Hamingja – Heritage Farm & Nature Preserve

Farm / Hamingja – Heritage Farm & Nature Preserve

Farm Type: Mixed Farm/Heritage Farm

Hamingja (Icelandic for Happiness) – Heritage Farm & Nature Preserve is a hobby farm for awareness & preservation of the ancient Scottish Soay Sheep breed, landrace Icelandic chickens and is a showcase for the importance of healthy waters to farms and in our world.

This year, with our farm being located on the lands and waters of the former Blueberry Springs Trout Hatchery, we are offering a close look at the water needs of farms, communities, and our province with regards to current drought conditions, water quality, and effective water management. Guided farm tours this year provide a real time focus on riparian habitat health and offer suggestions for co-existence with beavers.

There are interactive opportunities for children and families to experience feeding the rainbow and brook trout in our pond, participate in actual water sampling to determine water health, enjoy a children’s “fishpond” game, and also create their own beaver habitat, thus personally discovering the engineering abilities and restorative effects of beavers on the wetlands. Potential for viewing aquatic insects, wetland wildlife and how it connects with the farm is available as well as access to current resource materials and a display of a cross-section of an aquifer. We also feature information about local watershed groups and ways to become more involved in caring for our waters.

As in the past, our hosts will continue to share unique features of their historical animals during farm tours along with interactive demonstrations, i.e. carding and felting, opportunities to feed the Rouen Ducks, meet the Icelandic Sheep, meet our livestock guardian dog “on the job”, and learn about honeybees. Healing in Nature, we provide opportunities for all ages to connect with land, waters & life.