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Two start-up farmers in Kelowna are now working on making a community cooperative farm a reality after Kelowna showed overwhelming support and enthusiasm for the project.
Ceres Circle Farm has been taken over by Cecilia Hogan and Kevin Morin after the land was donated by Sue Haley, the former owner, to be held in a trust with the BC Foodlands Cooperative so her life’s work can continue.
Morin and Hogan are the main flagship farmers, and have been working to set up Ceres Circle Farm, and created a crowdfunding campaign to help get them started with their first flock of sheep.
Kelowna loved the idea of the project, and the target funding goal of $7,000 was reached a month ahead of time.
“Neighbours and people from the community just really like the idea of having this farm continue and not become a golf course or something, and also for it to be an area to teach other young farmers to start-up,” says Morin. “We haven't needed to do a big recruitment process, people kind of showed up on their own accord.”
Now, Morin and Hogan have purchased their flock of 20 sheep, and even have an adorable puppy named Scout that will be trained as a guard dog to keep the lambs safe from coyotes and bobcats.
“They seem quite comfortable here because they came from Alberta and it’s like -20 C there,” said Morin. “They don’t seem to mind the weather here at all.”
They are working on fixing up the farm to get it ready for the season, and have a few projects already interested in the land.
Morin says that there has been interest from Okanagan Tree Fruit Cooperative to set up an orchard on the land, and the community farm association may move some plots there.
Beyond the organizations already looking at the land, Morin says it’s still “open-ended” and there could still be room for others to join.
The development of projects like this means food security and a more sustainable community Morin says. He believes that these kinds of models will be increasingly more common as urbanization continues and farmland becomes more centralized.
“Even in Canada, we import a large amount of our produce from California or down south,” Morin said. “So, in the case of an environmental disaster, we tend to think that we haven’t seen food shortages here, but definitely with the way the world economy is tailored today it could happen.”
“It’s not an option when you see your high school guidance counselor,” Morin said, explaining why they took up the project. “Becoming a farmer is not on anyone’s radar, but I think it’s a very healthy lifestyle, and it’s an important one.”
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