Wednesday August 16, 2023 | LANGFORD, BC
by Mary P Brooke, B.Sc. | Island Social Trends
Farming on south Vancouver Island is an important source of local produce and other food products.
But only about three percent of the food consumed on the island is grown on the island. All the rest is shipped in by air or ferry, and then transported by truck around to grocery stores and warehouses.
Food resilience across BC is becoming more complex all the time. The drought conditions this summer are now impacting the water supply for farmers, including those who grow their own feed for cattle and other domestic food chain animals.
Sooke region farming:
In the Sooke region (which includes Otter Point and other areas east and west of Sooke), there are at least 27 farms.
Sooke has a slightly shorter growing season than in nearby urban areas of Langford, Colwood, View Royal, Saanich, Victoria. But they have more land area for farming in Sooke, as does rural Metchosin and the East Sooke area.
Here is a list of Sooke area farms as posted on the Sooke Food CHI website.
- ALM Organic Farm & Full Circle Seeds
- Barefoot Farm
- Bellafinca Farm
- Bennett Farms
- Cross Point Farm
- Cast Iron Farm Co-op
- Dakini Tidal Wilds
- Eagle Paws Organics
- Far Side Farm
- Happy Valley Lavender & Herb Farm
- Honestly Tea
- InishOge Farm
- Inlet Creek Farm
- Menagerie Farm & Rootree Wellness
- Mrs Lewers Farmhouse
- Orveas Creek Healing Farm
- Otter Point Farm
- Ragley Farm
- Red Earth Farm
- Roche Cove Llamas
- Saltwest Naturals
- Silver Cloud Farm
- Tideview Farm
- Tugwell Creek Honey Farm & Meadery
- Umi Nami Farm
- Winterbourne Farm
- Wildmountain Dinners
Farmer’s markets:
- The Sooke Country Market and the Sooke Night Market include some fresh garden products when in season.
- The annual Sooke Fall Fair is coming up on the weekend of September 9 and 10 at Sooke Community Hall, where locally grown food is featured with awards and displays.
- A farmer’s market will also be part of the Apple Festival by Sooke Food CHI, at Sunriver Gardens on Sunday September 24 (10 am to 3 pm).
- See community events listed on the Island Social Trends calendar.
The BC Government supports farmer’s markets throughout the province with nutrition coupons that can be used by low-income families and seniors to help fill in some gaps in their grocery basket.
Urban food resilience:
People being able to grow even a small amount of food in their own backyard (or even in pots on their patio) is an important part of food resilience. Especially as the climate becomes unreliable and as inflation continues to gouge deeply into people’s household budgets.
As Mary Brooke said recently in two urban food resilience presentations to committees of the Langford city council, urban food resilience is about pre-planning and building the right infrastructure as well as community programs and financial supports, but that it’s also about making food-growing an acceptable activity in the urban lifestyle.
Any bit of extra food that an urban resident can grow in their own yard is not only tasty and at optimal nutrition value, it helps a bit with the family budget. There is also a sense of satisfaction at one’s own resourcefulness, and with zero carbon emissions transportation footprint there is no negative impact on the environment. It might also save you one trip to the local food bank.
Food security news:
Follow the Food Security Section of Island Social Trends to find out about news and local presentations having to do with the challenges to food supply on Vancouver Island.
How are you impacted?
If you wish to contribute your thoughts on how inflation has impacted your household budget — particularly the purchase of food — please send your comments to letters@islandsocialtrends.com (for anonymous inclusion in major research paper).
===== ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS:
Island Social Trends is the fully-online offshoot from the former print/PDF West Shore Voice News. Find daily news posts and local news insights at IslandSocialTrends.ca .
The entire series of news publications about the west shore and Sooke region started with MapleLine Magazine (2008-2010), which morphed into the weekly print newspaper Sooke Voice News (2011-2013), which then expanded into the colour print/PDF West Shore Voice News (2014-2020). When the pandemic hit, there was no stopping the news! The publication series became Island Social Trends.
Founding editor and publisher Mary P Brooke, B.Sc., Cert PR, has created and spearheaded this series of news publications from day one, with an eye to socioeconomic analysis.
Mary P Brooke is now giving public presentations on the current state of journalism under siege by social media, and also urban food resilience. | Contact Mary Brooke at 250-217-5821 to book a presentation to your group or municipal council.
ABOUT ISLAND SOCIAL TRENDS | ABOUT MARY P BROOKE | FOOD SECURITY NEWS | BECOME A PREMIUM SUBSCRIBER