Oh boy, it has been a long road here - and I can honestly say that starting a farm was always a dream I had, but not one I though we could do, or one my family shared!
But here we are! All the beekeeping classes, education garden workshops, compost demonstrations, working at every single farmer's markets in the lower mainland and volunteering at several farms, have culminated in our own slice of leased land. We can't wait to get started!
Young Agrarians made this possible! We were able to find land to lease from an amazing family that shares our goals and visions with their help. Our main goal is to protect this tiny corner of soil for future generation. Food security is an issue close to my heart and one I hope our kids continue to fight for as they grow.
New rules allowing Courtenay residence to sell produce from home has helped to make our dream come true and possibly profitable! Maybe? A portion of our food grown will go to food insecure families and the Food Bank. We look forward to feeding the Comox Valley for years to come.
regenerative, more than organic
We're not yet certified organic, but we follow these regenerative practices:
low or no-till beds
locally sources seeds when available
organic and GMO free seeds
limited use of plastic
supporting natural soil systems
keeping roots in the soil year round
cover crop or tarping between harvests
limiting use of any pesticides, including organic
trap crops to lure pests away from main crop
working up to half perennial crops by 2024
integrated flowers in rows to attract pollinators
learning to love weeds!
One of our trap crops!
Cabbage under cover to lightly protect from cold temperatures
Kohlrabi with no plastic mulch and interplanted with radishes
Four rows covered to repel pests, but have to come off when flowers appear
Flea beetle everywhere, but that's ok, we don't eat this part! And we'd rather not spray