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Fairhaven Farm

mixes business and education

‘Working with kids is .... a challenge!’’ remarked Charlie Smith, Director of Fairhaven Farm School in Kitwanga. Mr.

Smith was a teacher in Hazelton

for eleven years before he took on the task of co-ordinating a work-study program for young people: at Fairhaven Farm in 1980.

by Betty Barton

The Farm School program was established eight years ago by Ray Halverson and Odt Jacobson, both local logging contractors. Ray donated the 120.acres for the farm and Odt provided the capital to establish it. Mr. Jacobson is still involved in the venture and continues to fund capital projects.

The program, under the

auspices of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, provides academic, vocational and spiritual education for young people from elementary school through high school and beyond. The students have come from B.C., Alberta, the Yukon and Maine, to learn responsibili- ty, get good grades and to work and to learn a trade, as they establish their moral and ethical framework. Academic training takes place every morning and vocational work experience, under supervision, in the after- noons. The newly appointed chapel on the property provides the venue for spiritual guidance. Most of the residents are from Seventh Day Adventist backgrounds, although it is not a pre-requisite. _ At present 16 students attend the school, and a total of 60 peo- ple live and work on the proper- ty, including 12 families, seven of whom have been there since the farm’s inception.

The farm operates five in- dustries: a cabinet shop, machine shop, greenhouses, sawmill and bakery. From their profits and the minimal student fees, the farm is self-supporting in its day-to-day operations.

The bakery, in operation now for eight years, supplies 1,500 loaves of bread each week to stores in Smithers, Hazelton and Terrace. Paul Cascagnette, head baker for one year, is proud to proclaim that theirs is the only bakery for 500 miles which sprouts is own wheat for the famed sprouted wheat bread. The recipes for all the breads baked at Fairhaven came from a California bakery at which Paul worked before moving to the farm. Two students assist Paul in the bakery. They all rotate through the various industries to gain experience in every aspect of the farm.

A newcomer to Fairhaven Farm is Brad Berousson, there to learn the bread production in order to take it back to Lumby. Lumby and Lillooet have similar farms to Fairhaven,

In the woodworking shop, the young people learn cabinetmak- ing skills, building finely finish- ed kitchen and bathroom cabinets and furniture on a con- tract basis for private in- dividuals and native bands. They have also built family homes, greenhouses and other buildings at the farm.

The greenhouses are heated

year-round with scrap wood and

‘sawdust left over from the

sawmill operations. The wood furnace must be stoked two or three times per night to keep the plants from freezing. Everyone takes a turn at it. They will soon be converting to used motor oil for convenience and more regulated heat (and sleep!). In the greenhouses, they grow long English cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce. In the fields, they grow carrots and up to three tons of potatoes in a season. With this produce, they provide their own needs and also supply regional grocery stores, in- cluding Overwaitea, Safeway and corner stores.

In the sawmill, they cut dun- nage (the thin strips of wood us- ed to separate layers of lumber before strapping them for shipp- ing) for Westar, Steige and Hobenshield sawmills. The buyers supply the pallets of

_lumber from which the strips are

cut.

Brad Berousson (left) ls an apprentice baker from Lumby, B.C., who is learning the Fairhaven Farm method of mak- ing bread from Paul Cascagnette. Berousson hopes to open a bakery similar to Fairhaven’s when he returns to

Lumby.

In the summer, berries are cultivated and the apple or- chards are harvested. But it’s not all work and study at Fairhaven Farm School — the young people often cross coun- try ski and recently braved the elements to go winter camping.

Report questions water system

TERRACE — A Fire Under- ‘writers survey conducted last September has concluded that although the city’s water supply has been improved, there are still ‘‘a considerable number of areas that require upgrading’’.

According to the report, the Deep Creek reservoir and the Skeena River pump station are adequate to deliver the basic fire flow of 2,500 gallons of water per minute for’ a minimum period of 2.5 hours, but 11 hydrant water flow tests in- dicated that several were not up to standards due to ‘small diameter piping, inadequate looping and excessive spacing of arterial mains’’.

The report also pointed out that an annual program of hydrant maintenance appeared to be lacking, and that about six of the 11 hydrants tested were ‘“‘leaking and/or stiff to operate’. In addition, ‘‘Con- siderable debris was flushed

from the system during hydrant water flow testing operations, indicating a need for a formal water main flushing program.”

In a final area of concern, the report pointed out the lack of a formal training budget and also that ‘‘adequate training ground facilities including a pumper test pit and training tower are re- quired,”’

The balance of the report was mainly positive and recognized the city’s increased fire fighting capability due to the addition of a new first line pumper. It also stated that the present fire hall

provides good coverage of the .

community and pointed out that the city’s plans for a water main rehabilitation program over the next few years will improve water flow.

The report has been forward- ed to the city’s Planning and Public Works Committee for review,

Pool, arena hill

projects

According to a Terrace Ad- visory Parks and Recreation Commission report, all ap- provals have been received for the Swimming Pool Expansion Project which is scheduled to begin in early April, and. the Beautification Society’s Arena Hill Project is close to the tendering stage of development.

Council has referred several resolutions from the Feb. 17 meeting of the commission to the Community and Recreation Services Committee for their

consideration and recommenda-

tion.

According to the report, the city should consider installing a proper drainage system in the Christy Park area because the east end of the park floods dur- ing a heavy rainfall. The report suggested that the drainage system should be installed soon

A Rf ac Sy notes aru eR neang: Aacmmentees omg ea ae

approved

because the Terrace Youth Soc- cer Association has indicated they would complete work on the park’s soccer fields this year.

The report also advised that the current fee structure for community recreation facilities was presently under study in preparation for the 1988/89 recreation budget. The study

will determine if the rate struc- ©

ture is sufficient to maintain facilities or if rate increases are required.

Through the report, the com-

- mission also requested that

council approve their recom- mendations that Dave Crawley and Gordon Oates be appointed to the commission for a two- year term and that the com- mencement date of new appoint- ments be changed from Jan. 1 to Sept. 1.

Falrhaven Farm School Director Charile Smith examines an English cucumber plant being cultivated in thelr wood heated green houses for sale to local grocery stores.

For more details ask your local dealer.

“sara souN

Prince Rupert Terrace Kitimat

624-4236 635-4948 632-5000

NATIONWIDE

ALPINE

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