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Steel Pony makes first produce delivery

Mike Kozlowski’s budding career as a farmer reached new heights on Tuesday.
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(From left) Mike Kozlowski

Mike Kozlowski’s budding career as a farmer reached new heights on Tuesday.

The 27-year-old Red Deerian made his first delivery of garden fresh cauliflower, arugula, chives, cilantro, radishes and a stir fry mix of bok choy, spinach and radish greens to the 32 members who signed up for his community-supported agriculture program.

Each individual bought a $650 share into Kozlowski’s Steel Pony Farm in exchange for a box of locally produced vegetables every week throughout the growing season.

“I’m proud, for sure,” Kozlowski said as he loaded up the Rubbermaid containers brimming with food.

“But I feel nervous all the time, actually. There are a lot of things going really well, but in this box we were suppose to have green onions. But our first crop had really bad germination. I’m always thinking two weeks ahead.”

Kozlowski decided to start the Steel Pony Farm on two acres of land near Fort Normandeau after spending the spring of 2010 on a whirlwind tour of small and sustainable farm operations across Alberta.

His livelihood is now dependent on the success of the 51 different crops he hand-sowed into the earth.

Rain and cooler weather stunted the plants’ growth earlier in the season, but Kozlowski is determined to provide his members with at least 14 weeks of produce. They’ll receive staples such as potatoes, beets, carrots, peas, tomatoes, basil, Swiss chard, garlic, cucumbers and possibly zucchini as the summer days progress.

Kozlowski is just as concerned with challenging people to think about alternative modes of transportation as he is about providing fresh and healthy produce.

He and the two friends he hired to help tend to the land will use bicycles to haul about 100 kg worth of food to the weekly pickup location at Red Deer College every Tuesday and to the Wednesday evening Downtown Market.

Kozlowski created flatbed trailers that attach to the bikes to carry the food load.

“Hopefully it will inspire a few people,” he said. “Maybe they can ride to work or ride out to do their errands.”

Andy Gartner, one of the friends Kozlowski hired, said the Steel Pony Farm is a local example of efforts some are making to move towards a more sustainable food system.

“There’s no reason why we should be shipping this food from so far away,” the 26-year-old said.

For more information about the Steel Pony Farm, visit www.steelponytour.ca.

ptrotter@www.reddeeradvocate.com