{"id":11857,"date":"2015-01-06T23:20:22","date_gmt":"2015-01-06T15:20:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/?p=11857"},"modified":"2015-03-05T14:03:14","modified_gmt":"2015-03-05T06:03:14","slug":"fun-with-sun-seeds-and-soil-urban-farm-barn","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifestinymiracles.com\/2015\/01\/fun-with-sun-seeds-and-soil-urban-farm-barn\/","title":{"rendered":"Fun with Sun, Seeds and Soil @Urban Farm & Barn"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nTo see a world in a grain of sand, And a heaven in a wild flower,
\nHold infinity in the palm of your hand,\u00a0 An eternity in an hour.<\/p>\n~ William Blake<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
Last Sunday, we had an experience which kept us quite intrigued, not fully knowing what to expect and yet we walked away totally enriched at the end. What are we talking about?<\/p>\n
You see, we learnt from our friend, CheekyMonkies<\/a> about a farm tucked surreptitiously \u2018on top of Bukit Panjang hill\u2019 which allows families to plant their own veggies. While we are not unfamiliar with the concept of such farms but somewhere \u2018on top of a hill\u2019 knocked us off a little \u2013 as far as we know, there are no hills in Singapore except in Bukit Timah. Boy, how wrong we were!<\/p>\n
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As its name suggests, Urban Farm and Barn<\/a> is, well\u2026an urban farm carved out on a little hill, off Block 210, Petir Road. After meandering inside a typical HDB carpark and finding a lot for our car on a hot Sunday afternoon, we walked briskly up a cement-paved side road which led us right to the farm. Inside, we were welcomed by its friendly owner, Ms Eng who received us warmly and gave us a spontaneous tour of the farm.<\/p>\n
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Urban Farm and Barn<\/a> is a joint collaboration with the\u00a0North West Community Development Council, Holland-Bukit Panjang Town Council, People’s Association and the RC. and situated among a plot of land set aside for residents to plant their own crops (Yes! In Singapore! ) Except here, families can \u2018adopt\u2019 vertical racks (for a nominal fee) to plant their \u2018crops\u2019. There\u2019s an exciting range of specially imported seeds suitable for our climate to choose from: Romaine Lettuce, Kailan, Sunflowers, Alfalfa, Wheat Grass among others.<\/p>\n
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Types of seeds which are specially imported into Singapore by Urban Farm and Barn<\/p>\n
The concept is simple and straight-forward: Go in, select your seeds and plant. You may buy the seeds and the soil from the farm then start planting right away on the planting trays provided. In case you are worried you do not have green fingers, no worries. There are staff on site to patiently guide you and your children. It\u2019s fun to see entire families getting their hands dirtied, literally – adding fertilizers, scooping the soil, spreading them, sowing the seeds and watering. Once done, we moved our trays to the vertical shelves and let the automated watering system plus ample sunshine take care of the rest. Easy peasy!<\/p>\n
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There is an option to rent these vertical farm shelves for a small fee of $50 per month for free access to return anytime to check on and harvest your crops. It\u2019s akin to having your own little garden plot to fulfill your gardening dream. What’s noteworthy is that all 40% of all proceeds actually go towards the North West Student Support Fund, a fund to help needy students residing in the North West District.<\/p>\n
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Needless to say, Dana and her friends had a blast that day despite the heat. Now, living in urbanized and high-rise Singapore, how rare it is to have parents and children plant and harvest something together while having fun doing it? Best of all, we get to relive the experience a week later when we return to harvest our crops! This educational experience also opens up possibilities for exploring fundamental Science concepts with our children.<\/p>\n
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Just like an unassuming seed, this urban farming experience, though seemingly simple, yielded a bountiful ‘harvest’ \u2013 rekindling our love for nature, excellent bonding time and precious memories for ours to keep. Not forgetting, we still have our organic crops waiting for us!<\/p>\n
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Tips for visiting Urban Farm and Barn:<\/strong><\/p>\n
1. This is an outdoor activity. Slap on sunblock, mozzie repellent and bring a cap if you need to.
\n2. Although the place does sell drinks at almost cost price, do bring your own supply of drinking water to stay hydrated.
\n3. Expect to devote at least 1.5 hours there if it is your first time planting.\u00a0 It is cooler to visit in the late afternoons after 4pm.
\n4. Set your GPS for Blk 210, Petir Road and park at the nearest HDB Carpark. You\u2019ll see a cement-paved side road behind the Blk. Walk up the road and there\u2019s a sign that reads \u2018Urban Farm\u2019 next to the RC sign.
\n5. This activity is suitable for children age 4 and up \u2013 as long as they are old enough to understand instruction, they are game for it.
\n6. To fully enjoy the experience, be prepared to get your hands dirtied but there is a tap to properly wash your hands after. The soil\/compost are all organic by the way (non toxic).
\n7. Remember to take some time to walk around the hill to admire the scenery and other interesting wildlife around. We even spotted a troop of monkeys!<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Urban Farm & Barn<\/strong><\/p>\n
Website:<\/strong> http:\/\/www.pocketgreens.com.sg\/<\/a><\/p>\n