Our first big change was the arrival of two additional interns. Greg and Janelle's presence gave us a boost and we kicked it into high gear on their first day by having a big clean-up and organization day. Soon after, we hosted a potluck and met other local farmers who would be welcoming us to their farms throughout the season. I have to pause here to give major props to Susan at Bow Hill Blueberries for doing research on how to get a FIELD program started, recruiting help from Sarita at Viva Farms and being persisitent with all of the participating farms, making sure that they were ready to host us before each FIELD day. She put a lot of time and effort into making sure that it all came together for us and I am grateful for her willingness to do it.
Each FIELD experience was unique and a welcomed change of pace from our work routines. Don't get me wrong, there were many unique experiences here at the blueberry farm, like the time that we finished installing a new "below canopy" irrigation system only to have the old pipe burst in the slough...or the time that we spent hunting for evidence of mummy berry or spotted wing drysophela (a frightful fruit fly that devastates berry crops)....or the "progressive" pre-harvest dinner party between all of the blueberry farmers on Bow Hill Road. We started by eating appetizers in an unfinished home while we had a huge thunder and lightening storm roared outside. Thunder and lightening are RARE here... Yes, the day to day here definitely involved experiences I don't think we could have come by in any other way. Below are musings to some of our FIELD days with links to each farm.
HIGHWATER FARM
Our first FIELD experience took us to Highwater Farm in Mount Vernon. Our hosts were Jeff and Danielle, two of the nicest, most genuine people I have ever met. Seeing this family work together to put food on their table and the tables of all the folks who shop at the Skagit Valley Co-op was a personal highlight for me. Jeff spent a lot of time showing us his farm implements, how they work, what they do and the modifications he had made. He wasn't afraid to talk about the things that had gone awry and how he adapted his technique to make improvements. Another thing that struck me about Jeff and his farming technique was that he wasn't afraid to admit his limitations. He admitted that things got away from him and that at times, it was best to plow over a weedy, weak crop and start over than it would be to try to save it. Spending the day at Highwater was an excellent way to "get our feet wet"...pun TOTALLY intended. http://skagitfoodcoop.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/highwater-farm/WSU FIELD DAY
Our next FIELD experience was attending a WSU Field Day. We spent the afternoon checking out all that the WSU Research Station has to offer and hearing about the work being done by the grad students. It ranged from pest control to biodegradability of mulching plastics and everything in between! The day ended with a delicious pulled pork dinner, great conversation and a genuine appreciation for all the work that goes into making farming more convenient, profitable and efficient. http://mtvernon.wsu.edu/CLOUD MOUNTAIN FARM
When I arrived at Cloud Mountain Farm I wondered if it was named because of its
location high up in the beautiful mountains of Whatcom County. Cloud
Mountain Farm has undergone a transition from a privately owned farm/nursery to
a non-profit, educational farm. I happened upon Cloud Mountain on an
idyllic sunny spring day for a workshop about high tunnel building, maintenance
and best practices. The folks there are experts in their field and have a
lot of great info to share about season extenders, over wintering and so much
more. We learned about the differences between cloches, high tunnels, and
greenhouses. We discussed the importance of soil health, the advantages
and disadvantages to using raised beds and move-able tunnels.
VIVA FARMS & GROWING WASHINGTON
Our days with Viva farms and Growing Washington took us first was in Everson at Alm Hill Gardens, where the 900+ orders for their weekly CSA boxes are packed, organized and loaded into several trucks and vans for delivery. The second was about three weeks later, harvesting for the CSA at the two Viva Farm locations. The most striking thing about this experience was the sheer size of the CSA, how smoothly it operates and how much the staff enjoy their jobs. On both days, there were stressful moments but the team worked together to get the job done. The folks at Viva and Growing Washington certainly "have each other's backs". It was an honor to be a temporary part of their team and to witness how much can be done when people work together towards a common goal. www.vivafarms.org http://growingwashington.org/SAMISH FLATS FARM
In late August, it was our turn to host a FIELD day. Harley, (the photographer turned farmer) put us , to work in the high tunnel hoop house on the Certified Organic property he and Susan own called Samish Flats. We trellised raspberries, harvested edamame and cucumbers and checked out the Farming for Wildlife project that involves flooding 20 acres to provide respite for migratory water fowl. We then headed to the Bow Hill Blueberries and harvested berries until it was time for dinner. We were joined by a few more Viva folks and a great time was had by all. It was one of the many moments I have had during this internship that made me aware of the sense of community that can come with farming. It's truely one of the things I crave the most and hope to create at my own farm in the future. www.bowhillblueberries.comNEW EARTH WORKS FARM
The folks at New Earth Works Farm, part of Tierra Nueva are just lovely. I was so impressed to learn that Tierra Nueva started in South America and has undergone many changes and a lot of growth in order to respond to the needs of the people they serve. On our FIELD day, we harvested for their CSA, learned about their leadership, planning and farming strategies, transplanted fall/winter crops and interacted with a cook who comes each week to show CSA members how to use the veggies from the CSA harvest. It was not hard to see that long term social change is at the heart of what they do. It is reflected in the shared decision making and structure that allows folks opportunities to reach their highest potential. http://www.newearthworks.org/WELL FED FARM
We spent a rainy Sunday morning helping our new friends at
Well Fed Farm slaughter and process chickens. After a good cup of coffee and
some standing around the scalder to warm up, Erik and Katharine delegated us
each to a station: 2 to the kill-scald-pluck station, 3 to the evisceration
station, 2 to the packaging station, and 1 or 2 “floaters,” friends who had
helped before and could be of assistance wherever there was the most need. The
three of us BowHill interns joined Katharine in eviscerating about 150 meat
birds for the Well Fed customers and then helped package and clean up when the
bloody business was finished. By that point the sun had come out and warmed up
the day so that we were able to have lunch outside. We feasted on delicious
homemade soup, crusty bread, and sweet grape tomatoes with gooey chocolate chip
cookies and milk (fresh from Erik and Katharine’s cow Irene!) for dessert.
http://wellfedfarms.net/GAIA RISING FARM
This is my last week here at BHBB, I'm off to my next adventure and it's hard to believe the time arrived so quickly. Sadly, this means I will miss the next FIELD Day at Gaia Rising Farm but Greg and Janelle will be here to help harvest their dry beans, corn and experimental grain plots. Gaia Rising is completely off the grid, an amazing feat all by itself! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Gaia-Rising-Farm/159678144092909I'm sure I will be back in the Skagit Valley in the future, there are so many welcoming people here, it will be hard to stay away (unless it's during the 9 months of nature's version of "water boarding").
Yadira
