If you have questions about all things agricultural, then Farm Life 2023 at the Interlakes Community Hall is the place to be on May 6.
Farm Life is a one-day workshop hosted by the Country Pedlar and sponsored by Ritchie-Smith Feeds. The idea behind the free event is to provide information on everything from chicken nutrition to hay analysis to ranch safety.
“Farming doesn’t necessarily have to mean animals. For me, farming is everything agricultural, from the dirt up,” said organizer Terri Brown of the Country Pedlar. “People are losing the art of how to grow anything or what is available to even do for a living in the field of agriculture.”
Animal feed nutritionists from Ritchie-Smith will be on hand talking about swine, chickens and horses. The speakers will rotate at 15-minute intervals, with plenty of time for questions throughout the day,
“This will be our second go-round with having nutritionists from Ritchie-Smith come. They are super fabulous and open to any kinds of questions you can possibly imagine,” said Brown, adding that the chicken nutritionist is one of the best in Canada.
In addition to speakers throughout the day there will be tables set up around the hall. There are 20 booked to date, and Brown said that might be the limit due to space.
Organizations that have booked a table include the Interlakes Horse Club, Permaculture, Backcountry Horseman, The Cattlebelles, South Cariboo Excavating to talk about riding arena topics, and the South Cariboo Equestrian Association.
There will also be information on beekeeping, vegetable gardening, and soil, and the Cariboo Regional District will be there with information about invasive weeds. There will also be information available on Olds College of Agriculture and Technology.
“There are so many of them I can’t think of them all,” said Brown.
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The workshop was partly inspired by food shortages that happened during the pandemic in terms of shortages at grocery stores. Brown said there are so many people who have moved to the South Cariboo in recent years who don’t know the basic husbandry of the land: how to maintain it, what goes on it and how to get enough forage for animals who graze it.
She added that people in general got a rude awakening as to what could happen. For some it may have proven to be an eye-opening experience of what you could actually produce yourself.
Swag bags will be given out to those in attendance, plus lunch and coffee breaks will be provided, said Brown. She noted that the workshop will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and should have something for everyone.
Anyone wishing to attend is asked to register before April 15 via email to thecountrypedlar@gmail.com or text 250-593-4114.
fiona.grisswell@100milefreepress.net
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