Tales of Music, Dogs & Food: Volunteering at Ryan's Farm

Ryan picked us up on a main street encased by Korean restaurants and franchises, Korean signage, and an uncountable number of Hyundai and Kia cars. He drove a flatbed pick-up truck, wore his staple beige cowboy hat, and explained how a guy from Texas found himself living in South Korea for more than a decade.

The cityscape faded in the rear-view mirror as industry approached. We were alongside commercial trucks and passing warehouses. Ryan made a right turn as we drove parallel to the highway, finally reaching our destination: a community-tendered farm in the middle of nowhere. There were people bent over the soil and a happy, caramel-colored dog frolicking amidst the tilled earth.

That was nearly a year ago, when we planted seeds and spray-hosed the leafy plants in the greenhouse. Two weeks ago, we returned to Ryan's farm, this time to pull up the dead plants, felt, anchors, and water hoses, in anticipation of the incoming spring season.

Ryan's farm is a place to get some work done, meet amazing people, and eat the fresh, homemade food that he prepares. (Ryan's a darn good cook, which makes sense, since he's a culinary arts professor at Suwon Food and Tourism College!) And I'll tell you: the secret to why his food tastes so good is because of the appetite you build out on his farm.

Here's a look at the people, fun, and food of Bear Foot Gardens!

Pulling up anchors is harder work than it looks!

And so is pulling up plants!

But the best part of the whole day is the company you keep.

Nick taught the kids about playing the guitar. Danielle played with her dog, Leia.

And then the kids got cuddly with Leia and Chloe, resulting in my favorite moment, one that was so tender and heartwarming!

Meanwhile, Ryan and his partner-in-food, Min-Seok, were preparing a delicious fish & chips lunch for us.

Everyone was gathered around the outdoor kitchen, smelling the divine flavors in the smoke, pacing out our rumbling tummies. The food took about an hour. Here's the exact moment the food was ready and the plates went out. I love the looks on the girls' faces!

Afterward, we cleaned the organic material off the farm by throwing it into a massive bonfire! The temperature was dropping this cold, winter night, so the fire's warmth was extremely welcome!

I had a giggle playing with smoke portraits. Make your own caption for this photo of Nick and put it in the comments below! 😂

I'm certainly looking forward to heading back out to the farm! It'll be rewarding to see it grow full of green, leafy life again!

Thanks for joining me in this photo journey! Let me know if you'd like more! <3