A new dimension has been added to Macphail Homestead in Orwell to promote small-scale sustainable agriculture in Prince Edward Island. The newly incorporated Homestead Farm will become a centre of excellence for progressive, sustainable agriculture, focussing on research, demonstration and dissemination of the best in knowledge and practice.
“The establishment of the Homestead Farm will be an important addition to the site of the Macphail Homestead,” said Harry Baglole, president of the new organization. “It will be a wonderful complement to the restoration and operation of the historic Homestead and the ecological forestry project, both of which have been in place for the past 20 years.”
The establishment of the Homestead Farm resulted from a recommendation made in a report to the Institute of Island Studies by Dr. George McRobie, former president of the Soil Association of Great Britain. That report recommended that the farmland and woods at the 150-acre homestead be used for practical demonstration of sustainable agricultural and forestry practices. It also came about as a result of a proposal prepared by the Sir Andrew Macphail Foundation that called for a new operating model that would focus on natural history, sustainable forestry and agriculture, energy innovation, education and community engagement, in addition to social and cultural heritage.
The Homestead Farm is currently developing a business and operating plan for the coming years. Mr. Baglole said that the Homestead Farm could be considered as a way of encouraging interest in food production and assisting new entrepreneurs.
“There are many new and exciting opportunities for agriculture in Prince Edward Island,” said Mr. Baglole. “It is our hope that the Homestead Farm will be a catalyst and seed-bed for new, small-scale sustainable farms in the coming years.”
For more information, contact Harry Baglole at (902) 675-4134.