MOOSE JAW — The excited shouts of children floated throughout the Mosaic Community Food Farm as youngsters eagerly searched for and found vegetables of various kinds and colours hiding among the many green plants.
For the first time, Wakamow Valley Authority (WVA) opened the food farm to the public recently and gave residents a chance to explore the one-and-a-half-acre property. Allison Taylor, the farm’s co-ordinator, gave about 30 residents a tour of the garden and orchard and the various things grown, from medicinal plants to flowers to vegetables to fruit trees.
The food farm held the tour in partnership with Young Agrarians, which also promoted its apprenticeship program.
Giving a tour was a great experience because the food farm has been working on its social engagement and attempting to reach the public more, Taylor said. Staff don’t normally work on the weekend, so holding a public event during that time ensured more people could attend.
“The more people that know about the farm, the more they can get involved, and then hopefully, the more produce we can grow for the community,” she continued, noting that the food farm doesn’t usually hold public events because it normally works with schools and other food-focused organizations.
Taylor thought it was fantastic to see the kids’ exuberance as they discovered produce hidden among the plants — many kept shouting, “I found one!” — and dug up some from the ground. She pointed out that this search helped them connect with where their food comes from.
“They always just have so much fun and it’s a sensory experience for them too,” she said.
One aspect of this year’s growing season that Taylor appreciated was how much she taught about gardening and food security to community groups. Her favourite part of the job is working with those groups and providing food for people who need it.
“It’s a beautiful place to be, and I’m really lucky that I get to work down here too,” she stated.
Taylor and an assistant are the only two employees whom Wakamow Valley hires to manage the food farm, which she said is not always manageable for this type of farming operation. That is why they need volunteer help, especially as they harvest the final produce and clean up the yard.
“It’s just more fun if you do it with other people,” she said.
Many factors contribute to why so few residents volunteer, although they usually become excited when harvest rolls around, Taylor continued. One issue is people don’t know about the farm or where it is, while some know very little about Wakamow Valley itself.
Larissa Maendel, an employee with WVA, agreed that the food farm seems to be a well-kept secret. She moved to Moose Jaw a few years ago and had no clue the garden existed. Moreover, during her conversations with people, some residents claim ignorance about the valley and what’s in it.
“They’re like, ‘Oh yeah, I never go there. Like, I don’t know what’s all there,’” she said. “And they’ll say … ‘There’s a food farm down there?’ … So yeah, it’s a problem.”
The farm has worked on increasing its social engagement this year and has developed relationships with numerous groups, said Taylor. However, not all people are experienced gardeners, which is what the organization needs; such people could better organize the area so rookies and veterans both have an enjoyable time.
“And we just need more … signs. Lots of signs,” she added with a chuckle.
2024 season
The food farm had produced over 2,700 kilograms (6,000 pounds) of food when the tour occurred, while Taylor expected more to be harvested. However, she expected less total produce to grow this year because of delays in hooking up water, although she was thankful that a rainy spring helped the garden grow something.
Anyone interested in volunteering at the food farm can call 306-692-2717.
