Deer Crossing the Art Farm

Well, here we are! After case studies, feasibility reports, farm consultancies, legal documentation, meetings at the credit union, a draft “Smart Farm” zoning proposal, conference, council, and board presentations, a gut check by The Art Farm board, tons of help from Heather and the Foodlands Co-operative of BC, and countless awkward conversations with people wondering if we were ever going to move this forward, The Art Farm is finally moving the Smart Farm forward!

This idea is simple: increase the allowable density of homes on small acreages like ours to make the land, the housing, the farming, and—ultimately—the community-building more affordable.

How will the Smart Farm pilot work? 

The Smart Farm pilot will be owned and operated by a community service co-operative made up of individual and group members. These members will include: the four family units living in the dwellings, The Art Farm (a settler led community engaged arts organization), and Talaysay Tours (a Shíshálh and Sḵwx̱wú?mesh led cultural education organization). Each membership will come with certain rights of use on the property—from living in the homes to growing and harvesting food to operating cultural retreats with the community.  A covenant will be placed on the sale of the property that ensures the land will be reserved for cultural and agricultural use in perpetuity. 

What’s next? 

We’re working with the Foodlands Co-operative of BC on developing our community service co-operative, filing our papers, and submitting to the SCRD for rezoning. In other words, it’s really happening! 

Much gratitude to everyone who has helped us with this project along the way, but especially to Heather Pritchard who has championed and supported us from the get-go!

More on our organization at www.deercrossingtheartfarm.org and on the Smart Farm project, in general, at: www.smartfarmproject.org