| This 20-acre farm contains one of the last remnant forests on the Glen Valley escarpment.
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Contact:
John and Donna Plough
Address:
28182 Marsh McCormick Rd
Abbotsford
V4X 2G9
Phone:
(604) 857-0321
Email:
valleyfarms@telus.net
Website:
www.glenvalleyartichokes.com
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| Produce grown: |
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When it’s Available: |
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Where to buy our product: |
Artichokes
Specialty Peppers
Beans, cabbage, cape gooseberries and squash
Gourds: Corsica, Dipper, and Birdhouse |
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August to October |
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Farmers markets:
Whistler
Granville Market (Thur 9 – 1)
Nat Bailey
White Rock
Kitsilano |
More Information:
This 20-acre farm sits on benchland located between the Fraser River floodplain and Pemberton Ridge. The farm is bordered by commercial blueberry and cranberry operations to the west and north, and hayfields and an organic dairy farm on the other sides. John and Donna Plough have lived on the farm since 1991. They are protecting 5 acres of diverse second growth forest and creek. The area presents a cool, shady area standing alone on a large escarpment of land above the Fraser River valley which has been cleared for intensive agriculture.
Large maples, cedars, cottonwoods, poplars, native hazelnut, and wild cherry trees comprise the canopy over displays of trillium, bleeding heart, buttercup, piggyback plant, miners lettuce, skunk cabbage, vine maple, flowering red currant, salmonberry, elderberry, and three types of blackberry. The Ploughs have left dying trees for wildlife habitat. Wood ducks, owls, eagles, three varieties of woodpeckers, bear, deer, squirrels, racoons and rabbits are seen at the farm.
The primary crop is artichokes. 35,000 artichoke plants are started each year in the greenhouse and planted out in the field in the spring. Each plant can bear about five artichokes. Another specialty crop is gourds which are dried and sold for folk art projects. A pair of Percheron draft horses also lives at the farm.
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