I hope this does take root – I trust you saw Hildegard Horie’s comments in a recent edition of the PNR.
Just because the thing may not seem realistic right now, does not make it a bad idea — the point I’m making is it would be good for all and sundry on this Island to have a little land set aside to grow food. Developers are already putting pressure to use arable land now, so I do not expect that to change.
It seems that a farmer has to have at least 10 acres before they have a productive farm situation that can sustain them and land from a trust can manage that I’m sure.
In North Saanich the council has not taken any steps to make concrete any plans of an agricultural nature in both instances — Sandown and Glen Meadows — and they may not, either. I would have liked to see a permanent farmers’ market, combined with a teaching college for young farmers with land to practice on, and a community kitchen, providing us all healthy food.
As for Mr. Daly’s comments on no one chomping at the bit to get at these, perhaps he has not bothered to be at the farmer to farmer meetings, or the CR-Fair get togethers, or the Food for the Future people, where he would undoubtedly find young farmers eager to obtain land to farm on. I have at least, not seen him there.
I have enjoyed most of your editorials, though this one leaves something to be desired — we should make an effort to make this a reality, for the sake of our communities. However, as you say, these are early days.
Irfane Fancey
North Saanich
