It is a standstill in Bulgaria right now. Even with the exceptional mid winter nothing is happening on the land, which lays dormant until March and then the work begins in April. It is traditional the working land is ploughed in February which should give a finer soil composition after many months of frost and is also the time for sowing garlic to follow on the November sowing last year. Exciting times ahead, if only there were more hours in the day to deal with this.
Working 45 hours a week it is going to be hard work to keep on top of things on the Yambol Factory farm as I will have to work in the evenings there. To me this is a new system, a Bulgarian system of burning the candle at both ends that I hadn’t realised until recently. How else do Bulgarians manage to keep their homegrown produce in full production and hold full time jobs at the same time? Quite simply it is by working around the clock and at weekends. This year will be a new dawning for me on how hard Bulgarian work and would explain they’re ‘leka rabota’ (easy work) attitude. After all you can’t work 100 mph 24/7 from April to October, so they take their foot off the pedal to cope with this. (I actually hate the expression 24/7 - It's such a westernised quote!)
It is no village farmhouse this weekend as we are trying to economise even further and the cost of our weekend trips is expensive and not really commensurate to our income. To put it in perspective the cost of a weekend in Skalitsa all in is the monetary equivalent of over two days work! This is something that cannot be reduced with the car fuel for 74 kilometres round trip, heating and extra food and drink. With the spring and warmer weather we will have to think of a cheaper way of getting there and back. Perhaps sharing the trip with village commuters, which we did on occasion last year.
We currently have a good life here, work very hard enjoy the time not working with the best food and drink you could imagine and a social life that doesn’t cost anything other than time. We don’t travel at all or have holidays other than perhaps an extended weekend on the coast once a year, but that makes it even more special when it happens. If there is one thing on our want list it is a bit of privacy, but that’s just me I suppose.
Hi Martin,
ReplyDeleteIt's been a while since I've dropped in to say hi! So wanted to be sure and wish you and yours a very happy new year there--filled with all the best!
All the work you put in (the Bulgarian way) sure does pay off--if not so much income, then in other ways--such as good food, time with family and friends, etc. And the "perks" of weekends away once a year--you're so right--they are so much sweeter when we don't take them for granted! Good luck with all the spring work coming up--looking forward to reading your posts about planting!
Sure hope you get to feeling better very fast, too.
Take it easy and have a great day,
Sher :0)
Martin you have a long hard working year ahead of you but at least you will reap the rewards that you sow. I think there are a lot of people in the world right now including myself who are looking to cut the cloth accordingly and save a little money. As far as the weekend trips go isn't there a local bus you could hop on or at least one that will get you close to your farmhouse.
ReplyDeleteI agree the work in Bulgaria is hard work, but in many ways it is satisfying an I find it to be much healthier. Many people here in my village really don't work a full time job except for their kids. The older folks survive from there land and home farm business.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a nice lot you have there in Yambol
wow, thanks for sharing how life in bulgaria is. it's interesting but far from our busy life here.
ReplyDeletehave a nice day.
alf
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