JAN 19-20, 2019: LANGLEY, BC – Metro Vancouver Mixer with Ben Hartman

Posted by Michalina Hunter on December 06, 2018

YA Mixer Langley Ben Hartman 2019

Join us for our Metro Vancouver Mixer in Langley, B.C. in partnership with the Langley Small Farm Network for two days of farm workshops & networking!

Saturday kicks off with a workshop from the legendary Ben Hartman, author of The Lean Farm book, titled “Market Gardening with Lean: Earn a Comfortable Living with Less Waste and Work”. Ben has inspired thousands of farmers to increase efficiency and profitability on their farms, and he’s coming to BC to share his knowledge! In the evening we will share a potluck meal, stories, and celebrate our local farming community with farmer slideshows.

On Sunday, Mount Krumpit Farm and Zaklan Heritage Farm will offer free animal and vegetable workshops on their incredible farms. We hope you can join this year’s Winter Mixer. 

SCHEDULE & LOCATIONS

Coast Salish Territories 

Saturday, January 19th

Sunday, January 20th

  • Mount Krumpit Farm Workshop – 10-11:30 AM – Address will be emailed to registrants. Please wear clean boots!
  • Lunch at Fraser Valley Cider Co. – 11:30-12:30ish PM – Bring lunch or a potluck item to share and meet at 22128 16 Ave, LangleyNote- the cidery is closed but we will be using one of their rooms. If you are continuing on to Zaklan Heritage Farm in the afternoon please leave time to get there for 1PM.
  • Zaklan Heritage Farm Workshop – 1-3 PM – Address will be emailed to registrants. Please wear clean boots! Street parking available on 133rd or 84th.

COST & REGISTRATION

Register here! Registration is required for all workshops. The Ben Hartman workshop is sliding scale $35-70. Please pay what you can. Proceeds support Young Agrarians programs. Thank you for your support! There are a couple spots for work trade available. Please contact Michi at community@youngagrarians.org to volunteer. 

The farm workshops on Sunday are FREE, but please register at the link above. 

Registration is not required for the Potluck and Farmer Slideshows on Saturday evening-bring your friends and family!

WHAT TO BRING: Bring a dish to share for the potluck on Saturday evening, and a plate and utensils to eat with. On Sunday, bring a bagged lunch or a potluck item to share, as well as gloves and clean boots to the on-farm workshops.

ON FACEBOOK: Join our Facebook event to offer or ask for ride shares, and help us spread the word!

If you have any questions, please contact community@youngagrarians.org.

Scroll down for more information on workshops and activities.


WINTER MIXER SCHEDULE

Ben Hartman Peppers

Market Gardening with Lean: How to Earn a Comfortable Living with Less Waste and Work

Saturday, January 19, 1-6 PM, 2019 – Willoughby Hall – 20809 83 Ave, Langley

Description:

In this workshop, Ben Hartman, author of The Lean Farm and The Lean Farm Guide to Growing Vegetables, will explain powerful concepts from the Japanese lean system that prevent burnout and increase profits with less waste and work. The workshop is geared toward market gardeners, covering lots of production techniques and tips. However, Lean Farm principles are applicable to all farms, not just market gardens! The lean system is universal and the workshop will focus on efficiency techniques that farmers of any size and type can take home and immediately employ. Ben will provide examples of lean at work on Clay Bottom Farm, in northern Indiana, where he and his wife earn a comfortable living from 1/2 acre of cultivated land working less than 35 hours per week.

Topics covered include:

  • Organizing workspaces with 5S
  • Genchi gembutsu (close observation) to precisely identify value
  • The 7 types of farm muda (waste)
  • Kaizen (continuous improvement) on a farm
  • How to set prices with lean
  • The lean system and worker management
  • Lean business management
  • Lean production of tomatoes, salad green, carrots, and more

SalixandSedgePotluck

COMMUNITY POTLUCK & FARMER SLIDESHOWS

Saturday, January 19th, 2019 – 6-9 PM, Willoughby Hall – 20809 83 Ave, Langley

The potluck and farmer slideshows are open to the entire community. From seasoned farmers to the farm curious, from infants to centenarians- you are invited to join us to share food, stories and celebrate our local farming community! Bring your friends and family- the more the merrier!

Please bring a dish to share. Not sure what to bring to the potluck? Consider supporting your local, organic farmer and/or food producer and find inspiration with their ingredients. Also, it is greatly appreciated if you can include a little card with the ingredients list for your dish in case people have food allergies/sensitivities.

Sign up for Farmer Slideshows and share your farm story! Once our bellies are full we will enjoy Farmer Slideshows. Each pre-registered farmer will be given 10 minutes and 10 slides to present anything they want to regarding their farm. You can talk about successes and challenges, farm hacks, and farm fails- any theme you choose. We will limit this to six farms so if you are interested please contact Ava Reeve at agriculture@leps.bc.ca to sign up!

ON-FARM ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE WORKSHOPS

Sunday, January 20th, 2019 – 10:00 – 11:30 AM: Mount Krumpit Farm – Address TBA

LUNCH 12:00-1:00 at Fraser Valley Cider Co. – Bring lunch or a potluck item to share and meet at 22128 16 Ave, Langley 

1:00-3:00 PM: Zaklan Heritage Farm – Address TBA

Bring: Lunch or a potluck item to share, and gloves and clean boots.

Workshop Descriptions: 

Mount Krumpit Farm with Julie Delisle & Deb Humphrey: We will tour the 10-acre farm including an overview of sheep production, laying hens, goats, cows, and guardian animals. We will hear more in-depth discussions of: considerations for farm structures for livestock; meat chicken production; and their side operations in goat’s milk soap, wool and sheepskins.

Learn more about the farm before your visit here!

Julie Mount Krumpit

Zaklan Heritage Farm: 

Intro to Tool Efficiencies and Seedling Production

In this two hour workshop participants will be have the chance to learn about various hand tools and systems used to increase efficiencies in market garden production. We will look at the paper pot seeder, walk behind tractor and other essential tools of the small scale farm. We will also discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks of these tools. We will look at different bed flipping techniques.

Since the season is fast approaching and seedlings are the first thing we do to get the season going, we will also discuss seedling production. We’ll look at ways to increase germination and how to grow strong and healthy seedlings. We will also demonstrate the paper pot transplanter seedling production system.

Learn more about the farm before your visit here!

zaklan heritage farm

We’re excited to partner with Langley Small Farm Network for this mixer! They are a new initiative aiming to support small-scale farmers in their social, financial and environmental sustainability. Langley-area farmers are invited to get involved, give input on the specific ways the Network could support them, and join our workshops and regular events in the coming year. The Network is coordinated by the Langley Environmental Partners Society with funding from Vancity, Investment Agriculture Foundation, Metro Vancouver, and the Langley Sustainable Agriculture Foundation.


The Metro Vancouver Mixer is made possible by Vancity and Langley Environmental Partners Society. 

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