08/20/2025
Welcome to "Meet the Farmer" episode 4, featuring another key player of TNF 2025 team: our multi-talented Robyn!
Many of you have seen Robyn's smiling face at the central Farmers market on Saturday mornings, or driving the veggie van around town delivering to all of our wonderful customers. She also works hard at the farm, supplies our customers with delicious bread, and loves this new venture her life has taken!
1. First name and farm radio call name.
My name is Robyn and my radio call name is Fido because I am also a dog trainer.
2. Where are you from?
Born and raised in Edmonton AB, then lived 18 years in Nanaimo before moving to Powell River. Go Oilers!
3. What brought you to farming at Terra Nostra?
I was looking for a seasonal, part time job after selling my dog training business in Nanaimo. I wanted to learn something new, something sustainable and be an integral part of a team.
4. How long have you been part of the TN team?
Happily, this is my third season.
5. Besides the extremely high wages, what keeps you farming?
How to pick, there are many reasons…
The Team is a big one - I really enjoy everyone I work with.
The Sun. While the cold and rain in April and October can be a cruel punishment, I still choose to work outside over inside every time.
The Food - it is glorious to eat fresh organic veggies all summer.
But most importantly might be the fact that it takes me about 7.5 seconds to get ready for work. Yet somehow, I am never early.
6. If you have spare time in the summer, how do you spend it? I enjoy playing baseball, paddleboarding and of course I love doing puppy lessons around town.
7. As a kid, you would have fed this veggie to the dog at the dinner table while your mom wasn't looking!
Mushy asparagus and yellow beans. Once we couldn't feed it to the dog, my sister and I plugged our noses and got those down with a big gulp of milk. But one time, I ran out of milk yet I still had a plate of yellow beans to eat. I could tell I was going to be sick….so instead of running to the bathroom, I threw up on my dinner plate right at the kitchen table.
And that’s how I got out of eating THAT dinner……
7. You never thought you would learn ..... at TN.
I never thought I would be the sourdough bread maker for the farm, but our customers love it!
8. An "obscure" veggie you wish more people would learn to appreciate is...
Carrots! Just kidding, we can barely keep up. Green bunching onions! Ours are so darn good and they enhance most dishes. I am never out of green onions in my house.
9. Favourite farm saying, song or book for tough, hot, or muddy days
“More effort, less suffering”. So says Pole Bean!
10. Every gardener should have a…
weekly massage
11. Spirit-veggie you are considering reincarnating as? Tomatoes. Usually waited for and the last to arrive but brings a big smile to your face when they finally do. Wait…. this is me already.
12. The one thing you don't want your boss to know?
When there is a big bucket of freshly picked blueberries just sitting in the cooler, right near the door….I am sneaking some.
