Words Jo Barnes
Photos Sarah Hartley Photography
Everywhere you look, there’s fresh-picked local fruits and vegetables, delicious artisan breads and baked goods. There’s nothing like filling your baskets at the local farmer’s market … with the click of a button?!
Since spring of 2020, the South Island FarmHub, an online farmers market platform, has been making fresh, nutritious food accessible by being just a click away for everyone in the community. “The opportunity for individual households and other non profits and charities to shop through a marketplace for locally grown food; this has always been a missed opportunity,” shares Colleen Popyk, General Manager. “We are a full-time produce aggregation and distribution centre. It is an alternative to shop local for those with an inability to get to the market. Instead, the market comes to you!”
The concept of an online farm hub originated during Covid, when farmers were desperately trying to get their harvests to market and consumers were impacted by disruptions with food supply chains. “When Covid hit, farmers were in a panic, restaurants were shutting down and there was a great need for a sales and distribution avenue,” says Colleen.
There was post-harvest availability of food, but the issue was how to get it to the community. Two organizations, the Victoria Community Food Hub Society (VCFHS) and the Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable (CRFAIR), were already hard at work promoting a healthy food system in our region. The timing was ideal.
“The idea of local food economy and online sales, distribution and delivery had been percolating for some time,” remarks Colleen. “So, VCFHS applied to The Victoria Foundation for funding of a contact list, marketplace, distribution service, farmers online market and staffing. The application was successful.”
Since inception, South Island FarmHub has dramatically grown in volume and outreach programs. “We started with several anchor farms including Kildara Farms, Northstar Farm, Sun Trio and Saanich Organics,” says Colleen. “Now we’re up to 80 producers including farmers, fishers, ranchers and local processors.”
South Island FarmHub works with numerous growers and producers in the Capital Regional District. It offers many programs. First, it offers a home delivery program which includes subscription harvest and island meat boxes and online à la carte ordering. Second, it features the Farmbucks program which subsidizes local food from its online shop to enhance food access for community organizations. Finally, there is wholesale ordering for local catering groups, restaurants and institutions.
Organizations participating and benefitting from the program include seniors’ groups such as James Bay New Horizons and schools including Reynolds Secondary, Esquimalt High, and Edward Milne Community School in Sooke. Not only is fresh food getting into the hands of more people throughout the South Island area, but local food security, accessibility, and sustainability is being promoted.
“Farmbucks is connecting farmers and their produce to school culinary programs,” remarks Colleen. “Students cook and create with crops that grow in our region. They learn about the freshness and quality of local produce, sustainable food growing and local food security. These are important tools in the student’s learning toolbox.”
The initial seed of idea has grown and produced a bounty of not only fresh food but improved food accessibility. According to the FarmHub’s website: “The Farmbucks program has distributed over $726,000 of locally grown, fished and made food.”
Laura Gair, Director of Food Security and Resource Development for the FarmHub, VCFHS, and CRFAIR, lays out the organization’s foundational philosophy. “Everyone deserves healthy food.
It’s wrapped in so many aspects of life; physical health but also mental wellness, social and cultural connection. It’s about affordability, accessibility and equity. We need change at a systems level to really bring about sustainable, long-term improvement, and that involves collaborating with farmers, levels of government, other organizations and community members.”
A longtime food programs coordinator, Laura heard about the work of the South Island FarmHub and joined the team in 2021. “I understand first hand the challenges for charities wanting to provide quality, healthy foods for their participants, and knowing the nutrition and environmental benefits of buying local produce, but facing budgetary and time constraints,” she says. “I really admired the innovation of the Farmbucks program and reached out to get involved.”
The efforts of FarmHub require logistical planning and dedication, but the team are all motivated by the potential for positive change in our community. Heather Vandenengel, Marketing and Sales Coordinator, shares: “I really love working with the FarmHub. Through our Farmbucks program, we’re able to connect charity and school programs with local, fresh produce. The feedback we hear from participants is really heartening. You can just see the difference that quality food can make.”
Members of the community can also get involved in the effort by either purchasing food on South Island FarmHub’s website, making a monetary donation or supporting participating local farmers. Community access to nutritious food; it’s just a click away.
www.sifarmhub.ca
