About Our Farm
We are the Forbes family on a 16-acre produce farm in Coalhurst, Alberta. This is how we do it.
Our mission is to provide our local community with easy access to farm fresh vegetables they can feel good about.
OUR WHY. Currently, the food supply chain is complicated. Veggies and other goods are imported from other countries, or at the very least, transported hundreds or thousands of kilometres before they reach grocery stores. On top of that, what is available to us is often grown with the use of herbicides and pesticides or has been genetically modified.
Because of these complicated systems and sub-par options, more and more people are making the effort to do their part and live more sustainably. Those choices are more important than ever as our world ecosystems continue to deteriorate. We applaud our community for their efforts and we are passionate about doing our part to contribute.
We practice intensive planting and growing techniques including constantly replanting beds through early April into late Fall.
By utilizing this biologically intense approach to agriculture, we maximize crop yields from minimum land and equipment use, while simultaneously preserving the quality of the soil.
We practise intensive planting and growing
techniques including constantly replanting beds through early April into late Fall.
By utilizing this biologically intense approach to agriculture, we maximize crop yields from minimum land and equipment use, while simultaneously preserving the quality of the soil.
We practise intensive planting and growing
techniques including constantly replanting beds through early April into late Fall.
By utilizing this biologically intense approach to agriculture, we maximize crop yields from minimum land and equipment use, while simultaneously preserving the quality of the soil.
An inside look at our growing practises
We aim to always be transparent in our processes. Allow us to explain why we think The Colliery Produce Co. is the best place to shop produce.
All seedlings are carefully selected and started by us, by hand indoors.
When the weather permits, seeds are sown directly in the ground using small hand machinery.
We don’t use herbicides or pesticides at any point in our sustainable process.
We don’t till the soil to keep nutrients in the ground for better, healthier growing.
All planting, cultivation, and harvesting is done manually using modern tools and techniques.
We harvest and wash all of our own vegetables – every item we sell comes from our farm.
Shop our carefully grown produce by item or subscribe!
We are the farmers
Alex, Chrystal, Bea, and Ellie Forbes
We bought our farm in 2018 and found ourselves with an opportunity to contribute to our community in a meaningful way. Starting as motivation to harness greener energy, we explored the possibility of installing solar panels on greenhouses with the intention of net-zero growing and minimal use of ground water. As this idea started to evolve, we were paying more attention to the produce available at the grocery store, especially the offerings in the winter months.
Out of a desire and passion to provide sustainable vegetables to their community, The Colliery Produce Co. was born. After researching small scale vegetable growing and its potential as a viable career and lifestyle, inspiration was found in a book called The Market Gardener by Jean-Martin Fortier. With an emphasis on smart farm design, appropriate farm technologies, and the power of soil technology, we found a passion to become a part of a new generation of small scale farmers. The main goal is to consistently provide locally grown vegetables to our customers while also being conscious of the environmental impact of farming.
The Colliery – What does it mean?
def noun – underground coal mine, together with its surface buildings
We are based out of the southern Alberta community of Coalhurst.
Our farm property ends at the train tracks and coal mines that used were
used back in the town’s bustling coal-mining days. We even find
coal in our soil! The coal-mining heritage is a part of our local community’s
identity and our name is a nod to that.
Reducing our carbon footprint together
The agriculture industry is notorious for producing emissions and misusing resources. We try our best to be conscious of these risks and instead, grow with sustainable practices that help reduce our carbon footprint. These are some of the choices we have made on our farm to help you and other local families reduce their carbon footprint as well.
Biodegradable packaging such as paper or twine
Capturing and reusing as much water as possible for safe reuse.
Planting trees on our property as often as we can
Planting cover crops to reduce erosion, improve soil fertility, and add carbon back into the soil
Thank you for supporting The Colliery Produce Co. and helping us get produce from our farm to your table – without the extra steps.
Enjoy fresh, clean veggies – straight from the farm
