How does your garden grow?

Lin Steedman and Oliver Egan are educating people about locally grown produce with their community supported agriculture program

Lin Steedman and Oliver Egan operate Edible Acres, a community supported agriculture program. — Photo courtesy Lin Steedman

More and more, people are looking at their peppers and cucumbers and wondering about the journey vegetables take going from dirt to dinner plate. Where were they grown? Were pesticides or other chemicals used? Did the farmer have a strong season, or did they take a loss?

Lin Steedman studied sustainable agriculture at the University of British Columbia, where she first learned of the concept of community supported agriculture (CSA) programs in the United States.

"It’s set up with the idea of supporting local farmers and supporting local economies," said Steedman. "Members buy in knowing that they’re taking on a bit of the risk of farming with the farmer. Normally, if it’s a bad season for a certain crop, the farmer loses out, but the customers don’t, in terms of finances. That’s one way that farmers in the States decided to spread out the risk of farming."

Steedman returned to Windermere, where her parents own Winderberry Nursery. She and her fiancé, Oliver Egan, founded Edible Acres, believed to be the first CSA operation in the Kootenays. Now in its third year, Edible Acres supplies 21 shareholders with a fresh box of vegetables every week during the growing season. Edible Acres has created much buzz; Columbia Valley residents are interested in this enterprise where they can take part in the growing process and know that they are supporting local food producers.

Steedman said they try to have the first box ready by the end of June; it typically contains cooler weather crops like lettuce, onions and radishes. As the season progresses, the boxes will be filled with a wide variety of produce—everything from beans to broccoli to beets.

The program caters to people who, first and foremost, love a wide variety of vegetables. Edible Acres also sells working shares; these shareholders commit to four hours of work per week on the farm, in exchange receiving a box of vegetables each week. Working shares are suited to people who enjoy gardening but don't have their own plot of land, or who want to learn more about gardening in the Columbia Valley.

Part of the Edible Acres mandate is to help people learn about the opportunities for growing within the Kootenays.

"We really encourage families to take part, because they can bring their kids out to the farm and help us weed, plant and get to know where their food is coming from and how it’s grown," said Steedman. "(We're) trying to educate people on what we can grow here, what it takes to grow it here and to do it organically, too, on a smaller scale."

Edible Acres is taking names on a waiting list for shareholding next season; email Edible Acres or visit them at the Invermere Farmers Market to learn more.