Natalie the Farmer a.k.a. Organica!

For awhile now, I have had an itch to learn how to farm. I guess there is no better time to try it out than right now when obligations are low and I can afford to be poor. I am fascinated with agricultural ecosystems and their complexity. I feel this is a knowledge that will be useful in so many ways later in life. Plus, this is a desire I need to get out of my system before I move on in life...otherwise, there will be a mountain of regret.

So! Tomorrow, in less than 8 hours I will begin my journey to Vancouver Island, British Columbia. There, I will be doing a farming apprenticeship at the ALM Organic Farm in a town called Sooke. My duties will include:

• seeding
• planting
• transplanting
• cuttings
• weed management
• harvesting
• farm maintenance
• cultivation
• irrigation
• marketing (box program, farmer’s market, or restaurants sales)
• care of chickens (eek! I don't know about this one...small feet and eggs...two of my worst fears)
• major field crop of my choice
• the planting and care of one or two greenhouses
• a value added product: herbal teas, dried fruit, frozen, canned or dried fruit or tomatoes

They also have workshops on alternative construction, beer making, woodworking, preserving, and many others.

If you would like to check out the farm here is the website. It is amazingly well put together. You can take a virtual tour of the farm, watch some videos, and I think there are some recipes scattered throughout.

http://www.almfarms.org/

My plan is to use this blog to record what I learn. And I figure, why not share the knowledge...I am sure most of it will be learned through mistakes...most likely funny ones at that.

So here we go...a time to grow.