About
The Sandown Centre for Regenerative Agriculture (Sandown Centre) stewards 83 acres of public land in North Saanich, BC, on the traditional territory of the ​W̱S͸ḴEM First Nation. Since 2021, we have been transforming a former horse racing track into farmland, seasonal wetland, meadow, and forest.
The Circular Farm and Food Society (CFFS), founded in 2019, is the nonprofit organization that oversees Sandown Centre. CFFS sets the vision and mission for Sandown Centre, ensuring our work is guided by principles of regeneration, stewardship, and community resilience.
Mission
To empower farmers, restore land, and secure our food future.
Vision
We envision a region where folks of all ages and abilities are actively involved in regenerative agriculture and stewardship.
Since 2021
Our work centres on three pillars:
Regenerative Agriculture
We support new and experienced farmers, home gardeners, students, and community members in learning and applying regenerative agriculture practices. Our initiatives include an incubator farm, community garden, the Growing Young Farmers program, a home gardener course, and hands-on workshops and events.
Restoration and Stewardship
Healthy ecosystems are essential for climate resilience, sustainable food systems, and food security. We are actively restoring and stewarding the soil, waterways, and biodiversity of Sandown, including farmland, seasonal wetlands, meadows, and forests.
Community Engagement
We bring people together to celebrate local food, learn about environmental conservation, and build a more resilient food system.
There are many ways to get involved—join a tour, workshop, or event, participate in the community garden or home gardener course, or volunteer with a farmer or at an invasive species pull.
What is Regenerative Agriculture?
Regenerative agriculture is a farming philosophy and set of practices which place soil and ecosystem health at the foundation of food production. It is rooted in an understanding of the profound interconnected relationship between all living things. In this way, regenerative agriculture is not a new idea but a practice that draws on ancient wisdom and Indigenous ways of knowing and being.
Regenerative farms are a vital part of climate action, and necessary in a sustainable food system. These farming practices improve resilience to climate extremes, support biodiversity and environmental conservation, and sequester carbon - all while growing bountiful, nutrient-dense food.
Why do we need regenerative farmers?
A sustainable, resilient food system must include local, ecologically responsible farming. On Vancouver Island, we import over 90% of the food we eat, and the vast majority of that food is part of the global industrial food system. While this system feeds billions of people, it also contributes 1/3 of all greenhouse gas emissions, and is responsible for large-scale ecological destruction.
The extractive nature of industrialized farming has far reaching implications, more than can be addressed here. However, it is important to understand that this way of growing food contributes to ongoing inequality, exploitation, land and water degradation, biodiversity loss, pollution, and the climate change crisis.
This system surpasses the boundaries for what the planet can sustain, and is also incredibly vulnerable to environmental, political and economic instability. We need ecologically minded, local, small-scale diversified farmers to increase local food security, and create a more resilient, just and sustainable food system.