341 The Farm
(Jayden)
“We have a little bit of everything here,” Viktor says as we settle at the laden long wooden table.
“This is all from the farm?” I ask, glancing over at the colorful dishes, the jams, honey, cheeses, and cured meats. Even the bread and butter has the same label.
“All of it,” Viktor confirms. “The bread is from our grain, milled right here. The honey, the jams, the cheeses -everything comes from what we produce on the land
Klara, Viktor’s mother, balances the baby on her hip while ladling soup into bowls. “I’m a local Doula and I make a range of natural remedies and skin care products. Grow all the herbs myself.”
“I have a five–month–old boy. Henry. He was born very prematurely. But he’s growing stronger.”
“I’m glad he is. This vegetable soup is from the garden,” she says, handing me a bowl. “No preservatives, no chemicals–just fresh, organic produce.”
I take a spoonful. It’s rich and earthy, with a depth of flavor I’ve never tasted before. “This is incredible,” I admit, savoring the taste. “You make all of this yourselves?”
Klara smiles warmly. “We do. Every bit of it.”
Viktor points over to his sisters who beam with pride. “Agnes and Ilona make all our jams, pickles, cheeses, and honey. They’ve turned the farm’s fresh produce, bees and sheep and goat milk into a profitable business stream. They are twins. 24.”
Agnes holds up a jar of strawberry jam with a beautifully designed label. “We grow the strawberries, harvest them, and make the jam here. All organic, no artificial anything.”
I look closer at the jar, noticing the detail in the branding. “This label looks professional. Did you have someone design it?”
“Katalin,” Viktor says, nodding toward the teenage girl at the far end of the table. “She’s our tech expert Does all the design work and handles the social media and marketing.”
Katalin smiles shyly but proudly. “I like making sure everything looks as good as it tastes,” she says, holding up her tablet where she’s working on a new design.
I nod, impressed. “That’s impressive at your age. You’ve all really got this down to a science.”
“My brothers, Gábor and Iván.”
Gábor, the elder, gestures to the cured meats on the table. “I run the livestock side–pigs, cat…, and poultry. All organic, hormone–free. We cure our own meat, like this pork you’re eating.”
Iván chimes in, placing a platter of cheeses in front of me. 7 manage the dairy side. Cows, goats and sheep give us milk for cheese and yogurt. Eggs, cream and butter.” He gestures to the various dishes strewn across the table.
1 take a bite of the cheese–sharp, creamy, and full of flavor. “This is some of the best cheese I’ve ever tasted.”
311 The Farm
+25 BONUS
I’m in awe. “You do all of this from just twenty hectares?”
Viktor nods. “We’ve maximized every inch of the farm. We produce all our own power and recycle all the water we can. Nothing goes to waste.”
“Truly unbelievable.”
“Krisztián handles the financial side,” Viktor says.
His brother smiles and explains, “efficiency is key here. Time management, proper use of resources–it’s all part of keeping the farm organic, profitable and sustainable.”
I glance around the table, taking in everything. “You all seem to have your own roles here. How do you manage to keep everything running smoothly?”
Krisztián leans forward. “We each know our part, and we trust each other to do what needs to be done. We already have the seasons to contend with. But varied income streams mean we always have something that’s strong.”
As we dig into the food, I can’t help but notice the intricacies of each dish. Every bite tells a story–from the soil to the plate.
The jam is sweet and bursting with flavor, the meats are rich and smoky, all hearty and fresh. Roasted vegetables, salad, baked goods.
I’ve barely stepped inside a supermarket let alone a farm. I’m totally embarrassed by that fact now. Maybe Winona has a valid point. But still, I won’t be turning into a farmer anytime soon.
But I feel I can get some lessons on timesaving here.
After lunch, Viktor stands. “Let me take you to meet my father, Dániel. He’s out in the fields. He never has lunch. Too busy he says. I can show you the workings and you can look over the business side of things too if you want.”
“I’ll pack you some food to take home,” Klara says.
“Please do. There’s so much I haven’t tried. I’m stuffed full.” I pat my stomach.
I follow Viktor outside. The younger kids scatter to feed the animals and clean the pens. No one ever tells them too. It’s like clockwork. Viktor leads me through the yards, past the barns where goats bleat and
chickens cluck.
I’ve never been this close to farm animals before, and the smells hit me–earthy, raw, unfamiliar. Not exactly unpleasant but it’s not designer cologne either
As we approach the fields, I spot a large set man, bent over, inspecting the crops. He straightens up when he sees us, wiping his hands on his pants. His handshake is firm, his eyes crinkled from years of hard
work.
I can see this is Viktor’s father. The resemblance is uncanny. But he’s even taller and broader than Viktor, and there’s not an ounce of fat on him.
“Welcome,” he says, his voice gravelly but kind. “I hear you’ve been getting the full lunch. How’s the stomach holding up?”
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