Country Life in BC • January 2016 28 Community gardens keep agriculture thriving in Burnaby by PETER MITHAM BURNABY – Community gardens may not be commercial-scale agriculture, but agriculture in Burnaby might well be lost without the presence of a 40-year-old community garden in the heart of its traditional farming area. “Burnaby’s Big Bend has this long history of agricultural production tied to these small lots,” says Jim Wolf, a senior long range planner for Burnaby. “It would appear that we’re not only protecting, we’re increasing the overall growth of agriculture in the Big Bend area.” The proof lies in a review Burnaby conducted of its agricultural lands in 2011, the first comprehensive analysis since a provincial land use inventory in 2003. During the period, nearly 70 acres entered production. The city now has 319 acres of actively farmed land and there are more farmers working the properties than ever before. Altogether, they generate more than $11.5 million in annual sales. “Although on the surface it may seem those lands are under threat, I would argue, no,” Wolf says. “We’re actually seeing an increase in production, and a lot of take- up. There’s a lot of people seeking out those lands. We’re actually seeing a higher take- up of agricultural lands for production than we have in the past.” The blossoming of agriculture in the heart of a rapidly developing area has been noted since 1995, even as vegetable farms were diminishing. But the heart of the renaissance may well lie in the establishment of an allotment garden as part of a provincial initiative in 1974. Fantasy Gardens One community garden had already been established in Richmond by the province on the site later known as Fantasy Gardens, and Edie Fisher asked Burnaby council if something similar might not be possible on lands within the newly created Agricultural Land Reserve. Staff considered the report, and council agreed to lease 14.5 acres to the province for an allotment garden. Workers from the BC Ministry of Agriculture prepared the land Two happy gardeners get more than just produce from their community garden plot in Burnaby’s Big Bend area. “We love being in the outdoors, experiencing nature up close and personal, getting our fingers into the oil and smelling its richness, enjoying the comradeship of like-minded gardeners, and relishing the garden’s plentiful bounty of really tasty and nutritious produce and the gorgeous fresh flowers.” (Supplied photo) and installed servicing for 372 plots, also serving as resource staff for the gardeners during the summer. “It was socializing through gardening, but also food production,” recalls Jim Mactier, one of two summer students who worked on the Burnaby garden and prepared the ground with a rototiller nicknamed Howard. The gardens in Richmond and Burnaby were joined by developments in Victoria and elsewhere as part of the province’s desire “to afford participants the opportunity of getting on the land to grow their own vegetables.” While many of the gardeners were middle class, the objective was to increase local food production and food security on land ideal for the purpose. “It’s actually tied to this very interesting cultural history of the Big Bend … right back to the 1890s,” Wolf says. Popular with immigrants The market garden movement of the late 19th century saw acreages in the area broken up into two-acre parcels that a family could easily cultivate to supply their own needs, and those of neighbours. The parcels were popular with immigrants, especially the Chinese. “You could have a couple of acres, you could produce strawberries, small fruits, bunch vegetables and actually have a comfortable living and even if you didn’t sell them, you could sustain your family on a small lot,” Wolf explains. “Burnaby’s little community down there supplied most of the bunch vegetables for the local markets well into the 20s, 30s and 40s. … It was urban; it was close. So you could cut your vegetables and have them to the market that very day. It really created this little economy that worked quite successfully, and still works The establishment of allotment gardens in 1974 may be the heart of the renaissance Please see “AG” page 29 Matsqui Ag-Repair Abbotsford, BC 604-826-3281 Noble Tractor & Equipment Armstrong, BC 250-546-3141 Noble Tractor & Equipment Kamloops, BC 250-851-3101 Huber Farm Equipment Prince George, BC 250-560-5431 KuhnNorthAmerica.com INVEST IN QUALITY ® Kuhn is committed to helping you succeed by building quality machines for mowing, conditioning, tedding, raking, merging and seedbed preparation. THE HAY AND TILLAGE TOOL SPECIALISTS
Transcript
Country Life in BC • January 201628
Community gardens keep agriculture thriving in Burnaby
by PETER MITHAM
BURNABY – Communitygardens may not becommercial-scale agriculture,but agriculture in Burnabymight well be lost without thepresence of a 40-year-oldcommunity garden in theheart of its traditional farmingarea.
“Burnaby’s Big Bend hasthis long history of agriculturalproduction tied to these smalllots,” says Jim Wolf, a seniorlong range planner forBurnaby. “It would appear thatwe’re not only protecting,we’re increasing the overallgrowth of agriculture in theBig Bend area.”
The proof lies in a reviewBurnaby conducted of itsagricultural lands in 2011, thefirst comprehensive analysissince a provincial land useinventory in 2003. During theperiod, nearly 70 acresentered production. The citynow has 319 acres of activelyfarmed land and there aremore farmers working theproperties than ever before.Altogether, they generatemore than $11.5 million inannual sales.
“Although on the surface itmay seem those lands are
under threat, I would argue,no,” Wolf says. “We’re actuallyseeing an increase inproduction, and a lot of take-up. There’s a lot of peopleseeking out those lands. We’reactually seeing a higher take-up of agricultural lands forproduction than we have inthe past.”
The blossoming ofagriculture in the heart of arapidly developing area hasbeen noted since 1995, evenas vegetable farms werediminishing. But the heart ofthe renaissance may well lie inthe establishment of anallotment garden as part of aprovincial initiative in 1974.
Fantasy Gardens
One community gardenhad already been establishedin Richmond by the provinceon the site later known asFantasy Gardens, and EdieFisher asked Burnaby councilif something similar might notbe possible on lands withinthe newly created AgriculturalLand Reserve.
Staff considered the report,and council agreed to lease14.5 acres to the province foran allotment garden. Workersfrom the BC Ministry ofAgriculture prepared the land
Two happy gardeners get more than just produce from their community garden plot in Burnaby’s BigBend area. “We love being in the outdoors, experiencing nature up close and personal, getting ourfingers into the oil and smelling its richness, enjoying the comradeship of like-minded gardeners, andrelishing the garden’s plentiful bounty of really tasty and nutritious produce and the gorgeous freshflowers.” (Supplied photo)
and installed servicing for 372plots, also serving as resourcestaff for the gardeners duringthe summer.
“It was socializing throughgardening, but also foodproduction,” recalls JimMactier, one of two summer
students who worked on theBurnaby garden and preparedthe ground with a rototillernicknamed Howard.
The gardens in Richmondand Burnaby were joined bydevelopments in Victoria andelsewhere as part of the
province’s desire “to affordparticipants the opportunityof getting on the land to growtheir own vegetables.”
While many of thegardeners were middle class,the objective was to increaselocal food production andfood security on land ideal forthe purpose.
“It’s actually tied to this veryinteresting cultural history ofthe Big Bend … right back tothe 1890s,” Wolf says.
Popular with immigrants
The market gardenmovement of the late 19thcentury saw acreages in thearea broken up into two-acreparcels that a family couldeasily cultivate to supply theirown needs, and those ofneighbours. The parcels werepopular with immigrants,especially the Chinese.
“You could have a couple ofacres, you could producestrawberries, small fruits,bunch vegetables and actuallyhave a comfortable living andeven if you didn’t sell them,you could sustain your familyon a small lot,” Wolf explains.“Burnaby’s little communitydown there supplied most ofthe bunch vegetables for thelocal markets well into the 20s,30s and 40s. … It was urban; itwas close. So you could cutyour vegetables and havethem to the market that veryday. It really created this littleeconomy that worked quitesuccessfully, and still works
The establishment of allotment gardens in1974 may be the heart of the renaissance
Please see “AG” page 29
Matsqui Ag-Repair
Abbotsford, BC
604-826-3281
Noble Tractor & Equipment
Armstrong, BC
250-546-3141
Noble Tractor & Equipment
Kamloops, BC
250-851-3101
Huber Farm EquipmentPrince George, BC
250-560-5431
KuhnNorthAmerica.com
INVEST IN QUALITY®
Kuhn is committed to helping you succeed by building quality machines for mowing, conditioning, tedding, raking, merging and seedbed preparation.
THE HAY AND TILLAGE TOOL SPECIALISTS
January 2016 • Country Life in BC 29
AG ZONE From page 28
quite successfully.”But zoning changes in 1948
designated everything belowMarine Way as industrial,effectively ending thedevelopment of new farmsand increasing pressure onexisting operations.
The local communitypushed back, however,galvanizing support formaintaining the city’sagricultural zones. A newcommunity plan for the BigBend area in 1972 reinstatedthe area’s agricultural zoningand recognized theimportance of local farms tothe local economy.
“The community, thegrassroots in the 1960s and1970s, turned around the ideathat all this amenity should belost,” Wolf says, and theallotment gardens were aresult of the new awareness.
Chris Mann, a member ofthe Burnaby and RegionAllotment Garden Associationthat has leased the gardensfrom the city on five-yearterms since 1979 and overseesits operation, is thankful forthe chance the gardens giveyardless city-dwellers likeherself to grow their ownfood.
Good for the soul
“We’re all extremelygrateful that this land is stillavailable,” she says. “I live in atownhouse so I don’t have aplace to grow anything, andmy friends are the same. Wegrow flowers and vegetables,so we get to have plenty offood from the garden, as wellas beauty, too, which is alsogood for one’s soul.”
But the key role thegardens have played inensuring parcels within theALR remain in production isn’tlost on her.
“It’s remarkable andwonderful that this landcontinues to thrive as anagricultural area,” she says.“It’s so big, and it’s remaineddedicated to agriculture forover 40 years.”
While other municipalitiesquestion how to bringunderutilized parcels intoproduction, communitygardens have given Burnaby asolution that is now bearingfruit – and vegetables – for anew generation of farmerswho are making a go as small-lot producers serving localmarkets.
“Where we have preservedland for agriculture and havepreserved, through ourpolicies, the ALR boundaries,we’ve been very successful,”Wolf says. “Those lands havebecome increasingly morevaluable to producers to users,and the lands have beentaken up.”
Chris Mann,left, has beengardening inBurnaby’s BigBendcommunityplots for almost10 years. Sheoriginallyjoined to helpout a friend andeventuallystayed longerthan that frienddid. Below,Country Life inBC’s Lisa Bealleexercises hergreen thumb atthe communitygarden.(Suppliedphoto)
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