Land Awknowledgment

Fruitful Fields is leasing land from Circular Farm and Food Society operating out of the Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture. Farmer Brooke has been caring for the 1 acre plot for over 3 years now starting off with Farm or Die Agriculture for 2 years as well as working across the road at White Oak Farm. 

 

The land is currently public land with the District of North Saanich. The property is 82 acres total with 10-20 arable land that can be used for in-ground fruit and vegetable production. The arable land near the front of the property is being shared by 10-12 other emerging farmers and producers. The remaining 60 acres is forests with trails, remaining Gary Oak trees, newly emerging invasive tree, shrub and vining plant species. 

The majority of the property is open grasslands that are still being used for grazing sheep but unfortunately cannot be used to grow as it floods winter and becomes a fast moving river. 

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in the past, before there was an airport or a racetrack built these lands were the ancestral territory of the W̱SÁNEĆ people, and more specifically the W̱SĺḴEM First Nation. The Gary Oak and Camas Meadows were cared for and managed by Indigenous people for more years than I can imagine. 

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When I am working in the fields, I feel a continued responsibility to care for this land, remember those who contributed to the soils in the past, and to farm in a way that continues to improves the soil and encourage plant life and biodiversity to thrive.

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