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!
