It is our deepest desire to raise our family connected to the land and build our community through service and better healthy living. Our goals very much stem from the 4-H pledge:
“I pledge
My head to clearer thinking,
My heart to greater loyalty,
My hands to larger service,
My health to better living …”
That is also our pledge to our family, community, country and world. This is a big promise which can be summed up and fulfilled by our farm motto: “Local. Sustainable. Responsible”.
LOCAL
Adjacent to the Trans-Canada Highway in Cobble Hill, our farm is set up perfectly to serve the Cowichan Valley. Just minutes from Cowichan Bay, Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, and Duncan, food does not have to travel far to end up on your plate, in your lunch bag or as a snack before you can even leave the farm. There are many benefits to eating local, but for us, TASTE, NUTRITION and RESPONSIBLE practices seal the deal for us. The fact of the matter is that we can grow varieties and breeds of produce and livestock that are produced for flavour and sustainability rather than for their ability to produce the same generic flavours, transport well, and maximize production at the expense of the land. By skipping commercial production methods and minimizing storage time, fresh local food delivers delicious and nutrient-dense food that is grown by farmers who value the longevity and health of the land.
SUSTAINABLE
Sustainable permaculture practices are rooted in ethics and provide us with simple tools to govern what we do around the farm. It all boils down to taking care of the Earth, taking care of people, and sharing resources and abundance. Our farm is a dynamic system that provides water to be used responsibly from wells, energy from solar arrays on the farmhouse, efficient geothermal systems, and ecological resilience through nutrient recycling (composting), mulching to retain water, and non-intensive rotational forest and pasture grazing to nurture both the land and livestock. We do our part by not introducing chemicals, minimizing water use and managing the land responsibly. This is as much for our benefit as for the communities benefit, after all, we live here too and want to preserve the abundance and peace here for generations to come.
RESPONSIBLE
Farming sustainably and keeping the land pristine for future generations is key to our responsible stewardship of Heritage Hill Farm. Beyond sustainable practices, our farm practices resonate our social responsibility for the health of our family and community, the quality of life for our livestock, and through service to our community.
Health
Organic practices are followed to ensure the soil and produce health. In addition, food is picked and processed fresh to ensure peak nutrient density.
Quality of Life
Our livestock receive nothing but the best care. They have constant access to fresh clean water, daily helpings of yummy veggie scraps, unlimited pasture access, shade, and lots of tummy rubs. Our pigs get to be pigs and exhibit all their natural behaviours. Happy pigs make for socially responsible and tasty pork.
Service
It is in the spirit of social responsibility and gratitude that we participate in the BC Thanksgiving Food Drive each September, providing both our produce and our time to #FeedCowichan. There is so much joy to be had in sharing of the fall abundance and in working hard with so many individuals that make this annual event happen. Sorters, drivers, boxers, runners, and organizers all assemble for a weeklong endeavour that fills hearts and tummies in the Cowichan Valley.