Tag Archives: organic farming

Call for Mentors: Young Agrarians Apprenticeship Program

Posted by Dana Penrice on September 22, 2021 2 Comments

We are seeking 2022 Host Mentor Farms for the YA Apprenticeship Program in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba to grow the next generation of regenerative agriculture practitioners. Mentor application deadline extended to October 30th, 2021* Are you a rancher or farmer who is a dedicated steward of the land? Are you a skilled and enthusiastic teachers who has a passion for mentoring young and aspiring farmers? Do you have a farm philosophy that recognizes the connectedness of the land and people? Well if the boot fits, then you would likely make a good mentor in our program! *If you can’t make … Continue reading Call for Mentors: Young Agrarians Apprenticeship Program →

FUNDING: Organic Conversion Support Program

Posted by Michalina Hunter on June 09, 2021

Funding is available for farmers to support the transition to organic production! The Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) is thrilled to announce the launch of their new Support Organic Change Fund. With a booming $6.6 billion in sales, Canada is the sixth largest organic market in the world. Yet, demand continuously outpaces supply, despite double digit production growth. Two thirds of Canadians purchase organic products weekly and organic is the fastest growing part of the Canadian agriculture landscape. These facts are both extremely positive for the Canadian organic industry, yet without continued efforts to train organic techniques and support Canadian farmers to … Continue reading FUNDING: Organic Conversion Support Program →

How to Select Vegetable Varieties for Greenhouse Growing

Posted by Michalina Hunter on June 04, 2021

Got a new greenhouse or poly tunnel and wondering what varieties to plant? Experiencing issues with low yields or disease in your greenhouse? Check out this interview with Gemma McNeill, Owner-Operator of Zaklan Farm, a suburban microfarm in Surrey, British Columbia. Once you’ve gleaned some wisdom from Gemma, you may want to learn more. We recommend you follow up by reading an outline on how to select vegetable varieties for greenhouse growing, plus recommendations for the best greenhouse tomato, pepper, cucumber, eggplant, and lettuce varieties to try, from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Photo above is of Gemma by Zaklan Farm. Greenhouse … Continue reading How to Select Vegetable Varieties for Greenhouse Growing →

2021 KOOTENAY / COLUMBIA BASIN LAND OPPORTUNITY ROUND-UP!

Posted by Hailey Troock on May 03, 2021

We have more land opportunities than what is listed here! Get in touch with a Land Matcher at land@youngagrarians.org to access our full land inventory and B.C. Land Matching Program support in your region. Spring is here and if you’re still thinking about land for this year or for next season, check out these land opportunities from across the Kootenays / Columbia Basin! More will continue to be added to this post so check back once in awhile for new opportunities across the region. These opportunities are registered with the BC Land Matching Program so I’m teaming up with these landowners to find enterprising farmers looking … Continue reading 2021 KOOTENAY / COLUMBIA BASIN LAND OPPORTUNITY ROUND-UP! →

Alberta Land Access Guide

Posted by Michelle Lam on March 23, 2021 7 Comments

Feature image above: Photo Credit: Kevin Kossowan // Location: Lady’s Hat Farm, Castor, AB The Young Agrarians team and our contributors have been working hard at creating the first edition of the Alberta Land Access Guide. It’s a toolkit for new farmers like YOU. It’s a collection of stories of wins, losses, and everything in-between. We hope you can use these experiences to guide you through this big, rather intimidating step in your career path as a regenerative farmer. (Don’t worry, we’re here to walk you through it, step-by-step). For land seekers, it will give you ideas to explore when … Continue reading Alberta Land Access Guide →

YA APPRENTICESHIP 2021: Minto, MB – Rourke Farms Ltd. Organics

Posted by Sara Yagelniski on March 15, 2021

PAID GRAIN APPRENTICESHIP 2021 Do you want to build your skill, knowledge, and experience in organic grain farming? Rourke Farms LTD. Organics is offering an apprenticeship to take a step into the world of larger scale grain production, both conventional and organic. DEADLINE TO APPLY IS EXTENDED – APPLY TODAY (link at bottom of the page) About the Farm Rourke Farm is located near Minto, MB. Rourke Farms is an organic grain farm made up of David, Diane, Don (their son), Dorian (their daughter) and Dorian’s husband, John, plus a couple of hired hands. They are a big farm with … Continue reading YA APPRENTICESHIP 2021: Minto, MB – Rourke Farms Ltd. Organics →

FARM JOB: Abbotsford, BC – Earth Apple Organic Farm, Farmhand

Posted by Michalina Hunter on March 09, 2021

Earth Apple Organic Farm in Abbotsford, BC is seeking a Farmhand for the 2021 season! ABOUT Earth Apple Organic Farm We are a certified organic, small-scale mixed veggie (with some fruit) farm with 300 laying hens and about 6 acres of land in cultivation, farming since 2011. By taking good care of our soil, we produce quality produce which we sell direct to our community via farmers markets, CSA program and a handful of restaurant clients. We also specialize in garlic (culinary and seed) #NewMountainGarlic. We live and farm at Glen Valley Organic Farm- a beautiful 50 acre property in … Continue reading FARM JOB: Abbotsford, BC – Earth Apple Organic Farm, Farmhand →

LAND OPPORTUNITY: 3.5 recently cultivated acres, SE Kelowna, BC

Posted by Tessa Thompson on February 11, 2021

We have more land opportunities than what is listed here! Get in touch with a Land Matcher at land@youngagrarians.org to access our full land inventory and B.C. Land Matching Program support in your region. ABOUT THE LAND This lovely 4.2 acre Southeast Kelowna farm (Black Raven Farm) is fully deer fenced and has farm gated access from Saucier Road. It is irrigated good soil with approximately 3.5 acres available to lease. Former crops grown on this property include wine grapes, red and golden delicious apples, and Blackberries, Blueberries, Haskaps. The berries have been removed and approximately 2 acres of fall rye planted on the upper … Continue reading LAND OPPORTUNITY: 3.5 recently cultivated acres, SE Kelowna, BC →

How to Plan a Market Garden

Posted by Michalina Hunter on February 04, 2021

This post covers the basics of planning a market garden (or backyard garden), including tools from Johnny’s Seeds for calculating the amount of seed you’ll need and crop yields. An Intro to Johnny’s Seed Quantity Calculators & Yield Charts • How to measure • How much of what to plant • How far apart • To produce just so much? Planning your market garden layout is one of the more challenging annualized tasks of vegetable production, because multiple goals must be rolled into the planning process. Rotations, planting dates, days to maturity, duration of harvest, labour resources, and even microclimates … Continue reading How to Plan a Market Garden →

LAND OPPORTUNITY: Hopyard on Mixed Farm – Sorrento, BC

Posted by Tessa Thompson on February 02, 2021 1 Comment

We have more land opportunities than what is listed here! Get in touch with a Land Matcher at land@youngagrarians.org to access our full land inventory and B.C. Land Matching Program support in your region. ABOUT THE FARM Left Fields Organic Farm & Crannóg Ales together are a diversified farm and brewery in Sorrento. The farm has a web of infrastructure and activities, from a small laying flock and bees to cider and dessert apples, berries and soft fruits, nuts and the garden and seed production. There’s a wetland, pasture area and the basis of a commercial kitchen (still unlicensed but almost ready for licensing, … Continue reading LAND OPPORTUNITY: Hopyard on Mixed Farm – Sorrento, BC →