The backyard mini-farm initiative is a Future Heirlooms project dedicated to establishing new backyard mini-farms in the East Kootenay Region, and empowering new mini-farmers with the skills, knowledge and confidence to create a sustainable backyard food source for themselves, their families and their community as a whole - through high yielding closed-loop Grow Biointensive farming.
Whether you’re interested in a garden design consultation, professional laboratory soil testing, or looking for complete training and assistance turning your backyard in to a productive mini-farm - the Backyard Mini-Farm Initiative is designed to help you succeed.
Future Heirlooms Mini-Farm - From hay field to productive garden ecosystem!
How does it work?
The Backyard Mini-Farm Initiative offers a spring and fall session, as well as 3 levels of support to choose from: Apprentice, Gardener, and Mini-Farmer.
Choose the level and starting season that’s right for you and your food production goals, and then submit an application. We’ll work with you to create a highly productive, beautiful and sustainable food source for you and your family.
Who can apply
Anyone in the RDEK can apply, no gardening/farming experience required!
Garden locations can be brand new, already established or part of an expansion.
There are a few more qualifying questions, found in the application below.
Level 1 - Apprentice
Our Apprentice service is designed for new gardeners/mini-farmers who are looking for the basics of garden site design, soil fertility and Grow Biointensive techniques.
The Future Heirlooms staff will provide an on-site garden consultation that includes a solar mapping of your location - optimal bed design, orientation and placement - a demonstration and training of how to take a proper *soil sample - a soil texture test - wooden seedling flat design plans to start your own seeds - and a copy of How to Grow More Vegetables by John Jeavons.
You’re also invited to attend the spring Backyard Mini-Farm Initiative workshop - a demonstration and skill building workshop covering: bed preparation, double digging, bed shaping, amending/fertilizing, flatting, transplanting and watering techniques used in the Grow Biointensive method.
Cost: $250
*Our complete soil testing service can be added-on for $100
Level 2 - Gardener
Our Gardener service includes everything from the Apprentice level, and additionally:
-A customized garden plan and diet design for your unique mini-farm.
-A complete soil analysis and organic amendment recommendation. Soil tests are completed by A & L Laboratories - fertilizer recommendations provided by John Beeby from Grow Your Soil .
-1 on 1 email support for the entire growing season - any questions or concerns, we’re here to help!
-Attendance to both spring and fall skill building Backyard Mini-Farm Initiative workshops, covering: harvesting techniques, seed saving, threshing and winnowing, and building compost piles the GB way - followed by a harvest potluck dinner and campfire to wrap up the season with style!
Cost: $500
Level 3 - Mini-Farmer
The Mini-Farmer is a complete program designed to provide you with all the training, experience, support and soil fertility needed to establish your own sustainable backyard mini-farm this season, with continued support next season as well!
You’ll also become a valuable resource in your community for sustainable food production. While not required, you’ll have enough experience and knowledge to teach your friends, family and neighbours how to transform their backyard into a highly productive food source.
This service includes everything from the Apprentice and Gardener services, with the addition of:
-The required *fertilizers and compost to balance and optimize your unique soil profile. Organic amendments and compost provided by Future Heirlooms. *Organic amendments supplied for up to 500sqft.
-A follow-up on-site visit to deliver organic amendments and offer additional training and 1 on 1 support. Examples of training include application of amendments, bed prep, transplanting etc.
-Additionally: Free attendance to all public workshops and tours for the season - continued mentorship for the following growing season - a discount on our soil testing service for the following growing season and free attendance to a workshop of your choice during the following growing season for additional training.
Cost: $1,000
***The training and experience gained as a Mini-Farmer will prepare you for the basic level Grow Biointensive Teacher Training Course, offered by Ecology Action.
We’ll be working with each mini-farmer 1 on 1 to accommodate your specific needs and schedule.
On-site assessment, soil testing and garden design is site specific and can be completed before or after the first workshop at your discretion- your growing season and frost dates will help guide timing.
Here are some specific dates and timeframes you’ll need to know about:
Spring Session Timeline 2023
The spring session is designed to get you digging and planting as soon as possible in the spring - digging your beds, amending, and planting crops after the first skill building workshop.
Spring Session:
-Deadline for the spring session applications is April 30th.
-The spring skill building workshop takes place on the first Saturday of May.
-The fall workshop and potluck event takes place on the second Saturday of September.
Fall Session Timeline 2023
The fall session is designed for people who are interested in a later start, prioritizing training and cover cropping this year, followed by amending and planting their food crops next spring. The fall session is particularly beneficial for poor soils that need additional time building fertility through cover cropping prior to main season crops.
Fall Session:
-The deadline for fall session applications is July 1st.
-The summer skill building workshop takes place on the first Saturday of August.
-The fall workshop and potluck event takes place on the second Saturday of September.
The fall session participants will join the spring session for the fall workshop - facilitating sharing of experiences and creating relationships!
Scholarship Opportunities
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Scholarship Opportunities -
Thank you to the Columbia Basin Trust and their Community Initiatives Program for providing funding for scholarships for the Backyard Mini-Farm Initiative!
We currently have full and partial scholarships available for participants who live in the districts of Fernie and Invermere.
Please indicate on your application if you would like to apply for the scholarship!