Farm Open Day

Hi Everyone;

I have a lot more acreage to plant this season, and as some of you have been asking to come and help, I have decided to open up the opportunity to any who are interested to come and help out on the farm, planting, weeding, and getting all the bedding plants out.  We can provide camping space if you have a couple of days.  I would ask that we limit it to adult help with no pets, unless you are in dire need and then we would treat that on an individual case by case situation.

The time I have planned is June 4 or June 11.  Or we can offer both and see who is able to come for what day.  If you are close and you are interested in helping out, seeing our operation and assisting in the planting of heritage seeds, we will make it as educational as we can.

Also I will have some extra bedding plants for grow out of seeds if anyone is interested in taking that on.  Plants in exchange for all the seeds they bear.  I have some corn which will need to be isolated and tended, tomatoes, peppers and a few melons and watermelons.  There might be eggplants, and other things as well.

Email me if you are interested and I will send you specific directions.  We are one hour NW of Edmonton on the highway to Whitecourt (not that far), just so everyone can get their bearings for planning.

In other news, we have completed our application for organic status for the quarter and are awaiting news of the date of inspection.  We have plans to plow down some of the hayland and convert to an organic wheat, flax or oat crop.  We have not made final decisions on what crop yet.  I also have the walnuts and oaks planted and will set out the swales to plant them in the fall.

That will be phase one of the Restoration Agriculture plan.  We will be digging shallow dugouts called holding ponds with that plan.  And we are hoping that the County will allow for the decommissioning of an old road allowance running through the middle of the hayland and allow us to reposition the road at the far West side of the quarter along an existing road.  It has been a great source of frustration for us as a neighbor tries to push through the development of the road at the most inconvenient place.  We have been trying to be reasonable on this, but it is very frustrating.

So if you are able, please come out to help, and let me know so I can plan appropriately.  Thank you,

Denise