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Green Ground Community Design: Building a Hybrid Farming Eco-Social Community

Located in
  • Lower Mainland - Fraser Valley -
  • Kootenays -
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Land Seeker Details

Training
  • Farm management (3 years+) - Large scale outdoor/greenhouse licenced medical cannabis in California, Ontario and BC
  • General farming (3 years+) - I have been growing my own food and saving seed for over 20 years
  • Other experience/agricultural/business training - Currently studying Social Work. I have managed multiple community spaces and have lived in intentional communities for over 20 years. I have also participated in the Lifecycles program in Victoria, a 9 month eco-business planning program.
Do you have a business plan?
Yes - As of yet, I do not have a concrete business plan, but have developed an eco-social community framework that has been gaining traction that I am very interested in exploring with any potential land owners. Please check out the website at www.greengroundcommunitydesign.org
Do you have financial resources available to start your farm?
Yes - We currently have a couple of families willing to buy in, with a great deal of interest for the framework's long term vision. Lots to discuss, so please reach out!
Do you have access to other financial resources (such as a financial partner, loan, etc.) to start your farm?'
Yes - With an agreement in place, we are willing to access some funding through CALA, as well as other start up grants that we can access.

Project

Farm Name
Green Ground Community Farm
Farm Project Description

We are charting a new path in collaborative multigenerational supportive community design by facilitating community connections across the socioeconomic and cultural spectrum through the development and implementation of a research-driven, eco-social community project and scaleable framework, grounded in sustainable farming, mental wealth, integrated support networks, community arts and social enterprise. To speak directly to the farm project, we hope to contribute to food security in the region through field crops, such as legumes and grains, as well as through innovative farming practices, with a focus on spirulina farming specifically. We see the need to meet a demand for a nutrient-dense cash crop that can sustain and support the project while providing Canada with a local source of spirulina. We also intend to have a market garden with basic vegetables, and a fruit and nut orchard. We also hope to have a strong processing facility that generates value-added products from the harvests.

Preferred Arrangement
  • Registered Lease on Title -
  • MOU -
  • Transfer / Succession -
  • Business Partnership -
  • Sale of Land -
  • Other - This farm project will hopefully be built into a co-op structure that encourages community involvement and collaborative land stewardship. We hope to offer opportunities for vulnerable community members, such as at-risk youth, women fleeing violence and others experiencing homelessness to access healthy community, long term employment in agriculture and housing security. We are interested in collaborating with a landowner throughout the project or with a landowner interested in an owner financing arrangement. While we may begin with a lease and MOU, we hope to establish a framework model that can be scaled and presented to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation as an alternative way to finance social housing projects. long term vision would require a multi-year lease minimum with option to purchase or transfer to community.
Duration of the desired agreement
long term vision would require a multi-year lease minimum with option to purchase or transfer to community.
Ideal date to obtain land by
Spring 2021

Land & Features Desired

Total Land Size (acres)
Islands or Kootenays - 20+ acres
Wooded Area (acres)
Yes - No set amount, but wooded areas will be respected and managed appropriately as determined by land use aggrement
Cultivable Area (acres)
5 acres minimum, but 10+ is ideal
Possibility to expand area currently available (acres)
Yes - If there is some option to cultivate greater space in time, that would also work since we will be starting out with what is manageable, but would love the option to grow.
Zoning
Either
Preferred current state of the surface of the cultivable area

We are willing to work with land that needs to be regenerated since we are well-versed in living soil techniques and biodynamic practices. However, we would ideally love different areas to be a spectrum of loamy to clay-rich soil with good drainage, access to clean water and south-facing preferably. For the Spirulina project, soil is not an issue, but we will be building glass tanks within greenhouses for the project.

Open to landowner residing on property
Yes - We love community and hope for everyone to actively participate in this project, however we are hoping to redefine the relationships of landowner and steward/farmers. We hope to empower and translate our current economic structure into a new system of value for each other that is based not only on our financial contributions, but also on our skills and sweat. Ideally, if the landowner is inspired to be a member of the project, they will hopefully join our board of directors to become an active participant in the project's unfolding.
Need farm buildings
Yes - Ideally there would be some structures already present on the land, but it is not necessary. Greenhouse, storgae, barns, covered areas, etc
Need fenced land
Yes - Ideally there would be some fencing in place around the cultivable areas, but this can also be managed as we grow as a farm on the land.
Need farm machinery and tools
Yes - We currently have a reartine rototiller, but if we are doing a large pasture, it would be amazing to have access to a tractor for planting and harvest
Need established water source and infrastructure
This would all be dependant on the how much land can be cultivated, what crops we decide to put into the earth, as well as the soil composition. There would be a water-recycling system set up for the Spirulina, and can be discussed further.
Need on-site housing
Yes - Although we are open to bare land, having a house to base out of while building and working the land would be the most ideal situation since we have children. We do have a converted school bus in California that we could figure out getting up to BC, or we could start with a geodesic dome, and can begin building throughout the first season as well, if it's the right fit.
Production type
  • Vegetable - tomatoes, cucumbers, cabbage, broccoli, onions, garlic, potatoes, squash, beans and peas, and other culinary and medicinal herbs
  • Livestock - Focus primarily on chickens for eggs, as well as ducks and possible tilapia if aquaponics is an option
  • Grain - depending on elevation, quinoa and millet would be considered. As well as other types of heirloom grains.
  • Seed - Ensuring a healthy seed garden will also be very important. Having a nursery to sell veggie starts as well.
  • Orchard/Fruit - nut and fruit trees that will work in the growing region.
  • Other - Spirulina, sprouts and mushrooms potentially
Type of agriculture
  • Certified Organic -
  • Organic -
  • Other - biodynamic and a permaculture food forest
Soil needs
Will acquire commercial insurance
Yes - We would be happy to do whatever it takes for everyone to feel secure in the arrangement.

Learn More

Inquire about this listing

Phone: (519)731-7761
Email: nejmah.guermoudi@greengroundcommunitydesign.org

Address

63 Glendale Avenue
St. Catharines, BC, L2T 2J2
CA

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