Volunteer opportunities at the farm 🌱
We love volunteers! A thing I love about taking on volunteers is offering experience and education to folks about how and why we farm - that means hard skills, but also the science and values behind what we do. And small-scale farming is fun! It's hands-on, it's cooperative and collaborative, and it's got strong DIY buck-the-system vibes - what's not to love about that???
It's important to me that volunteers feel comfortable and safe - physically and emotionally. If an activity doesn't feel good for your body, please say so, you know your body's limits best. Similarly, I will not tolerate racism, transphobia, homophobia, ableism or sexism on my farm - full stop. Globally and locally, the folks who face the most food and seed insecurity are those who are the most marginalized, and those are the people whose comfort, safety and well-being are prioritized at Sowing Kits.
Below you'll find an overview of what to expect: timing, location, what to bring, the general plan for the season (always subject to change!), and if you have any questions, leave a comment below!
The basics: Timing: I'm out there every weekend, and during the busy seasons (like now) I'm there Saturday and Sunday, plus a few evenings after work. Once things get settled down, I aim to be there one day each weekend. I generally arrive around 8:00am and stay for 6-12 hours 😳 I absolutely don't expect anyone else to put in that many hours, but if you get a ride with me, you're stuck there until I leave! Location: I farm at the KPU Richmond Farm School, located at the corner of Gilbert Road and Dyke Road, in Richmond. There's also a community garden there with parking, so if you drive out, there's free parking. Getting there: The closest bus stop is 2km away, at Steveston Road, so I really discourage folks from taking transit. If you have a car, and want to drive out, that's amazing - that means you can come and go at your leisure. If you're in Vancouver, or can get to Vancouver, I'm happy to offer a ride. What you should bring:
Pants (not shorts) that you don't mind getting dirty (ideally sturdy and with pockets)
A wide-brim hat / ballcap and bandana to cover your neck
A light long sleeve shirt and t-shirt
Gloves (optional)
Earplugs (optional)
Sturdy boots
Sunblock
Water and water bottle (we do have water on-site which is potable)
Scheduling: I'll do my best to send out an email each week to let you know what's coming up and to give you a chance to opt in or out. For my own comfort levels, I'd prefer no more that 2-3 people coming out at a time. What the season looks like in terms of tasks: Over the next 2-3 weeks:
Installing T-posts and trellising
Seeding and transplanting
Installing more irrigation lines
Weeding (aka cultivating)
Throughout the summer:
Weeding
Maintenance (weedwacking the perimeter, pruning the elderflower tree)
Bed-flipping
Transplanting fall and winter crops in
Harvesting and cleaning produce
Delivering harvest to community fridges around Vancouver
Late summer/early autumn:
Seed harvesting - hopefully with the Farm Folk, City Folk seed-cleaning van on-site!
Putting the farm to bed for the winter
Winter:
Seed cleaning and packaging
Breaks are encouraged whenever you need one, and snacks and bevvies will be provided, along with learning cool skills, answers to all your farming-related questions, and fun! And when there are crops ready to harvest, you won't go home empty-handed!
If this sounds like your jam, hooray! If you'd like to come out once, perfect. If you want to come out every chance you get, also perfect 😊 I welcome folks to come out for as much or as little time as they feel comfortable, and to never do something that doesn't feel good for your body.
Reach out via the comments below, or shoot me a message here. I'm looking forward to hearing from you!
Loki 🌱
