Happy New Year from Anneth Farm!
We are Forming a a Farm Cooperative
!!
At Anneth Farm, we believe in the strength of farmers working together. By forming a farm cooperative, our new farmers can unite to share resources, knowledge, and labor. The cooperative creates a sense of community, encourages teamwork, promotes good farming methods, and makes the local agricultural sector stronger. In addition to Tiny Foods/Secret Garden we still have room for one more experienced farmer!
Get more information here: Anneth Farm Farming Opportunity
Sponsorship Opportunity!
Farmer to Farmer is a week-long annual conference held for farmers on Vancouver Island. It includes a full day
conference on February 15, 2024 and 8 half day field workshops that bring together farmers and growers for education,
capacity and community building.
The event offers opportunities for businesses and organizations to support the agricultural sector on South Vancouver
Island. Farmer to Farmer is hosted by the South Vancouver Island Farmers Institute with support from local and regional
agricultural associations and the Ministry of Agriculture.
If you are interested in becoming a sponsor please contact Chris Vuksic Event Team Chair at f2f@sifarmersinstitute.ca
December Update from Anneth Farm
Winter at the farm
Hello! The bustle continues as we start to prepare for our second Cooperative farmer. The fields are being tilled and the fences coming down. Infrastructure will include dry and cold storage and new hoophouses just as a start.
We apologize but we have made the wise decision NOT TO HOST A CHRISTMAS MARKET this month. The farm development project is enough to keep us out of trouble this year. We will miss seeing you all but look forward to seeing you in the spring. Have a wonderful holiday season!
Farmer to Farmer 2024
This year, Chris is part of the event planning committee for a fabulous Farmer To Farmer Conference which is hosted by the South Vancouver island Farmers’ Institute (SVIFI) and runs February 12th to February 16th. If you are a farmer at any stage of your journey THIS IS FOR YOU! Monday Tuesday Wednesday and Friday of that week will be field days for on site farm education. Thursday February 15th is the full conference day held at the Saanich fairground with a ton of valuable workshops to suit every farmer! Save the Date and we will let you know when registrations open! Plan to attend or if you are not a farmer consider becoming one of our event sponsors! For more info feel free to contact me at annethfarm@gmail.com
A New Dawn for Anneth Farm
After a spring and summer of huge personal and professional change around here on Anneth Farm, we really feel like the sun is rising on a whole new era of farming for our little piece of this green earth.
Our new guiding phrase is #continuingthegoodness. Driven by our continued focus on the sustainability of our planet and the legacy we wish to have for the future, including our own grandchildren, we aim to more than double the production of quality food on this land. By 2024 we will have developed a farming cooperative which will share these goals with two full time career farmers, each on one acre of land, as well as ourselves. The first acre is already in the process of regeneration and soil improvement.
These changes would not be possible with Shellie McDonald who is assisting us with the business transition. Many of you saw her at our stand at the North Saanich Farm market this summer. Our connection with the North Saanich Farm Market is one built on loyalty and trust; they were there for us when we were “baby farmers" just getting our feet wet! It will continue to be a cornerstone of our marketing strategy. Chris is a NSFM board member and you will see Anneth Farm’s presence there once again in 2024. https://northsaanichfarmmarket.ca/
And next summer will see the return of our own farm stand so you can get your produce right here at the farm.
What will not be changing is our dedication to this community of North Saanich and the relationships that are so important here among our local farming community. We are members of the South Island Farmers Institute and will continue to work closely with Young Agrarians of BC. We have been fortunate to have Fern and Roe Hide Tannery located right here at our farm and are so enjoying this wonderful collaboration.
And while our goat and sheep breeding operations are currently on hold for a while longer, we still have a small flock of Cotswold sheep and our laying hens.
As usual you can reach us at annethfarm@gmail.com.
Stay tuned for more updates over the next few months.
SPOILER ALERT: There will be a Christmas Market here December 16th..watch for more details in our next newsletter.
August Update from Anneth
Hi everyone! Its been a while since we sent an update so thought it was about time….
Just a reminder that Stan and Chris are taking a farming sabbatical this year. Our market garden is growing well under the wonderful supervision of Shellie MacDonald (Anneth Farm) and the Emanuel family (Tiny Foods Farm and Secret Garden Flowers). “#continuing the goodness” means that both farmers are hosting wonderful produce at the North Saanich farm market as usual, every Saturday morning and, as many of you have noticed, Tiny Foods/Secret Garden have been hosting an honour stand just inside our gates on a daily basis. (9420 West Saanich Road - please park just to the left as you drive in) . We are hitting our peak season here with cantaloupe, tomatoes, beans, peppers, eggplant and so much more. We encourage you to avail yourselves of the daily fresh produce and flowers; payment is cash or etransfer (to secretgardencutflowers@gmail.com).
Having said that please note that the honour stand will be closed temporarily from August 21st to Aug 30 but will reopen on August 31st. You can still get out produce at the North Saanich Farm Market https://northsaanichfarmmarket.ca/ every Saturday. If you have inquiries regarding stand hours or produce please email Katy at secretgardencutflowers@gmail.com. Note that we will not be responding to emails at annethfarm@gmail.com.
Here at Anneth farm we are still fully committed to local food production and have some exciting plans going forward to increase our commitment to that. Keep your eyes on this site!
TO MARKET, TO MARKET!!!!
Hi everyone! Happy Canada Day! Its Saturday and you know what that means…time to go to market. We believe that the North Saanich Farm Market is just the best. An abundance of real live farmers who produce thoughtfully and naturally. Lovely crafts and products that are strictly local. This is the way local markets were meant to be!! Today say hi to Farmer Shellie at our booth. She will have peas and broad beans, fresh garlic and onions and much more. Not to mention there are delicious baked goods, coffee and live music.
Where: 10990 W Saanich Rd, North Saanich, BC V8L 5P6.
When: Today 9:30 am to 12:00 pm.
MARKET DAY!!!!
Hi everyone. I f you are reading this over your morning coffee and looking for something to make your day bright; something that includes amazing baking, treats and music and provides you with delicious locally grown produce to incorporate into your supper plans, LOOK NO FURTHER!! Hurry over to North Saanich Farm Market and then slow right down for an amazingly lovely sunny morning. 10990 W Saanich Rd, North Saanich, BC V8L 5P6. 9:30 am to 12:00 pm
Our Anneth farm produce today includes FRESH garlic, shelling peas and limited numbers of Broad Beans (the beginning of the tidal wave). Fresh herbs of course, preserves and wool batts for spinning.
Don’t forget to introduce yourselves to Shellie MacDonald who is the new face of our farm stand this season!
A New Face for Anneth Farm this Summer
Anneth Farm will have a new face this season as we adjust to a new set of circumstances.
Due to a necessary family sabbatical, we have made a decision to temporarily make some changes to our business.
Anneth farm will continue to be the trusted producer you have come to know but the food production and marketing part of our business will be run by Shellie McDonald this season. Many of you may remember her from Red Damsel Farm. Welcome Shellie!
We will still have a presence at the North Saanich Farmers market every Saturday from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm. https://northsaanichfarmmarket.ca/
We will not be having any farm gate sales but our colleagues from Secret Garden Cut Flowers and Tiny Farm Foods may be hosting events right here on the farm so watch this space for more updates.
And for the time being we request that you refrain from emailing us about produce as we are not filling any orders by email at the present time.
Tomato Starts...and a little more
9 AM until NOON, Saturday May 27th….
Whether you are eating fresh, making sauce, canning,
freezing, or whatever, tomatoes straight from the garden are simply unbeatable. And, the same tomatoes you get from us in the summer could be growing in your garden as well. We have a selection of starts available, which we’ll be selling at our stand tomorrow. These vigourous, robust plants are in 1/2 gallon pots, fully hardened and ready for transplant.
Varieties include our usual Roma, a new-to-us sauce tomato named “Cipolla’s Pride”, as well as some beefsteak types and a few Sungolds (super sweet orange cherry tomatoes). We will also have a limited amount of fresh salad mix and radishes at the stand “while they last”.
Price is $5 per start, $20 for 5.
Also taking part in the plant sale are two farms that have leased part of our garden - Secret Garden Cut Flowers and Tiny Farm Food. Come see what they have to offer!
We’re excited to be starting another market season and look forward to seeing you at 9420 West Saanich Rd
Pumpkin Sale!!!
We have 4 gorgeous Musquee d’hiver pumpkins. We have been enjoying roasting these and making them into pies all winter. They are still firm, sweet and delicious. However ..its time to start seeding inside and these lovelies need a home. We are selling them for the bargain basement price of $10 each. Please email me if you would like one! (First come first served)
Brussel Sprouts and Farm News!
Morning everyone. We have fresh brussel sprouts for the next couple of days. Please just email me if you would like some at annethfarm@gmail.com.
In other news we are offering our barn loft on weekends as an air B and B and you can find all the information below. If you have family or friends looking either for somewhere to stay either e mail me or go to the link below. Right now it is only available on Friday Saturday and Sunday nights but if you need something different please feel free to email me.
https://www.airbnb.ca/rooms/794792614866641983