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ABOUT THE FARMER
Hola! I was born and raised in Barcelona – daughter of a Catalan mother and a Canadian father – where I did my schooling and obtained a post-secondary degree in professional cooking. I immigrated to Vancouver in 2008 out of a sense of adventure where I started working as a server. In an unforeseen turn of events, I found my way out of the indoor type jobs and started working outdoors while moving further North and into the interior of B.C. This made me realize how much I value being outside doing physical labour. After a few seasons of tree planting in the summers and ski patrolling in the winters, I experienced the will to focus my work into something that could better contribute to future generations. Growing food seemed like the perfect match.
This is how I started volunteering at a couple farms in Prince George, where I learned about the growing patterns of this unique area of B.C., different agrarian methodologies and the endless bounty of wild nature. By the end of the summer, one of the farm owners offered me a lease on ¼ of an acre to plant garlic. Naturally, I jumped into this golden opportunity, traded labour for the plowing of the land and invested in certified organic garlic seed. Additionally, the owner contracted me to take care of the carrot crop, which kept me busy all summer and still does this fall. Soon after these agreements, the farm owner and a few other members decided to transition into a co-operative model.
This was such an amazing experience: growing my own first crop, working on the additional contract AND experiencing the reality of forming a co-operative in which I took care of bookkeeping. My garlic did quite well considering my inexperience and the wet spring and summer conditions of 2020. I have learned so much about this amazing bulb and its endless qualities. I have eaten and sold its greens, spring garlic, scapes, baby bulbs and now I am curing the full grown harvest. I am also experimenting with reproduction via bulbils – garlic’s “true seed” – and I’m planning on making this one of my selling products. I am so grateful for this agricultural journey and the people I have met and worked with.
Unfortunately, the land in this region is not suitable for my garlic which is why you find me here, in search of new land.
I firmly believe that change for the better of the planet can come out of farming and growing food. My future farming dreams include developing a regenerative farming model where the soil I use not only is profitable but is nourished by what I grown in/on it. I am very interested in compost management, sustainable foraging and the processing of products from farms that are not suitable for market sales. I believe these changing times are an opportunity to better manage our resources and food is the one that I am most passionate about. My objective is to minimize waste and to make the most out of what I am given.
LAND REQUIREMENTS
I am looking for one quarter of an acre – or a little more, or a little less – to which I can commute, ideally within 30 minutes from Prince George downtown.
The ideal soil consistency would be loamy, with good drainage and on a gentle slope. Lack of chemical residues would be great as I am planning on growing with organic amendments and I have certified organic seed. This being said, I am not in need of obtaining an organic certification at this time. An operator and machinery to plow the land for the initial planting would be a dream come true! And a nearby irrigation pond would be a bonus.
I plant my garlic in the fall, just before the first snow fall so for me, time is of the essence. I hope one of you lovely readers is able to help me! Have a most wonderful day.
– Ruth
GET IN TOUCH
Do you have land that might be the right fit for this farmer? If you have land (or are looking for land) and are interested in learning more about this farmer and the B.C. Land Matching Program, please contact the Central & Northern B.C. Land Matcher at jolene@youngagrarians.org. Learn more about the farmer (and other Land & Farmer Listings in your region) on the Young Agrarians UMAP. For more about the B.C. Land Matching Program, please visit youngagrarians.org/land.
The B.C. Land Matching Program is funded in Central and Northern B.C. by the Province of British Columbia, with support from the Real Estate Foundation of B.C. and Patagonia.