Last summer I was part of a group of kayakers and raft guides who attempted to balance a mutual addiction to whitewater paddling with the management of a twoacre market garden. Whitewater Organics was created from our combined experiences on berry farms, sheep farms and in greenhouses.
We tilled a plot not far from the river with the intention of infusing our raft guide salaries with free, fresh produce and registered at local farmers’ markets, hoping to sell a portion of our yield.
It started off so well. After an intense spring planting, we had filled two acres with produce. Our vehicles were littered with a mix of paddling gear and farm tools—paddles and pitchforks spooned in our trunks. Garden sessions ended with the farm team heading to the river, where I washed layers of dirt off my feet before climbing into my boat and picked soil out from under my nails in the eddy. It was a summer of contrasts; time spent immersed in brown earth and white water.
As summer ramped up and work on the river increased, it became harder to get to the patch after work. Hot, sunny afternoons begged to be spent on the cool river, not a dusty garden patch…
This article appeared in Rapid, Summer/Fall 2013. Download our free iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch App or Android App or read the rest here.
