Eat, learn, garden

If you’re looking for advice on organic gardening, you won’t find a better source than the folks at Tesla Springs Farm, located north of Kaslo, B.C. Bent Haagerup started farming 50 years ago in Denmark and has accumulated a dozen years of Kootenay gardening experience at the farm he now runs with his wife, Gunilla, and son Jens. They have raised livestock and now grow a variety of produce while looking forward to expanding into grain production.

The Haagerups are serious about growing healthy produce that represents their belief in eating well. Bent Haagerup spoke with us about their farm and commitment to organic practices. He said there seems to be an improving commitment to quality food in general as people become more aware of the dangers of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Haagerup pointed out some of the primary reasons to support eating organically and locally. It’s worth it, he said, to support local organic farmers because, with the price of oil and subsidized food costs, they are the only food source we can count on.

Certainly, supporting local farmers is important, but another way each of us can contribute is through growing some of our vegetables on our own. The Kootenays offer a perfect location for this.

“It’s good climate,” said Haagerup. “You have to be careful about the hot summers. Apart from that, this is really a fantastic place.”

Still, new gardeners have their work cut out for them.

“First of all, learn. Learn something,” said Haagerup.

He suggested reading books, searching the Internet—just know how to tell the good information from everything else.

“It’s also good to know someone who has done it for some years, or get some books, for example from The Canadian Organic Grower.”

Certainly don’t let anything overwhelm you, though, he said.

“There’s so much money involved in gadgets and things,” said Haagerup, “but you just need a spade, a fork, maybe a few other things, and then go from there.”

The benefits are well worth it. Knowing you can produce some of your own food independently is an incredibly positive feeling.

“We like farming, we like nature and we like to see things growing,” said Haagerup. “(Tesla Springs Farm) had never been a farm before, so we’re starting it over from scratch. There’s a lot of work in that, but we’re doing it.”