What is the Blenkinsop Community Agricultural Centre?

The Blenkinsop Community Agricultural Centre ( BCAC) spans about 14 acres in the scenic Blenkinsop Valley of Saanich, B.C., nestled at the base of PKOL (Mount Douglas Park). The Centre’s land is thoughtfully divided into three main areas:

  • Farmpreneurs’ Allotments – ½-acre and ¼-acre plots

  • Hundreds of Community Garden Allotments – starting at 5 ft x 10 ft

  • Tuf-Turf Retail & Support Hub – offering agricultural, horticultural, and landscape supplies to support the Centre’s operations

The Centre's core mission is to foster a deeper connection between agriculture and our local community. By building a vibrant and supportive community of farmers and gardeners working together, we aim to encourage collaboration, learning, and growth.

What Makes BCAC Unique?

Unlike many other community gardens or farm leases, BCAC stands out in several key ways:

  • Ready-to-Grow Farmland
    Our land isn’t just vacant fields waiting to be converted. It’s already proven, productive farmland, ready to support more growth. This is a significant advantage compared to fields that require extensive preparation or former industrial sites needing rehabilitation before they’re viable for farming.

  • Privately Funded Venture
    BCAC is a private initiative, meaning it’s entirely self-funded. There’s no need for taxpayer funding or municipal resources to keep the Centre operational. That said, we are currently working with the District of Saanich on zoning adjustments to ensure everything aligns smoothly. Any support in this area is appreciated, so feel free to let them know you’re on board!

  • No Volunteer or Board Obligations
    Unlike traditional community gardens, members of our Centre won’t be required to take on volunteer roles or serve on community boards. All guidelines and rules will be established and managed by the ownership, ensuring a simple, straightforward process for everyone involved. Decisions will be made thoughtfully, with input from our members always welcome. Volunteer opportunities may become available but only for those interested.

Our Approach to Gardening and Farming

At BCAC, we prioritize regenerative farming techniques. This means focusing on practices that enhance the soil and ecosystem, using natural fertilizers, encouraging pollinators, and ensuring the land remains healthy and productive for future generations. We want to create a lasting legacy for our community.

Supporting Our Community

Support is at the heart of what we do. BCAC aims to provide members with access to:

  • Tools and equipment – some available for free, others for rent (including a tractor for larger plots)

  • Partnerships and connections for BCAC Community members– helping members with information to sell their produce to retail buyers (stores, restaurants)

  • Future on-site production facilities – designed to support our “farmpreneurs” as they grow

  • Connections with Not-For-Profits to grow much-needed food for their stakeholders and beneficiaries

  • Partnerships with local educational institutions such as schools, universities, organizations and more. “We can all learn by growing.”

With Tuf-Turf located on-site, our members will have convenient access to a wide range of products, including soils, composts, and natural fertilizers, rental equipment all at special rates. This makes it easy and cost-effective for members to manage and expand their gardens or farms. Tuf-Turf in turn will be helping to support and subsidize the land lease rates for all Centre community members.

When and How?

As of January 2nd, 2025 We are managing the change-over from open farmland. This means building the layout, adding and installing the infrastructure (roads, paths, irrigation, parking and more).

Our goal is to have Farmers and Gardeners working their plots as soon as March 1st. You can sign up below to get your name on our waitlist and to stay informed as to our progress.

The regulations and fees are being finalized now and will be online soon and available to look over.

Our goal for fees (which will be listed in the final documents) are:

·       5 ft x 10 ft Allotments:  approx. $120 per year  (less than a TV streaming service!)

·       ¼ acre farmpreneur plots: approx. $1800 per year

·       ½ acre farmpreneur plots: approx. $3000 per year

The fees above are approximate and will be confirmed when the final memberships / leases are ready to be presented to those interested in joining the community.