BIG News! UFA Agricultural Community Foundation (UFA Foundation) Rural Communities (RC) Grant. (Copy)

Is there a more fitting time to see work come to fruition than the autumn?

We are thrilled to announce news that is both an achievement, and a stepping stone. The Athabasca and District Agricultural Society, with Athabasca Grown as a committee, has been successful in their application for the UFA Agricultural Community Foundation (UFA Foundation) Rural Communities (RC) Grant of $20,000. The grant is awarded to ADAS, and the Athabasca Grown committee will be implementing it. The grant is to retrofit the Big Coulee Barn on the ADAS grounds to be a year round, indoor growing space. Getting some know-how and growing happening in the indoor growing space is a step towards, not away from, the vision of a passive solar greenhouse.

We would like to sincerely thank the UFA Agricultural Community Foundation, and also congratulate the other recipients of the grant: Bezanson Agricultural Society, Coyote Community Association, Rose Valley & District Recreation Complex Association and Vilna District and Agricultural Society. We wish all of them the best in their endeavours to serve and better their own rural communities.

For more information about the grant itself, please use this link to the UFA Foundation website.

https://ufafoundation.com/programs-rc-grants/

While the grant is for two years, we are hoping to have something built/being built for spring 2027. In order to so do, we will be utilizing the EPIC Grant from Athabasca University to consult with other indoor growers to learn about their successes and challenges. These conversation will inform us of how to build, as well as what kind of indoor growing is our best option. Current methods being considered include vertical growing, hydroponics, or growing bags, all under LED light. Starting out with indoor growing gives us a chance to not only gain knowledge, but also increase awareness and build towards the larger goal of building the passive solar greenhouse.

The partnership with the Athabasca and District Agricultural Society has allowed us, as a committee, access to grants such as this. This partnership has allowed us to move forward with the establishment off a committee, with roles, responsibilities, and communication lines, all while maintaining autonomy as a working committee. Before the big exciting things can happen, the groundwork has to be laid and having this kind of structure, and partnership, is a crucial part of that. For more information about the partnership and the committee please refer back to our previous blog posts "Fall Potluck and Barn Tour" and "An Important Step- Committee and Governance".

With big and exciting things happening, we are looking for helping hands. In particular, we need people with some building experience and know-how to pitch in when we start swinging hammers. We also welcome anyone with indoor growing experience! If this sounds like you please contact info@athabascagrown.ca.