Abbotsford – The Abbotsford Community Foundation (ACF) is pleased to confirm the recipients of the 2018 Agricultural Enhancement Grants. A total of $105,000 was granted to five local farming initiatives that met the criteria of revitalization of unused or underutilized land in the Abbotsford ALR, with the objective of creating more usable and productive farmland.
“We are proud to partner with the City of Abbotsford to provide grants annually to our farming community,” said, Lorna Hart, ACF Board Chair. “ACF has provided more than $650,000 through our Agriculture Enhancement grants over the past five years to support one of Abbotsford’s key economic drivers. “added Hart.
Dockum Farms Ltd. – McDermott Road Land Reclaim
The objective and outcome of this project is to get 18 acres of recently purchased property, a previous greenhouse operation that had been neglected for years, cleaned up and planted back into grass land and corn crops.
Field House Brewing Co. – Field House Farms Project
This project aims to collaborate with farming partners to revitalize underutilized ALR property which will contribute to both the agriculture community and local food culture. Specifically, Field House Farm will partner with Bakerview Eco Dairy to lease 2 acres to grow grain and barley. They will also partner with Maple Lane Farm to lease .5 acre to bring into production for their kitchen program. This project will integrate local Valley farms into our local businesses, in order to show the process is viable and sustainable.
Goat’s Pride Dairy at McLennan Creek
This project proposes to address the need for a sustainable food source for livestock which can be grown on marginal ALR land, specifically in the Tagasaste Tree as a potential fodder crop for goats, but also to explore other sustainable plants. This would provide a way of utilizing feral hillsides in our ALR for sustainable fodder crops.
Green Flora Greenhouses Ltd.
They currently have approximately 2 acres of available wooded land, which was substantially damaged during the ice storms last winter. The project would reclaim this land and make agricultural use of it by setting up a half acre hop yard and the balance used for a hazelnut orchard. As this land is not being utilized for any agricultural productions this would be the ideal local to begin testing and focusing on research for new and upcoming varieties of both species.
MEI Agriculture Program
MEI currently owns approximately 19 acres, currently in the ALR and is going to start an environmentally sound, sustainable organic agriculture program as part of their K-12 education. There is significant potential to bring this land back into production with this project funding and the produce grown will be supplied to local markets.
For more information on how to support Abbotsford Community Foundation’s programs please visit the website at www.abbotsfordcf.org or phone 604-850-3755.
