Meet the Farmers!

• Dragonfly Farm
• Madrona Farm
• SunTrio Farm

• West Wind Farm
• Wyndlow Farm

• Off-Island Produce

Dragonfly Farm

"Share Organics is a steadfast, wonderful customer for us. We count on their weekly orders and have witnessed their endeavor in sourcing new local growers while remaining committed to their older ones. In our 9 year history (since 2003), we have watched them grow and help build success for us and for the local food movement (we love the bicycle delivery!). They do a fantastic job of supporting our farm and many other local growers, supplying the Victoria community with weekly boxs of beautiful local produce. We are very grateful to be included in their effort, mandate, and promotion of sustainability.

Sincerely,
Dan Ferguson,
Dragonfly Farm"

Crops: salad mix, onions, leeks

Location: Glenora

Dan and Regan Ferguson have been with us a long while now. On their family farm they grow in covered hoop houses which has allowed us to supply a few local restaurants and stores with local salad mix through the "shoulder seasons."

The farm was certified organic for many years and just recently the Fergusons have decided not seek continued certification although still grow to organic standards. This is an interesting conversation among local organic farmers - whether it is beneficial to remain "certified" or not!

SunTrio Farm

An interview with Dennis on Organic Greenhouse Growing. (Thanks to Darin Steinkey for this lovely video!)

"Yes, it is very much advantageous selling bulk to Share. You reach so many homes that we couldn’t possibly and the paper work …well let’s say we enjoy farming more so. So if we have forgotten to mention, thank you very much to you and your staff!!

Thanks again Susan and crew"

Crops: hot house cucumber, tomatoes, peppers, plus sprouts

Location: Central Saanich

Dennis, Michael, and Frank O'Brien are three brothers, each with a different specialty and skillset. Share was one of the first businesses to support the new farm by contracting and purchasing sprouts grown especially for us!

The farm is almost 4 acres with the main heated greenhouse now 19,500 sq feet and roughly 6,000 sq feet of unheated greenhouse space.

Wyndlow Farm

"Thank you so much for all your support this year. It really kept us alive. I like bulk orders because we see more volume move steadily. You are a pleasure to deal with and I feel you do all possible to pay a fair price. Keep up the good work! Have you ever thought of opening a branch up island? you have a lot of knowledge and experience in running this distribution system. Instead of reinventing the wheel. I am wondering how it would work up here. Just a thought."

Crops: carrots, potatoes, beets, winter squash

Location: Ladysmith

Isabelle grows on a family farm with a number of separate growers on the land. For this reason she cannot get certification for the whole farm although she grows to BC Organic standards. We have been working together with Isabelle to produce more and more carrots over the last 5 years.

West Wind Farm

"...love to work with Share Organics because they are a local company, owned and operated, that understands the Island's food and agriculture issues. I appreciate that Share contract crops so I have a market I can count on and I feel Share works extra hard to make sure all that I am growing for them is used.

Crops: eggplant, parsley, garlic, summer tomatoes

Location: North Cowichan

Wendy is an organic grower but not certified. We appreciate her amazing and beautiful crops... they are beautiful enough to be the pick of a few high-end restaurants in town! She started working with Share, growing garlic, then expanded to eggplant. When our tomato farmer moved on Wendy decided to get into tomatoes and we're so glad she did!

Madrona Farm

An interview with Dave about winter farming.

"As a farmer you must always be ready to adapt and change. Not only to the weather, but also the market demands and changes in consumer habits. Over the past few years, Madrona Farm has been growing a stronger and stronger relsationship with Share Organics. We have excelent field conditions for winter growing, without greenhouses.

Thank you,
David Chambers

Crops: fall and winter kale, chard, arugula, winter root vegetables, parsnip, rutabaga, purple turnip, potatoes, garlic, brussels sprouts, cauliflower, winter squash

Location: Blenkinsop Valley (Saanich)

Madrona Farm has done a tremendous job filling the winter gap with root veggies, garlic and also both late and early greens. It's a great part of the week when Dave rolls in with the harvest in a full body rubber suit, coated in mud from just harvesting, and perhaps a child in tow to take them to art class or some other activity.

To learn more about the farmers that we source our off-island produce from click here! Search the index for the farm name that we post with our Fresh Weekly Produce.

Discovery Organics are themselves fairtrade certified and help to build relationships with farmers from further away. We choose to work with these folks because we can trust them to source as ethically as possible and choose to support the work they do to improve the conditions for farmers around the world.