Every weekday at 9 a.m., Jason Austin waits to see how many volunteers will show up at his Central Saanich farm.

It doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter how many come really, just that those who do want to be there are ready to get their hands dirty. People used to think he was joking when he told them, B次元官网网址淥nly come when you want to.B次元官网网址� But now, Austin said, they see the wisdom of it.

B次元官网网址淥ur volunteers are the nicest group of people you could ever hope to meet,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 want them to have fun when they are here and to realize just how much I value them.B次元官网网址�

Austin is the owner of Gatton House Farm, a five-acre slice of fruit and vegetable-laden paradise devoted to donating all 20-plus-tons of its annual produce to Greater Victoria residents in need.

In an average week, he provides hundreds of crates of fresh produce to the Mustard Seed, Our Place, B.C. Housing and various other local organizations. Those agencies then distribute the food through food banks, kitchens, hampers and free food markets.

_{When the Mustard Seed arrives around 11 a.m. July 21, workers drop off 150 empty banana boxes and Jason Austin (left) and his volunteers load up 40 boxes full of romaine lettuce in exchange. The empty ones will quickly be filled with beans, swiss chard, zucchinis, bok choy, and the such, to be distributed to other organizations. (Jane Skrypnek/B次元官网网址 Staff)}

All of this is volunteer powered.

Will Wild is the director of missions and community engagement at Glad Tidings Church on Quadra Street. Members of his church and others around the region make up the majority of AustinB次元官网网址檚 volunteers.

For Wild, itB次元官网网址檚 a win-win situation B次元官网网址� the farm provides a perfect place for congregation members to serve and in return they get to see the glowing smiles on peopleB次元官网网址檚 faces when theyB次元官网网址檙e given fresh produce at one of the churchB次元官网网址檚 free markets. And, Austin never lets volunteers return home without something for themselves B次元官网网址� a few juicy plums, an enormous zucchini or a lush head of lettuce.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just such a positive, warm place to be,B次元官网网址� Wild says.

On a sunny Wednesday morning in July he and about 10 others B次元官网网址� some from churches, some not B次元官网网址� tend to various tasks around the farm.

_{B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 find this kind of lettuce at the grocery store,B次元官网网址� Will Wild says as he harvests head after head, packs them into banana boxes and weighs them. His favourite part of volunteering comes later in the day when he gets to hand deliver the crisp greens to new Victoria residents in transitional housing. B次元官网网址淚t brings me great joy to be able to say to the people at the market B次元官网网址楬ey, we just harvested this this morningB次元官网网址�.B次元官网网址� (Jane Skrypnek/B次元官网网址 Staff)}

_{Bending lengths of chicken wire into arches, Philip Smith constructs trellises for beans to run their way up. Drawn to the work and the cause, Smith has been volunteering at the farm three days a week since March.}

_{B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 fun because thereB次元官网网址檚 different stuff all the time and itB次元官网网址檚 outside and IB次元官网网址檝e got a wonderful boss B次元官网网址� donB次元官网网址檛 tell him I said that,B次元官网网址� he says with a cheeky smile. B次元官网网址淚t may not be for everybody but I enjoy it.B次元官网网址� (Jane Skrypnek/B次元官网网址 Staff)}

_{Plucking beans off the trellis, Kathy English exclaims at the size of one and jokes itB次元官网网址檚 as big as a roast beef. She comes to volunteer two to three times a week and says sheB次元官网网址檚 learned lots about gardening. B次元官网网址淵ou learn to appreciate how difficult farming is,B次元官网网址� she says. Overall, she says, itB次元官网网址檚 just a beautiful place to be. B次元官网网址淧lus you get the added benefit of helping people with their food.B次元官网网址� (Jane Skrypnek/B次元官网网址 Staff)}

_{Josh and Miriam Columbus work to secure tents over some recently planted muskmelon (cantaloupe) to speed along their growing process. Miriam says she already has quite a bit of past gardening experience so sheB次元官网网址檚 hoping to learn how to use some of the machinery, but for Josh the experience has been totally new. (Jane Skrypnek/B次元官网网址 Staff)}

By noon the sun is high in the sky and the volunteers begin to head home. For Wild, itB次元官网网址檚 time to pack up the produce, collect some other donated foods from the Mustard Seed and head to The Cridge Centre for the Family to set up a mid-afternoon free food market.

Each week, approximately 25 people from the centreB次元官网网址檚 transitional housing show up to pick and choose what they want from the donated goods. The Gatton House Farm produce is far and beyond the freshest, since the majority of other foods have hit their best before date. Swiss chard, Wild says, is a market favourite.

As the Glad Tidings Church volunteers begin handing out food, itB次元官网网址檚 clear theyB次元官网网址檙e providing more than just physical sustenance. They know almost everyone by name and make easy, upbeat conversation as people move down the line.

One woman is collecting a box of food for a family that just immigrated from Ethiopia and is quarantining. The volunteers load her up with produce, mango salsa, sour cream, orange juice and snacks. Another woman discusses how sheB次元官网网址檒l cook the enormous zucchinis being handed out from AustinB次元官网网址檚 farm.

B次元官网网址淲hen they come here they always say, B次元官网网址楾hank you so much for doing this, we feel like weB次元官网网址檙e not alone. We feel like somebody loves me, somebody cares for usB次元官网网址�,B次元官网网址� Pastor Nilo Mariveles says.

Do you have a story tip? Email: jane.skrypnek@blackpress.ca.

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