A couple in Keswick Ridge is organizing weekend vegetable U-picks they call “Garden Raid” to share fresh produce with community members while they go for medical treatment for their unborn child.
Wellspring Farms is located just outside of Fredericton and is run by the Curry family.
Both couples work as registered nurses part-time, but decided to start a farm in early spring to support a healthier lifestyle for their family, especially their children, says Joel Currie.
“With the kids now lighting the fire to make the choice to get out of here,” Curry said. “I’ve always been passionate about food and, you know, I wanted to grow it and grow the best I could and just create a life here for my kids.”
Part-time registered nurse says kids pushed him to start farm (Submitted by Joel Currie)
Medical treatment for their baby girl
The couple is expecting their fourth child at the end of August. The unborn baby has duodenal atresia, a blockage between the intestines and the stomach. When this happens, food cannot move from the stomach to the intestines.
Currie says the family will go to IWK Health Center in Halifax for surgery scheduled for the baby girl about 24 to 48 hours after she is born. They will be there for about five weeks.
His wife, Megan Curry, is already in Halifax and has been there for a week, Curry said.
Beets and carrots will be available to harvest at U-pick at Wellspring Farms (submitted by Joel Currie)
He didn’t want the produce to go to waste, so he decided to organize an independent U-pick where people could bring their own bags and fill them with fresh produce for $20.
“I’ll be gone for a month, I won’t be able to pick and sell and do anything really for the gardens. But I just wanted to find a way not to lose [the food], do something fun, new and creative. And that’s what we came up with,” Curry said.
What is available for harvest
Every Saturday from August 20th to September 10th from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, community members will be able to pick tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, zucchini, beans, ground cherries, Swiss chard, lettuce, beets, and carrots. Small signs with Currie’s email will direct people to where to wire the funds.
The couple sells their produce at the Mactaquac Market every Sunday. However, they will not be able to participate for the next five weeks, according to Curry.
Tomato plants at Wellspring Farms in Keswick Ridge. (Submitted by Joel Curry)
Community support
Curry’s Facebook post on Monday about U-pick and his family’s medical condition received many comments from community members expressing interest and well wishes.
He says the response has been overwhelming.
“Everyone goes through tough seasons and tough times, and people are no strangers to hardship and pain and suffering,” Curry said. “It’s just an amazing thing to feel the support of a community in those times.”
Megan Curry (left) and Joel Curry (right) are part-time registered nurses. They started Wellspring Farm in the spring to support a healthier lifestyle for their family. (Submitted by Joel Curry)
According to Statistics Canada, from April 2021 to April 2022, the price of food increased by 9.7%. Canadians reportedly had to pay 10% more for fresh fruit and 8.2% more for fresh vegetables compared to the previous year.
Curry says he knows the $20 he’s charging doesn’t make a living, but his goal isn’t to “get top dollar.”
“If people can come and get great affordable food, then I really want to stand for that,” he said.
“I hope people get a really cool unique feeling of coming together and supporting something beautiful and healthy. And I hope they get some tasty vegetables too.”
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