INUVIK
Led by parents Dave and Kim, the Halpine family has been busy proving it's entirely possible to operate a hobby farm in the frozen North.
Kim Halpine, left, with her children Ethan, Aaron and Jacob with a few of their favourite furry and feathered friends May 4. The family is experimenting with a small hobby farm in Inuvik to show agriculture is possible in the North. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo
|
The family started the experiment approximately two years ago with some help from the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment.
Dave said he grew up with a farming background, and thought it is important to impart some of that knowledge to his children. He and Kim have always had a hankering to start a farm, so this is one way to indulge that wish.
The experiment with animal husbandry began with chickens. It's now spread to rabbits and goats to make their Semmler Street home a true hobby farm.
When the project began, the Halpines initially kept their chickens under the house. Now, thanks to an abandoned storage unit purchased with the funding from ITI, the entire flock has a warm and comfortable abode in their front yard.
Dave remembered when he approached the department with the idea that he was fully prepared to be laughed at. Instead, he received a very enthusiastic welcome.
"I thought maybe we'd get $500 or a $1,000," he recalled.
Instead, the family received $5,000 in funding, well beyond their wildest expectations.
Gene Hachey, an agronomist with the GNWT, has been one of their biggest supporters. He mentioned the family during a recent visit to Inuvik when talking about small-scale food production as an example of what's possible with a little vision.
One thing he discovered is the concept is not new to the North. In past decades, many people kept small livestock and had their own gardens, so for some elders hearing about the project it's like deja vu.
Both Dave and Kim said the Town of Invuik has also been very co-operative with their project.
"They've been really good about it too," Kim said. "Apparently there's no bylaw covering this."
While they initially experimented with roosters, the switch was made to primarily hens in the last year or so. That's providing the family with anywhere from five to 10 eggs a day, which is basically enough for their own use.
Adding warm fuzziness
The rabbits came a little later to add some warm fuzziness to the equation, as well as meat. The Halpine children aren't under any delusions as to why the animals are kept, as fond as they may be of them.
The goats came later still, after the family debated whether to give miniature cows a try.
"We thought that would be just weird," Dave said.
The goats provide perhaps a litre or so of milk a day, which the Halpines consume.
Goat's milk, as many people know, is easier to digest than cow's milk, making it an effective and desirable substitute for people with lactose intolerance and sensitivity.
The goats began to add to the herd about a month and a half ago with six new kids – also new playing companions for the Halpine children. They're a common sight on the family's front steps and deck, where they like to perch and look around.
The chickens as well enjoy a little free range outside when the weather is suitable. Kim said they seem to recognize their limit as the shoulder of the road.
While the extra fresh food is beneficial and welcome, Dave said the over-riding reason for the project remains to teach the children something about self-sufficiency and independence.
The kids help out with the chores, including feeding the animals and gathering the eggs.
"We want them to learn where their food comes from," he said, "and how to care for the animals."
Even the neighbours have been co-operative for the most part. Many drop by the house to see the animals, Dave said. Only one neighbour has complained periodically about the roosters crowing at all hours of the day.
"The midnight sun can really mess with their schedule," Dave said with a smile.
They acquired their first batch of chickens from another Inuvik resident who breeds them, so the family did have something to model its efforts on.
The Halpines aren't the only people in the NWT raising chickens. Hay River has large-scale commercial operations with up to 120,000 birds laying eggs. Another group in Norman Wells has free-run chickens and smaller operations with less than 100 chickens exist in various homes around the territory.
The family is preparing to move to New Brunswick this summer, and has been busy trying to make arrangements for the animals.
So far, a local doctor and his spouse have offered to take the chickens. The Halpines are now searching for a home for the other critters, particularly the goats.
