ALM Organic Farm is a 15-acre organic farm located in Sooke, BC.

Certified organic since 1994 (IOPA#401), the folks at ALM Organic Farm believe that by growing organically they contribute to the health of the environment and of the people who eat their food.

They grow outstanding produce, herbs and flowers for farmers’ markets, special events, local restaurants, and a box program. They grow seeds for their seed company Full Circle Seeds, host an annual Plant Sale and support other farmers and local organizations. Learn more about ALM Organic Farm. Learn more about Full Circle Seeds.

Versatile and personalized irrigation installations, done by a professional with 10+ years of trade experience. Offering everything from simple fix-its to property-spanning systems, Bedwetters Irrigation isn’t just another catchy name! Learn more.

Using a blend of resource stewardship and practical education, Bees Please works to strengthen local food security with their Hive Hosting and Chicken Rental programs – allowing people to contribute to a mutually beneficial relationship with minimal investment of time and money. Happy and healthy pollinators are an important cornerstone of a functional ecosystem… let’s do our part to help them prosper! Learn more.

The fine folks at Bilston Creek Farm use their long-standing knowledge of all things lavender to curate natural products and memorable experiences. Their handy website presents a complete overview – including an online shop, workshop details and event booking. Learn more.

A coastal family farm that specializes in a wide range of fruit – pears, persimmons, figs – and most specifically – crisp and delicious apples! Stop by for cold-pressed apple juice sold year-round, directly off the porch. Learn more.

The Colwood Garden Society is a volunteer gardening group responsible for the ongoing maintenance and management of the Colwood Community Garden (located at Colwood City Hall). Garden plots change hands on an annual rental basis as citizens grow food, come together for administrative matters, and contribute to projects and fundraisers.  Learn more.

The Compost Education Centre reconnects many people, young and old, to simple, land based, resiliency practices. Their organizational practices sustain the Compost Education Centre, the natural environment, and our communities. They actively work towards right relations, anti-oppression and environmental justice in solidarity with the Indigenous peoples on whose land we work. Learn more.

Family-owned farm raising free-range lamb and pork in the heart of Metchosin. By appointment at 250 580 4039

Since 1993, Farm Folk City Folk has been strengthening the bonds between all facets of local food stewardship – from farmers to chefs, to researchers and municipal planners – and enabling people to create greater culinary stability within their communities. Literally starting from the seed, they provide valuable training and infrastructure to growers to help them achieve the most resilient yield possible – which in turn strengthens our food systems from the ground up. In addition to their host of seed programs, climate solutions, and work with community farms, they are behind the annual Feast of Fields celebration – which brings together many pivotal hands in the local culinary sphere. Learn more.

With a combination of hands-on work and useful online resources, FED Urban Agriculture is hard at work helping people tackle urban growing challenges and make the most of underutilized city spaces. They have successfully taken on important projects in the Capital Region, such as a rooftop garden that directly creates healthy food for vulnerable members of the community, and the Blanshard Streetscape project that helps us give back to our valuable pollinators. Functional green space is a boon to any community, and FED is on the front lines of positive change here on the West Shore, too! Learn more.

This new Metchosin market carries a little bit of everything, functioning as a sales hub for a wide variety of community artisans and growers. Come and get your groceries, baked goods, flowers, farm supplies, and more… from as local as we can find!  Learn more.

Flourish! School Food Society brings nourishing change to the way students eat and learn about food in schools. They help build school meal programs that are supported by curriculum-connected, experiential learning opportunities in school gardens, kitchens and composts.

Each day, Flourish! provides 815 home-cooked meals and enough grocery items to feed an additional 400 students. All in, they provide truly nourishing food to over 1,200 students at 21 schools each and every day.  Learn more.

A host of high-grade herbs (both medicinal and culinary) grown and prepared on-site without any pesticides or harmful additives. Drop by the farm shop (Thursday to Saturday) to peruse their selection of plants, tinctures, teas and more… Or catch them at the Metchosin Farmers’ Market until October! Learn more.

On a quiet Langford cul-de-sac, residents have banded together to create a functional, interactive “free library” for the growing community. Take a plant, leave a plant (or a tool, or a packet of seeds) – or come and get your hands dirty in the community garden patch. Each one of these little interactions fosters camaraderie amongst our local green thumbs!  950 Glen Willow Place.

The Goldstream Farmer’s Market is located in the heart of Langford BC where everything is homemade, handmade, or home grown. Vendors offer local fruits and vegetables, fresh-baked breads and goodies, unique and quality crafts, and textile creations. Learn more.

On the last Sunday of each month from May to September, the Caleb Pike Heritage Grounds are home to a host of growers and artisans. Come out between 10 and 1 to discover the Highlands’ finest!  Learn more.

Formerly stewarded by conservationist Rex Welland, this beautiful locale in View Royal is home to almost 200 varieties of apples, pears, plums, and others. Feel free to stop by and sample the delicious fruit from trellis or tree; or take part in one of their seasonal workshops to learn valuable grafting and pruning information. If we continue to take care of Welland Orchard, it will continue to take care of us! Learn more here.

Operating since 2004, Metchosin Farm grows 200+ varieties of certified organic, open-pollinated seeds as well as fruit trees, berries, and native species. Importantly, Metchosin Farm also works to create new food seed varieties such as ‘strawberry cherry’ tomato, ‘Metchosin’ apple and ‘My-chosen Purple’ potato. All of their seed crops are open-pollinated and thus can be seed-saved by anyone growing them at their home garden or farm. Seeds are available at their online store and plants can be found at their farmstand. Learn more.

Come by the Metchosin Farmer’s Market to buy fresh fruits and vegetables from organic and traditional farmers, herbs, free range eggs, breads, jams, salsa or baked goods. There are also a variety of locally crafted products including pottery, knitted and quilted wear, leather products, photo cards and jewelry. Enjoy live music as you browse.  The Market is open on Sundays, 11:00am to 2:00pm, mid-May through October. Learn more.

Metchosin is pleased to welcome this new community garden to the fold, located at the centre of town (on Old Metchosin School property). We’re excited to watch them grow – and bear fruit!  Learn more.

Mason Bees are the best pollinator for spring and early summer pollination of your fruit trees. Garry Fletcher and Metchosin Mason Bees have been selling Mason Bee Cocoons and Phragmites native reed grass tubes, harvested sustainably from his farm in Metchosin, for years. The Phragmites tubes are recognized as the most efficient type of tube for attracting several species of mason bees and leaf-cutter bees and for reducing parasite infection. Learn more.

Family-run mushroom farm located in picturesque East Sooke. Many varieties of carefully selected mushrooms (both fresh and dried), grow kits, and more are available through a host of local markets and outlets. Learn more.

The team at New Roots Landscaping is dedicated to finding the perfect overlap between aesthetic appeal and sustainable practices. They provide Red Seal certified consultation and maintenance, as well as landscape design and other helpful advisory services. Learn more, check out their sample gallery, and get a quote.

For more than 40 years, the pastures of Parry Bay Sheep Farm (located through multiple municipalities!) have been supplying humanely raised lamb, pork, and chicken to families, restaurants, and retailers across Greater Victoria. Their products are available via pre-order and picked up at the Farm Store (4335 Lindholm Rd), additionally at an assortment of local grocers and the Metchosin Farmers’ Market. Learn more.

Heirloom fruits, vegetables, microgreens, flowers, and more are springing into life at Roaming Raven Farm, located on picturesque Taylor Road. Reach out on their website to make an appointment or catch them until the end of October at the Metchosin Farmers’ Market.  Learn more.

Saanich Organics is a community of farmers from small, certified organic farms who work together to supply fresh local produce and top-quality organic seeds to Greater Victoria BC. You can find their delicious produce on the West Shore at Sea Bluff Farm in Metchosin, where they operate a year-round farm stand on Tuesdays and Saturdays from 9am to 6pm. Learn more about Sea Bluff Farm. Learn more about Saanich Organics/Seeds of the Revolution.

Seeds of Diversity is a Canadian charitable organization that has spent the last 40 years preserving over 2000 varieties of seed (vegetables, fruit, grain, and flowers) for future generations. The ability to grow a diverse cross-section of crops is at the beating heart of food biodiversity, and a bastion against the threat of a rising monoculture.  Learn more.

Based on Protection Island, Small Island Seed Co. focuses on the production of rare, obscure, or unusual seed varieties, including cold-resistant and perennial crops. They also offer a series of educational gardening videos through their Youtube channel.  Learn more.

The South Island FarmHub is a full-time produce aggregation and distribution centre, with an online farmers’ market now including over 35 farmers and 30 food producers—a number that is continually growing. They are proud to partner with farmers and food producers that maintain sustainable and ethical practices, grounded right here on Vancouver Island.

The South Island FarmHub provides two ways to get fresh food from local farms to your kitchen: a Harvest Box subscription and à la carte. Our Harvest Box subscription provides you with a bounty of fresh, local produce from our partner farms all year round. With à la carte you can shop all of the delicious local items in our store without the commitment of a subscription or have them added right into your Harvest Box.

The South Island FarmHub is also proud to champion the Farmbucks program: an initiative that provides food to those in need within our community while supporting our local farmers. Since its inception, over 30 charities and 6 schools have used Farmbucks, subsidizing $305,000 worth of fresh, local food for over 15,000 people. Learn more.

Starts, seedlings, various veggies, and more are at your fingertips. Sunrise Cottage runs a cute little roadside stand as well as frequenting the Metchosin Farmers’ Market. Learn more.

As part of Royal Roads University‘s 2022 – 2027 Climate Action Plan, the Farm at RRU provides staff, faculty, and students with opportunities for learning and research, to design and test solutions to climate change challenges and UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)-related projects.

Establishing the Farm at RRU enhances and activates an important, sustainable, and regenerative food system across campus that focuses on climate-smart adaptation and cultivation for optimal yields through agroecological, Indigenous and intercultural opportunities for learning and practice. The Farm also invites community members to climate action and food production focused learning and to volunteer opportunities, while sharing an abundant harvest, helping address food insecurity. Learn more.

Just up the road from crystal clear Matheson Lake, this organic farm specializes in quality Japanese produce – as well as many western crops – grown year-round and available through various outlets. They also run a handy farm box program that’s easily accessible through email or phone. Learn more.

Urban Food Resilience Initiatives Society (UFRIS) is a new non-profit that works with multiple layers of the community in order to strengthen food security and urban agriculture. In addition to opening their first community garden at Langford’s Porcher Park, UFRIS is poised to offer a bundle of informative workshops to better equip our citizenry with what they need to grow their own! Learn more.

Fresh, seasonal vegetables (as well as eggs, poultry, and meat on occasion) available at the farm stand / Metchosin Market – or enquire via email or phone to get your goods delivered!  Learn more.

Suppliers of a wide range of organic fruit and veggies – and proud owners and operators of The Local Food Box! There’s always bound to be something special at their roadside stand.  Learn more.

Young Agrarians (YA) is a farmer-to-farmer educational resource network for new and young ecological, organic, and regenerative farmers in Canada. They recognize the Indigenous lands and territories that they work on and alongside and are committed to providing programs that are inclusive and available to farmers and friends of diverse backgrounds.

YA is volunteer-driven, with farmers across the country organizing on-farm events and building community to create spaces for knowledge sharing and growth. The network is made up of a diverse array of food growers and lovers including farmers, fishers, holistic managers, market gardeners, ranchers, seed savers, food activists, beekeepers, community gardeners, and food and farm organizations.

Young Agrarians also offer a Garden Share feature through their online UMAP platform, where people with available gardens/yards can get matched up with folks looking to grow food but lacking the land to do it. Learn more about Young Agrarians.  Learn more about the Garden Share UMAP.

Invasive species spread and can cause significant harm to the environment, economy, human health, and livestock health. Due to location and climate, the capital region has one of the greatest likelihoods of new high-risk invasive introductions in BC, and potentially the highest diversity of invasive species in the province. If left unmanaged, invasive species spread and increase in density, requiring more resources to control and causing greater impacts. Visit the CRD’s Invasive Species page to learn how you can get involved in protecting the natural diversity of our region.

CRD Regional Parks protects and manages more than 13,300 hectares of spectacular and accessible natural areas in 33 regional parks and four regional trails on southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands. Regional Parks protect and restore biodiversity, offer a range of compatible outdoor recreation and education opportunities, and provide accessible, joyful connections with the natural world. And many of the CRD’s Regional Parks are on the West Shore! Learn more about the terrific events available in your regional parks.

Citizen’s Environment Network in Colwood (CENiC) is a group of Colwood residents who care about the future of the community and the planet. Their mission is to provide a forum for the exchange of ideas and community-wide learning on advancing climate action and environmental sustainability in Colwood.  Learn more.

The Friends of Havenwood Park help to preserve the natural environmental features of Havenwood Park by raising community awareness through ecological restoration events, park walks and other activities that connect people with nature. Learn more.

Habitat Acquisition Trust (HAT) is a regional land trust that conserves nature on south Vancouver Island. We envision a future where the full array of natural habitats on south Vancouver Island and the southern Gulf Islands are healthy and conserved. Learn more.

The Metchosin Foundation Undertakes and Supports Initiatives to Improve Environmental Protection, Stewardship, and Education. Learn more.

The South Island Climate Action Network (SI-CAN) is a network of climate advocacy organizations on southern Vancouver Island.

SI-CAN shares information about efforts to address the climate emergency and works toward effective climate action by local, provincial, and federal governments.  Learn more.

RegenerateBC is a fully independent, volunteer-run, non-profit organization with a mission to inspire hope, collaboration, and grassroots climate action.

Their vision is supported by both the fundamentals of Project Drawdown, flowing from the work started by Paul Hawken’s Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, and the inspiration of Hawken’s Regeneration: Ending the Climate Crisis in One Generation, and Regeneration.org. Learn more.

The RUSH (Resilient Urban Systems & Habitat) Initiative is exploring this work on the unceded and unsurrendered territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən and SENĆOŦEN speaking peoples. Maps have a long history of erasure of Indigenous cultures and territories. The goal of RUSH is to promote tools that support the healing of ecosystems and communities as a way to practice reconciliation, gratitude, and respect.

By showcasing the research, creativity, and innovation happening in this region on an interactive landing page, we hope to provide a shared language on the vulnerabilities and opportunities for long-term health and climate action.

RUSH wants to change the critical questions that get asked in planning meetings. How is a development proposal an opportunity to increase resilience to climate-related events? How can we support neighbourhoods to adapt and thrive in changing conditions? If we extend and connect the ecosystem features across the urban landscape, what are all the benefits people would feel? How can we work with Nature to create a quality of life for all?

RUSH is a tool for people to connect habitats, restore watersheds, feel a sense of belonging, and start conversations that lead to a brighter future. You can use the feedback button to let RUSH know what you think and any suggestions you have. Learn more.

The View Royal Climate Coalition (VRCC) is a small but dedicated group of individuals who seek to establish a more sustainable energy standard and greater emphasis on climate issues in their municipality. Find them on Facebook.

YesBC (Youth for Environmental Stewardship) is a registered, volunteer run, non-profit organization. Their programs were initially delivered in schools through leadership and environmental clubs and in the community through building partnerships and collaborations with other organizations that share our commitment to taking positive action.

Since 2008, YesBC programs have grown and provided opportunities for thousands of young people to engage in issues of critical importance to them. Their programs have always been co-developed by young people whose future depends on taking action and engaging in democracy. YesBC’s Youth Climate Action Summits and Off the Grid Festivals have provided young people with many opportunities to lead through giving presentations, workshops, event planning and hosting. Learn more.