When: Thursday, March 11 from 6 - 7 pm + additional 30-minute debrief

Where: Online

Cost: Free, registration required. The zoom code will be sent to participants the day before the event.

In this webinar, our guest speakers will dive into a zero-waste approach to CSA boxes, packaging options as a result of COVID-19, tips for rural and small scale farmers, and adopting a cooperative method to organizing a CSA. We will be joined by Arzeena Hamir from Amara Farm and Alys Ford from Ravine Creek Garden Farm, two farmers who will talk about their unique approaches to CSA Programs. Read the bios below to learn more about our guest speakers. Read the bios below to learn more about our guest speakers.

Following our guest speaker's presentations and the question-answer period will be a 30-minute debrief of the webinar. From 7 - 730, participants can stay on the call and engage in discussion with other farmers, exchange ideas and resources, and continue on the conversations started in the webinar. This is not a continuation of the question and answer period for our guest speakers, it is a chance to connect with other CSA farmers in BC.

Ravine Creek Farm

Alys Ford is co-owner of Ravine Creek Farm, a Certified Organic family-run farm in the Slocan Valley, Sinixt Territory, BC. They actively farm 3 acres in mixed vegetables and hay.

Amara Farm

Arzeena and her husband Neil manage Amara Farm, a 26 acre certified organic vegetable and fruit farm in the Comox Valley. Arzeena earned her Bachelor’s degree in Crop Science from the University of Guelph and a Master’s in Sustainable Agriculture from the University of London, England. She was the staff Agrologist for West Coast Seeds from 1997-1999 and served as the Coordinator of the Richmond Food Security Society from 2008-2012, and in 2010 helped launch the Richmond Farm School. She and her husband moved their family to the Comox Valley in 2012 where they became the founding members of Merville Organics Growers Co-operative. At one time, the co-op provided 150 CSA shares across the valley from 4 different farms.

This event will be recorded and posted on our website for future viewing.

This event is part of a 6 part webinar series of our Strengthening CSA's Program to support CSA farmers and the expansion of CSA programs in BC.

Event photo by Amara Farm