What is a community farm?
A community farm (or incubator farm) is a multi-functional farm where the land is held "in trust" for community rather than owned privately. A community group or co-operative governs the land use agreements, and agricultural uses of the land are shared by a community of farmers. The primary focus of a community farm is often local food production using sustainable agricultural practices. Land holders, land managers, and farmers work together through mutual agreements.
Community Farms in the CRD:
Newman Farms
Newman Farm Park is a 16.6 acre farm, established in 1897, and operated a small, family run mixed farm for 106 years. In 2003, the property was transferred to the District of Central Saanich for use as public parkland. In 2012, the Farmland Trust Society started an initiative to establish agricultural uses on Newman Farm. Farmlands Trust volunteers now grow a variety of fruits and vegetables for donation to Our Place for meals for the homeless, under the “field to plate” initiative. From 2014 – 2022, this initiative has been 102,684 lbs. of produce grown, harvested and shared with food insecure populations in the Greater Victoria region, worth $315,660.98 They have also teamed up with a local farmer to develop a small sheep operation on the property.
🔗Read updates about the farm on the Farmland Trust website here
Haliburton Community Organic Farm
Haliburton Community Organic Farm is a publicly-owned farm within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR). The farm was saved from development by a group of concerned citizens and the District of Saanich, who purchased the land. The Farm is now being developed as a community and educational certified organic farm. The farm is 4.09 ha (approximately 9.3 acres), and is located on the south side of Haliburton Road (741 Haliburton Road) in Cordova Bay, which is a neighbourhood in Saanich, BC. Today it is a thriving community farm, one of 14 community farms in Canada, 7 being on Vancouver Island. There are 6 separate businesses operating under the umbrella of the Haliburton Community Organic Farm Society.
Burgoyne Farm
The Burgoyne Valley Community Farm is a 62-acre parcel of farm land in the Agricultural Land Reserve, located at 2232 Fulford Ganges Road. This property has been continuously farmed since 1887, and was granted to the Farmland Trust for the benefit of the community in exchange for a zoning amenity in 2013. The Farmland Trust board, in collaboration with farmers, families and other organizations, is bringing the farm into its full potential to produce food, increase biodiversity and pollination, and protect species and waterways for the long-term benefit of the community. Organic practices are a high priority.
Lohbrunner Community Farm
For the past five years a group of farmer wannabees have been volunteer stewards of TLC The Land Conservancy's 13 acre farm that was generously donated to TLC by Norma Lohbrunner, who along with her husband Joseph farmed and cared for the land. Over the years we have cooperatively grown as "the Homesteaders" raising the majority of our own produce to support our families. Now with the help of Vancity Community Foundation, the land has transferred to Farm Folk City Folk and we are now the Lohbrunner Community Farm Co-op.
Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture
The Sandown Centre stewards 83 acres of working farm, wetland and forest, serving
as a hub in North Saanich for best practices in regenerative agriculture. The Sandown Centre supports and engages with emerging growers, researchers, community members and regional farmers; working together to build a thriving, climate change- resilient, sustainable local food system.
