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The University of British Columbia
- a place of mind
- The University of British Columbia
- Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm
This FAQ was compiled primarily as a response to questions from students.
(Okay, this isn’t strictly a question – but it’s frequently heard.)
Yes!
The UBC Farm is a 24-ha teaching, research, and community farm located at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC. The farm is home to a range of programs where students, faculty, staff, and the local community work together to create a place where anyone can come to learn, live and value the connection between land, food, and community. Forming a rich mosaic of cultivated fields, orchards, pasture, teaching gardens, and forest, the farm is a unique urban agrarian gem. The farm is under the stewardship of the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, which operates as part of UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems.
The centre’s mission is to provide innovative, interdisciplinary student-centred experiential learning, sustainable food systems research, and community service through stewardship of an urban agroecosystem.
In 1997, the university’s Official Community Plan (currently the Land use Plan) designated the land currently labeled on campus maps as the UBC Farm as a “future housing reserve.” Extensive student, faculty, staff, and community discussion from 2001 until 2009 led to the development of a new academic vision for the site.
In December 2008, UBC’s Board of Governors requested that an academic plan be completed for the 24-ha site that is currently stewarded by the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm. Titled Cultivating Place, the academic plan for South Campus was received by the Board of Governors and Senate in late 2009 and is now available online. This visionary document will support UBC’s aspirations towards being a global leader in sustainability. An integrated working farm system is at the heart of this plan.
In 2011, following public consultation, the UBC Farm was re-designated as Green Academic. The continued support of the community will be essential for the farm’s long-term success and for its academic plan to become a reality.
The farm is managed through the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems, which is part of UBC’s Faculty of Land and Food Systems. The UBC Farm hosts projects from a wide range of UBC units. Eight of UBC’s 11 faculties, 4 of UBC’s 11 schools, and both of UBC’s colleges participate in active academic projects at the UBC Farm. Produce sales are the largest single revenue source for the UBC Farm. Please see the People and Supporters pages for more information.
Honeybees at the UBC Farm
The farm maintains flocks of free-range laying hens that are integrated into the farm’s crop rotation and are part of a number of research projects investigating integrated pest management, animal welfare, and animal nutrition. Honeybee hives are also maintained on site, and these are used for immunology research by the Centre for High-Throughput Biology, and along with honey production for the UBC Farm markets. The UBC Farm has also been pleased to host two Belted Galloway cattle during part of the 2010 and 2011 growing seasons. As the farm develops, there is an intention to hope to incorporate more domestic livestock on a small scale as part of an integrated, model sustainable agricultural system. Beyond domestic livestock, however, the farm teems with wildlife. By actively managing a diversity of habitat types, the farm supports an amazing population of birds, insects, amphibians, reptiles, as well as small and large mammals.
Any portion of the farm producing food that is sold to the public is managed following British Columbia Certified Organic Management Standards. The UBC Farm does not have organic certification. Soil productivity is chiefly maintained through cover cropping and the use of compost, weeds are managed through hand or mechanical cultivation, and the farm aims to healthy balance of beneficial insects to keep pest populations in check.
To pitch your idea to the UBC Farm advisory committee, please use this project proposal form. The UBC Farm encourages new projects that further the teaching, research, and community outreach objectives as described in Cultivating Place. The farm’s Operations Committee and Steering Committee review proposals and approve those that are feasible given the farm’s resources and land use plans.
The Centre for Sustainable Food Systems is part of the university, and as such its primarily purpose is for teaching and research activities. For certain past cases in which community integration was part of a larger academic initiative, such as the Vancouver Native Health Society Garden Project, the farm embarked on projects that bear some similarity to community gardens. Given the growing interest among the university community, the farm is currently reviewing the potential for community garden areas on site. It hopes to find a model that meets the balance between the community’s interests and UBC’s academic mandate.
The Saturday UBC Farm Market includes a variety of locally produced items from vendors outside of the UBC Farm. The farm intends to partner with more local producers that are a good fit for the Market’s vision. After thoroughly reading through the UBC Farm Market Vendor Guidelines, interested vendors can apply via the online application form. If you have further questions, contact ubcfarm.market@gmail.com.
Two families live at the farm as on-site caretakers and are responsible for a wide range of after-hours work required to keep ensure crop health, animal welfare, and site security. The caretakers provide their own recreational vehicles (travel trailers) for accommodations. The caretaker positions are currently filled.
