The Rural Voice, 2006-07, Page 30A farm that grows
understanding
David and Darlene Pullen are turning their
St. Maros -area farm into a learning centre
to promote consumer understanding of food, farming and
the environment.
Story and photos by Keith Rouston
If the dream is achieved, the McCully's
by a learning centre
So your farm has been in your
family for six generations and
you're wondering about the
future. You're interested in
environmental issues and in helping
the general public learn more about
where their food comes from. So
where do you turn?
For David and Darlene Pullen
who operate the St. Marys -area farm
David's ancestor John McCully
settled in 1847 after travelling from
Halifax at the end of a long sea
journey from Ireland, the answer was
to turn their farm over to a land trust
and creating the McCully Centre for
Rural Learning.
The Pullens have operated
McCully's Hill Farm with a market
selling their products, from maple
syrup in the spring to vegetables in
the summer to beef and lamb directly
to the public. They've welcomed
people to their farm and offered tours
to the public and school children.
"Ten years ago when we started
hosting school groups here at
26 THE RURAL VOICE
Hill market building will soon be joined
McCully Farm," explained David at a
public celebration called A Taste of
Spring in late May„ "really it wasn't a
new thing. It was something that my
grandfather had been doing for many,
many years. It was something we had
the ability to revive as part of the
direct -market operation...
"What we found very quickly was
that there are very, very few places
left where children can access a real
working farm. We felt it was a
fantastic opportunity to offer a place
where children could come, not only
as part of school groups, but as part
of families on a weekend, part of
groups from all walks of life, be it
agricultural, environmental, rural,
urban.
"As time evolved we very quickly
got to the place where we had nearly
3,000 school children a year on
school trips a year, coming to the
farm. A few years ago we really had
to think about 'how do we make this
sustainable'.
"At the same time within our
family, with several owners involved,
we needed to think about the long-
term succession for the farm."
With the Pullens two daughters
representing the sixth generation on
the home farm, Pullen said his family
found itself in a common position
with other farm families, wondering
how they were going to get to the
next generation.
"There are some who are saying
we're losing an entire generation of
farmers. Our family in some ways
was no different. We had to think
about how are we going to keep this
going for another six or eight
generations or more.
The idea for a revolutionary
solution came on a trip to Vermont
where the couple first learned
Shelburne Farms, a 1400 -acre
working farm, national historic site
and nonprofit environmental
education centre located on the
shores of Lake Champlain.
"They are very, very involved in
educational activities and have a
direct farm marketing operation
similar to McCully Farm with a shop
and a mail order operation and were
in the process of becoming a self-
sustaining entity for the education of
children." Pullen explained. "They
host school tours for children from
several New England states. There
now has to be a lottery to see which
teachers can bring their classes to
Shelburne Farm.
"When Darlene and I first visited
this place we were so struck that
we've made three more visits since.
They have been very helpful in
educating us about how to bring this
concept to Ontario. We feel very
blessed to have this opportunity after
years here of very hard work."
That hard work has come not only
from his own family but from his
parents, Darlene's family, neighbours
and supportive teachers.
"At this time when we have so
many farmers with their backs to the
wall, we all know we have to figure
out how to get out of this crisis
situation. We do feel we have a
terrific opportunity here to make a
very small impact in the way people
think about food. I think if we can
start there and have a broader cross-
section of society really thinking that
they're making a political statement
when they shop, I think that we can