• About
  • Join the Co-op / Donate
  • Contact
Monday, May 12, 2025
Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
The Brief
NB MEDIA CO-OP
Share a story
  • Articles en français
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Culture
  • Videos
  • NB debrief
  • Articles en français
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Culture
  • Videos
  • NB debrief
No Result
View All Result
NB MEDIA CO-OP
No Result
View All Result
Home *Opinion*

Hayes Urban Teaching Farm shows that NB’s economic future can be bright

by Edee Klee
February 12, 2018
Reading Time: 2min read

Workers at the Hayes Teaching Farm in Fredericton.

Today’s news announced that New Brunswick may actually be in last place for economic growth. Cue online comment sections crammed with cynicisms and defeatist shoulder shrugs.

But what if we changed the goal? What if instead of growth, our economic aim was depth? Imagine – a depth economy that honoured slow business – where instead of elevator pitches and quick buck lobbying, we agreed to stay in place and took the time to uncover relational synergies within the abundance we already have?

The Hayes Urban Teaching Farm project intends to do just that. This Spring we’re launching the pilot of Atlantic Canada’s first 32-week full-time learn-to-farm program. The Regenerative Farming Certificate program will teach human-scale, regenerative organic agricultural practices with goals of:

  • Climate change mitigation
  • Meaningful job creation
  • Improved food security and sovereignty
  • Revitalizing the health of our urban and rural communities’

The face of farming is changing. Based on a 2015 survey of over 1300 new Canadian farmers by the National New Farmer Coalition, the majority are females from an urban setting, with some post-secondary education choosing ecologically-sound farming practices.

Without access to traditional generational farm succession, the challenge for the majority of our new farmers is the lack of access to comprehensive training, land, equipment and capital.

It is estimated that New Brunswick currently imports 95% of the food we consume and we’re only 8% self-sufficient in vegetable production.

The Regenerative Farming Certificate program recognizes and supports all agriculturally-related recommendations, mandates and insights found in the following GNB reports:

  • Transitioning to a Low Carbon Economy: New Brunswick’s Climate Change Action Plan
  • Local Food and Beverages Strategy
  • Economic Growth Plan
  • Agriculture Land Policy

New Brunswickers are people of the land. Many who leave to find work elsewhere, come back because of their attachment to the land. What if we could provide an innovative way for folks to not only stay, but flourish in our province?

There is a growing demographic (eg. millennials, second-career seekers, newcomers with agrarian background, etc.) seeking a modest-yet-meaningful lifestyle reconnecting with the land. The program’s accessible urban location meets students where they are, for ease of gaining skills, knowledge, and confidence in their goal of becoming successful small-scale regenerative farmers.

Through this project, we recognize and strive to honour Indigenous knowledge and food ways. With our daily decisions, community partners, curriculum, and land care, we are working to weave a strong, attentive, and complementary relationship between Mother Earth AND the people that live off of her bounty.

Please support us in bringing farming back as a viable career choice for the growing demographic seeking a modest yet meaningful lifestyle reconnecting with the land. Our crowdfund campaign ends in 10 days.

Edee Klee is active with the NB Community Harvest Gardens, U-PICK-By-Donation, Seed Library and the Hayes Urban Teaching Farm. 

Tags: economyEdee Kleeenvironmentfoodfood securityHayes Urban Teaching FarmNew Brunswickslider
TweetSend

Related Posts

A call for the University of New Brunswick to show leadership
Environment

Environmental policy should be at the heart of Canada’s federal election debate

April 18, 2025

Federal election campaigns are well underway, and the biggest ballot box issues are affordability and U.S. tariffs. Rising interest rates,...

Questions need to be answered about Woodstock diesel disaster
Environment

Questions need to be answered about Woodstock diesel disaster

March 20, 2025

Tens of thousands of litres of diesel leaked from the Irving gas station in Woodstock, but somehow, nobody noticed. The...

Tantramar Council orders annual glyphosate testing of Sackville and Dorchester drinking water
Environment

Tantramar Council orders annual glyphosate testing of Sackville and Dorchester drinking water

February 7, 2025

Tantramar Town Council resisted advice from Town Engineer Jon Eppell on Tuesday and ordered that drinking water in Sackville and...

City of Fredericton interested in food forests
Food sovereignty

City of Fredericton interested in food forests

November 5, 2024

Food security has been a serious concern in New Brunswick for decades. The Covid pandemic heightened those anxieties and prompted...

Load More

Recommended

Vox pop: What do New Brunswickers think about corporate power?

Vox pop: What do New Brunswickers think about corporate power?

3 days ago
Nora Loreto traces corporate takeover of Canadian politics in latest book [video]

Nora Loreto traces corporate takeover of Canadian politics in latest book [video]

6 days ago
Province’s lakes at risk to metal mining effluent

Sisson mine and other ‘nation building projects’ require Indigenous consent: Wolastoq Grand Council

6 days ago
NB Media Co-op

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Join the Co-op / Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • Calendar
  • Archives

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • Join the Co-op / Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • COVID-19
  • Videos
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Arts & Culture
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Politics
  • Rural

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

X
Did you like this article? Support the NB Media Co-op! Vous avez aimé cet article ? Soutenez la Coop Média NB !
Join/Donate