Page 14 - Salute to Agriculture

B14 WESTMAN THIS WEEK THE BRANDON SUN n THURSDAY MARCH 25 2021
n
Market gardeners learning fast

BY HEATHER REIMER boxes containing a variety of
fresh produce from their farm
The year 2020 was a life- delivered weekly to subscrib-
changing year for Prairie ers. The couple intends to
Knight Farms operators Ash- double their crop varieties this
ley Heaman and Graeme season.
Knight, and not just because Despite having done a lot
of the COVID-19 pandemic. of research before making
The couple from Winnipeg the move to rural Manitoba,
moved with their two young Knight says he wishes he knew
daughters out to the country- sooner about things like suc-
side near the small Westman cession planting, where grow-
community of Margaret to ers make produce available
begin their new occupation as to consumers throughout the
market gardeners. Neither had season with phased plantings
ever farmed before the move. and small, frequent harvests.
Knight, 27, had spent his He also wishes they had
entire working life from age learned earlier about pest-
14 onward in retail, and his prevention tricks like row cov-
wife Ashley, 30, worked as an erings, and had planted more
administrative assistant while leafy vegetables to meet the
they raised Iyla, 6, and Elise, 3. demand.
“I had the idea shortly after Nevertheless, the satisfac-
having Iyla,” said Heaman. “I tion they feel in growing and
wanted to do things to take selling food is only eclipsed by
better care of the planet, be the positive changes in their
more environmentally re- quality of life on the land. They
sponsible. That meant starting eat better, spend more time
to grow our own food.” together as a family, and Hea-
Knight’s initial reaction to man says she’s enjoying home-
her plan? schooling Iyla.
“I thought you were crazy,” “In the city, I wouldn’t have
he said. “No, I’m not moving had that opportunity. Plus we
to the middle of nowhere. I get to feed them healthy, deli-
really enjoyed my job. But as cious, home-grown food every
time went on, it started mak- day. In the city, we did takeout
ing more sense. We got into a lot because we were exhaust-
gardening, and lo and behold, ed all the time.”
here we are.” Meaud and Burrell live in
In March of 2020, the family the nearby main house where
left their life in Winnipeg just both families come together
as the first cases of COVID-19 daily to cook, eat and visit and
were being announced by the Ashley Heaman and Graeme Knight pose for a photo on their farm near Margaret. (Tim Smith/The Brandon Sun) where their kids can play safe-
province. And while rural life ly within their COVID bubble.
provided a buffer from the their relatives a guest cabin was raging and heightened shifted again in late August help his cousin with the grain Looking back at the past 12
worst effects of the pandemic, and three acres of land plus all government regulations made when even stricter COVID harvest. The family saved on months, Knight and Heaman
it also presented a plethora of the free farming advice they doing business more compli- rules were introduced. The trio groceries by eating their un- have no regrets about their de-
challenges to the young family. could handle. cated, requiring markets to made the tough call to shut sold produce through the au- cision to trade the city for the
First, the bank wouldn’t “Now we ask their advice on enforce mask-wearing, social down the market two weeks tumn and winter. country life.
give them a mortgage to buy a everything, probably to the distancing and hand-washing. earlier than scheduled. Despite an unprofitable “We’ve met some fantastic
farm, even though they owned point where it’s obnoxious,” That prompted the sole op- “That really put a damper 2020 (they broke even), Prairie people at the Ninette market,”
their home in the city. For a Knight said with a laugh. erator of the Ninette Farmers on things,” said Knight. “A lot Knight Farms is now blazing said Knight. “The community
while, it looked like the dream The couple launched a Face- Market to cancel the season of our produce was ready that ahead into its second year with is really, really wholesome.
would have to be put on hold book page announcing the ar- before it even started. Sudden- very week — spaghetti squash, optimism. Seeds are sprouting We’re lucky to be where we
until they could save enough rival of Prairie Knight Farms ly, market gardeners in the re- butternut and acorn squash indoors, plans are underway are.”
to buy a place. and in May last year, planted gion had nowhere local to sell and pumpkins. All of a sudden to manage the Ninette Farm- “I don’t want to sound
But then help came in a their first crop — mostly root what they had grown. we had all this food and no ers Market again and to sell cheesy,” said Heaman, “But
most unexpected way. vegetables and flowers. Later Knight, Heaman and Burrell markets.” produce at the Global Market we’re trying to be good stew-
Heaman’s cousin, Brian Me- came pumpkins, watermelon joined forces to organize and The couple had to dip into in Brandon. ards of the land and take care
aud, and his wife Kara Burrell and squash varieties, all grown manage the market them- their savings in order to get by They recently launched a of the planet, and I feel we’re
farm 25 minutes west of using organic practices. selves. They kept it going all that fall. Knight learned how membership drive for a new going in the right direction
Ninette. They offered to rent Meanwhile, the pandemic summer until the landscape to drive a combine so he could income generator — veggie with that.”

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