Community supported agriculture

Position: Neighborhood Farmer 
Program: SSI Neighbourhood Farm Program
Organization: Salt Spring Island Agriculture Alliance (SSI Ag Alliance)
Work location: Salt Spring Island, Capital Regional District BC

The SSI Neighbourhood Farm Program is a community supported agriculture model bringing together training, access to land, and grass-roots funding to enable farms to grow food for their community.

Together we are exploring new models of agriculture which support and empower local farms, provide food security, and strengthen our collective resilience. A neighbourhood farm operates within a specific geographic area on Salt Spring Island to provide the surrounding neighbours with food. In a reciprocal relationship, the farmer engages with the neighbours to develop and implement a customized cropping plan that is specific to that neighbourhood. Neighbours support their farm and farmer, either financially or through labour, in exchange for a regular source of food.

We are looking for individuals who are interested in branching out and taking an exciting new step in their agricultural career. Learn, live and grow on Salt Spring Island with the support of mentors and neighbours. This is a unique kind of opportunity that could lead to a lifetime of community and collectiveness in a stunningly beautiful part of the world.

How the Program Works

• Applicants are trained in the Neighbourhood Farm Model and matched with a suitable site and a supportive neighbourhood.
• Farmers and neighbours crop plan together.
• Farmers grow food for their neighbours.
• Neighbours support their farmer in any number of ways (land, income, housing, labour, resources etc).

The training program component will be a comprehensive educational opportunity with a curriculum developed in collaboration with the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU). Topics such as developing a neighbourhood group, crop planning and delivery, as well as soil and plant health will be covered. Tuition fees will be collected in order to support the curriculum delivery by experienced instructors and farmers. The aim of the training is to be customized and responsive to the needs of the particular sites and neighbourhoods.

Trainees will form a cohort of learners for full time on-site training from April to September. Training will happen on Salt Spring Island, on-site at the different Neighbourhood Farms to allow for planning and initial support to get their farm operational. Tuition for the first season will be in line with similar programs of this nature offered by KPU and other post-secondary institutions. A fee-based residential option will be available for a limited number of participants.

In the second season, trainees will begin growing food for their neighbourhood on the site with which they are matched. Trainees will continue to receive support from the trainers and their peers. This support will be offered pro-bono and is to aid with transitioning to running a fully-functional Neighbourhood Farm. Additional elements may be offered such as webinars, one-on-one consultation and social gatherings.

Reach out to: nfp.saltspring@gmail.com to learn more and send in your application.

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