History of MacInnes Farms

History of MacInnes Farms:

MacInnes Farms is located in the Township of Langley and like 75% of the land in the Township, it is within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR)(Langley Township). The ALR was created over 40 years with the mandate to preserve agricultural land for the future of agriculture(AlC). This legislation has been responsible for the preservation of a vast amount of agricultural land within the Langley Township. There have been pressures on Municipalities to develop some of this land for more housing, commercial and industrial zones as well as from farmers whom are desperate for income (land rich but money poor) and are hoping to subdivide and cash in on some of their net worth without having to sell their home.

MacInnes Farms was leased and then bought from the Canadian Government in the late 1970's by Roderick and Wendy MacInnes. From the time of purchase they created a working dairy farm, while raising two children. In order to supplement the dairy farm both Rod and Wendy worked second jobs, working up to 16 to 18 hours a day, Rod waking 5 in the morning to tend to the farm, then working for 10 hours as electrician with no lunch break and then returning home to work until dusk on the dairy farm. Much the same was for Wendy; however her second job was tending to their children. The trade-off for their hard work was to be part of the amazing process of producing food from the land and providing a wonderful natural, creative space to raise their children. As time went on they not only had the Dairy farm but also a feedlot with up to 200 head of heifers. They even attempted a small swine operation but were faced with "neighborhood opposition," as much of the surrounding ALR land had been converted to smaller 5 acres lots used exclusively for family estates or small hobby farms.

The tremendous financial strain and work/time commitment put undue stress on the couple and with the loaming Free trade Agreement and the threat of a dissolving dairy quota system, Rod and Wendy sold their quota share and quit dairy farming. At this point the couple had formed strong emotional ties with the land they had come to know as MacInnes Farms and could not justify walking away from their home and land. The difference between farming and a separate family business is one lives and breathes on the land that is cultivated for business. Because of large debts acquired from farming they went into the business of horse boarding which produced them with some income and the ability to borrow more money from the banks, thus going further into debt.

From the time I was very little I became aware of the loaming possibility that at any time we could "loose the farm," due to finances and there was always a joint family commitment to "save the farm." Although I agree in preserving agricultural land, it is important to rethink the way we see and allow farms to be used. If the sole purpose is to preserve the land for the future, when there are periods of time where smaller family farms are not equitable, I propose that other land uses that do not destroy the integrity of the land should be considered. Thus if Farming, in our case our soil is really only suitable for grazing- thus dairy farm or equestrian operations, becomes equitable the land can be instantly turned back into farmland. In this project I am looking for the optimum area to build a small, temporary Café called Baby Lattes. My sister-law and I came up with this idea about 3 years ago and have already exhausted all avenues with the ALR in the attempt to get permits for the Café. We have since abandoned the idea after much time and effort exploring the possibility.

This Map shows the boundaries for Zone 3 with in the ALR, Zone 3 also permit Zone 1 uses.

Other Examples of other Temporary uses:

Weddings
Corporate Events
Camp Grounds
Temporary Film Sets
Temporary Buildings

Permited Uses:

Day Care Bed and Breakfast
Green Houses
Swine
Dairy
Crops