Find Farmland, Start Farming

Are you thinking of getting into farming or market gardening? Finding land may not be as much of a roadblock as you may think. Don't assume that to start farming, you first need enough money to buy a farm.

Buying a farm is only one way to get started — and for many new farmers, it may not be the best one. Across Canada, there are landowners with farmland, fields, gardens and other productive land that they aren't using themselves. Some would be very happy to see their land put to good use.

Depending on what you want to grow or raise, possibilities can include:

• Leasing farmland from an established farmer or rural landowner.
• Using a portion of someone else's property, from a large backyard to several acres of unused land.
• Sharing land with an existing farm, sometimes along with equipment, infrastructure or knowledge.
• Joining a farm incubator or land-access program designed to help new farmers get established.
• Working with a retiring farmer who would like to see their land remain in production.
• Starting small, on rented or borrowed land, while you build skills, customers and capital.

For market gardening in particular, you may need much less land than you think. A relatively small, intensively cultivated plot can support a substantial amount of vegetable, herb or flower production — especially when selling directly through farmers' markets, CSA programs, farm stands or local restaurants.

Start by looking for people, not just properties

Conventional real-estate listings are only one place to look. Let people know what you're hoping to do. Talk with farmers, landowners, local food organizations, agricultural associations, conservation groups and people in rural communities. Check community notice boards and online groups, and look for regional farmland-matching or land-sharing programs.

You may discover opportunities that were never formally advertised.

Before saying yes

Affordable or free land isn't necessarily suitable land. Consider soil quality, drainage, water availability, sunlight, road access, zoning, nearby land uses, storage, electricity and other infrastructure. If you're leasing or sharing land, make sure there is a clear written agreement covering responsibilities, costs, length of tenure and what happens to any improvements you make.

If you have the skills, energy and determination to grow food, finding the land may be easier than you think.

Resources

In Canada, a number of organizations offer assistance for those wanting to start farming.

Find farmland

• Guide to Alternative Farmland Access | More
• BC Land Matching Program | More
• Alberta Land Matching Program | More
• FindFarmland.ca (south & central Ontario)
• Farmland Access Program (Ontario)
• OntarioNewFarmer.ca (Ontario)
• FarmLink.net (Canada)
• EcoProperty.ca/farmsforsale (Canada)
• Realtor.ca (under "Filters" select Agriculture or Vacant Land)

Urban farms / Urban agriculture

• Ottawa: Start up farm program | Community Garden Network
• Toronto: Toronto Urban Growers | Foodshare | The Stop | Black Creek | TRCA | Downsview
• Montreal: Guide to Urban Agriculture | Santropol Roulant | The Depot | | Cultivaction | Cultiver Montreal/2
• Vancouver: UBC Farm | Sole Food Farms | More

Work on farms

For most new farmers, an important first step is to spend a few seasons working on farms to learn and prepare for this career. This could be in the form of a job, internship, apprenticeship or volunteer:

• Work in regenerative/ organic/ ecological/ sustainable farming in Canada
  • FoodWork
  • SOIL Apprenticeships
  • Young Agrarians
  • WWOOF Canada (volunteer)
• Work in mostly in corporate/ industrial farms, monoculture, pesticides
  • Canada Job Bank: General Farm Worker | Livestock
• Also related
  • National Farmers Union
  • Canadian Organic Growers | Transition to organic
  • Organic BC
  • Regeneration Canada
  • ACORN Organic

---

Jobs

• Work on organic/ ecological/ sustainable farms
• Post a job, internship or apprenticeship

Please mention you saw this at FoodWork.ca.