The Central Experimental Farm
Une vraie ferme avec un musée et tellement de beaux espaces à partager.
New York City has Central Park, Paris has the Champs Élysées, Washington has the Mall, Boston has the Commons — here in Ottawa, we have the Farm.
The Central Experimental Farm is a working and research farm in the middle of Ottawa. And it just so happens that it’s near where I live.
It has been my happy running place since 2000, when I first moved here. I love the space, how the light hits the barns, how you can see and talk to cows, coyotes, snowy owls and of course other humans and their dogs. It sometimes smells like manure but most of the time it’s a pretty awesome place.
It was designed by several people over the years. Most of whom were, hold on to your bonnet, Chief Dominion Architects. And like me you’re going, huh?
They were in charge of designing federal buildings all over the country. In the 1970s the role was diminished then eventually morphed into another bureaucratic thing, never to be heard from. And you can tell just by looking at the buildings since.
Alright alright I’ll try to be more mellow. Maybe I’ll mention that during the 1970s, the Farm grew a huge amount of cannabis (then illegal) for — I shit you not — research purposes. On Ash Lane (or as the kids renamed it, Hash Lane), near where they now plant those lovely sunflowers.
The Farm is a gem of a place, that works as a real agricultural operation and performs its research duties while allowing all and sundry to play and fly kites and run and learn to bike. I wish I had videos of my kids mastering that art on those car-less streets but alas. I’m sure they’re mighty relieved not to have their early wobbles on record.
À Ottawa quand les gens parlent de la ferme, ils parlent de ces belles images, de ces gentilles vaches et des levers de soleil époustouflants. Les fleurs, les arbres, le musée de l’agriculture, tout.
C’est un endroit qui fait environ 4 km carrés de superficie, en plein coeur d’Ottawa. Ce qui est quand même super chouette. Quand le ciel est clair, on peut y voir la tour de la paix tellement c’est proche.
Et quand la saison le demande, ça sent la belle grosse marde de vache.
Parce que la ferme fonctionne comme une vraie ferme, avec des champs et des trucs qui poussent et des tracteurs, du fumier et tout. Des coyotes aussi. J’en vois souvent, surtout tôt le matin. Ils n’ont pas peur des humains, ce qui n’est pas toujours réciproque.
C’est un bijou que les gens qui habitent autour protègent farouchement, et on comprend vite pourquoi. Moi, j’y suis heureuse depuis 24 ans j’en suis bien reconnaissante.
