The Mosaic Community Food Farm could harvest nearly 12,000 pounds of food this year from its gardens, a cornucopia made possible due to how the produce is irrigated.
Located in Wakamow Valley, the food farm’s garden was filled with produce ready to be picked when the Moose Jaw Express visited on Sept. 1. Garden manager Keri Fox and assistant Maisie Riendeau filled milk crates with vegetables, while general manager Todd Johnson checked the produce’s quality.
Some items the food farm grew include carrots, potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery, beans, zucchini, peppers, winter squash, broccoli, cauliflower, onions and beets.
The food will go to Riverside Mission, the Moose Jaw & District Food Bank, Hunger in Moose Jaw, Transition House, and the Moose Jaw Multicultural Council.
If the weather remains warm, food farm staff expect to finish harvest by early October.
There were fewer potatoes this year because of the heat, but everything else looks good, with some items — cucumbers and tomatoes — expected to produce a bumper crop, said Fox.
“One of the biggest changes this year was we had drip irrigation. We found, because it was so hot and dry, that helped a lot because it keeps the moisture in the soil … ,” she continued. “With overhead sprinklers, there’s a lot of evaporation, so I’m glad we were able to get that in place.”
The new system included laying down landscape fabric, making cuts in it so the produce could grow, and placing rubber hoses underneath so the water can drip onto the soil.
The harvest would look much different if it weren’t for the irrigation, Fox said. The new system met her expectations, even though they were worried about the heat’s effects on the vegetables.
Fox, Riendeau, and Rebecca Roney began harvesting in July and, by Sept. 1, had pulled in over 6,000 pounds of food. Fox believes they will ultimately collect around 10,000 pounds, but 12,000 pounds is also possible.
Last year the food farm produced roughly 8,000 pounds of vegetables. Since this was Fox’s second year as manager, she was better able to organize the garden. This included turning a strip of grass into another garden.
“I love my job. I love coming down here in the morning. It’s peaceful (and) we’re surrounded by nature,” she stated.
Staff did not plant peas this year since they take time to grow and clients did not want them, Fox continued. Instead, staff grew more cucumbers, tomatoes and carrots. They also added asparagus and moved raspberry bushes so the deer wouldn’t eat them.
Outside the fence, staff created a food forest by putting down cardboard and mulch and planting donated fruit trees. These trees then produced cherries, saskatoons, apples, and chokecherries.
Several volunteer groups — including the multicultural council — helped plant and harvest this year, which Fox thought was great since that didn’t happen last year with the pandemic. She also thought it was positive to help people understand from where their food comes.
“It just really felt like we were connecting with the community on a deeper level, which was nice,” she remarked.
Besides bugs — flea beetles in particular — staff also dealt with voles. Aside from the odd bite mark in produce, the animals didn’t cause many problems, added Fox. Staff did find numerous garter snakes, which likely kept pest problems to a minimum.
Riendeau was the main staffer to find the snakes. She appreciated seeing them since she took them as messages from nature and how every animal has a purpose. That purpose also extends into her life since gardening connects her to “everything that matters” and touches her soul. She singled out her grandfather for encouraging her to garden and teaching her how to grow plants.
This was her first year working at the food farm.
“It’s the best job I’ve ever had and it keeps me in line with my beliefs overall in life. There’s just a lot of freedom in it (and) a lot of lessons,” added Riendeau.
“It’s great to be outside and get Vitamin D. It’s something people take for granted. They don’t realize how important it is to be connected to the outdoors and nature.”
