Farming on 57th Avenue- A Season’s Reflection from A Volunteer
Karen washing our freshly- harvested purple top turnips for Tuesday CSA pickup
“I am a farmer.” Now there’s something I never thought I’d say. But for the past two years, I’ve been farming with my fellow volunteers at 57 th and Heather on the grounds of the George Pearson Centre. It’s been a great experience! I landed there when a good friend and volunteer farmer encouraged me to join. She knew I missed the garden I left behind to move to a condo. But my garden had been all shade-loving plants surrounded by trees –never a vegetable garden. I had a lot to learn! Luckily, this is the perfect place for a farming education. Starting in the spring we prepared the beds – turning over the soil, raking in compost, making sure every bed was exactly four feet wide. Stepping in the bed is a big no-no, it compacts the soil. Then it was all about planting – seeds, seeds, seeds. Sometimes we were in a warm room filling dirt filled trays of tomatoes and pac choi. Other times we were kneeling in the dirt planting beets or carrots, rain or shine. If you’ve never done it, carrot seeds are microscopic and so easy to lose. We worked together in pairs or in groups, sharing life stories, favorite books and movies – and of course recipes. Our team has included people from Hong Kong, Mexico, Singapore, Canada, and the US (that’s me), and our ages range from 20s to 70s (me again.) We have lunch together – more good conversation—and an occasional happy hour. I was away during the summer when the veggies really got going. The bounty when I returned was so impressive I took pictures of everything to send to friends and family, just like I do with my grandkids. I work on Tuesdays when we harvest crops and process them for members with a farm share. My favorite is picking the tender peapods; they taste delicious raw or quickly sauteed. The tomatoes are also amazing—unlike anything from a supermarket. One of my favorite farm experiences was picking ripe raspberries at the end of a sunny workday and eating them warm. So good! By 3:00 everything is displayed on the table for pickup, and it’s impossible not to feel proud of it all. Volunteers get to take home veggies that aren’t quite beautiful enough, but they’re just as delicious!
Written by Karen Theroux
