Begun in 1987, the Linnaea Farm Ecological Gardening Programme offers a thorough grounding in organic gardening and small-scale farming through a full growing season. It is a residential, 8-month long programme. Those who learn best by doing will appreciate this programme's hands-on approach.

Participants will be immersed in an operating example of alternatives in food production, marketing and other aspects of horticulture. Our experienced instructors draw upon a wide variety of ideas and techniques from Bio-dynamics, Permaculture, Natural Farming, Third World subsistence agriculture, and Biointensive gardening.

The programme combines the practical style of an apprenticeship with two classroom session each week, an opportunity to plan and manage an individual garden plot, and short units on topics of interest. All students participate in a Permaculture Design Course, spread over the season, which allows our qualifying students to graduate with a design certificate.

Linnaea Farm includes orchards, and permaculture sites containing a mixture of fruit and nut trees, as well as several gardens of annual and perennial vegetables, herbs, berries, ornamentals and seed crops. The two production gardens grow produce to supply the local market.

In addition, we have 30 acres of pasture and hay fields, barns, cows, horses, sheep, chickens, and bees. Interested participants may wish to become involved in daily work in these areas.

Everyone who completes the course will gain self reliance and confidence to face changes inevitable in today's world. It has application for those who see their future in small-scale farming, market gardening, or for those urban dwellers seeking a fulfilling avocation that can help reduce their dependence on expensive, energy wasteful, chemically treated foods.

Non-Profit Status
Linnaea Ecological Garden Programme is a project of The Linnaea Farm Society, a registered, non-profit society. The Linnaea Farm Garden Programme, while not an accredited education programme in B.C., is registered with the Private Post Secondary Education Commission.