Nov 15, 2025: Land Sharing Workshop – Summerland, BC

Why share land? The number of farmers in B.C. has been declining for several decades, and thousands of local farms have disappeared. Farm operators are ageing out of farming and retiring, but with the cost of farmland at an all-time high, many new farmers can’t afford to buy land and continue their legacy. That’s why the B.C. Land Matching Program exists, and our annual educational land sharing workshops offer an opportunity for farmers and landholders to connect with each other and learn how to share land.

Join Pascale (B.C. Land Matching Program Manager) and Haley (Thompson-Okanagan Land Matcher) at the workshop to learn how you can access land for farming or make your land available to a farmer. Pascale and Haley will guide you through a self-assessment activity to help you create an action plan for your own land sharing journey. You’ll leave the workshop with the knowledge, resources and connections needed to turn your plan into reality.

We need all hands on deck to tackle the challenges facing the agriculture sector in B.C. – come learn how land sharing can be part of the solution, and how you can get involved!

REGISTER: Please RSVP on Eventbrite:

DATE: Saturday, November 15, 2025 • 1-3 pm PST

LOCATION: Syilx Territory. George Ryga Arts & Cultural Centre, 9525 Wharton St, Summerland, BC

DIRECTIONS/PARKING/TRANSIT:

The George Ryga Arts & Cultural Centre is located on Wharton Street, off of Prairie Valley Road, which connects with the Okanagan Highway (Hwy 97). The centre is also transit-accessible via the 70 bus (travelling south on Hwy 97) or the 30 bus (travelling north on Hwy 97).

Note: Currently, Wharton Street is blocked off for construction, so the closest street parking may be located a block or two away from the venue. There is a free public parking lot near the Summerland Museum and Archives Society where participants can park. For any passengers that may need to be dropped off right outside the venue, participants can enter through Brown Street, turn into the Community Centre parking lot, and unload passengers before parking.

Carpooling is encouraged – if you are looking for or can offer a ride to or from the event, you can organize carpooling through the Facebook event. Please do not bring pets to the event. Kids are welcome!

ACCESSIBILITY: If you have any accessibility needs, please get in touch with us at bclmp@youngagrarians.org.

SHARE: Planning on joining us? Invite your friends and share the Facebook event.

STAY IN TOUCH:

• Join our Young Agrarians Okanagan-Thompson Facebook Group to stay up to date on all events in the region
• Sign up for our e-newsletter to get events and opportunities for your region delivered straight to your inbox (be sure to select your bio-region!)
• Cancellations – Please let us know if you have registered for this event but are no longer able to attend. You can cancel your registration anytime through Eventbrite, via the link in your registration confirmation email, or by contacting bclmp@youngagrarians.org
• Questions? Email Dani at bclmp@youngagrarians.org

If you are interested in hosting an event at your farm and bringing together the farming community in your area, reach out to bclmp@youngagrarians.org with your idea!

GOT LAND? WANT LAND?

Through the B.C. Land Matching Program, Young Agrarians offers support to farmers looking for land for their farm business, and landholders looking for farmers to farm their land. We’ve made more than 415 matches on over 13,120 acres to date!

Are you on the Young Agrarians UMAP? List your land or future farm dream today! You just might find a farmer who can turn your vacant field into a productive farm, or a landholder who has the ideal piece of land for you.

To explore more land access resources, visit youngagrarians.org/tools/land.

The B.C. Land Matching Program is funded in the Okanagan-Thompson by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative, with additional support from the Real Estate Foundation of BC.