The Horse Lake Community Farm Cooperative held its annual Family Farm Day on Sunday, Aug. 12, amid cool and smoky air.
Karen Greenwood, one of the people living on the Lone Butte property, attributed the event’s low turnout to the weather.
“We would have had better turnout if the weather was better.”
She said a few families did come earlier in the day and got to experience the farm and see what the co-op is all about.
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CEEDS
The farm co-op was formed 12 years ago after the original owner had to sell but wanted the land to remain natural, said Greenwood. She and the other CEEDS (Community Enhancement and Economic Development Society), along with people who were already renting homes on the land and those who were simply interested in the project, purchased the land so they could continue farming on it.
“The people that have bought it have all probably joined for their own reasons,” said Greenwood. Ultimately, she said the concept is to support local food production by saving the land for farming.
“And people can enjoy the farm in whatever way they choose to,” she said. “Like we have a little campsite at one end and people can come and go canoeing.”
In their quiet corner on the far east end of Horse Lake, Greenwood said they do a bird walk every spring and sometimes even host the Educo Adventure School for a day in the garden.
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People Power
Laura Laing and her kids volunteered at the farm ten years ago, which is where she met her now husband Dave.
The family now lives on the co-op and manages 2/3 of the garden, to sell produce at the South Cariboo and Interlakes Farmers Markets and donate food to the Family Enrichment and Women’s centres.
“Our main goal is to provide food at low cost or no cost to people who need it,” she said.
She hopes her organization, People Power, will eventually get charitable tax status, she said, so they can collect donations and operate entirely to feed people.
“We may still always need to supplement with market sales, we’ll just have to see how things go.”
beth.audet@100milefreepress.net
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