Curbside Community Farms Cooperative
From our origins as a UVic club in 2019 to the incorporation of Curbside as a cooperative in 2022, we have been moving towards a vision of urban space as the centrepiece of a democratically managed alternative food system. Here's a bit of info about us.
Eric Buhne
Community Coordinator, Co-Founder
When Eric first learned about Vancouver Island’s long-term food security situation, he knew something had to be done. See full bio.
Ian DeJong
Technical Coordinator, Co-Founder
Having grown up around gardens, Ian immediately felt their absence when he moved to the city. See full bio.
Sonja Pinto
Co-Founder
A passionate communications professional, Sonja specializes in digital editing, creative and technical writing, and coding for the web. See full bio.
Nelson Guedes
Co-Founder
Attending the Rio 92 Earth Summit at age 8, Nelson realized that the adults had no idea what they were actually doing. See full bio.
Our Backstory
Originally called Fair Vote UVic, we started as a university club that educated students on electoral systems ahead of the 2018 BC referendum on electoral reform. Following the referendum's failure to pass, we decided to stay together and pivot towards cooperatives, still dedicated to the aspiration of enhancing broader democratic participation.
Ian and Eric at UVic Clubs Day (2022). Credit: @davevanphoto
Returning as a club in 2019, now called Curbside Farms, we built our first raised garden beds from wooden pallets, gathered some donations to get us going, delivered a few finished beds to backyard gardens in our area, and enjoyed a bit of coverage on the local news. A long period of "simmering" ensued in which we tackled the unglamorous project of incorporating as a co-op, spent some time cooking up plans for a wider launch, and wilted away gained valuable experience at our day jobs.
Much more is still to be discovered as we move through 2026 but now, at least, we have you here with us!