Paddling on the Pemigewasset and Merrimack Rivers to Brookford Farm for a 5-day immersion into the life of a working organic farm.

Beginning at the foot of the white mountains in a famous mill town and whitewater destination, we will play in the "wave" before departing on an overnight canoe trip down the Merrimack River. We will travel on quickly flowing waters teeming with history, from the indigenous trade routes to the industrial revolution, floodplain agriculture, and a new era in recreation. Soon we arrive at the sandy banks of Brookford Farm, a large and lively organic farm that is a community hub. For three days we will immerse ourselves in the daily life of the farm, from milking in the morning to processing dairy into cheese and yogurt, moving the pigs and chickens onto new pasture, and weeding and harvesting a wide variety of vegetables. Days on the farm are hard work, but filled with the joys of the summer: bringing in the hay on the wagon, eating fresh tomatoes from the vine, and taking a dip in the river at the end of a long day. Leaving the farm, we will switch to bicycles and return to our starting place on back roads and rail trails, completing a full-circle expedition under our own power.