Get Involved
Become a Member
Volunteer
Donate
Membership
Highfield Farm is an urban community farm hub. By becoming a member, you are contributing to a localized food system where the success of our operations and the health of our environment is a direct reflection of the strength of our community.
Register as a member to volunteer, participate in our programming, or collaborate with us. All of our membership levels have different benefits- check out all options to see which one suits your needs!
By registering as a member, you are expected to adhere to our policies and procedures, and you will be added to our volunteer list and newsletter.
Grower
Membership for farmers looking to *scale-up* and be part of a collaborative urban agriculture model. This membership is specifically tailored to your needs, and eligibility is dependent on your capacity to contribute substantially to our community benefit plan. Please complete contact form to begin the application process.
Cost based on needs analysis
“Having a designated yard among other farmers feels like the sense of community that has been lacking from my home business. I’m so excited to raise bees in another urban ecosystem, engage in community events to meet like-minded individuals and have the autonomy to operate the bones of my operation on my own schedule. The most valuable asset gained will be the ‘hive-mind’ of other hard working individuals. Thanks for taking me in, HRF!”
- Amber Yano, MOB Honey
Grower member 2021
Volunteering at Highfield Farm
Highfield Farm is currently dependent on volunteer contributions and community support to operate. Though we would eventually like to be financially self-sufficient, for now we seek the help of folks who align with our mission and vision to operate. In exchange for contributing meaningful work, we seek to provide volunteer opportunities that build tangible skills, offer leadership opportunities, and allow for exploration, experimentation and empowerment.
are you ready to...
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be a friend to the land and soil?
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learn, and share knowledge with others?
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contribute meaningfully to your local food system?
awesome! first things first, no matter how you plan on volunteering you must...
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Update your profile!
there are 4 ways to volunteer at Highfield Farm...
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Join a Club
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Take on a Volunteer Role
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Participate in a Work Bee
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Volunteer with your large group
*volunteer in as many ways as you would like!
Clubs
Clubs are created around certain projects or aspects of the farm project in which people wish to be engaged. Clubs are a great way to meet folx with similar interests, learn new skills, gain a deeper understanding in a certain area of the farm, and contribute to the development of the farm in a meaningful and reciprocal way.
Clubs are intended to be self-organizing, and empower members to engage, learn and share together!
Clubs each create their own little micro-climate within the larger farm project...
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Clubs each have their own forum on our website. This allows for members to communicate, share resources and photos, and provide updates on cancellations or additional opportunities.
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Clubs each have a regularly scheduled 'Drop-in Day'. This is the meeting time for members to gather, discuss, plan and work together. If you are new to the club- start by coming to one of these Drop-in Days!
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Some Clubs, or keen members, may choose to meet more frequently - this is up to the club members themselves!
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Each club has at least one 'Champion' who acts as the leader for communications and liaison to the Operations Team at Highfield Farm.
Ready to join a club?? Explore them all here...
Volunteer Roles
Volunteer Roles are associated with specific tasks that need to be done on a regular basis. These roles may be simple weekly commitments such as watering, or could be more complicated roles such as volunteer coordination, or communications.
Volunteer Roles are intended to support the development and contribution of specific skills!
Volunteer Roles roles support the day to day activities of the farm...
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Volunteer Roles are more individual in nature and responsibility focused
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Each Volunteer role has their own job description and training/commitment requirements
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The process for these volunteer roles is a little more involved - depending on the role, the process may include an interview and further paperwork - see details for each role
Ready to take on a role?? Explore them all here...
Work Bees
Work Bees happen when we are in need of a large group of folks to get a particular task done. They are usually one-off projects or tasks, and are posted on our farm calendar when we are in need. Keep up to date with these opportunities through our social media, and our monthly newsletter.
Work Bees are intended to complete larger-scale projects and efforts that require big groups of folks to get them done. They double as a great way to socialize and meet new people!
Work bees complete projects effectively with the support of a large group of volunteers...
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Work bees are specific to the task or project that needs doing
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Work bees do not happen on a regular basis, but on an as-needed basis.
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Descriptions of the projects and opportunities, as well as any special skills or abilities needed are provided in the description of the work bee when it is released
Ready to join a work bee?? Explore opportunities here...
Large Groups
We are able to accommodate large volunteer groups in certain activities on the farm with enough notice. This is a great opportunity for sports teams, corporate groups etc.
Large Group volunteering is intended to support the farm work, while creating a fun learning and social opportunity for the participants!
Large groups support tackling a big project, or complete a large task all at once...
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Accommodating large groups takes some planning on our part - to ensure we have enough work that needs to be done, we will need to know a few things:
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How many people will you be bringing?
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What ages/abilities are in your group?
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How long are you hoping to volunteer for (hrs)?
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Ready to bring your group?? Explore activities here...
Donate
An active farm takes a lot of resources and support, and we feel very fortunate to be part of a warm and collaborative community. To improve our capacity to meet the growing food access needs of our city, and expand our activity offerings, we are currently seeking support in the form of financial contributions and in-kind donations from organizations who align with our values.
Through our generous partner Parks Foundation Calgary, we are able to offer tax-deductible receipts for all financial donations to our farm.
Have something else to donate?? Send us an email! We are always happy to accept donations of the following items, though we are unable to provide tax receipts for non-financial donations:
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Quality, clean soil - screened topsoil, garden mixes
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Seeds and plants - seed packets, potting materials, seedlings, trees and shrubs
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Building Materials - lumber, dimensional cedar, dimensional pressure treated, fence posts, framing, PVC pipes, hoop house kits, polycarbonate panels, insulation,
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Equipment - skid steer bobcat, shredder, tub grinder, conveyors, forklift, loader, pumps, lights, heating pads
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Harvesting and Packing equipment - harvest bins, 5-6 gallon buckets, scales, printer for labels, washing machine (to be converted into produce washer)
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Tools - shovels, hard rakes, hoes, hand trowels, backpack sprayers, storage sheds
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Fencing - chain link, metal posts, temporary construction fence, deer fence kits, precast concrete lego blocks
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Security - locks, lighting, cameras
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Program supplies - paper, markers, stickers, embroidery/patches, tables, chairs
Thank you to our Donors!
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Work with Us
Check out the job postings below for position details, and email your resume and cover letter to info@highfieldfarm.ca
We are not currently hiring - thank you for your interest!