Carroll Church – Director & Membership Co-Chair

I started with a backyard garden and a couple of chickens then proceeded to a small farm in Victoria. For over 20 years we grew vegetables and supplied eggs to a greengrocer in Fairfield. At times we felt like we were crazy, working full-time jobs then running home to work in the garden. I remember picking beans with a gas light so we could get them to market the next morning.

When we “retired” we moved to the Comox Valley. We have been here for over 13 years, on a small city lot. We realize now that you can move but you cannot leave the farmer behind. We have managed to turn our lot into a production yard, with over 17 fruit trees, grapes, berries, and unique plants. My husband and I make a great team; he is a Seed Saver and I am with the Horticultural Society. Always on the lookout for new and interesting ideas to incorporate into our garden, we remain the true farmer, always believing that next year things that failed this time will work out better.