CARVEL, Alta. – Michael Hunter could have taken a more financially rewarding job but instead the Edmonton man chose to spend the summer as a market garden apprentice learning to grow and sell food.
“It was more important for me to think about long term and where food will come from in the next 50 years than money,” said Hunter, pausing while cleaning out lettuce beds at Inspired Market Gardens west of Edmonton.
“It was a priority for my wife and I. It was a real concern how to get young people farming.”
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Hunter has spent the summer learning how to grow, harvest and sell flowers and vegetables.
He said everyone once knew how to grow food and live off the land, but it’s an almost lost art, especially in the city.
“It’s a real eye opener,” said Hunter, who knew little about gardening before joining owner Gwen Simpson and horticulturist Tara Hartwig in the gardens.
Two days a week Hunter planted and worked in the garden. Every Saturday, he helped Simpson sell, market and visit with customers at her farmers’ market booth at Edmonton’s City Centre market.
“It’s a real eye opener to see how versatile you have to be and to be a part of how Gwen gets her produce to market,” he said.
Becky Lipton, co-ordinator for the Alberta Sustainable Agriculture Apprenticeship Program, approached Simpson to take on an apprentice.
Lipton said each apprentice and farmer are encouraged to make their own financial arrangements.
For Simpson, Hunter has brought a fresh perspective to the operation, always asking why something is done a certain way.
“He brings an urban perspective and it has been marvelous,” said Simpson, who grew up on a B.C. farm. “When he asks why, we check ourselves and our methods.”
Simpson felt there was a need for the apprenticeship to educate consumers.
“I realized we need Growing 101. Some people don’t know how to put a seed in the ground. Some very urban people have a desire to grow food, but have no idea where to start and have no access to farms.”
Peter Lundgard of Nature’s Way Farm in Grimshaw, Alta., has had apprentice workers on his organic farm for several years through different agriculture programs. Interest in sustainable agriculture practices is growing.
“There are not very many places they can get that kind of knowledge. There’s not very many schools of sustainable agricultural practices,” he said.
“It’s a good way to teach people about what we’re doing. We’re getting to the point where we’re starting to look at retirement and realize it’s important to pass some of this on to the new generation.”
It was the same need Lipton saw when she designed the apprenticeship program. She saw people with an interest in farming, but with no experience or skill, or way to gain the knowledge.
“There’s a real need for experience in this type of agriculture,” said Lipton, of Edmonton.
This summer’s eight apprentices paired with farmers fall into two groups. One group is young people who have just graduated from university and want to “explore” the possibility of agriculture, local food politics or learn more about local food systems. The other group is older and looking for a career change into agriculture, but needs some education.
Lipton said farmers love the idea of passing on their skills and knowledge to new farmers and have more farmers interested in the program than apprentices available.
“I continue to be amazed at the farmers in Alberta. They want to grow new farmers.”
