A whole new group of people have an appreciation for seasonal produce thanks to a South Island FarmHub and its Farmbucks subsidy program.

Funded by grants and donations, in 2022, Farmbucks paid for over $110,000 of locally grown, fished and made foods to feed more than 15,000 people in Greater Victoria. 

B次元官网网址淲hat it allows is for charities like Our Place and Cool-Aid to have access to fresh, nutritious local food,B次元官网网址� said sales and marketing coordinator Heather Vandenengel.

Since the start in June 2020, more than 30 community organizations and six school programs have used Farmbucks to purchase fresh, local produce. Started in part as a pandemic response, grant funding has started to wither for the Esquimalt-based food gathering and distribution centre.

Billed as an online farmersB次元官网网址� market, the South Island Food Hub started as a farm box program when farmers had an excess of food and no way to sell it.

B次元官网网址淣ow we work with over 85 local farmers, fishers and food producers,B次元官网网址� Vandenengel said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 grown tremendously, especially with variety of products and kinds of subscriptions you can get.B次元官网网址�

Mary Garden of Agua Dulce Farm is among the small cultivators that finds the program freeing, allowing her to focus on growing, and even experimenting.

B次元官网网址淚 was looking for someone who could help with distribution of our fruits and vegetables we were growing. Their model fits a small guy like us perfectly,B次元官网网址� Garden said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 great because much of the time we need to spend on things is the actual picking, harvesting and packing.B次元官网网址�

They post whatB次元官网网址檚 available and the qualities on the website, then customers both retail and wholesale click through to shop. The producers deliver to a central location, and the hub distributes and collects payment.

It frees folks like Garden up for experimentation.

B次元官网网址淪outh Island Farm Hub is great at encouraging farmers to explore new offerings, so we can really diversify the choice of selection people have that they may not see in a local grocery store,B次元官网网址� she said.

This year Agua Dulce dabbled in golden raspberries and pink lemonade blueberries.

Beyond that, farmers continue to be paid fairly, while Farmbucks open up quality local food to non-profit organizations and high school culinary programs, Garden said.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 exciting for us to see much of our produce go into the school system with teachers working with students.B次元官网网址�

The Cool-Aid Society is among the organizations benefiting from the start, using Farmbucks to fit locally-sourced products into its finite budget.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really efficient and good for everyone. There are a lot of wins along the way,B次元官网网址� said Paul Steward, food services manager for Cool-Aid. B次元官网网址淚 work in health care and I have a static budget. I have to feed a lot of people.B次元官网网址�

With the knowledge funding is dwindling, Cool-Aid is also trying to gather its own funding to boost its Farmbucks account. Stewart sees both the benefit of pumping that funding back into the local food economy and the value to clients.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really nice to be able to introduce people who, to be honest, havenB次元官网网址檛 really eaten regionally (sourced food) because they live on a limited income,B次元官网网址� Stewart said. B次元官网网址淢ost of the people we serve are struggling with various health issues and food really is medicine.B次元官网网址�

The 78 residents of Mount Edwards place are developing a local palate and learning to love seasons. Summer, for example, means fresh berries, and folks are excited, Stewart said. TheyB次元官网网址檙e generally less excited about fall, and squash.

B次元官网网址淭o have clients asking about the seasonality about the food theyB次元官网网址檙e getting is special.B次元官网网址�

Anyone can donate online at .

Now through Sept. 2, the South Island FarmHub also hosts a 50/50 raffle campaign to fund the Farmbucks program.