Filter by Popular Categories
ABOUT THE FARM
A farm business unit is available at Haliburton Community Organic Farm, an incubator farm located in Saanich, on the traditional, unceded territories of the W̱SÁNEĆ Nation.
The unit is managed by the Haliburton Community Organic Farm Society – Haliburton Farm provides 4 farm business units through 4-year land agreements to new farmers of all ages, to enable them to build their farm businesses in a low risk, community environment with established infrastructure, before moving on to permanent land.
This is an amazing opportunity for someone with previous farming experience or education to hit the ground running in a community of new farm businesses.
ABOUT THE FARM BUSINESS UNIT
Farming at Haliburton includes access to well-established marketing channels, access to a shared walk-in cooler, indoor dry storage space, wash and pack, and a propagation greenhouse.
Unit C is available at the Farm from April 1, 2025. The available unit consists of 0.9 acres of certified organic land, first cultivated in 2002 and currently in production. The unit has been managed intensively for many years, by multiple farmers. It has previously been cultivated in mixed vegetables, fruit and flowers.
The unit is deer-fenced and includes municipal water access, and it also has established infrastructure including Harnois (20 x 50 feet), Farmer’s Friend Gothic Pro (14 x 60 feet), Farmer’s Friend Gothic Pro 14 x 80 feet tunnels and a multi-zone automated irrigation system run on Hunter DC solenoid valves. Year-round growing is possible in tunnels and on other portions of the business unit. Assets and Infrastructure are for sale from the current farmer.
ABOUT THE LAND AGREEMENT
Haliburton Farm is seeking an agreement of 4 years, with the option of an additional 1-year extension based on a business review at the end of the third year.
The rate for the available unit ranges from $2,500 to $3,500/year, including direct and shared costs. Costs include utilities, municipal services, organic certification fees, Moss St market fees, internet, and shared supply. An annual land deposit is required.
APPLICANT REQUIREMENTS
The Haliburton Farm business units have a proven capacity for robust, intensive business. Although this is an incubator opportunity, applicants must have farming experience, farming education, or a combination of both to be considered. Final applications must include a business plan for a farm business that outlines proposed strategies for production, operations, marketing, and financials. Small livestock is limited to poultry, as the site has extreme predator pressure.
Additionally, the entire farm is certified organic by the Islands Organic Producer Association. The incoming farmer must apply for and maintain organic certification for the entirety of their land agreement, and maintain their farm unit and business according to the organic standards.
Farmers at Haliburton Farm must be able to work collaboratively with other farmers, to maintain established marketing channels and effective cooperation in shared spaces.
Farmers are also expected to be engaged in all aspects of the farm and society’s mandate, including biodiversity stewardship, education, and community engagement. Farmers are expected to participate on the society’s Board of Directors. Leaseholders and Society board members work cooperatively to steward this special piece of land for the next generation of organic farmers, including participating in community education and shared maintenance of the space.
GET IN TOUCH
If you’re interested in this opportunity, please apply directly to Haliburton Farm. Application information is available by emailing: halifarms@haliburtonfarm.org.
For more details about this incubator plot, check out the Young Agrarians UMAP Listing.
Looking for land? Have land to lease? Reach out to kiyomi@youngagrarians.org to discuss leasing your land or to explore other land opportunities in the Vancouver Island-Gulf Islands region, offered through the B.C. Land Matching Program! The B.C. Land Matching Program is funded on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands 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 Cowichan Valley Regional District and the Real Estate Foundation of BC.