I have had so much feed back lately about all our plans for the farm. Some are shocked that we plan to do all this work at this stage of our lives.  I hear surprise at the initial idea which quickly moves to a level of understanding and then acceptance, then awe.  I am amazed that with all the “wow” ‘s and “that’s fantastic”‘s that there aren’t more people at least contemplating these same things.

The world is in jeopardy, we know this. Our future, our health, our well being are all hanging in the balance. If we don’t figure out how to survive, we won’t.  The only answer, for me, is to find peace in the knowledge I am doing all I can to ensure the survival of my species.  Good healthy food. Clean water. Sustainable agriculture. Happy animals. Use, re-use, recycle, clean up our mess, and make the earth better.

For the last two years I have been doing research about how to do this. How to enrich the soil and prevent erosion to produce the healthiest plants possible. How to rotate crops which will eliminate the use of pesticides by not allowing the little critters that would eat our crops to take up camp in the first place. How to plant heritage varieties that are native to our area because they will be heartier, resistant to diseases, and have the where-with-all to compete successfully with native weeds for an abundant crop of healthy veggies at harvest time.  How to choose the best breeds of animals for our location – ones that can endure our cold winters without frost bite or other cold related ailments and can withstand our summer heat and humidity.  How to shelter those animals appropriately so they are neither exposed for too long or housed for too long. (there are a number of respiratory illnesses that sheep and goats can get if they are left in the barn. Pigs need shelter from the sun but very simple housing) How to ensure these animals are well nourished, allowed plenty of sunshine and pasture, and groomed necessarily to keep them happy and stress free. How to process these animals quickly, painlessly, and cleanly for the highest quality meat.  How to process these animals other products, like fleece, milk and eggs into yarn, cheese and omelettes or new babies!

So, where are all the like minded people?

My daughter’s friend joined us for dinner the other night. She is an Anthropology student and will be heading to Cuba in the next little while to learn about sustainable agriculture. Cuba has been making it on their own for some years now and is leading the world in producing most of what they need on their own soil.  She will be gaining first rate knowledge about how to help this country with it’s own agriculture, the dangers of genetically modified seeds, crops, and animals, and to keep our environment healthy.

She has funding available to her through the provincial government, but in order to access this funding, she will need to find a farmer who could benefit from her knowledge to promise her a job when she returns. This is proving difficult because a guarantee of a job is harder to swallow for some people in this economy.

I know, there are plenty of students who do not have access to funding for their chosen field and do fine with student loans and/or parental support. I just think that when it is something that will do our society a world of good, we should support it.  So, on that note, if there is an Alberta Farmer out there who would like to benefit from the knowledge of sustainable agriculture and the ways of Cuba, make yourself known and I will put you in touch with a terrifically-fired-up-student who would be thrilled to help out! I want to be clear that nothing beyond the promise of a job will be required of you for this to help her.  You won’t be asked for sponsorship or any other financial obligation. Just moral support and a mutually beneficial situation!