Having never worked with plants before, save caring for a small collection of succulents, spending ten hours on an organic farm was set to be an interesting experience. When we first were introduced to Martha and spent our first hour on the farm harvesting squashes, I had no idea what to expect, and how the farm would change my opinion on the work that’s done to bring food to our table.

 

My first day on the farm was in the midst of September’s heat wave, and it was easily over 30 degrees with humidity. Expecting to arrive in time to help with the market, I was mildly shocked to discover I would be spending the next four hours in the fields instead. Martha was in a frenzy and wasn’t focused on training a new student how to work in the market. As a result, I was sent with Brianna and Narda to water the greenhouses, which were in desperate need of water on such a hot day. 

The greenhouses were where I first discovered that my entire body can sweat. In an environment comparable to hot yoga, we were in charge of ensuring the survival of the farms’ eggplant population. Each plant required nearly an entire watering can, and as the entire farm was watered by hand, it was easy to see what an immense task it was to keep the farm alive during the heat. This was also the moment I discovered that I am unmistakably allergic to eggplant leaves.

 

After over two hours of work, Martha was able to spare some time from the market to come visit the fields. At that point, I was dehydrated, covered in hives, had a cold developing, and was contemplating the likeliness of passing out from the heat. We had managed to finish watering the greenhouse, and as Martha felt bad about my reaction, I was moved to a shady thyme bush, where I was to finish my day with some weeding. Martha taught me how to remove prickly weeds and thistles without gloves by digging below the surface with your fingers and grab them by the roots (I wasn’t great at this and got pricked a few times), as well as sharing with me that the reason there was so much thyme was a tribute to her mother, who always told her she should be planting more, as it was her favourite herb.

The work and passion that goes into the organic farm is truly inspiring. I found myself with mixed emotions to leave the farm after completing my ten hours, as the pending weeks would feel strange without a visit to the farm. The work is always hard, and occasionally rather brutal, and I can see that I am probably not cut out for it. Despite all its difficulties, there is immense payoff and satisfaction that gives me a new appreciation and meaning to what farming truly is.

• Riley Grant

The University of Guelph is lucky enough to have an amazing, thriving, organic farm right on campus. It is almost completely run by volunteers, and I was lucky enough to get the privilege of working there this fall. Every Thursday, a market is put on by Martha, the woman who runs the farm. As a nutrition major, I wasexcited that I gained a lot of knowledge about organic farming practices, and was even able to get my hands dirty!

During my time at the farm, I worked on the marketing of the foods, harvesting kidney beans, and most often weeding. Before my experience at the farm, I thought of weeding as a trivial, boring task, but by the end of my 10 hours of volunteering I can honestly say that it is one of the most gratifying, meditative practices a gardener can partake in. Weeds can be pesky, and grow back very quickly if they aren’t dealt with properly, so it is very important that the proper technique is used. We were given an entire field to clear, virtually every plant needed to be dug up. With a little bit of instruction from Martha, trial and error, and a great team of volunteers, we conquered the weeds.

We started by all putting on a sturdy, thick pair of leather gloves and closed toed shoes to protect us from harmful weeds like thistles. Additionally, shovels and hoes should be brought for weeds that are more deeply settled in the ground. Once you have all the necessary supplies, you can begin your weeding! The technique is actually quite important, as the weed can continue to grow unless all of it is taken out of the ground (including the roots). I learned that getting low to the ground, and grabbing the weed as close to the roots as possible with both hands works best. After you have a solid grip, you can pull firmly and slowly so that you don’t cause the weed to snap above the roots. After the weed is removed, it should be checked to make sure it didn’t snap and that the roots are fully out of the ground.

If they are not, it’s time to bring in the big guns; the shovels. This requires lots of strength, because the roots can be deep in the earth and can often take many attempts to dig up. It’s best to drive the shovel in a foot or so away from the visible plant and then push the shovel towards the plant in order to catch all of it’s roots.

I found this to be incredibly enjoyable for many reasons. First of all, it gave me a large sense of accomplishment, because the other volunteers and I cleared a whole field in a matter of hours and I know that I helped make room for even more vegetables and flowers to flourish! Also, I dug up many hidden gems like mushrooms, which was exciting, as only 2 days before I had participated in our class’s mushroom foray.

I am so grateful for the experience I gained at the farm, and my main takeaway will be that many hands make light work. When all the volunteers worked as a team, we were able to accomplish our tasks much more quickly and effectively. We were also able to share expertise from our past experiences, and problem solve in a collaborative way.

Volunteering at Martha’s organic farm has been one of the most humbling experiences I have had the pleasure of partaking in this fall. A one-woman team who built a successful farm from the ground up, is just the inspiration  I needed to thrive this semester – even this whole school year!:) Not only was she a pleasure to work with, she was also highly knowledgeable in essentially anything to do with horticulture, and was always eager to teach us a few things on the topic.

My volunteering experience began during the hotter days of the fall, where I was stationed at the greenhouses’ to water all the plants. Instead of the imagined water hose one might think would be used to water such large areas of growing plants, we used cute little water pots to individually water each plant. The little watering pots were filled from larger water cylinders that were placed in each greenhouse. While working in the greenhouses’ during a hot day, it can be anywhere as 10 degrees hotter inside the green house than outside. This made watering the plants quite strenuous after a couple hours, making me question how on earth Martha can do this every week for hours on end.

The rest of my volunteering days consisted of pulling a variety of weeds from the ground – which was actually very therapeutic! A group of classmates and I took on the challenge of  clearing out several rows of land that had been infested with weeds during the spring time; revealing healthy & soft soil.

 

Pulling weeds was actually a little trickier than I had originally thought. In order to effectively remove the weed and ensure that it doesn’t grow back, we had to make sure the whole weed was removed, including the root. This was made difficult when we worked on some weeds that had roots deeper than 8″, which would have to be removed using a pitchfork; and a couple of extra hands!

 

Some weeds were small and very prickly (thistle weeds). In order to remove these, thick leather gloves were essential.

 

The last thing I did while working at Martha’s farm was washing, & sorting carrots. This consisted of dipping our hands into freezing cold mud water, pulling out a carrot, washing the carrot in the same freezing cold water, and sorting it in one of two containers: Good or bad carrots. Any carrots with signs of bug inhabitants or dark spots were the unfortunate ones who got placed in the bad box. The best part of this was finding the deformed carrots- since it’s such a rare sight at conventional grocery stores!

 

These past few weeks of school have been a little stressful given midterms, and assignments- but spending a few hours alongside Martha every week was truly something to look forward to. It gave me an escape from the books, & reminded me of the humble process of cultivating food, and enjoying time outdoors. Martha made this experience so enriching for me, that I will definitely be returning every Thursday to help out. Plus we get free organic food!!

Over the last several weeks, I have worked as a gardener, a merchant, and as a harvester on Guelph’s very own organic farm. Working under the farm keeper, Martha, was interesting as I learned a new gardening tip or trick each visit. Through all the tasks I completed, I had one I thoroughly enjoyed, harvesting and collecting red kidney beans. On Thursday September 28th, I worked down in the fields with the kidney beans. The task was relatively straightforward and enjoyable, but could be tedious under the hot sun.

To harvest red kidney beans one must simply pull the beanstalk, roots and all, out of the ground, pluck the yellow pods and place them into the basket. Martha taught us that it is important only the yellow pods are picked, not the unripe green pods. When placing the pods into the basket I learned to be careful so the pod wouldn’t break open and spill the beans. The leftover stalk and roots were then discarded off to the side where they would not be in the way of the unharvested stalks. Myself, and some fellow outdoor schoolers, worked our way through the bean field, starting at the bottom and finishing once all the bean stacks containing yellow pods had been gathered.

After the field had been cleared, Riley and I carried the pods to the organic farm office  where they would later be split open and the beans would be stored. Martha was impressed that the entire field had been cleared and moved us into the greenhouses to water plants. If there was one thing I took away from my time on the farm, it was that the plants could never be overwatered. It seemed like Martha wanted us to drown every single plant in the greenhouse every single time we visited! The greenhouse smelt wonderful but could be oven-like under the hot sun. The majority of my visits were spent inside various greenhouses, hand watering the assorted plants as Martha had requested.

One plant I watered that I found particularly interesting was the bitter melon (pictured below among the vines). Shaped like a wrinkly cucumber, the bitter melon is a sour vegetable that is primarily eaten in the Caribbean. I was so intrigued by this unique plant that I purchased one and brought it home for Thanksgiving… I was not a fan of the taste! 

My time at the farm was generally enjoyable, however I am not convinced that I am cut out for the farm life. Nonetheless, I did learn some interesting tricks about how to keep plants healthy and alive, a task I have always struggled with! I will be back at the farm next fall, maybe not to work, but definitely to buy some fresh produce.

Written by Brianna Marshall

Over the past month or so, I have had the opportunity to volunteer at the Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Farming. The Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Farming is a one-hectare farm/learning facility run by Martha Scroggins. The farm is located directly on the University of Guelph campus, yet many students and members of the Guelph community are unaware of this amazing place. This is somewhat disheartening as the farm does rely on student volunteers and has so much to offer. Every Thursday, during the summer and fall months, the farm puts on a market and sells their certified organic produce.

During my time at the farm, I participated in many different activities, such as; rolling electrical fences and storing other farm equipment, preparing for markets and harvesting/cleaning vegetables. I also learned many things; including a new appreciation for the amount of work that’s involved with farming. To demonstrate this I thought I’d show you what it takes for a produce to get from farm to table.

                                 

These are radishes. Radishes are root vegetables and are often enjoyed raw, in dishes like salads. Fun fact, these radishes here are in the same family as the horseradish, which is one of the main ingredients in wasabi. The process of harvesting begins with pulling the radish from the earth. After collecting the radishes transportation begins, which doesn’t sound so bad, but when you are on a farm that doesn’t use machinery, things can get tiring real fast. Then begins cleaning and trimming. This may sound crazy, but there are people who don’t realize that when vegetables come from the ground they don’t already look like they do in the grocery store. When vegetables are pulled from the earth they are covered in dirt and must be washed. There are also things like roots and tops that need to be cut off. After doing some final quality checks the radishes are ready for market. One aspect that people often forget about when dealing with marketing a product is presentation. People don’t want to buy food if it doesn’t look appetizing. For that reason a great deal of time is put into things like cleaning and arranging the produce in a way that looks pleasing to the consumer.

Et Voilà, the final product. On the left, we have the memorizing black radish. This radish has a tough black skin and is more often than not cooked. More recently, the black radish has been used in fine dining restaurants and is considered a delicacy. On the right, we have watermelon radishes. The outside of the radish is green/white, however, if you cut open the radish you reveal a truly beautiful red/pink inside.

Through my time on the farm I have learned a great deal, most importantly the time and effort that goes into farming. One thing that I hope for the future of the farm is that more students get involved and if you haven’t already been to the Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Farming, it’s definitely worth a visit.

Written by: Brett Studden

 

On Thursday September 28^th I spent my afternoon and early evening at the Organic Farm located at the University of Guelph’s campus.  Upon arriving at the farm, the weekly market had already commenced, and many people were lined up with their fresh goods waiting to pay for their produce.  I quickly found Martha to say hello and ask her how she would need my help, and because the market was so busy with customers as Thanksgiving was approaching, she named off a few tasks that I could lend a hand in!

The first task that I helped with was watering flowers and making bouquets for customers.  The arrangement of the thriving and intense colour of the flowers immediately attracted my eye, and many people crowded the table.  I spent some time ensuring that the buckets holding the flowers had enough water and filling the ones that were low.  I arranged the flowers nicely in the buckets so their pedals wouldn’t be damaged.

When arranging bouquets, the customer would choose out their flowers and allow me to cut them to their desired height before wrapping soaked newspapers around the stems and placing them carefully in a bag.  I found this activity very interesting because it was my first time ever making a bouquet and I was happy to please each customer with a unique bouquet.  I enjoyed learning the care and ‘packaging’ process of the flowers, and I even found it quite relaxing!

Another activity I helped with was the layout and display of the produce at the Organic Farm.  This was something that I took great interest in, especially because of my experience in retail and merchandising.

When Martha noticed that some vegetables were not selling as quickly as others, she gave me the task of displaying the bins of vegetables to look the most presentable for the customers eye.  This meant lifting bins of produce from underneath tables, where they couldn’t be seen, and placing them on table tops where they were more accessible.  After, it was much easier for customers to find what they were looking for!

The next display I did was remove vegetables from bins that obstructed the customers view, and place them neatly and attractively on the tabletop.  Martha had explained to us that when the leeks are held in bins or buckets they don’t sell very well, and they needed to be arranged to look desirable to the customer.  The leeks in the photo below were arranged on the table by myself and a fellow classmate who took great interest in making sure the produce could be visible!  When arranging vegetables, I learned that is very important to pay attention to where they are being placed and the conditions around them.  Martha showed us the proper way to keep kale to preserve it for as long as possible and told us to be careful when displaying the kale because they cannot be left in the sun.  To ensure that your kale thrives for as long as possible they must be placed in the shade with damp clothes over top.  This helps keep them cool and out of the sun at any cost.

The final activity of the day, and possibly my favourite, was harvesting kidney beans.  When Martha asked who would come down to the field with her to pick Kidney beans I was beyond excited.  I had no prior experience with harvesting the kidney bean and I was excited to learn the process.  When arriving at the field containing the beans I was confused when everything within the fence line looked dead.  Surprisingly, on taking a closer look, little brown and dry bean pods were hanging limply off the plants.  I was shown the correct way of harvesting them and I quickly got to work.  Tearing the entire plants out of the ground, hanging them upside down, and picking off the bean pods, kept me busy for quite sometime.  If I didn’t have a 7:00pm lecture to attend that evening I’m sure I would have been there all-night harvesting, learning, and destressing on the farm.

Spending time at the Organic Farm was an amazing learning experience for me.  I was able to learn a lot of new things and take a break from school work and the rest of campus at the same time.  Because I come from a small rural town, I really enjoyed having the opportunity to go to the farm on my free time to lend a helping hand.  As busy as the market got at times, I was able to talk, connect with, and meet many people from the University of Guelph and the community.  I learned of different vegetables I had never heard of or tried before, and some different ways to cook different vegetables.  I was lucky enough to take home some carrots, squash, onions, and garlic from the farm thanks to Martha, who was always pleasant and happy to share with me her knowledge.  I will definitely be returning to the Organic Farm soon!

Written by: Bethany Green

Out of all the fantastic experiences I had at the organic farm one of the most interesting was harvesting kidney beans  out in the field. It was extremely interesting to find out where these little beans actually come from and how they are grown. Now normally I despise the kidney bean as it’s taste has never been my favorite and I always seem to find them in food where I don’t particularly want to find them. However well harvesting them directly from the field I gained a certain appreciation for them as a crop.

Kidney beans grow in pods which are harvested once dry. At the end of their growing season the bean plants turn brown, brittle and dry out to the point where someone could assume they were dead (me), but they aren’t, in fact this is when they are ready to be harvested and later stored.

As the plants dry out they begin to split open and if your not careful while picking them you could lose all the beans and just end up with an empty pod which wouldn’t be fun and happened to me more then I’d like to admit. To harvest the beans you essentially just rip the bean pod off of the plant and put it in a basket. The actual plant can be left in the field to decompose and fertilize the ground paving the way for a whole new generation of bean plants next season.

After the beans have been harvested they will be removed from the pods and stored in a dry place so they can be sold or planted next season. Overall it was a pretty interesting experience as I got to learn a little more about the little bean I normally view as a nuisance.

Written by: Anne Oakley

On September 12^th 2017, the Outdoor School class adventured to the Honey Bee Apiary and Research Facility at Guelph University. In order to reach the learning centre, we made a scenic trek around the Arboretum which allowed us to get to know some of our fellow classmates.

We admired the beautiful scenery at the research facility and was told by Paul Kelly, a Staff Apiarist, that it was the perfect day for bees. This was because a specific plant called Golden rod, which provides nectar and pollen to help the bees repopulate, was present.

Interestingly, when with the bees, none of us wore beekeeping equipment. This was due to the fact that Paul specifically works with the bees to develop a tranquil atmosphere. We watched him gain access to the bee hives through the use of smoke. He demonstrated how it is utilized to distract the guard bees and make them hungry. Moreover, we learned that the smoke interferes with the bee’s alarm pheromones and as a result halts communication in the hive. This ultimately prevents the working bees from attacking the beekeeper.

Paul displayed the construction of the beehive and how in order for the frames to remain removable, there must be a space wide enough for only two bees to pass through. If the space between the frame and the box is larger, than the bees build propolis and comb.  We were extremely fortunate to view both a drone and a queen bee while spending the afternoon there.  Furthermore, some people had the opportunity to pet bees and all of us at the end of the session were able to taste the fresh honey from the hexagonal beeswax structures!

Written by: Laura Alexander

On October 17th, fellow outdoor schoolers and other various mycology enthusiasts gathered outside the University of Guelph’s nature reserve to find and identify numerous species of mushrooms and fungi. After an hour and a half of dedicated foraying, close to 40 different species were collected!

After the foray was finished, students, friends, and educators assembled to question and classify the many fungi present. Although another group had recently accessed the reserve a few days prior for their own mushroom foray, there were still many new fungi and mushrooms to be found!   

On of the more interesting mushrooms we found and learned about was Gymnopilus junonius, also known as “Laughing Gym”. This particular mushroom, when consumed, causes individuals to experience hallucinations and often run around laughing, hence the nickname. The second unique mushroom we learned about was Hydnum repandum. Hydnum repandum, otherwise known as the “sweet tooth mushroom”, which tastes spicy to the tongue, and is often dried and used as a herb in meals.

As our first foray experience, this adventure has opened our eyes to the world of mycology. Through a truly hands on experience, we were able to gain a new appreciation for fungi and their place in the ecosystem. Holy shiitake it was fun!

Written by Riley Grant and Brianna Marshall

DATE: Tuesday October 17, 2017.

LOCATION: 2: 45 – 5:15 pm Nature Reserve, Arboretum – University of Guelph.

Foray will be led by Diane Borsato (Studio Arts/FYS) and Alan Gan (Senior member of the Mycogical Society of Toronto).

 We will be meeting at 2:40 at the entrance to the Nature Reserve, which is just west of Victoria Rd. on the south side of Stone Rd. Look for my white Honda CRV parked at the side of the road. Avoid bringing a car if possible. Use bikes/walk – there is not a lot of space to park. Bring a basket!!

IMPORTANT NOTE: Never eat wild mushrooms unless you are certain of their identity as a safe species, and have a great deal of experience collecting and identifying mushrooms. There are no easy ways to determine the edibility of a specimen, except by knowing its identity. There are many toxic and deadly look-a-likes to edible species. Our foray will be for research purposes only, we will not be collecting “for the pot.”

Adapted from the Mycological Society of Toronto website:

PREPARATION FOR FORAYS

 We recommend that you prepare for a foray with the following items.

1. Basket (plastic bags cause fungi to sweat and deteriorate)
2. Sharp Knife (by breaking the stem you may lose important identification features             below ground)
3. Paper Bags or Wax Paper (this will keep your fungi separated and preserved until you are able to identify them later)
4. Whistle (in case you get separated from your group or need assistance, as a safeguard walk in groups of three and not alone)
5. Compass (another safeguard, learn to use one)
6. Hand Magnifying Glass (for better identification in the field)
7. Insect Repellent (There are unlikely to be insects during our foray in October)
8. Clothing (appropriate for the weather, with good coverage to avoid scratches and insect bites)
9. Hiking Boots (as opposed to running shoes, these will protect you from insects, poison ivy, sharp protuberances and other injuries; i.e., twisting your ankle)
10. Rubber Boots and Rain Wear (particularly if it is wet)
11. Field Guide (to help identify your fungi; if you do not have one, leaders can usually recommend one)

 

And for examples of mushrooms in contemporary art see:http://www.dariore.com/mushroomresource.html

A little about John Cage and mushrooms too: https://hyperallergic.com/118615/john-cage-mushroom-hunter/