H.E.A.R.T.

Yesterday I wrapped up my time in Florida at the H.E.A.R.T. Institute. Good times were had by all, except for Chester and Lambchop. Chester the goat and Lambchop the rabbit (confusing I know) sacrificed themselves so that my cohorts and I could learn the process of butchering. Speaking of my cohorts, I shared a cabin with Bob, Camren, Ryan, and a festive group of bats. The bats were annoying, the rest were not. I feel very fortunate to have been put together with such a great group of guys.

Here is a quick list of things I did at HEART that I had never done before.
1. Drilled a well, followed quickly by playing an Irish drum with the Mahoney girls.
2. Helped a baby goat learn how to get milk from it's mother.
3. Drank some of said milk (colostrum actually).
4. Made mint-scented bricks.
5. Ate goat liver and enjoyed it.
6. Drove past a clown museum. (that has nothing to do with HEART but was so creepy that I thought I'd mention it)
7. Became very fond of compost piles.
8. Scolded baby chickens, lovingly of course.
9. Attended a deaf church.
10. Put stitches in a severed pig's foot.

The list could go on, but those are some of the highlights. Like most great experiences, it wasn't the things I did that mattered but who I did them with, and the people I met at HEART were all great in a lot of different ways. Their hearts and hard work have left me better prepared for what lies ahead. I'm very thankful for that.