General degree - English degree, MFA (creative writing), social work degree
Other experience/agricultural/business training - Currently running two businesses, Kstone Stonework (10 years) and Erin Flegg Creative (web development and photography, 4 years)
Do you have a business plan?
No - In the process of creating a business plan as part of the YA Business Bootcamp
Do you have financial resources available to start your farm?
Yes - Some savings
Do you have access to other financial resources (such as a financial partner, loan, etc.) to start your farm?'
No - We plan to build the business in stages, with the first being a small preserves CSA that will be funded through savings and off-farm job income. We will likely seek loans or grants for specific pieces of equipment and infrastructure (for example a dehydrator, hoop houses or tunnels)
Project
Farm Name
Market Garden & CSA
Farm Project Description
We will create a CSA and line of value-added products focused on easily-preserved and long-storing foods. The goal is to help fill the winter local food gap and make local food more accessible through sliding-scale pricing and product sales earmarked to support indigenous sovereignty projects we're connected to.
The first piece of the business will be a small preserves CSA (about 10 people, over 6-8 weeks), using as much of our own produce as possible and sourcing the rest from other local farmers. As we build both a customer base and our growing operation, we will offer a veggie CSA that starts later and goes later in the year than typical CSAs focused on unique varieties of storage crops (squash, potatoes, carrots, onions) and veggies and fruit that make delicious preserves (cabbage, peppers, berries, etc). As part of our weekly newsletter we'll send out recipes for preserving a variety of foods and ways to use those preserves throughout the winter months. We'll also be seeking out a commissary kitchen to make our line of retail preserves.
Kaleb has been running Kstone Stonework for the last 10 years and is currently working as a level-1 carpentry apprentice. Erin has been running Erin Flegg creative, a combination of web development and photography, for four years and currently works for herself from home. We have both volunteered and done work trades for several different garden and food sovereignty projects. We love to work hard and be outside as much as possible.
We're also open to a season-long apprenticeship or farm hand work prior to transitioning to running our own operation. In the case of an apprenticeship, one of us would be available full time and the other part time.
Preferred Arrangement
Lease -
MOU -
Transfer / Succession -
Duration of the desired agreement
1 season if apprenticeship. If land, 1-2 year trial period followed by long-term lease if the fit is good
Ideal date to obtain land by
March-April
Participant in BC Land Matching Program
Yes - These farmers are participating in the BC Land Matching Program. For more information, contact azja@youngagrarians.org
Land & Features Desired
Total Land Size (acres)
Less than 5
Wooded Area (acres)
No
Cultivable Area (acres)
Minimum 1/4 acre
Possibility to expand area currently available (acres)
Yes - 2-3
Zoning
Either
Preferred current state of the surface of the cultivable area
Ideally has been previously cultivated (not necessarily for veggies) and with decent soil but it's not a dealbreaker.
Open to landowner residing on property
Yes - We're happy to have a neighbourly relationship with the landowners, and would ask that agreements and guidelines for that relationship be laid out clearly either as part of the land lease or as a separate document.
Need farm buildings
Yes - Ideally a small shed or barn for storage, but not absolutely essential. Greenhouse would be amazing, but space for a future greenhouse/hoop house/tunnel would suffice
Need fenced land
No
Need farm machinery and tools
No
Need established water source and infrastructure
Would need access to water near the field for irrigation. Plans to grow drought-tolerant plants whenever possible mean water needs should lessen a little over the season as things become established
Need on-site housing
Yes - We have a full-size converted school bus that we live in, and the ideal situation would have space for us to park the bus and access to water and power (though much less power than any conventional home). Our plan in coming years is to build out our solar power system to rely less on grid power)
