Who is The Backyard Urban Farm Company?
Four years ago, Marc Green and Arlene Hazzan Green traded in the uber-urban lifestyle afforded by successful careers in the motion picture industry for the dirt-under-your-nails lifestyle of a couple of vegetable farmers - farmers in the city, that is. And so BUFCO was born.
The Backyard Urban Farm Company designs, installs and maintains organic vegetable gardens throughout the Greater Toronto Area, in people's private homes, and for businesses, schools and other institutions.
By contributing to our fundraising campaign, you will be helping us expand our business, plant more gardens with more people, provide an alternative to shopping at big box stores, as well as helping grow local and organic food industry. Please join us on our mission to encourage, inspire and ignite people's passion for growing their own food.
Our Challenges and Our Goals
Any idea how much it costs to open a store - to staff it, stock it, insure and market it? Any idea how difficult it is to find available greenhouse space for organic seedling production in the city?
Here's an idea: A lot, and very. Yet these are the challenges we face heading into the 2013 gardening season; these are just a few things we need to grow our business of growing.
![Seedlings Collage Collage of seedlings, food and people]()
A NEW GREENHOUSE!
Last year we were lucky enough to share greenhouse space at Downsview Park with Fresh City Farms (FCF), a fantastic social enterprise that unites eaters and growers through their organic food box delivery service. FCF is also expanding, and the greenhouse space they offered us last year is no longer available. So they have invited us to erect a small greenhouse of our own, right next to theirs.
Plus this year, Fresh City is renting a store to package their food boxes, right across the street from the greenhouse and have invited BUFCO to share the space. And so, chapter two of the BUFCO/FCF story is being written.
A POP UP SHOP!!
This spring, from April to June, we look forward to opening a one-stop garden shop where people can pick-up everything they need to get their own organic vegetable garden growing - organic seed and seedlings, DIY Raised Bed Kits, soil and soil amendments, and of course, lots of free advice. Non-DIYers can book our raised bed installation, gardening planning, planting and maintenace services, custom trellis installation and more!
A DEMONSTRATION GARDEN!!!
We will also build a three-bed demonstration garden using BUFCO Raised Bed Kits, nestled right next to our greenhouse. These beds will demonstrate practices like crop rotation, companion planting and be tended by BUFCO interns and volunteers, who will get valuable hands-on experience with organic food production, and who will each get a share of the harvest.
We can't do it alone so this year we will be offering 7 internships for energetic and inspired growers-to-be who can help make our vision a reality.
![The greenhouses at Downsview Park in Toronto. The one on the far right is occupied by Fresh City Farms, and where BUFCO raised 2500 seedlings last year. Downsview Park Greenhouses]()
The Greenhouses at Dowsview Park, occupied by Fresh City Farms (far right) where BUFCO grew over 2500 seedlings for clients and market in 2012.
We're hoping our Pop Up Shop, greenhouse and demonstration garden, combined with FCF's greenhouse and two acres of open farmland tended by their member farmers, will quickly become known as an exciting hub of organic gardening activity. We want to attract people from all over the city to learn and grow with us through hands-on workshops, monthly activities for families, and informal chats with real farmers who are doing their thing at a real urban farm.
The Fundraiser Bottom Line
Please pitch in to help us meet our fundraising goal of $8000.
$3500 will be used to purchase and install the greenhouse. $500 will be used to install the three-bed demonstration garden. $4000 will be used to stock, staff, insure and spread the word about the store.
In the event that we don't meet our goal, we will prioritize the funds we raise first to the greenhouse, and the balance to the store and demonstration garden.
![A photo collage of BUFCO Clients and some beautiful, bountiful harvests! BUFCO Clients and some bountiful harvests!]()
What Do You Get?
No doubt, you'll get a warm and fuzzy feeling knowing you are helping to transform our ailing food system and create a healthier, happier environment. But there's more! We have lots of veggie garden perks and incentives to make donating just a little bit easier and a lot more fun. And for those donating from out of town and can't receive your perk (or for in-towners who just don't want or need the gift), we have a "Feel Good Option" whereby the gift associated with your contribution level will be hand delivered to a local charity, foodbank or community garden.
Why Bother?
Do you watch the news? We know lots of people who don't anymore, because it's just too darn scary. It's one of the main reasons we switched careers. Because it's time to do something, while there IS still time. So please come and join us in our quest to grow BUFCO into a company that may actually change the world, one garden at a time.
![Food and the Future Photo collage of food and kids - it's all about the future and food!]()