Production of Quality Food - Crop rotation, extensive composting, water collection, local distribution and sales
My focus is to Grow happy, healthy food and connect people to what they eat.
I strive to keep balance on my farm. We do not spray, chemically fertilize or trap for issues that arise. We find where the balance is lost and naturally correct it so that nature can work as it should.
To provide fresh organic produce for members, and for those in need, and to teach and share gardening best practices with the community.
We accept members from anywhere in the city. There are no individual plots parcelled out to members, instead we, as a collaborative community farm, plant, tend, harvest and share our crops as one community and on a larger scale than most community gardens. We grow organic seeds (where possible), cultivate and save heirloom varieties, and do not use herbicides or pesticides, and we plant wildflower patches for pollinators. We donate half of our produce to local food charities for people in need. As a working group of APIRG, we operate with support from the University of Alberta Faculty of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences and the City of Edmonton. As such, we have a teaching and sharing component to our operations, and we enjoy bringing in student workgroups and organizational groups to participate and learn.
We share our land with folks who want to grow and produce food sustainably. We connect folk to their food, weaving their capacities in a community of mentors and apprentices.
What makes this organization sustainable?
Our Soil is the foundation of all food grown here. All impacts we can consider are shared with wildlife as well as domestic animals and garden spaces. Regenerative Agriculture is our main goal but in a framework of traditional, low impact skills.
Providing nutrient-dense food to those who value knowing where their food comes from.
Growing on second-generation family land we are chemical-free and proud to be constantly improving our biodiversity and closed-loop wholistic growing system.
Earth Friendly Farming of vegetables, berries, microgreens and garlic.
Healthy Soil~Healthy Food~Healthy Humans
We practice whole system, Permaculture approaches, agroecological methods and prioritize holistic, healthy work practices.
Grow healthy soil - Healthy soil/ vermiculture.
We use vacant lots and yards to grow vegetables, herbs and flowers for hyper-local consumption. Pay-what-you-want pricing for all of our produce enables community members to support each other in accessing nutritious, fresh food. We are a low-waste and low-carbon emission enterprise. We care about building community and skills around food, reducing food insecurity and creating a localized and sustainable food system.
Most of our food is not transported - we sell directly to the communities surrounding the garden and try to limit gas vehicle use and choose bikes instead for deliveries. We reuse grocery store packaging to eliminate plastic waste from our business and also use reusable bags or paper bags for our produce. We run a community compost station on-site for local residents to bring their food scraps and teach people how to compost and grow food. We don't use gas-powered equipment in the garden and don't use inorganic fertilizer or pesticides. We use a lot of reclaimed material and buy most equipment second hand. We always strive to encourage biodiversity in our garden.
Detoxification
I grow most of my own food, compost, keep bees, and continually strive to improve the energy efficiency of my home. I have no outside income. My home sustains me. I am interested to teach people how to reduce their bills and live cheaper.