■ Food for thought during farm visits
Brian Kowalski (right) of Murray Meadows Farms explains about carrots and other crops grown at the Portugal Cove-st. Philip’s location, one of many participants in Open Farm Day NL on Sunday. Murray Meadows Farms has been operating in the community for nearly two centuries. It was one of eight operations that participated in Open Farm Day NL, hosted across the province on Sunday, which allowed residents an inside look at the various livestock and agriculture operations that produce a variety of products sold at Newfoundland and Labrador locations and provide the public with fresh products. Kowalski said Murray Meadows, an operation that spans 160 acres, doesn’t grow the traditional crops seen in other operations in this province. In addition to this 2.5-acre field the farm works, he described to a group of visitors how crops are grown in greenhouses at the Portugal Cove operation. There are approximately 20,000 square feet of unheated greenhouses and several more that are heated. This helps the farm to produce crops such as lettuce, beets, carrots, herbs such as parsley, and cilantro, chard and kale. In addition, they grow many varieties of peppers, basil, cucumbers and tomatoes. In addition to Murray Meadows Farms, others that took part in the one-day event included Hugh’s Pond Farm in Portugal Cove-st. Philip’s, Pond View Farms Ltd. in Goulds, Dixie ‘H’ Farm in Goulds, Woodland Farm Inc. in Goulds, Three Mile Ridge Ranch in Lethbridge, Green Valley Farm in Northern Arm and the Campbellton Berry Farm in Campbellton.