LAND OPPORTUNITY: Land for broiler chickens or market gardening – Cowichan Bay, 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

Conveniently located just 10 minutes from Duncan, this property has space available for either a small pastured poultry operation or a market garden! Historically, the land has been used to grow mixed vegetables, flowers, and herbs, with a focus on regenerative soil management. The landholder currently has a quarter-acre in mixed vegetable production, as well as some fruit and nut trees, including hazelnuts, figs, apples, and pears.

About a quarter of an acre (200 x 50 foot plot) is available for the incoming farmer to cultivate, with the potential to expand to up to 0.4 acres. The available space is fairly flat and grassy, with some sections that have previously been cultivated and either returned to grass or tarped. The topsoil is about a foot thick and fairly well-drained, with drain tile and a layer of clay beneath.

This opportunity also comes with a fleet of three mobile chicken houses (equipped with lamps, feeders, waterers, etc.), which the incoming farmer could make use of. The landholder has previously raised up to 75 broiler chickens at a time at this site, and is especially excited about having chickens on the land once again.

The property has an established irrigation system, which is fed by a well and consists of several standpipes that feed into drip irrigation. The space available does not currently have a designated standpipe, but the landholder is open to collaborating on expanding the system out to that space. There is a water license already in place!

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

This property offers an excellent opportunity for a small-scale, mixed farm operation. The landholder is open to broilers or layers, and the cultivation space would also be well-suited to market gardening or flowers (the neighbors are beekeepers, meaning good pollination!). Organic practices are preferred; the site has previously been cultivated organically and the landholder would like to continue with this approach.

The landholder is excited to share space with a grower who is passionate about building soil and has experience growing food on shared land. The landholder has a large garden and there are several other plots on the site that are tended by family members and friends, so the ability to collaborate and share space will be key for a successful match. In the space available, the landholder’s main interest is in improving the soil health and providing space and access to equipment to support increased food production on the property.

In addition to the mobile chicken houses, there are also a variety of hand tools and a couple small tractors that may be used by the incoming farmer. The landholder is open to working with the farmer to establish any additional infrastructure necessary.

ABOUT THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

Given that there will be multiple farmers cultivating their own small plots on the property, this opportunity would be well-suited to farmers who enjoy sharing space and working with others. The ideal candidate would be community-minded and cooperative in nature.

Currently, there are no accommodations available at this site, so the opportunity would be best-suited to farmers who live locally or within reasonable commuting distance to the property.

If you’re looking for land for farming in Cowichan Bay, get in touch to learn more and start a conversation!

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 Vancouver Island Land Matcher, Ari Westhaver, at ari@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 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.