Haliburton Farm includes a wetlands area, which is co-managed by the university, and there was a major project last summer to renovate it. It’s coming along nicely; the plants are growing and visiting ducks seem happy. In the summer the dragonflies are busy around it, and other pond life will be enjoying it.
On Wednesday, Farmer Elmarie called on the work party to help dig some deeply-lodged posts out of muddy springtime clay so that the hoop house they had held down last year could be secured in its new position. After attempting some initial experiments in leverage with available materials,
Farmer Ray’s expert help and repertoire of handy tools were enlisted. Hey presto! One down, three more to go…
Ray’s ducks taking a break from insect control.
Aside from his legendary skills with compost, one reason Ray is such a successful farmer is that he never stops working. His hoop house is a marvel, the plastic absolutely taut, and now absolutely clean, ready for another bumper crop of produce.
I’m off to Sooke next week to a screening of Dirt – the Movie, at Edward Milne Community School theatre, 6218 Sooke Rd, and catch a discussion with the farmers of ALM Farm.
