I am so blessed to have a wonderful mother-in-law and I enjoy her company very much. Sometimes I get to go on the monthly bus excursion with her and the local Probus Group.
This week we visited 41C South Salmon Farm and Ginseng Farm.
I have a friend who owned a salmon farm and visited her on many occasions including the stripping time so I was feeling a bit blasé but was surprised to learn about the unique way this farm was run.
The farmer has a waterfall at one end of the property which feeds the fish growing tanks by gravity. The water is then passed through a series of ponds till it finally reaches a wetland for the final process in the cleansing chain finally draining into the river system as cleaned water.
It even feeds through this water wheel which in turn provides power to the farm house.
There are also solar panels on the house so the whole energy of the farm is self sustaining and ecologically friendly.
As you can see the wattles are still in bloom.
I was very surprised to discover they grew ginseng as well. It is incredibly slow growing and required a very shaded environment.
The farm has produced a diverse range of products using the herb.
Ginseng is said to have a very wide range of beneficial effects including aiding the metabolism, blood health, positive endocrine assistance and healing properties.
Definitely worth a visit if you find yourself on the road between Deloraine and Mole Creek.
It's been an eye-opener for me going on these trips with the "oldies". You may have seen coaches of retired people tripping around before. They are doing more than filling in a day, they are learning about such a diverse range of things in their environment and they are also doing their bit propping up the economy, spending a little bit everywhere they go. Where they stop for lunch is a boon for some of these small out of the way hotels.
I am so blessed to have the opportunity to trip around with them a few times a year.
What an interesting place. I sometimes go with my mum on her 'retired staff days out' and it is always an entertaining, informative day out ... with a nice lunch of course! M x
ReplyDeleteSome of my best memories are of my bus trips with Ma (grandmother) as a kid. We went to heaps of cool places, got lots of attention from the oldies, and saw heaps of stage shows (senior's and group discounts!) So I am thoroughly looking forward to bus trips when I'm older (and bonus crafting time haha)
ReplyDeleteThe ginseng is fascinating. It looks like it was a very informative day out..old or not, people don't lose their brains as years go by, my mum and dad are in their eighties and have all the intelligence they had in previous years. I think oldies are under employed and underestimated a lot of the time.
ReplyDeleteHey Tanya, what a great outing so interesting and they certainly have got a great set up at the farm.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure if I was there, I'd be the last back on the bus, asking questions and wanting to know how everything worked!!
Great you have the opportunity to join in on some of these outings.
CLaire :}
The salmon farm looks amazing, really good idea with using the water like that and I never really knew what ginseng was to be honest!
ReplyDeletei am off on that trip for sure...love the fact that we actually grow Ginseng here and the silk worms ...have to take Rosie there..she would love it... i adore the honey farm at Chudleigh... we slurp up their honey ice cream...
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