LAND OPPORTUNITY: 5+ acres for organic farming – Ashcroft, BC

We always have new land opportunities coming into our inventory, some of which aren’t on our blog yet! Get in touch with a Land Matcher at bclmp@youngagrarians.org to learn about the latest opportunities and to access free B.C. Land Matching Program services in your region.

ABOUT THE LAND

Scenically located on the Bonaparte River in Ashcroft, this 10-acre property has land and accommodations available for a farmer, couple, or farming family!

The property was used as a horse pasture for years, and the landholder also ran a small hopyard about a decade ago. The landholder had great success growing ten different varieties of hops. Currently, the land is fallow, and ready to be brought back into production by a new farmer! The entire property is at a low elevation, sunny and south-facing, with excellent drainage.

Two fields are available: the lower field is about 2.5 acres, and was recently seeded to bluebunch wheatgrass for ground cover. The upper 3.5-acre field has never been cultivated, but is part of the ancient lakebed of glacial Lake Kamloops, meaning lacustrine soil with excellent agronomic potential. Sprinkler irrigation is all set up for the lower field, with gravity-fed driplines from a 2,500 gallon cistern of water pumped from the Bonaparte River (and a water license already in place). As for the upper field, a booster pump could be set up to access the lower water supply. In addition to the fields, there are also seven raised beds (7 x 14 feet) available for cultivation.

With lots of open country and rivers to cool off in, as well as a school and many community activities nearby, this is a great place for nature-lovers open to adapting to the heat of the Dry Belt.

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

This property would be excellent for growing sun- and heat-tolerant crops, such as herbs, hops and hemp. Fruit/nut permaculture, vegetables and grapes could also be potential options. Further, the landholder has assessed feasibility for a couple other projects that may interest incoming farmers, including agri-voltaics (production of crops and solar power), and production of desert species seeds for propagation. Organic farming practices are very important to the landholder!

Lots of equipment is available, including a 26-horsepower Mahindra tractor/loader, rakes, harrows, a brush mower, a manure spreader, and a variety of hand tools. There is also a 20 x 20-foot work shed and a small barn/stable on the property. Accommodations are available in a two-bedroom 12 x 70-foot mobile home on-site.

The landholders live off of the property, and visit once a month or so; as they are no longer farming on the land, they would love for it to be put to good use by others. They are open to long-term arrangements, with the potential for a lease-to-own agreement in the future.

ABOUT THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

This is an excellent opportunity for a farmer, couple, or farming family interested in living in Ashcroft and running an organic farm operation. The ideal candidate would be an experienced, adaptable farmer with the skills to operate independently and maintain machinery and irrigation systems.

The incoming farmer(s) should be ready to acclimatize to the unique desert biome in this region (if not from the area), and should be prepared to learn, experiment and adapt to the unexpected. Reach out for more information about this versatile opportunity!

GET IN TOUCH!

This land is available through the B.C. Land Matching Program. If you are interested in this land opportunity, please contact the Okanagan-Thompson Land Matcher, Haley Schonhofer, at haley@youngagrarians.org with the link to this post any relevant photos, and a paragraph or two on each of the following:

• About you
• Your farming experience
• Your plans for the land

For more details about this opportunity, check out the UMAP Listing for this property.

For more land opportunities, and to learn about the B.C. Land Matching Program, please visit youngagrarians.org/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.