I knew I kept those overalls for a reason. They’ve been sitting in my “save for a random day” drawyer for at least four years. This trip to my Uncle’s farm in Canada was the perfect occasion to bring them out of hiding.
After arriving here in the evening last night, I had missed all the day’s farm work that had already taken place. I got to relax and visit with my family for a while and woke up ready to join in right on their busiest work day. Monday is spent preparing for Tuesday’s farmer’s market, so a little bit of everything grown on the farm gets picked (harvested).
Inevitably, I am here during one of the hottest days on record on Salt Spring Island. While their home thermometer read 111 degrees, we are thinking it was more like 90. It definitely FELT excruciating. I didn’t anticipate how sunburned I was getting and thus didn’t put sunscreen on my shoulders until the later morning. Alas, I have quite the burn on my shoulders.
The most rewarding part about coming to work on this farm is spending time with my loving family while they’re in their element. They understand food, commerce, health, and business from a completely different perspective than I do. When they want to prepare lunch or dinner, they decide what they’re hungry for and then GO GET IT. Right from their land! It’s all organic and delicious and healthy and amazing.
There was a DEER that broke onto the property today. A HUGE deer just bounded right by us as we picked cherry tomatoes. Not to mention the wild bunnies that remind me of times back at UC Irvine where they too had a hare problem.
There are three dogs (including the puppy Ruby, pitured), two cats, a ton of chickens, and three llamas. There are vegetables galore that are the most colorful and beautiful I’ve seen. However, the REAL reason I am here (beyond seeing my beautiful family), is to harvest GARLIC.
Bright Farm Garlic is renowned. Each year there is a produce competition, and the other growers don’t stand a chance. When I was 10 (and had a very infamous episode where I was attacked by moths), I came to the farm during garlic harvest and never forgot it. Sitting with a group, listening to the blues, and peeling garlic. For years I talked about making it up here to participate again, but it just never fit in.
Bright Farm's fresh and organic tomato varieties
The beauty of my Life To Do List, as I’ve stated on multiple occasions, is that the Virgo in me can’t stand to see a goal that is written down and un-accomplished. I long to cross an item off. It bugs me to stare at a list and not tackle item by item. I knew that if I put down a goal of getting up here, that I’d make it happen. And it was SO worth it.
There is photography and video gold up here. There will definitely be a Journey with Janelle Episode about this one. I am eating some of the healthiest and delicious-est food I’ll ever have. I am facing my moth fear. I’m playing with puppies and kittens. It’s ridiculous in the best way.
I feel so lucky to be at Bright Farm and to cross #14 off the Life To Do list.
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