way of transportation.

A tall and strong healthy man showed up at the meeting train station with a smile. He is called Micheal, yes he is our host. It was a sprinkling dark night and he drove us to his house another 15 min. Wow, he has such a big traditional Bavaria house with 4 children and his parents and 3 cats. The house seems recently renovated, it is over a hundred years old as written in dim letters under the roof. We could sleep in a room at second floor. There are more than 10 rooms in this house I believe.

It was raining the whole night until morning. The breakfast, bread, toast, tea, juice was prepared by his wife. Only he and his wife speak English in the table but it wasn't at all awkward to be there. There is nothing to do in the raining day so he showed us around all rooms; workshop room, barn, farm and etc. I don’t know how he manages his life but it’s so many things to be busy with. He is a carpenter, hunter, farmer, constructor and many more. The little hut near the pond is the loveliest place (inside the hut is my first picture). He is the youngest son who inherited the whole business from his father who is now only taking care only a bee's house. It seems a hard work around here but there are also various kinds of machines to facilitate the farming. The farmers here have somehow a well-being life, partly they also get subsidies from the European Union under certain regulations that all farmers have to follow.

The whole family attends the church together on Sundays. I joined the service which lasts only an hour. The church encourages children to participate in the ceremony and also to answer the questions from the priest.

The evening was cozy in the house. We were playing a card game with children, laughing to death. After dinner, Michael took us to a restaurant where he and his friends would meet and play traditional Bavarian music together, and with a glass of beer even made the night run smoothly. The one he plays called 'Hammered Dulcimer' something like a percussion and stringed instrument.

We started our farm work a few days later as the rain stopped. Basically what we did for 5 hours per day is picking hazelnut from the trees. It wasn't a hard work as we had music, home-made cake and of course good companies. The farm is also open for anyone to come and pick Hazelnut by themselves. Basically, the fresh Hazelnut is sold around 2-2.5 euro per a kilogram but it can be 6 euro if sold privately in the market. Excitingly, I also learned how to drive a tractor!

Apart from work, Micheal took us everywhere like we are his children. As he likes adventure, and so do I. One evening, he taught me how to shoot as he is a member of a shooting club in his small town. In one fine morning, he even invited his friend who was a former Olympic archer to give us a basis lesson for archery.

When it came to a birthday of his second son's friend (18th birthday is usually a big party), we were also invited to a bonfire party which was super amazing. Not surprised that I was totally wasted and everybody took me to my bed. I hope everyone remembered me well since then.

Although I stayed with them just 10 days, I felt so much connected with this big family. They were so taking care and despite the fact that I am a foreigner who does not speak good German, I did not feel excluded. Some people have a cliche mind that Germans are cold and not friendly at the first place. I would totally disagree and want to remind that it isn't wise to generalize people unless you really get to know them.

And this is how I spent my vacation, back to nature away from traffic, crowd and skyscrapers. I don't know perhaps I would like to live my life as simple as it is supposed to be..

P.s. The night is incredibly memorable there.
Credit picture by Supanut Vathanyupracha

With Love,
Zawadi