ABOUT US |
Jim and Pam, of Brighton Botanicals, and their many helpers plant and care for the gardens on the property of the “Wheeler Farm”. Stewardship is of the utmost importance, here, with regards to the property, leaving every inch of it better than it was before. We build our soil here and use as little tilling as possible. This is a very small farm. After months of painstaking decisions, we decided that we had to drop our “certified organic” status because of cost, the amount of time for paperwork and simply because we are just too small to be able to keep up with it all. We are still proud to be a member of (MCOG) who had been our certifier. We follow strict organic standards now making the public our inspector. We have a good reputation and our farm is open to anyone at anytime to come see how things are done here. Please visit us!! Our integrity and our lifestyle, setting an example and not allowing anything from the property unless it is superior for the family to eat has been and always will be foremost in our practices. We use no synthetic fertilizers, fungicides, pesticides or herbicides. We add no colours, no salt, no MSG, no preservatives to any of our product. Absolutely no type of food irradiation touches our product. Our crops are picked at peaked times and processed here, at the farm. We want any of you who live far away, to have confidence in what we do, just as those locally do. Hence, our new 2008 slogan:
At our farm, we are kept busy providing self guided garden tours, access to herbal education, advice on starting your own herbal, vegetable, or flower garden, flower-cutting gardens, designer perennials, many veggies, some assorted fruits, fresh & dried herbs (culinary, medicinal, aromatic), herbal tea blends to anyone/group whom has interest. We grow a lot of garlic. We also grow and educate others on heritage seed growing, saving and using. We also do research on the growing and harvesting of shiitake mushrooms. Education and producing of cereal grain grasses takes place, here, as well. All folks are very interesting in the foraging/wildcrafting of some herbs & food from the property and what that is all about. You can view our property map for a detailed layout of the gardens. We have magnificent skies here as well as some beautiful lawn. Our most enjoyable crop is the growth of new gardeners and young farmers. We have loads of experience with volunteer/barter/apprentice/intern placements, including wwoofers, SOIL, NBOFAP, National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service (USA), Good Works Canada, ACORN Apprenticeship Opportunities and similar assistances. Our farm has been offering placements and been involved in many successful learning/working relationships for many summers, now. Ages have varied from 18 to some in their 70’s. Instruction from us and/or learning from many of our workers, takes place with open communication, working closely with one and other, often side by side, while setting an example to attain working independently. We usually view ourselves as “large” gardeners vs. farmers with huge field crops. Our learning is continuous year after year. We have had volunteers from Atlantic Canada, P.Q., Manitoba, BC, Ontario, Sask, Manitoba, the US, Japan, New Zealand, Korea, Australia and France. Brighton Botanicals is situated on a hill with amazing views of the Saint John River and the surrounding land----including views of the longest covered bridge in the world & check out the covered bridges of our great county. The property has a rustic waterfront (where canoes and kayaks can be docked). This waterfront is also home to 2 acres of fiddleheads bursting forth each and every Spring, as well as a huge growth of large dark green nettle ready to harvest in June along with various waterfowl who freely take advantage of the nesting and feeding opportunities.
Our river view in the evening
In the hazy afternoon (above) bright sunny day (below)
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