Other experience/agricultural/business training - Vegetable gardening, livestock care, time as a barn/small ranch hand, one year as a butchers assistant
Do you have a business plan?
Yes - In development.
Do you have financial resources available to start your farm?
Yes - We have some savings, are looking into getting loans and grants, and have a small amount of help from an investor, as well as, we plan on working part-time while we get the farm up and running
Do you have access to other financial resources (such as a financial partner, loan, etc.) to start your farm?'
Yes - We are looking into loans and grants, as well as continuing to save and look for more investors.
Project
Farm Name
Big Hat Acres
Farm Project Description
Regenerative, no-till, organic (non-certified initially) farming of vegetables, fresh cut flowers, berries, and eggs for local farmer's market, and other direct to consumer sales such as farm stand, private sales via social media or business email for arrangement of sales.
Preferred Arrangement
Registered Lease on Title -
Lease -
Transfer / Succession -
Business Partnership -
Sale of Land -
Duration of the desired agreement
2-10 years
Ideal date to obtain land by
April 2025
Participant in BC Land Matching Program
Yes
Land & Features Desired
Total Land Size (acres)
2-20 acres
Wooded Area (acres)
Yes - No more than half the acreage, open to some wooded area
Cultivable Area (acres)
Minimum 1 acre
Possibility to expand area currently available (acres)
Yes - Open to additional opportunities
Zoning
Either
Preferred current state of the surface of the cultivable area
Preferably pasture or existing garden beds, can be fallow, we don't mind putting in the work to create beds.
We aim to raise pasture raised chickens and at minimum would need about a half acre. Operations are scalable to the available land.
We are also considering pastured pigs for which wooded area is acceptable if we are able to install fencing.
Open to landowner residing on property
Yes - Open to different types of arrangements with the land owner
Need farm buildings
Yes - Sheds/barns are appreciated, I have plans to make mobile/temporary structures as well
Need fenced land
No
Need farm machinery and tools
Yes - Most of our plans can be accomplished with hand tools, I have some power tools and we have new farming equipment such as a seeder etc. factored into our budget.
Need established water source and infrastructure
Access to a well at least, ideally a retainment pond/reservoir, lake or river
Need on-site housing
Yes - Ideally pre existing housing but we are open to constructing temporary housing ie: Camper Trailer/RV, Yurt etc
Production type
Vegetable - Depending on the demands of the community and growing conditions of the land: Onions, Garlic, Snap Peas, Lettuce, Spinach, Tomatoes, Shallots, Swiss Chard, Cabbage, Summer Squash,
Livestock - Pigs - Open to small scale pig farming eventually
Poultry - Layers - If we have enough land we would like to have 100-300 rotationally grazed, pasture raised laying hens
Orchard/Fruit - Open to caring for an existing orchard, but not to plant a new one. We would like to grow a small amount of fruit such as raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, or blackberries
Greenhouse - Using a greenhouse to have an early start or extend the growing season of some vegetables and flowers
