My trip to an organic farm
Apr. 6th, 2008 11:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
blue_lotus13I have a pretty bad cold, which sprang upon me full force on Friday. It actually came up right in the middle of my visit to an organic farm, and I had to ask them for something to blow my nose with as my nose started practically spraying.
Anyway, I drove out to British Columbia to visit Wildwood Farm, which is operated by a cool couple named Tim and Linda. They have lived on the property for over 32 years and were the first to farm there. They built their log home and all the farm buildings themselves. They operate on solar power, which their son installed for them about 10 years ago. The solar generator powers some lights, a ghetto blaster, a battery charger, and a few other things. Their home is like a cabin, and they do all their cooking and heating using firewood. They even make their own organic beer, picking hops and using organic malt they buy and spring water that they collect on their property.
They are one of the few certified organic farms in the area, but they've been farming organically for years. They have free range chickens, and a market garden, and don't really use any conventional machines, preferring to use horse power and a team of horses to turn their feed mill, plough their feeds, seed etc. They do have a tractor, but don't use it that much.
They have a few milk cows, all kinds of trees and berries, and free range pigs. I had never seen pastured pigs before, and was surprised to see that pigs run! We went out to see them, and the pigs came galloping over the hill, which made me laugh. Their ears flopped up and down and they were very happy to see us.
***
Tim and Linda also had a six month old Pyrenese cross mountain dog, who was over 200 pounds. Tim warned me not to pay too much attention to him, because he would jump up on me. Of course, since I'm a huge dog lover, this was REALLY hard for me. Buster still managed to affectionately body check my legs and try to chew on my fingers by sticking my whole hand inside his mouth.
***
Tim and Linda decided early on that they wanted to live as sustainably and as simply as possible, and they seem to be accomplishing it. This was one of the more interesting farm visits I've had, and one that has made me think about my own choices and consumption for the past few days.
Anyway, I drove out to British Columbia to visit Wildwood Farm, which is operated by a cool couple named Tim and Linda. They have lived on the property for over 32 years and were the first to farm there. They built their log home and all the farm buildings themselves. They operate on solar power, which their son installed for them about 10 years ago. The solar generator powers some lights, a ghetto blaster, a battery charger, and a few other things. Their home is like a cabin, and they do all their cooking and heating using firewood. They even make their own organic beer, picking hops and using organic malt they buy and spring water that they collect on their property.
They are one of the few certified organic farms in the area, but they've been farming organically for years. They have free range chickens, and a market garden, and don't really use any conventional machines, preferring to use horse power and a team of horses to turn their feed mill, plough their feeds, seed etc. They do have a tractor, but don't use it that much.
They have a few milk cows, all kinds of trees and berries, and free range pigs. I had never seen pastured pigs before, and was surprised to see that pigs run! We went out to see them, and the pigs came galloping over the hill, which made me laugh. Their ears flopped up and down and they were very happy to see us.
***
Tim and Linda also had a six month old Pyrenese cross mountain dog, who was over 200 pounds. Tim warned me not to pay too much attention to him, because he would jump up on me. Of course, since I'm a huge dog lover, this was REALLY hard for me. Buster still managed to affectionately body check my legs and try to chew on my fingers by sticking my whole hand inside his mouth.
***
Tim and Linda decided early on that they wanted to live as sustainably and as simply as possible, and they seem to be accomplishing it. This was one of the more interesting farm visits I've had, and one that has made me think about my own choices and consumption for the past few days.
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Date: 2008-04-07 02:49 am (UTC)