Canada: Loutet Farm serves up fresh produce and local food security
The North Shore’s first urban farm has become a hub for participating in local agriculture and growing knowledge in the community
Nick Laba
North Shore News
Aug 13, 2022
Excerpt:
It once was a garbage dump. Then it was infilled as part of building the Upper Levels Highway. Now the plot of land is home to a park, a beloved community garden and a farm that sells fresh produce every week during harvest season.
Given that it’s just a bit of soil with hardpan underneath, it’s said to be a bit miraculous that much grows there at all. But for over a decade, staff at Loutet Farm have nurtured the earth and created a local source of food.
Now, through the Edible Garden Project, the North Shore’s first urban farm hosts biweekly markets and is a community hub for knowledge-sharing and produce-growing initiatives.
Obviously, North Van is a pretty affluent neighbourhood, says market coordinator Becca Eastman.
“It doesn’t always feel like we’re in the midst of getting to everyone who really needs food,” they said. “Even though it’s more hidden, there are a bunch of people who come to our market with food coupons that they get through the Association of Farmers Markets.”
