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| Photo by Randy Ringuette |
Industrially-grown food (organic or conventional) is the store's inventory when it is in storage, it is the trucker's cartage when it is in transit, it is a distributor's stock at a warehouse, it is the agro-industrialist's product when it is out in the field.
In contrast, the moment I plant a seed in the field or in the nursery, I consider it our food. It may wind up on my table or yours. I treat it accordingly. This means it is our food from Whitsend's field to your plate. I believe that you should have the opportunity to see your food, whether it is a seed, a sprout, or a growing plant.
You should also have the opportunity to see how we start preparing it for your table from the moment it is harvested.
On a chosen day, customers would have the opportunity to visit the farm for a few hours to do some work and learn about the farm as they accomplish or contribute to several tasks .
Everyone starts at the "default task", which would likely be pulling quack grass roots from the new vegetable field. After an introduction to this task, I start taking folks in pairs to each individual task, according to their ability level:
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-Painting a layer of tremclad to salvaged metal roofing panels.
"Short" helpers; requires supervison:
Hospitality area:
The Feast: No bee is complete without one. Likely a brunch style meal, with everyone informally seated or standing as one prefers in the hopitality area. We'll have some of our own product as well as some from some local farms.
Bob
-A layer of tremclad on the farm gate.
-Sowing seed on the hay field
-Watering nursery seedlings
-Weed suppression using a co-linear hoe (once you use this tool you will want one for your garden! See photo, right.
-Assisting the short helpers (see below)
Middle weight:
-Adjusting and tightening the electric line on the farm fence (yes the fence is turned off at that time!)
-Nailing reclaimed boards to the fence around the farm store
-Vegetable bed aeration with the broad fork
-Laying out fencing for the new pig field (assuming the pigs have yet to arrive).
Heavy weight:
-widening the water retention trench round the growing fields from 4 inches to 6
-Filling completed portions of the retention trench with wood chips and brush
-Flipping and layering the compost
-Shunting new fence posts from storage to where they will be installed
-Weed suppression using the wheel hoe
-Feeding the chickens
-Using the metal detector to locate horseshoes in the pig field (there used to be an old barn there)
-Watering the flowers and pear tree seedlings
-Nesting bird survey, particularly in the hay field, meadows and the chipping yard
No weight: (for someone who has health challenges but would like to contribute)
-Take photographs
-Host the hospitality area
As each task is completed, the bees take a short break at the hospitality area (refreshments provided) and then return to the default task until I have the next chore lined up.
We'll need a steady stream of finger snacks and chilled beverages at the rest area.
Some folks may want to contribute to the preparing the FEAST.
The Feast: No bee is complete without one. Likely a brunch style meal, with everyone informally seated or standing as one prefers in the hopitality area. We'll have some of our own product as well as some from some local farms.
Transportation: If there is sufficient interest, I am willing to rent a small bus that will depart and return to a parc n ride in the west end of Ottawa.
I will flit from task to task, training and or helping out and answering whatever questions you may have to the best of my experience. You could learn a lot - most of it interesting, and some of it applicable to your own garden, yard, ecosystem, or food.
Date:
The above scenario would work best in spring, mid April to mid May. The weather is a reasonable temperature and the flies are not yet out.
Let me know what your ideas are.
Details to follow.
Bob