Well Being | Tasha Tilberg
One of the definitive faces of the late ’90s, supermodel Tasha Tilberg has made a welcome return to the runway bringing some much needed age diversity to the fashion industry. But she’s not giving up on the other career she’s developed on her farm, here Tasha talks to WELL CURATED about finding solace in becoming self-sufficient.
Tasha, you purchased your first piece of land at the age of 16, not your typical purchase for a teenager. Did you have a gut instinct back then that this would be the landscape of your life some 20 years on?
I had an incredible strong impulse to live with and on the land when I was young. It's all I wanted after growing up in townhouses then apartments that had no gardens, and except for a few places when I was under 6 (we moved a lot) we weren't able to garden at all. When I was 15 I worked in Japan for 6 weeks and I had saved enough by the time I was 16 to put down payment on a 230 acre farm in Canada. I always felt like it was my ancestors strong DNA in me to connect with nature and the desire to work hard and grow things.
Tell us about your farm, what animals do you have and what produce do you cultivate?
On our current farm we have sheep and completely free ranging, laying chickens, as well as dogs and a pet bunny. We have a very large garden and are expanding on the gardens and possibly the chickens this year. We also have wine and table grapes, apple and other fruit and nut trees. We have made wine, cider and juices, and hundreds of jars from our garden produce like tomato sauce, salsa, pickles, sauerkraut, as well as dried fruits and frozen fruits and all our dried beans.
Does your farm yield enough for you to be self sufficient? Could you literally live off the fat of the land?
We live off our land as much as we can vegetable and egg wise. I don't grow many grains yet, but I would love to expand into growing oats, wheats, rye and rice. Harvest time is a very busy time but also so satisfying. This year I will be selling as much as I can from a farm gate as well as making more canned items like our incredibly good salsa for sale as well. During this time of incredible hardship for many people I will also be donating as much fresh produce as I can to our communities local food bank.
What is hardest part to keep on top of and why?
I think each season has its unique things to keep up with. Spring and summer are mostly weeding, planting, harvesting, summer grape vine pruning and keeping on top of grass growing. Winter is pruning. I usually work really hard and love the physicality of it all. As I am pregnant and in my 3rd trimester I've had to slow down a bit on the harder labour, like fencing and digging, things which I'm finding increasingly difficult to do.
What are the most enjoyable parts of farming and what are the least enjoyable parts?
Some of the most enjoyable parts of farming I find to be the promise of abundance and watching the hard work you do turn into beautiful results. Also being able to work outside in all different weathers, and being fully part of mother natures cycles. I love witnessing the migration of birds, the quiet night times of winter and the spring chirping of frogs. Some less enjoyable aspects are endless blackberry canes climbing over fences, building projects and fencing requirements that seem to never end.
Inner city community allotment plots are in demand more than ever with waiting lists at an all time high. Do you have any tips for newbie growers about easy things to start with in their gardens, allotments or window sills?
I think governments should open many more green spaces to allotment gardens! I think for newbies growing in an allotment, getting some veggies and flower starts can be very helpful as seeds can be tricky the first time with timing and watering. Buy tomato, cabbage and broccoli starts as well as for flowers, but buy seeds for cucumber, lettuces, peas and carrots. I always grow plenty of flowers with my veggies to encourage the bees to forage. Gardening is a lifetime of learning, but starting with a basil on a window pane or a pot of cherry tomatoes can really bring so much freshness and mindfulness to people.
They say the average person is only 4 meals away from starvation, ie if the grocery stores close tomorrow. In this current Covid situation are we realising more and more the importance of self sufficiency? Do you have any tips how to get started?
I think as many people are realising the importance of our very basic survival needs, we can all surprise ourselves by enjoying the really basic foods we actually need to live. Coming from a poor immigrant family I was raised with a lot of lentils, rice and beans and hardly any takeout or prepackaged foods. I think when you have a good supply of dried beans, it can be stretched a really long way, and they can be bought very inexpensively. With a desire to become self sufficient, one has to look at the ways we eat and really start to simplify, starting with making your own food, then moving on to how can you produce what you eat.
The fashion industry and modelling particularly is an extremely insecure industry yet living off your own land and being self sufficient is a particularly secure antidote to this. Has this made you feel more grounded and what can we all do to achieve this?
I think I was moved even more to a desire for self sufficiency because of the nature of the fashion industry, I definitely needed the grounding after so much travel and sometimes quite a surface level business. I spent many years learning how to spin wool and to weave cloth, and make clothing as well as growing flax. I think people with a similar desire can find things that bring them grounding like the simple whittling of a spoon or growing food, or making pottery.
What does wellness mean to you? How do you keep you body, mind and spirit ‘well’?
Being outside much of the time and being very active is very therapeutic for me. I need to feel the sun and wind, and feel my hands in the soil. My wellness is closely connected to nature and the outside world. Right now with spring gardening demands and homeschooling, my only decompressing time is outside. I find I can enter some very meditative states while weeding.
It has become very fashionable to adopt a healthy, green juice, vegan kind of lifestyle. But has the point been missed? Buying organic avocados that have been shipped halfway across the world has a huge carbon footprint. What tips can you give to the modern city dwelling consumer about staying healthy in a more sustainable way? Do you have any tips on how to shop?
I think one of the most important tips I can offer is to visit your town or city's farmers market. Farmers markets bring you local produce which will be fresher, in season and in general helps the smaller farmer not the huge agriculture corporation. Also, I have to point out humans symbiotic relationship to animals that we have had for millennia. I think veganism is wonderful at times and for certain people, and for sure eating less meat is important for our world, but we can't forget (unless you're buying specially grown green manure vegetables) that nearly all vegetables, beans, etc are grown with the help of animal manures. They perfectly improve the soil giving back the nutrients that are used up when growing veggies.
With blue sky thinking, what changes big or small can the fashion industry make towards a less environmentally damaging practice? And what choices can the consumer make?
I think sourcing materials that use less chemicals and using natural fibres are extremely important for our environment. Also paying the farmers, garment workers and cloth makers living wages is essential. Big business need to distribute the wealth, not just for their CEOs.