for the 2023 growing season I applied to a grant to pay myself a living wage to run the seed farm for a certified organic canadian seed provider. it was my first (/hopefully only?) time being responsible for farm planning alongside setup and maintenence throughout the season. I also moved to an off-grid cabin at this time, where i was drinking water from the creek behind me and falling asleep by 9pm every night.
farming is an inherently artistic act, as it requires the ability to improvise and the ulitization of all senses. as a result, you commit fully to being tuned in to your environment. as a farmer i am also motivated aesthetically and there is a lot of creative liberties to be had in curating the selection of vegetables, flowers, herbs and native species that will grow in tandem with local flora and fauna. to farm is also to be an active observer of life/death cycles; it is an acknowledement of chaos and perhaps one of the most fulfilling ways to practice true reciprocity.
the 2023 growing season was also challenging. i was working for a disorganized employer, had little support and was often outside in challenging conditions (wildfire smoke, extreme heat, etc). unintentionally becoming the sole full-time employee, it was near impossible for me to meet the goals of the season, and so i surrendered all false notions of control pertaining to outcome (because i was in a unique and privledged position to do so) and devoted the majority of my time at work to witnessing the farm space. as a result, my relationships to the plants and my labour improved substantially, and i've thought a lot since about how farming improves our ability to observe. every morning i would walk around the site and take note of the many changes that occured over night. when you return to a place each day it is impressive what you note: a new spot on a leaf, a different bug, growth, the readiness of the seed, etc. this fine-tuned observation also affirms that farming is an art practice for the same reasons that one may consider it a science.
by the process of returning to the site everyday, i was able to create something imperfect yet substantial with the seeds, compost, topsoil and water. and when the plants are cared for, they always produce seed. and they did! quite a bit!
seed farming is unique in that you are not growing for weekly produce markets, so you can avoid some of the social and physical intensity associated with standard market-gardening. i really enjoy the process of tending to a plant through its entire life cycle and getting to learn the traits of each type of seed. there is much to know! and the tactile aspect of fermenting, cleaning and/or winnowing seeds is incredibly fulfilling.
nothing happens in true isolation either, and i would like to acknowledge all the care, support and general wonderful and silly times had with my friends and occasional coworkers during that period of time. farming alone is not ideal, in fact it is quite terrible...
