Members’ Only Outing – Nature’s Apprentice Farm Tour
Date: Thursday 23 June 2022 (rain date 30 June 2022)
Time: 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM (approx.)
Leaders: Alberto Suarez-Esteban and Joanna Jack
Alberto and Joanna have graciously agreed to conduct a tour of their farm for MFNC members. Alberto, born in Spain where he grew up helping his grandparents in their farms, developed a deep fascination for the natural world. After 10 years in academia and with a PhD in Ecology, he dedicated himself “to working with nature to address the most destructive human activity on the planet: agriculture.” While no longer publishing in scientific journals, he is learning and sharing the knowledge he gleans from his new career of “regenerative agriculture” with others including MFNC members. His regular contributions to the club’s monthly sightings are always a treat.
Joanna was born in the Yukon and raised in Pakenham growing up with the satisfaction of growing her own food and appreciating the natural world. Alberto introduced her “to a different kind of vision for food production”, “that goes beyond organic certification and is designed to work with nature.” She is the farm’s marketing and communications advisor, “helping to share nature-based solutions for a happier, healthier world.”
Owned and operated by Alberto and Joanna, Nature’s Apprentice Farm is a regenerative farm which sells fresh produce, conducts farm tours, and offers consulting services on chemical-free farm design, set up, production and crop storage.
During the tour, people can expect to see/learn:
- How a diverse, small-scaled regenerative fam can help wildlife
- How to attract wildlife to a farm/yard
- Wildlife viewing, particularly birds (a mix of grassland, forest and edge species), insects, flowers, amphibians, snakes and medium to large size mammals if we are lucky.
For more information about the farm, please have a look at their website:
Nature’s Apprentice Farm (naturesapprenticefarm.ca) ,
their Facebook page:
(1) nature’s apprentice farm – Search Results | Facebook ,
and be sure to read their blog:
Blog – Nature’s Apprentice Farm (naturesapprenticefarm.ca)
Meeting Location: 112 Lynx Hollow Rd, Pakenham, ON K0A 2X0
Google map link: https://goo.gl/maps/g1G9nUbhXaMnxhuF6
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From Antrim Truck Stop
- South on 417,
- West on Ottawa Rd 29
- Alternatively from 417:
- West on Kinburn Side Rd (Ottawa Rd 20)
- (Both routes lead to Five Span Bridge Park)
- Continue or turn South on 29.
- West on McWatty Rd.
- South on Lynx Hollow Road.
Please no dogs for any MFNC outing.
A note about Covid: While COVID restrictions have eased, you are still asked to maintain physical distancing. Please bring and wear a mask where physical distancing is not possible. Please do not come if you are ill or have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid 19 or have been told to isolate. Notification of cancellation as soon as possible would be appreciated.
You may register yourself and anyone in your own household only. Confirmation emails will be sent. Please do not assume you are registered if you have not received and email.
Register for this outing as soon as possible at events@mfnc.ca
but no later than Monday June 20th.
Please include:
- The full names of all in your household who will be attending;
- A statement that you have read and answered “No” to all questions on the attached COVID questionnaire.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.
Macnamara Field Naturalists’ Club Pre-trip COVID-19 Questionnaire
Dear potential field trip participant,
We know that field trips have been an appreciated feature of your Macnamara Field Naturalists’ Club membership and while we have had to scale down our numbers to keep participants and leaders safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, we are glad to have been able to keep them running for some of that time. We have one change while the risk of spreading COVID-19 continues: Field trip participants will be required to read and attest that they have answered no to all questions on this pre- trip questionnaire.
PRE-TRIP QUESTIONNAIRE:
- Do you have any of the following symptoms: fever/feverish, new or existing cough, difficulty breathing, new loss or decrease in sense of taste or smell, runny nose, sneezing (non-allergy related), hoarse voice, nasal congestion, chills, headache, unexplained fatigue or malaise, difficulty swallowing, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, pink eye?
YES NO
- Have you traveled internationally or had close contact with anyone who has travelled outside Canada within the last 14 days?
YES NO
- Have you been tested positive for COVID or have you had close contact with anyone with respiratory illness or a confirmed or probable COVID-19 case in the last 14 days without wearing the required or recommended PPE (e.g. goggles, gloves, mask and gown)?
YES NO
The Field Trip Coordinator will advise you by email if you have forgotten to include the statement but cannot hold your place in the registration queue until your statement has been received.
Prior to or on the day of the field trip: Please review this questionnaire. If you answer “YES” to any questions in the questionnaire above, do not attend this field trip and please contact the Field Trip Coordinator at mfncfieldtrips@gmail.com as soon as possible to deregister you so that someone on the waiting list may take your place. You do not have to report any of the answers to the questionnaire; Just request to be removed from the list.
During the two weeks after attending a field trip: If you experience any of the symptoms in question #1 or you test positive for COVID-19, please notify the Field Trip Coordinator at mfncfieldtrips@gmail.com so that other participants may be informed of their potential exposure. Your confidentiality will be respected.
THANK YOU – YOUR COOPERATION WILL HELP KEEP US ALL SAFE