Visiting Kiler Canyon Farm

This morning I finally took the Trimmell Clan up on their offer to have me out at their Kiler Canyon Farm CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) which is located about eight miles from my house in Paso Robles, CA. I live next door to the backyard of their Paso Robles drop house on Vine Street and found about about them last year through their apprentice living in that house and joined at that time. I'm now into my second year as a member of this CSA and am loving it and highly recommend others to look into joining one in their community. Some or perhaps most CSA's require members to volunteer working on the farm (modest part-time help only) but Kiler Canyon Farms is easy going in this regard and does not enforce that requirement. However, they do readily accept volunteers and I felt obliged (and privileged) to pitch in. After many busy weeks I finally had a spare morning offered to help with the harvest this week.

I was told to show up for work at 8AM which I did. I was expecting to start work at dawn given the reputation of farmers but figured these folks do things differently. When I arrived at the appointed hour it became clear that they had started early after all but apparently didn't want to scare me off by having me set my alarm for 5AM. This week I appreciate that a lot but next time (and I do plan to return there) I want to start with the rest of the gang bright and early. Quill and Chaponica Trimmell and Dan and Kayleen Trimmell were my gracious hosts (and whom co-own the farm). They patiently walked me through what I was required to do and I did a fair to middlin' job methinks. I suspect that I took up more of their effort than I provided in service to the farm but this day I was a trainee so I suppose that is okay provided I come back again with more experience under my belt. The tradition at Kiler Canyon Farm is to prepare a hearty breakfast for the harvest crew. I enjoyed a communal-style healthy country breakfast before returning to put the finishing touches on this week's bounty.

Upon my return to this place I shall take more photos of the overall process of the weekly harvest in hopes of further promoting the consumption of local food as well as organic food produced following sustainable farming modalities (and off the grid no less!).

Kiler Canyon Farm is located in a charming little dell out in the country west of Paso Robles, CA.

There is something comforting about being around so much fertile soil and abundant crops.

Note the solar panels up the hill: this farm is off the grid.

The beautiful and charming peacocks provided plenty of aural ambiance.

Quill (left) and Rory (right) along with the rest of the crew putting on the finishing touches.

Quill & Company loading the vegetable baskets onto one of the farm rigs.

All photos by Kim Patrick Noyes (all rights reserved).