Jesse and JoJo on the Farm

At the end of this summer, my partner Ealáin encouraged me to take a retreat to get centered for the upcoming CMW season. After a short look around the internet, a barn loft on a working farm in Willington, Connecticut, popped up on Airbnb for a five day stay. Bluebird Farm is a lovely spot in the town of Willington, a small rural hamlet about thirty minutes from Hartford.

While there, I was able to practice, run, meditate, visit friends in nearby Windsor, CT and spend lazy afternoons doing crossword puzzles in the farm’s lovely gazebo. However, I think what was most special to me about my time on Bluebird Farm was the menagerie of animals who lived there. Pigs, sheep, goats, chickens, guinea hens, ducks, and a cow named Jojo lived in harmony in a field next to the barn. Also in residence were eight cats and seven dogs, three of whom were professionals – livestock guardians that kept an eye on all of the animals and looked out for any potential nighttime predators. These working dogs were a lovely breed called Maremma Sheepdogs, and they kept a strict rotating schedule and took no guff from the other animals. The friendliest cat was a large Tom named Jean Valjean who was on regular patrol of the grounds. Carmen, one of the owners of Bluebird Farm, showed me where the grain was kept for the animals, and said I could feed them whenever I wanted. It was awesome to see the goats and sheep emerge from their little shelter to run towards me when I appeared with the grain bucket.

Jojo the cow, ½ Angus, ½ Holstein (no relation) would also come running for grain, seemingly unaware of his size or the power of his tongue. Curious about how he would respond to the violin, I played an improvised tune for JoJo, what I’ll call a Bovine Bourrée, and he seemed to enjoy it. Two of the sheepdogs also came over for the short serenade. As you can see from the video, they were an attentive and receptive audience!

All in all, a little solitude and quality time on the farm was just what I needed to get ready for Season 25 at CMW. I hope to see you at an event soon. Music-loving barn animals are always welcome!

– Jesse Holstein