Yes - We have extensive experience in market gardens and selling at farmers markets, restaurants and csa. We forage heavily within our season for mushrooms, wild greens and berries to sell fresh at market as well as dry for our wild tea and salt lines. We also carry a supply of different dried mushrooms that we stock for when the foraging season is complete.
Do you have financial resources available to start your farm?
No - We do have a small amount of money saved along with our infrastructure and implements previously purchased.
Do you have access to other financial resources (such as a financial partner, loan, etc.) to start your farm?'
Yes - At this point we have not signed up for any grants or loans but are open to exploring the idea in the future
Project
Farm Name
Refuge Farm
Farm Project Description
We are currently residing in golden BC and have had some previous experience on the sunshine coast where we started our farm and forage company. We relocated to Revelstoke with young agrarians as well as building two farms and running a weekly market, CSA and selling to local restaurants. We are looking to work part time and to farm part time but are looking for a year round place to live. We also want to continue foraging professionally and that pushes us to want to relocate to nelson/area. Our main priorities are:
1.food security
2.self sufficiency
3.financial success.
Our first two priorities are most important to us. We are looking for a longer term lease and hoping for a minimum of 3 years with an option to renew. Our upwards budget is $1500/month but we would prefer $1200 or under. Our fertilization will be a mix between rotational cover crop, compost created on site, and worm culture teas to get the most out of compost. As we have 4 years of running an 1/8 - 1/2 of an acre market garden, we fully understand our labor load! We want to continue our foraging as well and continue to bring local food to the community.
Check out our Instagram @refugefarm
Preferred Arrangement
Duration of the desired agreement
We are looking for at least a three year lease and possibly longer
Ideal date to obtain land by
Spring 2026 asap
Land & Features Desired
Total Land Size (acres)
1/8 of acre to 1/2 acre
Wooded Area (acres)
No
Cultivable Area (acres)
1/8 acre +
Possibility to expand area currently available (acres)
Yes - We are open to expanding in the future
Zoning
Either
Preferred current state of the surface of the cultivable area
We don't mind starting from scratch
Open to landowner residing on property
Yes
Need farm buildings
No
Need fenced land
No
Need farm machinery and tools
No
Need established water source and infrastructure
We have currently been working off rain water collection and hand watering methods but are open to ideas
Need on-site housing
Yes - Much preferred
Production type
Vegetable - A wide variety of organic greens and vegetables for market and potential CSA sale and would love a greenhouse/polytunnel for winter and warm weather crops such as a variety of tomatoes and cucumbers
