We are not industrial; we’re not factory farmers; we’re a small-scale family farm. We are labour intensive and do all our own hand weeding, picking and packaging. We are committed to ecological and socially responsible farm practices. We are committed to searching for alternatives to the use of chemicals wherever possible.
Our farming practices involve using specific conventional treatments minimally and cautiously. Every year we work towards bettering the conditions of our soils by doing a variety of responsible things; growing cover crops, adding nitrogen, and composting. We take great care with our farming methods. Land stewardship is very important to us. For three generations (and we’re on to the fourth!), we’ve tilled the soil on this farm, producing healthy, local food for families in the Edmonton area. We believe the land is a gift we need to responsibly care for so that it may continue to provide us with healthy fresh food, now and in the future.
5 important things to know about our farm
- We have 120 acres of farmable land. We grow more than 20 kinds of vegetables.
- It has a unique microclimate that enables us to harvest vegetables much earlier than the norm.
- It’s located on the banks of the magnificent North Saskatchewan River.
- Our farm is within Edmonton’s boundaries. In fact it is the easternmost point in the city. There is a movement to preserve farmland in this area.
- We take great care with our farming methods. We are responsible and cautious in our treatment of the land.
Fun farm facts
We irrigate from the North Saskatchewan River and our fields ideally need 1/2 inch per week. The water is very clean and we get it tested every year.
Our land includes 75 acres of old growth forest. It’s on a lower elevation than our fields and has flooded three times in the past 30 years. It’s a great habitat for deer, moose, coyotes, beavers, porcupines, badgers, weasels and all kinds of birds – osprey, pelicans, owls, pheasants and woodpeckers to name a few!
Our soil is amazing and has incredible drainage. When it rains too much, we’re still able to get into our fields and when it’s too dry, we use the river to irrigate. Moisture management is key in growing healthy crops.
Almost all of the buildings on the farm were build in the 1950’s and 1960’s and have now been retro fitted to store veggies and serve as our wash stations and equipment storage.
Our 100 year old farmhouse was moved to the farm in the late 1970’s from the Humberstone Farm, which is now Rundle Park. Janelle has lived in this house for all but a brief 20 months when she and Aaron lived in the Beverly neighbourhood before they returned to the farm in 2006.
The farm is at a lower elevation than most of Edmonton. Sometimes fog will linger on the farm until noon when it’s nowhere to be found in the rest of the city. Often at the first frost when other farms in the region have frozen solid, we only have frost on our rooftops. This allows us to have a longer growing season!