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ABOUT THE FARM
Ceres Circle Farm is a 36.8 acre livestock farm with a provincial abattoir licensed for sheep, goats and poultry in Kelowna, BC. The farm includes approximately 30 acres of pasture, cross-fenced into paddocks for rotational grazing. Most of the pasture is sub-irrigated low-lying land in the flood plain of Mission Creek and includes sandy loam soil with areas of gravel and muck soil. There is also a hill with silty soil and old-growth Douglas fir and pine trees near a 28 x 56 ft 3-sided lambing and hay shed. A five-acre woodlot supplies firewood for the farmhouse near the abattoir. This area could benefit from a herd of goats to clear invasive weeds. A drilled registered well supplies two residences, the livestock, the abattoir and trickle-irrigated home gardens.
ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY
We are seeking resident farmers to continue raising sheep and/or goats and operating the abattoir. In addition to sheep, the current tenants raise broilers, laying hens and ducks and sell meat, carded wool,hand-tanned sheepskins, eggs and custom slaughter, cut, freeze and wrap services to other farmers.
The farm is in the process of arranging perpetual protection through the Foodlands Cooperative of BC (www.foodlands.org) and is to be managed by a community service cooperative, which was incorporated in May 2019. Currently three of the founding members have agreed to share the land: Cecilia and Kevin, the resident farmers; Mark and Amber, who live in a heritage house on the farm; and Casey, the executive director of the Okanagan Tree Fruit Project (www.okanagantreefruitproject.org).
Given the complexity of operating an abattoir, Kevin and Cecilia are offering a season where they will hire and train new farmers in 2020 to take over the business. No previous experience in butchery is required, though an interest in the work is essential. Specific terms and dates are flexible according to the availability of the successful applicants.
Once qualified and licensed, the new farmers would be eligible to purchase the sheep flock from Cecilia and Kevin and to enter into a one-year lease for the pasture, abattoir, farm equipment and farmhouse with the landowner. Upon successful completion of the one-year lease, the farmers/abattoir operators would be eligible for a long-term lease.
GET IN TOUCH!
If you are interested in this land opportunity, please submit an application including answers to the following questions to : celia.j.hogan@gmail.com
What is your area of interest in farming and what enterprises would be included in your ideal plan?
What are your farming experience and qualifications that indicate your ability to successfully execute your business plan?
What cooperative or group experience do you have that indicates aptitude for a cooperative farm opportunity?
Please include three personal or professional references and any other information that you think is important for us to consider.
The B.C. Land Matching Program is funded in the Okanagan by the Province of British Columbia, with support from the Real Estate Foundation of B.C. and the Regional District of North Okanagan.