Meet Mel Sylvestre & Hannah Lewis, the farmers behind Grounded Acres Farm, based on the Sunshine Coast of BC. Mel has been a member of the co-op since 2012 - an OG member!
How long have you been farming, and what brought you to it?
I started farming in 2003 back in Quebec. I wasn't really considering it but I ended up on a small farm doing kids camps and got curious about the growing side of the operation. The following year I was full-time in the market garden and never looked back!
Why seeds? Why BC Eco Seed Co-op?
It took me almost a decade of farming before I started to pay attention to seeds. Then I realize how far most seeds travelled and wanted to learn how to grow some myself. I was inspired by many farmers around me that were doing seed-saving at the time. Beyond learning to save seeds, I also really wanted to have the seeds I grew available to other local farmers in quantities needed for a market garden. That's has been my main motivation in being part of the co-op.
What are your core crops? Why?
Beets, leeks, rutabaga, arugula, kale, and beans. A few of those crops are breeding projects I've been working with for many years and want to maintain them. Others are just because they grow well where we are located and seems to fit within our market garden system.
What has been your greatest challenge and your greatest success as a seed farmer?
My greatest challenge is to pay attention to the needs of the seed crops in the middle of the busy farming season, and to not miss the crucial harvest windows. The greatest success comes when I hear of other farmers using my own breed varieties on their farms.
What is your favourite farm task?
Tasting the crops! Other than that, probably spreading cover crop seeds.
Do you have a particular seed story to share?
Every seed has a story so it's hard to choose, but I'll pick the reason why we're doing rutabaga seeds. Although I do love a good rutabaga when they get sweet in the fall, our farm is chronically deficient in boron. Our first year, the rutabaga didn't get enough boron and developed hollow/black core and were unsellable. We abandon them in the field over winter and when the spring came, they started to happily sprout. Knowing that the variety was trialed and true, we selected some good specimens and moved them to another location to make a seeds crop which turned out fantastic.
Do you have a dream seed goal? What is it?
I'm a huge fan of buckwheat, both for its cover crop capacity and culinary purpose. I would love to be able to save buckwheat seeds without creating a weedy problem for the years to come. If I were to figure that out, I would then love to learn how to dehull them on the farm.
Describe your farm in 50-70 words
Grounded Acres Organic Farm is operated by Mel Sylvestre and Hannah Lewis. We are a queer-run farm growing 3 acres of food on unceded Sḵwx̱wú7mesh territory in Gibsons, on the Sunshine Coast of BC since 2021. Our farm family includes 7 seasonal staff, 80 laying hens, over 60 varieties of vegetables and fruit, resident ravens, and a dynamic ecosystem from trees to soil microbes who are tending this land alongside us. Our produce, seedlings and seeds are certified organic under the BC Certified Organic Program, using agricultural practices that regenerate and contribute to the health of our ecosystem.
Want to learn more about Grounded Acres Farm? Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, or visit their website: www.groundedacresfarm.ca