Re: Boutique agriculture (Feb. 15) and Growth Happens (Feb. 20)
Comparing Saskatchewan mega-farming to Saanich Peninsula micro-farms, as Mr. Shick does in his letter, is like comparing a 400 lb. giant pumpkin to a grape.
Our micro-farm sold 1,500 cartons of eggs and 300 chickens last year. We are sold out most days because our customers recognize that our birds get to “live a good life with one bad day” (Joel Salatin).
The Dutch have run productive, sustainable micro-farms for generations and Cuba, unable to afford the fossil fuels big agri-business is dependent on, uses micro-farms and SPIN principles to keep their population from starving.
The Shick letter also mentions global warming as it relates to commuting, but many North Saanich residents have at least one family member commuting the other direction to work in Victoria.
In fact, according to CRD data, North Saanich has more workers living in North Saanich and working elsewhere, than the other way around.
We need only look to Langford and Colwood to see that more housing will simply result in more commuters, especially since house sales will not be restricted to people who work in our community.
It’s important to note that both writers of the two pro-development letters recently published (Mr. Shick and Ms. Bonet) are part of the team working on the McDonald Park development in North Saanich and therefore have a direct financial interest in this current rezoning application.
Mr. Shick may hail from Saskatchewan, but I was in Ontario when the QEW Niagara was built through prime farmland. I watched as every trip through the area showed more buildings and fewer orchards. I would not like to see that repeated on the Saanich Peninsula.
We are a unique micro-climate with some neighbors growing figs, lemons and oranges.
If Mr. Shick feels the scale is too small, I suggest he get on-board and help farming grow.
Joan Pashley
North Saanich