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

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