Words Jo Barnes
Photos Kathryn Brimacombe Photography
For 35 years, Rebecca Jehn, owner of Rebecca’s Garden, has been sowing the seeds for crops as well as ideas in educating new farmers. As she looks back on her long career as a Peninsula farmer who is now approaching retirement, Rebecca smiles as she recalls the tremendous satisfaction she has had through farming. “Farming has fed me. It has fed my physical body and fed my soul,” she shares. “I’ve had apprenticeship programs at my farm and mentored many new farmers. It is a strong farming community on the Island, and there’s a sense that everybody is helping everybody”.
Heather Stretch, owner of Northbrook Farm and co-owner of Saanich Organics, acknowledges Rebecca’s legacy. “She has taught so many other farmers, myself included, the diverse skills required in all stages of food production from seed to vegetables to preserves. She has had the patience and generosity to pass her knowledge on to others”.
Since 1990, Rebecca has operated a successful small-scale farming operation, but with some health issues in the picture, she has decided that this year she will be winding down the farm to explore what retirement has in store.
“Since incurring a knee injury, I don’t feel I have the strength like before. I want to play more music, go for walks and do swimming,” she says. “I have a music degree and I’m opening the door to teaching more music.”
For decades, Rebecca has been a well-known member of the local farming community. Her certified organic farm has offered customers a wealth of nutritious foods including certified organic and heritage vegetables, herbs, seeds, berries, flowers, preserves and over 30 varieties of unique heritage dry beans. Her produce has been grown at two farming locations, one that is ideal for shade-loving crops, and the other, a south-facing property for vegetables and bean crops which need more sun.
She chose organic farming practices and attained certification early in her career. “It’s the only way to farm. You have a sense of integrity in growing food,” she says. “You have a second party accrediting you. Customers often like to know this. There are a number of farms transitioning to organic certification, despite the paperwork and time involved.”
Rebecca’s organic farming techniques also reflect her personal philosophy toward sustainability. “Farmers, well, we consider ourselves stewards of the land. Soil and land are living entities. We are feeding the soil, and this produces amazing crops,” she says.
But her impact on farming on the Peninsula has been far beyond what she has grown herself. For Rebecca, farming has been a joy to do and to teach. In the mid 1990s, she volunteered with Linking Land and Future Farmers (LLAFF), a local organization that matched landowners with farmers. Now in 2025, this process is still being offered through the B.C. Land Matching Program. “I was involved with LLAFF. The name of the organization always made me smile,” she relates. “LLAFF; it expressed joy in being able to be a farmer! Farming is not a job that is going to get you rich. It is a quality of life, it’s about community, and it is full of so much joy.”
Rebecca has also been active with farming organizations such as Island Organic Producers Association (IOPA) and the newly formed South Island Farmers Institute. This year she will lead a workshop focusing on seed security and the benefits to establishing an onsite seed program. She has also worked with Stewards of Irreplaceable Land (SOIL) and offered apprenticeship programs at her farm. “I have enjoyed working with people. These are personal connections,” she says. “They come to my farm one or two days per week and learn how to do different jobs like seeding plants in beds, pots or flats.”
In addition, Rebecca also served in the Seed Mentorship Program, an initiative that pairs new seed producers with more experienced mentors. Through her involvement, newcomers have benefited from her knowledge and experience and learned how to plan, manage and sustain their seed crops. Rebecca was even instrumental in establishing the Moss Street Market and Seedy Saturdays and continues to be an enthusiastic supporter of both.
But it is Rebecca’s presence in the local farming community that has garnered the most attention through the years. “Rebecca loves healthy soil and is a careful steward of the land,” comments Heather. “Her passion for farming extends beyond herself. Even in the long, hot days of summer when most farmers struggle to keep their heads above water, Rebecca is always able to take a deep breath, pause, answer a new farmer’s question with patience, and take the time to connect.”
As she looks forward to retirement, Rebecca has left a lasting imprint on the Saanich farming community. Like good seed, her legacy flourishes and produces a harvest of future farmers.
