With the growing season now in full swing, organizers of the Mosaic Community Food Farm in Wakamow are extending an open invitation for green-thumbed volunteers to help maintain the garden this summer to ensure a bountiful harvest this fall.
Staff are available onsite Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and volunteers are welcome to stop by at any time during these hours.
“We’re asking the public if they’ve got some time on their hands to come in and lend a hand on the food farm,” announced Donna MacQuarrie-Bye, the Wakamow Valley Authority’s general manager.
The goal of the Mosaic Community Food Farm is to grow healthy, local food that will nourish the community who supports it. The crop selection considers local growing conditions, the length of the growing season, and gardeners utilize best practices to minimize pest and other issues.
The garden spans one acre and, with the assistance of an experienced farm co-ordinator, harvests approximately 4,000 pounds of vegetables each season for the Moose Jaw and District Food Bank, Hunger in Moose Jaw, Multicultural Council, and the Riverside Mission.
MacQuarrie-Bye said she’s looking for an assortment of roles including weeding, harvesting, watering, and more, and all volunteers will be organized by Allison Taylor, the food farm co-ordinator, and her assistant.
“It’s predominantly a lot of weeding,” MacQuarrie-Bye noted, further explaining that the garden spans a large area and more hands are required to keep the food farm in peak shape.
The community garden is also announcing two open volunteering days this month, with one taking place July 17 and the other scheduled for July 31. During these days, anyone is welcome to drop by the food farm with no scheduling required and introduce themselves to Taylor.
The organization is currently looking for at least six additional helpers, and MacQuarrie-Bye said anywhere from eight to 12 people are typically available to help.
“There’s always enough work for everybody to do,” she said. “If we can get a handful of people, say six, that would be terrific.”
No experience or extensive background in agriculture is required to volunteer, and MacQuarrie-Bye said a few helpers with horticultural knowledge would be greatly appreciated as the food farm’s orchard “could use a little TLC”.
“(Volunteering with the Food Farm) gives an opportunity to connect with the environment, build new relationships, and give back to the community,” MacQuarrie-Bye added. The experience, she said, is naturally fulfilling for mind, body, and soul.
Volunteer opportunities are open for individuals, businesses, non-profit organizations, and school groups.
For more information or to volunteer, you can contact the Wakamow Valley Authority office at 306-692-2717 or by email at Wakamow.Events@sasktel.net. You can also visit the garden’s website at Wakamow.ca/Mosaic-Community-Food-Farm.
The Mosaic Community Food Farm is located in Wellesley Park just off Bank Street.
