Farming in the Greenbelt: Beetbox Cooperative Farm

We believe that everyone who eats should have the opportunity to check out a farm! This walk is a chance to visit a working small-scale organic diversified vegetable farm, surrounded by forest and marshes, right in the city! Beetbox Farm is one of over one hundred farms in Ottawa's Greenbelt. We will discuss the beautiful landscape in which the farm is situated, the history and wider context of farming in the NCC Greenbelt, and the exciting opportunities for young farmers on this agricultural property. Beetbox is excited to welcome visitors to the farm, to get to know the neighbours, and to learn and share stories about why farms matter to our community!

Location
Route

We'll meet at the Farm Gate at 230 Davidson's Side Road. From there, we'll walk up the long driveway in between the fields to the farmhouse and barns and then walk back to the gate.

The driveway is packed dirt and gravel with a few potholes that can generally be avoided. There are no hills. Sturdy walking shoes or rainboots (if recent rain) are recommended.

The farm is between Moodie Drive and March Road on Carling. To reach the farm, take Carling Ave, west from Moodie Dr. or east from March Rd. Davidson's Side Road is on the north side of Carling, across from the Smithvale Stables. Drive north on Davidson's Side Rd to the farm gate, where you can park along the roadside.

If you're cycling, Carling has a wide shoulder.  

Find out more about BeetBox Co-operative Farm at our website or Facebook page. Sign up for the newsletter and find out about our other community events. We offer organic CSA vegetable boxes.

About the walk leader

In 2014, David Mazur-Goulet co-founded The BeetBox, a certified organic market garden in West Quebec where Beetbox Farm derives its name. With diplomas in Entrepreneurship and Green Business Management from Algonquin College and a certificate in sustainable vegetable production from the University of Vermont, he came to the Riverglen property (now Beetbox Farm) to build on the great work carried about by previous stewards and build a deeply rooted urban farm in Ottawa’s greenbelt.

The Beetbox Farm farmers (David, Lise-Anne, & Jeremy) met a few years ago at a new-farmer mixer, and realized right away their potential to farm together. But they figured they should get to know each other first, so they decided “let’s be friends!” After a couple of years of potlucks, meetings, and many visits to potential farmland, they took the leap and now they're married. . . to the Farm! (just kidding).  They formed a workers co-operative farm called BeetBox, but the main thing is that they are all committed to being your friendly urban produce growers. 

Guide:

David Mazur-Goulet

When:
Date:Sun May 5, 2019
Time:2:00 PM
Duration: 1 hour
Language: English
Where:
Start:The farm gate, 230 Davidson's Side Rd
End:same
Area:Shirley's Bay
Distance:2.0 kms
Accessibility:

The path is generally level, but is uneven and possibly muddy in places.  

Gallery
The Beetbox Farmers Tour of the farm Vegetables grown at Beetbox farm Pickup stand for weekly vegetable boxes from Beetbox Farm CSA. Gathering for a potluck at Beetbox Farm
Volunteer to Marshal This Walk