General degree - Have a Bachelors Degree in Interior Design which provides many skills for accessing, planning and establishing landscapes farm and homestead.
General farming (3 years+) - Have 1 season of experience maintaining horticulture field and greenhouses at Kwanteln university. 2 year of urban farming experience in the Lower Mainland. 1 year farm production experince. Have many years of experience establishing, maintaining and changing gardens to thrive long-term. Have 2+ years working, growing and maintaining endemic plants of BC. 5+ years removing invasive species of the PNW. Have experience growing in all ranges of soil types and conditions. Have a friend who is interested in partnership who has 3 years of general farming experince.
Other experience/agricultural/business training - Halfway through completing a diploma in Horticulture and Certificate in Agriculture.
Do you have a business plan?
No - Have a plan in the works with general ideas of what we want to do. However specific business plan changes depending on property and the opportunities the site can provide.
Do you have financial resources available to start your farm?
Yes - In the works for future development. Have a group who is interested in investing into the business.
Do you have access to other financial resources (such as a financial partner, loan, etc.) to start your farm?'
Yes - Depends on agreement and what the site has to offer. Ideally loans and grants as the more money we are able to put into the project the faster we can get things going.
Project
Farm Name
TBD
Farm Project Description
Currently looking for our own multigenerational homestead. But while waiting for the right property and for life circumstances to subside we are looking for land with a home to aid in the transition period to the island or surrounding islands. Another option would be to have land close by in the lower mainland that we can grow on.
What we want to do is dependent on what the site is capable of and what is needed by the local community. We plan to set up a market garden to produce food for locals and visitors. Along with cut flowers to diversify our stall. Having a forested area would be beneficial as I would like to use sustainably harvested branches to make wreaths during the winter months while food production would be slower. Would also be very interested in mushroom production and establishing/ improving endemic berry production on-site. During the fall I would also want to be growing endemic plants that can be sold to the community to preserve and improve the local ecosystems as that is a passion of mine and would be an ideal time for seeds needing to overcome winter dormancy. Would love to restore endemic ecosystems that produce habitat and food for not only humans but for other life in the area. Would also like to introduce beneficial plants that work well with native species for food forests, meadows and other areas of interest. I would like to achieve a site that is more productive than how we find it while being respectful to the existing ecosystems. Passionate about permaculture and organic production.
Potential options if they work for the site and the owner of the land.
Depending on the site and local niches, we are open to potentially having other forms of revenue streams to subsidize maintenance/ restoration during the investment period. some ideas are farm tours/ tourism, markets/sales on-site to promote other community members and businesses. An idea we have been playing with is the possibility to create a community gathering space with a commercial kitchen on the site where people can have a farm-to-table experience as well as be able to preserve crops to elongate farm sales. This is a long-term idea which would be very much dependent on site, local bylaws, community needs and manpower to keep the market garden thriving while we expand and diversify without spreading ourselves too thin.
Preferred Arrangement
Lease -
MOU -
Transfer / Succession -
Sale of Land -
Duration of the desired agreement
Depends on arrangement. at least 1-3 years ideally long term.
Ideal date to obtain land by
As soon as possible - Spring of 2024
Participant in BC Land Matching Program
Yes
Land & Features Desired
Total Land Size (acres)
10+ acres would be ideal but open to less land depending on site
Wooded Area (acres)
Yes - Would be nice but is not a deal breaker
Cultivable Area (acres)
1+ acres
Possibility to expand area currently available (acres)
Yes - More space to grow as the business gets bigger is always nice
Zoning
ALR
Preferred current state of the surface of the cultivable area
open to a variety of conditions. Beautiful soil that is weed free is always a dream to work with but willing to do work to improve the site to be good growing conditions. Have removed invasive species for many years so a site covered in weeds and invasives is not something I am afraid to tackle (unless it's knotweed or hogweed).
Open to landowner residing on property
Yes - Depends on the agreement. Don't want to be working where someone is living as that can get complicated. However local knowledge of site is always beneficial. I love meeting and learning from residences who know the history of the site. If we have separate areas with clear understanding of boundaries it wouldn't be an issue.
Need farm buildings
No
Need fenced land
Yes - We have dogs so this would be ideal. If these is non existing we would need to be able to enclose a space to let them out and have fun. As well fenced off market garden in places with high animal pressure is always nice.
Need farm machinery and tools
No
Need established water source and infrastructure
We will need some kind of water on site. Either a good producing well, water collection systems and/or municipal water source
Need on-site housing
Yes - For leasing this is needed or at least the ability to have the site as our home. For a short term lease in the lower mainland or Kelowna this is not needed.
Production type
Vegetable - Currently have lots of production of heirloom tomatoes, peppers, squash and beans. As well, radishes, sunflowers and herbs seem to be very productive for me this year so I will be bringing those plants and seeds to wherever we end up.
Livestock - Initially want to start raising Quail, eventually getting chickens and ducks when it is time and the avian flu is not a big risk in the area we move to.
Seed - I do save seeds so am open to potential for small scale seed sale.
Orchard/Fruit - Would be nice if existing but may not plant many trees on lease as it needs time and money to establish and is hard to transplant.
Flower - Have a cut flower garden on the go, so have been collecting dahlia tubers as well as a variety of other plants for future use and building up food sources for local pollinators.
Greenhouse - Would be nice for starting seeds in the winter but is more a long term goal to have. Location dependent (in the interior this would be very helpful)
Bees - Would love an apiary on site. Have taken a course on beekeeping and would love to practice and build relationships with beekeepers to increase my knowledge and practical skills.
Mushroom - including but not limited to turkey tail, oyster, chestnut, chicken of the woods, lions main.
Nursery - Endemic plants to area that can be used for ecological restoration projects, edible plants such as herbs, ornamental plants that thrive, benefit and improve local ecosystems.
Type of agriculture
Organic -
Soil needs
Open to a variety soil conditions but loamy is always ideal.
