About the Guide
Weyt-kp xwexweytep (hello everyone)!
This guide has been largely compiled from conversations with local producers living and growing food mostly on Secwépemc territory, including Tk’emlups, Simpcw, and Skeetchestn, and well as on Nlaka’pamux territory. The producers come from many backgrounds, and identify as both Indigenous and non-Indigenous; see the Acknowledgement page to see who participated.
Information in this guide also comes from a variety of books and online sources, which are listed on the bottom of each page under Further Reading and in the Appendix.
How to Use the Guide
Use this guide to assist you in determining if you are ready to become a farmer, or if you have already been farming, if you want to expand your operations. The intention of this guide is to learn from other local and experienced producers, and make your own plans to expand or diversify your agriculture operations. It can be printed in full, or accessed online at https://kweseltken.pressbooks.tru.ca/, where all of the hyperlinks and online videos will be accessible.
This guide has information about a wide range of agricultural practices and topics. There are interactive sections of this guide with questions to guide you in thinking about your own operation; you might want to have a separate notebook to work through the sections and take notes. We recommend that you start in Chapter 1, and move through each section, until you reach Chapter 4, which contains information on enterprises you might be interested in. You might choose one or two enterprises that you are interested in, or review each one. Here is an overview of all of the chapters:
- Chapter 1. Initial Assessments
- Chapter 2. Setting Up Your Farm
- Chapter 3. Land Management
- Chapter 4. Enterprises
- Chapter 5. Selling and Distribution
We wish you all of the best with your farming operation; this is such an important journey to be on, taking care of the land, growing food for yourself and your community, and contributing to food sovereignty here in Secwépemc’ulucw.
