Hay harvest and Petrovden

Since we want to feed not only two horses but also a couple of goats in the winter, we need to collect hay for them. Filip took two full days to cut all the grass surrounding Vegetarium with the tractor using a cutting machine. Before, I was attaching the machine on the tractor together with him.

The next two days we all, including our neighbors, were arranging the hay so that it can dry. It was necessary to put the hay in an area where it can dry without shadow and after we turned it one time per day.

After this, we worked almost three days long to collect all the hay and brought it to one barn where it can stay dry until the winter.

The hay collection made me realize again how hard the life on the land must have been before people could use machines like tractors.

It was a very nice action for team building and community spirit.

On the 29^th of June, the Christian orthodox people in Bulgaria celebrate the day of the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, called Petrovden. The celebration takes place on a designated place in the forest, 10 minutes by foot from Vegetarium. Many people from the surrounding villages gathered there and ate bread and drank beer and liquor. Part of this tradition is the sacrifice of a young sheep. This practice is called Kurban. Also, the people burned candles next to the holy statue of the saints. There were people preparing a soup of this sheep. Also, the priest came and blessed the holy water and the people who made the celebration possible and keeping the tradition alive.

For me the day was especially interesting since it is my name day. Even though I am not a Christian believer I received a blessing by the priest.

It was a good experience to get an insight in Bulgarian traditions.

Peter