Open Farm Day 2012!

Grizzly Bear would love to meet you!

Last Spring, we were contacted by Manitoba Agriculture, Farm, and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI) about participating in the province's Open Farm Day.  We had come to their attention thru Food Matters Manitoba, I believe, and seemed a good choice because we were close to Brandon, a mixed operation and kind of known in town.  Since we already do an Open House for our CSA members and Market regulars, we figured we may as well!  So, next Sunday, September 16th, noon to 4 PM, are you coming for a visit?

What should I tell you about coming to the Farm?  Well, we're not a quaint, pastoral little place.  We're a messy, noisy operation working seven days a week!  We're weedy, slightly unkempt, our chickens free-range and we take goats and dogs for walks so there will be, ummm, excrement. If there's no rain this week, it will be dusty on our tour and there may be bugs.  The chickens may be squawking, the roosters will probably be crowing and the goats may be calling; it probably won't be peaceful.  Our goats are in their natural state and have horns, which require some respect.  (The goats will be in pasture, not free-ranging).  We have two roosters, largely nice boys, but they deserve a wide berth and some respect 'cause their spurs can rip your pants.  Sounds like fun?

We would really be delighted to show you around!  We just want you to be prepared!  Dress very casually, wear comfortable, sturdy shoes that can get dirty.  Dog and kittie treats will be well received.  We are just five minutes East of Brandon, quite easy to access.  You will head east on Veteran's Way, a road officially closed due to the construction on the Bypass.  You will be 'local traffic' on Sunday, so just go past the barrier.  Veteran's Way is straight, curves at the RCMP office (at Grand Valley Strawberries, if you're familiar), straightens out again and then coming up almost right away on your left is a little gravel road called Chalmers or 107W.  Turn left onto Chalmers, going north, and we're at the top of the hill, on the east side.  To get you oriented, we are directly east two miles from ACC On The Hill!  We'll have some signs out that day, that MAFRI has been kind enough to supply!

Not close enough to visit us?  There's lot of farms of all types all around the province and around the country that are open! Check out www.openfarmday.ca to find out what's going on around you!  If you're in America, there's probably something to be found with your local extension office.  So get out of the city and visit a farm this weekend!  Give a hug to the people growing your food - we could use it! 

Manitoba Farm Writers Come for a Tour!

We're kind of popular right now, it seems.  Baby goats just seem to attract people; we've seen friends that don't make it out here all that much.  But today we hosted a tour that was organized before baby goats...although the babies were a hit!  The Manitoba Farm Writers and Broadcasters Association had been in touch a few months ago.  They were having a meeting in Brandon, and were looking for interesting things to do.  Someone at, I believe, at Food Matters Manitoba had suggested us, probably for something a little different. I kind of imagine the Manitoba Farm Writers spend a lot of time around cattle and grain: not any of that here!

Shortly after 3:00 PM a couple of vans of people pulled up.  We had had a little thunderstorm and more clouds were threatening but this group was ready - rubber boots and rain jackets were at hand!  We walked about half the property, showing the renters' gardens, the dugout and drainage, our plantings of seeds and seedlings, up to the potato field and planting of winter squash, then down past the Berkshires' pasture and past the chicken coop.  We dawdled a bit with the baby goats and a number of photos were taken!  A quick cruise of the baby chicks and then the greenhouse, still bursting with plants!  Then the group was off, because they had another event in Portage to attend!

Lots of great questions and comments from this group.  These people are very involved in agriculture in Manitoba, although I'm not sure they had seen an operation quite like ours!  There was much interest in the variety of produce that we grow, the acceptance of some of the more unique things we grow, the increasing interest in local and fresh food, the Community Supported Agriculture model and selling at Farmers Markets.  Someone wanted to know if we grow unique things because customers ask for them and, after thinking about it, we had to say we seek out unique and unusual vegetables to keep our customers interested and amused.

I see that the MFWB Facebook page has already posted a picture of one of the members with...you guessed it, a baby goat!  Don't know if any one of our guests is actually going to write about us but one has asked to come back in the late summer or fall to do a piece on all the different potatoes that we grow.  Some winter squash may get some attention then, too!  If you see anything written about us, we'd love to know - good or bad!   

Child and Chick Reunion

Pal Deb brings her grandchild out to the farm sometimes.  We love touring people around Aagaard Farms; young children are particularly fun.  Ayla is almost three years old; she was out for a visit in early June, when the chicks were very small and fragile.  We had to be careful because she was young enough to be too rough, without meaning any harm.  How thing can change in five months!  Not only is Ayla bigger and talking a mile-a-minute, but the chicks have grown an incredible amount!  The little girl showed a healthy respect for the chickens this time, and was even a little intimidated by the bounding goats!  Ayla loved her time out here: first it's the dogs, who greeted her as she was being helped from Grandma Deb's car, then she spied the chickens because some of the Black Sex Links were free-ranging in front of the house.  We took her around to the barn and got some scratch grain; Ayla was giggling as all the chickens came running for their treat!  Feeding and petting the goats, petting the barn cats, back to the chickens.  She was crowing with delight and saying many things, although we're not sure about all the words we know 'shiggen' was called every time a rooster crowed.  After all the outdoor excitement, we all came inside for juice and a snack where Ayla met and made great friends with Doodles the kitten!  Next time, we promised, we'd help her ride a goat!  Haven't talked to the Goatlings about that yet...