Contact: John Wilcox Address: 134 Tripp Road Saltspring Island V8K 1K5 Phone: John (250) 537-5942 Sue (250) 537 5220 Email: duckcreek@saltspring.com

More Information:
Duck Creek Farm yields bountiful crops on 13 acres of the upper valley of Duck Creek. The principles of bio-dynamic agriculture, emphasizing ecological diversity, are practiced here. Biodynamic growing is a non-chemical agricultural movement that seeks to utilize forces of nature for optimum soil and plant vitality. Seasonal S.O.I.L. and STEP UP Program apprentices are part of Duck Creek Farm’s operation.

Since 1992, Kathy Reimer, in co-operation with the Island Stream and Salmon Enhancement Society, has directed a fish and wildlife habitat restoration project on the farm. Now cutthroat trout and Coho salmon are able to live year-round in the stream and ponds John has helped create on his farm. Beavers maintain habitat water levels and help thus a high water table which enhances farm irrigation. Three acres of the farm, along the Creek, have been set aside for conservation.

John is as passionate about community farming as he is about farming with nature. “We need to re-populate our farms, and find new ways to make local farming more affordable. The way things are going, we’re going to become much more reliant on local food sources”, adds John, who believes that within the next ten years escalating oil prices will lead to a massive shift away from industrial agriculture and towards local, organic farming methods.

John helped create the community’s Area Farm Plan for Salt Spring Island. He and Sue are members of The Island Natural Growers (COG), The Salt Spring Farmers Institute, the Growing Up Organic produce distribution initiative, The Salt Spring Conservancy, Coast Islands Conservancy, The Island Salmonid Enhancement Society, The Biodynamic Society of BC, and The Land Trust Alliance of BC. John is also a member of the BC Farm Writers’ Association.