The Farm consists of approximately 3 acres of wondrously fertile deep red northern Nova Scotia clay. This is the last parcel of an original 50 acre farm purchased by my parents in 1946. I moved back home to the farm in 1999 and started my first vegetable garden. I was hooked. I began reading all I could about vegetable growing. I discovered organic growing and began to wean my garden off of chemicals back in 2002. I was inspired by the writings of Eliot Coleman, Ruth Stout, J.I Rodale, Masanobu Fukuoka and many others.
As I grew more and experimented more I ran into a problem. What do I do with all this stuff? This is not my day job, this is a hobby, but, still, what to do. Could I sell at the road side? Peddle to the cottagers at the beach? Find a weekend farmers market? None of these really fit my situation. Maybe when I retire but not really for today.Then I stumbled on an idea.
I came across information for a form of agriculture called Community Supported Agriculture or as commonly known, CSA. This was very interesting. A group of people contract with a grower to grow food and they agree to pay the grower for a "share" of the crop. The farmer gets paid at the start of the season and once the crops come on, each shareholder gets a weekly share of the crops in season. The farmer applies the work and expertise, the shareholder supports financially and both share the risks and rewards of the growing season.
The experiment began in 2007 when a co-worker was excited to be my guinea pig and was inspirational in getting me going, as I was a little nervous. Could I grow good enough food for someone else's table! Well it seems I could
The experiment continues and now there are 6 shares on the go. I am having a ball and they seem to like what I grow and I am growing things I never dreamed of trying before. Some fail and some are winners.
I am not certified organic but I do not use chemicals on my land. Any outside sourced inputs I use are organic if at all possible. I do use, when pushed, a little bit of organic pesticide but only as a last resort as usually I grow enough to let the bugs have their fair share. Hey, they gotta live to, besides if you kill all the bad bugs you leave nothing for the good bugs to eat! I mulch the gardens heavily with hay/grass I cut with my scythe as this is free fertilizer and great exercise.
I am learning more every year and my only regret is that I did not start sooner in life. To grow nutritious food in a environmentally friendly way is not only a great challenge it is great fun!
As I grew more and experimented more I ran into a problem. What do I do with all this stuff? This is not my day job, this is a hobby, but, still, what to do. Could I sell at the road side? Peddle to the cottagers at the beach? Find a weekend farmers market? None of these really fit my situation. Maybe when I retire but not really for today.Then I stumbled on an idea.
I came across information for a form of agriculture called Community Supported Agriculture or as commonly known, CSA. This was very interesting. A group of people contract with a grower to grow food and they agree to pay the grower for a "share" of the crop. The farmer gets paid at the start of the season and once the crops come on, each shareholder gets a weekly share of the crops in season. The farmer applies the work and expertise, the shareholder supports financially and both share the risks and rewards of the growing season.
The experiment began in 2007 when a co-worker was excited to be my guinea pig and was inspirational in getting me going, as I was a little nervous. Could I grow good enough food for someone else's table! Well it seems I could
The experiment continues and now there are 6 shares on the go. I am having a ball and they seem to like what I grow and I am growing things I never dreamed of trying before. Some fail and some are winners.
I am not certified organic but I do not use chemicals on my land. Any outside sourced inputs I use are organic if at all possible. I do use, when pushed, a little bit of organic pesticide but only as a last resort as usually I grow enough to let the bugs have their fair share. Hey, they gotta live to, besides if you kill all the bad bugs you leave nothing for the good bugs to eat! I mulch the gardens heavily with hay/grass I cut with my scythe as this is free fertilizer and great exercise.
I am learning more every year and my only regret is that I did not start sooner in life. To grow nutritious food in a environmentally friendly way is not only a great challenge it is great fun!
It might better to write:
ReplyDeleteAn experiment in the natural growing of vegetables!
An experiment growing vegetables naturally.