My Friends at Fossil Farm Organics
It is a very big task to work on a ten-acre organic farm.
This is the first lesson I learned being a work/trade guest for the Galvin
Family, owners of Fossil Farm Organics. I have been supportive of organic
gardening since I was a child in my grandfathers garden. I helped him till the
soil, pull carrots, and pick squash and vine-ripened tomatoes. I have loved the
land since I was young, knowing I would go back to it someday. I am grateful to my Grandaddy for
instilling these priceless values into my formidable young mind.
Working on the farm with the Galvin’s was an experience that
opened my eyes, showed me what hard work really looks like, and an experiment
that I loved VERY much. Our days were filled with weeding, picking, planting,
mulching, composting, watering, bed preparation, seed saving, packing produce,
taking/packing/delivering orders and so much more. There are too many jobs on a
farm to even list! It is a major task to make sure thousands of plants and
seeds are well fed, hydrated, shaded, exposed to sun, etc. The soil has to be
perfect. The ground has to be ready. The weather has to be of the season. It is
a very exact science!
I took on various tasks during my stay. One of my jobs that
I really enjoyed doing was chicken feeding and egg collecting. It wasn’t always
pleasant dealing with chicky poo, but the reward of offering farmer’s market
customers free-range, organic, unfertilized, unpasteurized eggs feels SOOO
good! I also developed a sweet relationship with the fifty hens I was feeding
daily. I was happy to be the ‘Chicken Lady’ for my short stay.
Some other jobs that I found very meditative and pleasurable
were watering, bean harvesting, preparation for market and the Byron Farmer’s
Market itself. Watering was nice because I would sing to the plants as I
watered them, knowing that the love from my voice would be delivered through
the water, and the hydrated plant would feel it and deliver it into the soul of
the person who eats it! I enjoyed bean picking because it was like a little
scavenger hunt. It was so fun to hunt through all of the spiraling leaves and
vines to find a bunch of beautiful string beans! They were so crispy and juicy.
I ate a ‘few’ while working my way down the patch ;)
Market preparation consisted of preparing loads and loads of
boxes of fresh veggies for the market customers. My favorite part about this
was the teamwork. It was awesome to have a few of us on harvesting and a few of
us on packaging. It seems so easy when there is a group of people working
towards the same goal, smiling and laughing all the while. I really do feel
that our energy goes into the vibration of the food, and is transferred into
the lives of others. It was important for me to see the power of positivity and
the power of negativity and how it affected the plants, animals, and other
member of the team. One weak link can really impact the Big Picture of
something like this. I learned so many valuable lessons about dynamics,
teamwork and how to enjoy your self through days of hard labor.
The Byron Bay Farmers Market was such a joy to be a part of.
Everyone was so friendly and happy to see all of the amazing produce grown just
for them. The Galvin’s even take special orders and prepare them the night
before for people, and they can just stop by the stall and come scoop it right
up! The Galvin Family has put so much love into this farm and it shows. The
customers can see that and they come back every single week to buy this fresh,
organic, yummy and super nutritious produce. I am grateful to Leah, Lisa,
Dennis and Marion Galvin for taking me into their lovely home and showing me
the ins-and-outs of organic gardening. From roots to fruits I saw the process
unfold. I am very appreciative that there are folks out there, like the
Galvins, who are willing to put in the countless hours and selfless time spent
growing and harvesting healthy food for their local community. It is people
like this that are making a HUGE difference in the world. Leah is the sweet
soul who brought me in and she learned how to farm in Thailand. She is passing
that knowledge on to work/trade guests who come stay and help. Dennis and
Marion (Mom & Dad) were former Sydney residents who chose to leave city
life behind to support the world of organic farming. Researching ahead and
learning as they go along, they have so much to share! I was happy to have them
as teachers. Lisa, Leah’s sister, still lives in Sydney but comes periodically
to visit and lend a hand. She is so creative and practical and makes very
delicious food with the harvest from the garden. I enjoyed getting to know
her. They are an inspiring family
unit!
One point I want to make before ending is that the price of
organic food is always fair no matter how ‘expensive’ one might consider it.
There is an insurmountable amount of work that goes into being a Grade A
Certified Organic Farm complete with Free-Range Hens. This is not a task for
the weak minded or faint hearted. This effort means getting dirty, sweaty, and
hot. It means bending and standing and pulling and pushing and being strong. It
means you do work ALL DAY LONG and by the end of it the profit margins are good
but not anything extravagant. It is a simple life and I am so grateful that
there are families and farmers out there willing to work this hard to put good
food on our plates. It may seem cheaper and easier to buy genetically modified
foods from the corporate grocery store, but that is feeding a beast that does
not have the well-being of the people in mind. Organic Family Owned Farms are
the ones to support! Find your local farmers market or source of local produce
and do your best to put your money towards these people. Your body, planet and
palate will thank you! Here’s to the Galvin’s and good old fashioned farmed
food from Fossil Farm Organics.
