Want to REALLY know where your food comes from? Come help us out on the farm in exchange for fresh produce this summer. Keep reading for full details.
“Get Dirty to Eat”
2023 Farm Work-for-Produce Exchange! Share in Knowledge, Soil and Hope
This season we will be offering people the opportunity to trade labor for produce. We have very specific tasks that we need help with and we know that we will have a labor shortage this season. Mandy’s farm, on a good weather day, is a fun place to enjoy working hard and finding your own peace. One does have to be mindful of wasps, but other than that it is a place where you can enjoy the soil, the sun, the wind, and all that nature brings!
What to Bring for a Volunteer Session
Drinking water (our well water is also available, depending on your constitution)
Sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat
Bug spray
A few pairs of work gloves
Layered clothing for cooler mornings and hotter afternoons
Optional: Small bluetooth speaker for music. Headphones get in the way of communicating.
A Typical Work Day
We usually go from 8 am to 5 pm with breaks as needed.
Please bring your own lunch or you can stop and go eat at the Gathering Place Co-op.
Pitch your tent if you would like to stay for a few days. Showers and kitchen available.
Mandy’s day doesn’t end when yours does, if you stay you will have time to relax and enjoy the farm. There are great places to walk, bike, read, and visit.
The Fine Print
To prevent the threat of Avian flu to our flock, all shoes and tires need to be bleached before entering the yard. There is a spray bottle at the mailbox.
There is no minimum time commitment necessary; however, volunteering once a week is nice if you can make it. This helps you get orientated and then you can work unsupervised when necessary. Regular visits allow you to see the progress of the crops and animals throughout the season.
Farm work is physical and days are long. You may come and find that your body can only handle a few hours at a time. Do not be put off if it is not a good fit for you! There are other tasks that might be a great fit at the farm for you, for example drying garlic or processing dill!
Mandy is very generous, and we will discuss the product exchange on an individual basis before you arrive at the farm. Youth are welcome but require your supervision! If you are interested in a Work-for-Produce Exchange, please email Mandy at mandy@meadowcreekfarms.ca or call her at 1-780-650-2047. For specific tasks and weekly opportunities, please continue reading below.
Opportunities Monday through Saturday
May/June
Weeding Bulbil ( seed garlic)
Weeding Garlic
Transplanting onions and tomatoes
Planting onion sets
All of the above work requires working on your hands and knees and a lot of bending
Getting produce ready for market at the Gathering Place Co-op
June /July
Hand-weeding all produce
Possible picking raspberries depending on the growth conditions
Picking dill and preserving it
Getting produce ready for market at the Gathering Place Co-op
August
Garlic harvest involves many aspects including digging and drying
Picking cucumber and beets, making pickles
Cutting cabbage and making sauerkraut
Picking and preserving herbs
Picking raspberries. This involves a great deal of clothing as the wasps are very bad in the berry patch.
Getting produce ready for market at the Gathering Place Co-op
September/October
Planting Garlic this involves work on your hands and knees and allot of bending as well as walking and spreading diatomaceous earth