Farming for others
Lennoxville just happens to be home to a fascinating “Farmhouse” that hosts two organizations. The Garden of Hope, founded by Alain Rodrigue, has a mandate to grow food for local people in need. The Foundation for Farming, represented by Serge Lauzon, offers training programs about sustainable agriculture.
The Garden of Hope is relatively new to the Townships. Setting up base for the first time in Lennoxville this summer, Rodrigue and his right-hand Joel Bélanger occupy 49 gardening beds at the Farmhouse where they plant and grow vegetables that they later transform into meals for people in need.
The idea to prepare food for the less fortunate came to Rodrigue last year when the pandemic hit.
“I knew that with everything that was happening, people were going to lose their jobs and be hungry. I wanted to create a garden that would be able to help people and provide food for them,” he said.
Originally, Rodrigue and Bélanger were in St-marguerite-de-lingwick. After a successful season last year, word about the Garden of Hope reached Lauzon. He contacted Rodrigue and Bélanger and offered them space in the garden at the Farmhouse. “My desire is to have a Garden of Hope in every town, so I took them up on the offer and left four people in charge of the farm in Lingwick,” said Rodrigue.
If things go well this season in Lennoxville, the Garden of Hope may very well move on to a new town to continue growing food for people in need.
When they first arrived at the Farmhouse, both Rodrigue and Bélanger underwent the program offered by the Foundation for Farming, run by Lauzon.
The Foundation for Farming moved into the Farmhouse three years ago,. Its goal is to teach people about sustainable agriculture. At the farm, they offer a hands-on program that is available to anyone interested, which takes place over a few weeks.
Rodrigue and Bélanger, who just recently finished the training program, are now applying their new skills and knowledge to their Garden of Hope food beds.
While most participants want a quality yield using sustainable practices, some use the training as a means of gardening therapy .
Simon Saint-pierre, currently taking the training program, spoke to the therapeutic benefits of the program.
“I worked in construction for 22 years. Around two years ago, I had a major burnout,” said Saint-pierre, “Everything had fallen apart, so I headed for the woods with my cat and pitched my tent near the Saint-françois River. One day I met Joel; his boat was not working, so I helped him walk his boat back to the farm. The entire walk back, he told me about sustainable agriculture and about the Garde of Hope, which is located on the farm and feeds the poor. Upon arriving, the Farmhouse invited me to pitch my tent on their property, which I quickly agreed to,” Saint-pierre explained. “Since then, I’ve been helping every day and taking the full training. I enjoy it 2000 per cent, as it is like nothing I’ve ever done previously. I desperately
needed this chance to escape life and reconnect with nature. Doing this work daily has made me feel restored,” said Saint-pierre.
The Farmhouse is located on 2445 Rue College and both the Garden of Hope and the Foundation for Farming operate with the help they receive from volunteers emerging from the community. “We welcome anyone who wants to come and help out even if they are only coming for half a day,” said Lauzon.