Young Agrarians is celebrating the ninth year of the Business Mentorship Network (BMN) program in BC and the expansion of the program across the Prairies! The BMN offers business mentorships to a diverse array of new and young farmers. Through one-on-one mentorship, peer networks and online workshops young farmers develop the skills necessary to operate ecologically sustainable and financially viable farm businesses.
Applications open for Mentees across Western Canada in October 2023. Mentor applications are accepted year-round. Check out the Business Mentorship Network page for more information!
Want to learn more about our Mentees (or Mentors)? Below you’ll find a Q&A where you can learn all about their farm and why they joined the Business Mentorship Network. If you’d like to read about the experiences of other Mentees/Mentors, head to our blog here.
Meet a Mentee: Sunflowers Urban Farm
Terra Pombert Sunflowers Urban Farm-Beaumont, AB
Mentored by Mike Kozlowski-Steel Pony Farm Red Deer, AB
Where do you farm?
I farm on Treaty 6 territory in the community of Beaumont. AB.
What do you farm?
I grow a seasonal selection of veggies, herbs, fruit and fresh cut flowers.
What inspired you to get into farming?
I grew up around gardening and farming, my mom was an avid gardener and preserver. I always really cared about environmental issues and wanted to find my own way to make a difference in society. I bought a house in Beaumont in 2009 and was studying through Athabasca University when I discovered permaculture. This had a huge impact on the direction of my life and led me to discover my passion transforming land into a living oasis. While my kids were young, I started to transform my lawn into a food forest using the zones of permaculture and then went back to school full time to complete an undergraduate degree in Environmental Studies.
From this I determined that real global change needed to start at home, in my community. In my studies I found that the impacts of investing in local food systems had the potential to provide solutions to many of the current environmental and social challenges of our time. This led me to believe that the most important contribution I could make was to become a farmer and help support the development of urban agriculture to address the biodiversity and ecosystem deficits in urban centers and reconnect people to growing and interacting with food and nature.
How did you learn how to farm?
I grew up growing food in our family garden and that base knowledge which has been developed through reading books, watching YouTube and experimenting with permaculture, spin-farming and regenerative farming principles and techniques.
What type of business structure is your farm?
My farm is a sole proprietorship.
How much land is under production on your farm?
My farm is evolving at this point but I think current production area is around 6000 square feet.
What is your land tenure? Are there special relationships that enabled this?
I own some land which I call my farm house. This location has a permaculture garden and a few production beds, a walk-in cooler, wash station and greenhouses. The rest of my land is obtained through renting from an agricultural society and leasing land from people I know usually on a veggie or work trade arrangement.
What types of ecological farm practices and/or responses to climate change realities do you engage in?
I grow organically and on most of my land I practice no-till and design using permaculture principals including incorporating native plants. I am very concerned about soil health and work to support healthy soil development adding compost and integrating perennial crops and in-situ composting whenever possible. I think both of these practices develop healthy ecosystems for biodiversity to thrive, address the need for social change by demonstrating alternative urban living and help to retain water and absorb carbon.
Why did you apply for business mentorship?
I have realized over the last couple years that I need more farmers in my life to bounce ideas off of and to improve my practices to develop a sustainable and financially viable business. I have been completing a master’s degree and raising children alone while starting my farm so I have been spread thin and not able to reach out to the farming community in the way I know would build community and success. This year I will finish my studies and wanted to take advantage of this opportunity to improve my farming and business practices and be more involved in the farming community.
What is the greatest business challenge you face as a new farmer?
Learning how to effectively manage my time and family to effectively market and produce product to make a profit.
What is your primary business goal for the season?
To improve my crop planning and marketing strategy.
What business tools could you not live without?
My harvest knife and quick books.
If you had a farming robot what would it be?
A water holding droid who would keep everything hydrated and happy.
How can we find out more about you, your farm, and its products?
You can find my farm on the web as Sunflowers Urban Farm: www.sunflowersurbanfarm.com
hi how are you sir.i am qasim from pakistan would like to work with you in your flower garde.I am very interested in working with you.I speak intermediate English, what time can I talk to you on video call.I will be very happy to work in your field. I have worked for eight years.sir I will wait for your reply.
Hi,
Thank you, I would be happy to have some help with my farm. Please email me and we can discuss a time to meet. sunflowersurbanfarm@gmail.com