Most summers, starting in elementary school, I went berry picking with my family. My fruit and fungi harvesting experience includes: strawberries, raspberries, blueberries (+ blueberry cannery), cherries, apples, and mushrooms. We had a family farm in India. When I was three, my job was to collect the chickens' eggs, and deliver cow pies to my mom (to be shaped and dried in the hot Indian sun, before being used as a fuel source in the outdoor stove). We had one cow that we milked, and she gave birth to 10 healthy calves. Since February 29, 2020, I have been growing flowers, herbs, berries, and vegetables using regenerative agriculture practices, in a small shared backyard garden. With varying degrees of success, I have grown heirloom zucchini, cucumbers, peas, radishes, strawberries, Saskatoon berries, Joi Choi cabbage, kale, beets, scallopini squash, lavender, pumpkins, and organic cauliflower. My goal is to have a 99-year guardianship lease of a parcel of land, 1.99 acres or more, in BC. Ideally, the land is situated next to a dairy with cows producing grass-fed milk, and in exchange for rotational grazing, we receive fresh milk which is the key ingredient for most of the foods prepared in a central commercial kitchen/food truck. Through regenerative agriculture practices that heal the body and soil, the garden grows augmenting and extractive herbs, teas, and vegetables, and has (or will have) an established fruit orchard, and flower gardens. This stewardship lease ends Tuesday, February 28, 2119, and all land, improvements, and incomes revert to the landholder. At all times, the land remains in the landholder’s title. Part of my role is hands-on growing and harvesting. Other parts include, coordinating volunteers, social media marketing and presence, and networking to drive further farm collaborations. Each year, I deliver an updated budget and timeline to the landholder who, ideally, wants to have some level on input in a mentor capacity. The plan is to grow what I/we eat and what I/we wear: flowers, herbs, berries, fruits, vegetables, loofah, monkey puzzle trees, nut trees, bamboo, hemp, flax, natural dyes, etc... Education and seed saving are aspects of a bigger plan. Collecting and using compost from visitors (humans and grazing animals) to grow food and fibre is part of the long term vision to generate multiple streams of income for the farm property with the focus always being primarily the growing of food, and educating the public on the food cycle… from seed to harvest, to cooking and consumption, to elimination and compost, and back again. The objective is to give everyone (kids, seniors, everyone) basic adulting skills, knowledge, and confidence so that we raise healthy self-sufficient communities where all members have the skills to provide for our basic needs. I have an old non-farming business plan, and am actively updating this to a farming business plan. The overall objective is to grow a resilient colour community that is in harmony with the land, seasons, and changing climate. One that is self-sufficient and self-sustaining with multiple income streams. This is done by growing the best quality foods, and healing our lands and people.
Reliable water source Previous farming was organic - no chemicals Established orchard is ideal Residence on site Road access/parking Ready to be farmed - no till approach