Here we are at the end of our year. We are grateful for the support from residents and visitors to Hornby, it keeps us excited and moving forward on this adventure!
Our goal has been and continues to be feeding our community. It has been a year of hard work and learning as we strive to bring good food to this community.
With the shorter days, the garden has been put to bed for the winter months before plantings begin again in early spring. The hens continue to lay and the sheep will lamb before summer.
This year we had the good fortune to work with our oldest son Jared. He began his work with us in the spring as we welcomed lambs and a new flock of laying hens, along with the many tasks preparing the market garden. We are grateful for the time we had with him and how much he helped move us forward.
Our mighty team of three was able to increase the garden production, expand livestock forage, and add a process area to wash and store fruit and vegetables. Our egg delivery service expanded to include produce and island-made products in support of other Hornby small businesses.
2025 will be our third year on Hornby Island. Plans are in place for an increase in vegetable, egg, lamb and wool offerings. A new orchard will be planted out this spring with trees from our nursery that include heritage and cider varieties providing fruit, juice, and vinegar to our customers.
Work continues on conditioning the fields through rotational grazing and mowing to restore forage areas for our sheep and future livestock. Raising animals on the farm is a key element of regenerative farming, building healthy soil, and increasing biodiversity that improves the ecology of this area with every step forward.
We feel fortunate for the opportunity be here, on a small island farm surrounded by an amazing community. None of this would have been possible if not for the desire of the Cross family to see this land return to a working farm. Their generosity and dedication to Hornby Island cannot be overstated and we are grateful to them.
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