broadfork farm

On April 21^st, we hosted a work-party to help erect our two caterpillar tunnels. Much like a greenhouse, these structures will provide a sheltered, warmer growing environment for various crops, but there are a few important differences between these two types of structures. Caterpillar tunnels are a) less expensive, b) simpler and faster to construct, and c) easily moved from one location to another in the field.

There is no one way to build these structures. The design for our tunnels was inspired by Ted Blomgren from Windflower Farm in NY. We also sought inspiration from the construction of the caterpillar tunnels at La Ferme Cooperative Tourne-Sol, which are well documented in a number of blog posts by Daniel Brisebois.

After some preliminary ground prep – Bryan had disced and rototilled – we squared the site of each tunnel.

We pounded in 2ft tamarack ground-stakes every 4ft along the two lengths of each tunnel area. The dimensions of one finished tunnel are 12ft by 132ft.

Next, we fitted 20ft PVC pipes over the wooden ground-stakes, creating arches.

Then we inserted Duckbill ground-anchors 4 inches away from the structure at the base of every arch, on both sides of the tunnel. The purpose of the ground anchors is to fasten the ropes that tie down the plastic on the structure. Two different sizes were used: the larger ones secure the ends of the ropes, and the smaller ones act like belt-loops with ropes travelling through them freely. At the ends of each tunnel, where we wanted extra strength, we alternated between larger and smaller ground-anchors. For the majority of the tunnel’s length, however, larger anchors were placed only at every fourth arch.

Then, with the help of our entire work-party (7 of us in total) we simultaneously unrolled the plastic and pulled it over the arches working end-to-end. We were careful to drape the plastic symmetrically, distributing plastic excesses equally.

Next, starting at one end, we bunched and tied the remaining plastic together, and anchored it to a metal T-stake that had been driven into the ground at a 45 degree angle pointing away from the structure.

Then from the other end, we pulled the plastic along the structure as tight as we could, and then repeated the anchoring process at that end.

Then came the ropes. Starting at one end of the tunnel, we tied ropes to the large anchors on each side, and then criss-crossed them across the structure until they reached the next large anchors.

For additional wind-bracing at the tunnel ends, we secured a rope about waist-high on both sides of the third arch from the end, looped it around the remaining two arches, and tied it to the T-post.

Entry into the tunnels from the sides is also working as hoped: by pushing/scrunching up the plastic, the tension between the ropes and arches hold it up. We think the criss-crossing set-up of the ropes, combined with having the anchors at the base of the arches are making this effective.

It’s been five days. The tunnels are still standing, and they’ve had to deal with some pretty windy conditions!

We’d like to thank Carrot Cache for their grant to purchase the materials to put up these caterpillar tunnels so we can extend our growing season! They are amazing supporters of sustainable food production! They also sponsored a great webinar on season-extension structures: http://www.agriwebinar.com/Preview.aspx?id=c108943b-633b-461a-8950-389648ff4740

Our costs and suppliers list can be found here: Costs and Suppliers

On Saturday evening, we visited Cochrane Family Farm in Middle Stewiacke, NS.

First we spent the day at the Truro Machinery Auction, then headed over to the Cochrane’s farm where they kindly and generously fed us dinner and gave us a great farm tour!

Their farm is very diversified! They have a diversity of livestock: pigs, chickens, turkeys, ducks, lambs, goats, new bee hives, and lots and lots of cats! I’ve always dreamed of having a baby animal farm and theirs is the closest thing I’ve seen to one. We saw baby chicks of various ages, baby lambs, baby goats, and 2 ages of baby kittens (1.5 weeks old and 6 weeks old). So cute! And we saw mama pigs with baby piglets on the way.

They hatch their own chicks, smoke their own meat and homeschool their 4 amazing kids (and have another one on the way)!

They also run a CSA and farm store where they sell Hope Seeds, Speerville Flour and bulk goods, and Purina feed products and animal supplies for local farmers and homesteaders.

They built their own hoop-house for seedlings and early greens, and in the shelter of the old barn foundation they have some amazing looking greens up and ready for harvest.

One of the reasons for the visit was to take some of their baby animals back home with us. We picked up week old chicks (mixed breeds) who are very cute and sweet. We’ve been supplementing their chick starter feed with brassica sprouts, chickweed, and slugs(!). Yummy spring-time food!

We can’t wait for these little ladies to grow up and start laying some eggs!

Bryan cut a few thin birch trees from our woodlot this past winter and just made handles for the broadfork we had made last year by a young blacksmith in Peggy’s Cove. We’d been borrowing a broadfork to use last season because we didn’t have the time to make the handles.

We named our farm Broadfork Farm (at our friend Tom’s suggestion) because we appreciate what the broadfork does. It’s an old tool that aerates and breaks up compaction in the soil without destroying the many valuable beings that live in the soil. Our goal is the same.

We also enjoyed the image of a fork (that you eat with) having a broad diversity of foods on it. Diversity is important for human health as well as ecological health (and social health, economic health….) which is the most important thing for us as farmers.

Our friend Rob designed our logo with that idea in mind:

A new arrival to our farm last week was an orange work-horse by the name of Kubota L4150!

Having a tractor this season will help with all the work that starting our farm on a new, uncultivated piece of land will entail. After going through last season, hiring someone to do custom tractor work and doing a lot of bed prep by hand, we’re very happy to have the extra help. We’re hoping to reduce our reliance on the tractor (and gas!) each year as we plant more land to perennials and (hopefully) start working with draft oxen. But we are thrilled with the reliability of this tractor, the efficiencies she/he will improve (are tractors always female like cars? I don’t know…), and the affordable price ($5800 for a 1995, good condition tractor wasn’t too bad).

Now on to prepping our fields…..

I’m Xander. I will be farming with Shannon & Bryan this season. I met Shannon 3 years ago while she was apprenticing at Everdale Organic Farm and Environmental Learning Centre in Ontario. I came to the farm that summer to volunteer, and also to interview all the apprentices for my Master’s research in Geography, which looked at barriers to entry for new farmers in southwestern Ontario (that’s the ‘Geography’ part). Throughout the summer I would return to the farm (and visit others) to volunteer whenever I could escape school and the city, and this commitment landed me a job for the following season as a farmer at Everdale (a position Shannon also held). So in 2010 we worked together, played a lot of Dutch Blitz, and lived in a small straw-bale cabin with our friend Jocelyn. That season solidified my passion for and interest in farming and I decided to do an apprenticeship the following year, landing at La Ferme Cooperative Tourne-Sol in Quebec. After a great season there, and a brief autumn sojourn in Toronto, I headed east in November to attend the ACORN Conference, and to check out the land that Bryan and Shannon had just purchased. I look forward to working alongside these two, and learning lots from their experiences in setting up a farm and business from the ground up.

The big snowfall was pretty exciting! We think our view looks kind of like a postcard picture and the snow fall changes the postcard completely. Now, everywhere we look, we see a winter-y paradise.

We’ve built a composting toilet on the back of the house so we don’t use up our great spring-fed well water on flushing AND the humanure will provide great nutrients to our fruit and nut trees.

Two of our friends, Xander and Lola Jean have been staying with us and helping us out. They both spent this past season interning on farms. Xander interned at Tourne-Sol Farm in Quebec and Lola Jean was interning at Highland Farm/Motheroak Permaculture near Windsor, NS. Lola Jean has been measuring out our farm with measuring tape and compass to create a map that we can use to make a permaculture design of our farm.

Well…..we bought a farm! A really sweet 15 acre farm in River Hebert, Cumberland county. And tonight we’re going to sleep there!

Perhaps you’re wondering how this happened. We’ve spent this past year leasing land at Windhorse Farm in Lunenburg county. We loved our markets, our customers, our fellow vendors, our community members and neighbours. We definitely weren’t thinking of leaving this area.

Then one day, we went to look at a local property for sale. We were saddened by the level of neglect in the house (nobody had lived there for a year at least) and that the land had recently been clearcut. We said to each other, “We want to find a farm that has been loved and that needs to continue being loved and stewarded.”

The next day, we got an email from a woman who had heard of us through ACORN (Atlantic Canadian Organic Regional Network) and said that her elderly neighbour wanted to sell her place. Very affordable, good deep sandy loam, 15 acres, old farmhouse. We said we ‘d come take a look.

It was exactly what we’d been looking for (except the location….but we’re excited to meet all our wonderful new community members!). So, we went through the process of trying to acquire a mortgage. We tried Farm Credit Canada (FCC) first. They looked at our application. The measly dollars we’ve made in the last few years from working at farms. The amount we believe we can live on (I don’t think they believe). And said they’d reconsider if one of us got a full-time off-farm job. Which would require us to hire an employee. Which seems ridiculous to us. So, we tried our credit union next. They don’t deal in farm mortgages. And then we went to the Nova Scotia Farm Loan Board. They did their own assessment of our property, our farm business plan, and our finances. And said YES! So, now we’re the proud owners of a mortgage (and more importantly our very own farm!). So we’re now kind of in love with the farm loan board. And excited to make it home. And very excited for visitors! So, if you’re ever in our area, please contact us!

Organic Week is coming up (Oct.15-22) and they want to know what healthy, organic goodies folks are eating for breakfast. So I thought I’d show take some photos while I broke my fast one morning.

Starting off with Algonquin Tea Company‘s Awakening Tea. I love this tea so much. I also love this company so much. Algonquin Tea Co. was the first farm I ever worked at. That was 9 years ago! I had just finished my diplomas in Holistic Nutrition and wanted to study herbalism. But not in a classroom. So, I did an herbal apprenticeship with Steven Martyn at Algonquin Tea and my life has never been the same! So, I know first-hand how much care and respect for the earth and intention for the health of humans goes into these teas.

Then, I made myself some oatmeal with some Speerville oats, freshly-picked apples, and honey from our own hive.

The only breakfast that could have been better is if Bryan had made omelettes…..he makes the best omelettes ever…..one of his secrets is mixing honey with the eggs. So good!

I encourage everyone to check out Organic Week for events happening in their area (we’re doing a Seed Saving workshop) and the Organic Breakfast Challenge on facebook.

September has always been my favourite month (probably due to my having been born in this month…). As a vegetable farmer, September is especially nice for me because of the reduction in the growth of weeds, the fruition of the much anticipated longer-season crops (winter squash, melons, eggplant, coloured peppers), and the sadness and longing-for the cooler weather (and future frost date). I am sad about the approaching cool weather because it means the end of many of my favourite vegetables being in season and the ability to eat straight “off the vine.” But the excitement is for what this fall and winter have in store for us….hibernation. We have plenty to do this winter (more on that in the next post!) and are currently busy preserving our September bounty so we keep well-fed all winter. But there is definitely excitement in the crisp morning air!

The picture above is one of our favourite tomatoes we grew this year: White cherry. Very elegant and softly-sweet.

Beautiful heirloom ‘Moon and Stars’ watermelon. The sky is very beautiful reflected in a watermelon!

We have a market banner!!!

We asked Danette, the woman behind the Sea Dog Bag Company, if she would make our banner because we wanted to support a small local business, she creates beautiful things with reclaimed materials, and she’s awesome and passionate and we really like her. A lot. She’s also a vendor at both farmers’ markets we go to so it made it really easy.

She looked at our market stand tablecloth, our website, and our new logo (thanks to our friend Farmer Bob!) for inspiration.

She said she had a really cool piece of old tent canvas that was a great mustardy-y colour and “knarly.” She said she really likes knarly things and asked if we did too. We definitely do!

I don’t think we can be more enthusiastic about how much we love the banner, how much we love Danette’s detail-orientation and passion, and how much we love her and and all of her creations! Thanks so much for putting so much care and intention and time into our banner!!!