The Kitselas First Nation is developing a demonstration garden that will provide skills training for community members, but also bring locally grown, organic produce, to the Terrace Farmers Market this summer.
The garden is located at the demonstration site on Queensway Drive in Terrace. Ground is set to be broken next weekend, and all the supplies are in place to begin construction and planting.
David Hansen, is the director for employment training for the Kitselas First Nation, and says food production was chosen because of the broad range of practical experience it can provide to community members.
Hansen says if the demonstration garden is a success, there are plans to upscale the project into a commercial farming development. He says a commercial venture will allow the community to address issues of food security, create employment, as well as continue to provide training opportunities. The plan for the commercial project is in the very early planning stages, and still requires the approval of the Kitselas leadership team.
Despite being up north, Hansen says Terrace has good conditions for agriculture, and surplus produce will be distributed within the community through the Good Food Box.
The project is currently in its first phase, with nearly $1.2-million in funding secured. An additional benefit for the community, according to Hansen, is the knowledge sharing for community members to start growing their own gardens.
Hansen says people are welcomed to visit the demonstration site as long as COVID-19 safety protocols are followed. He also encourages people to contact them and share their agricultural knowledge, as well as trade seeds.
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