New Chicken Options in Stock!
About Us
First generation. Female owned. Family operated.
Brass Bell Farm evolved from a dream of homegrown food, into a determination to change the outlook of local farming.
It quickly became clear that a few backyard hens and a milk cow were not going to make a significant impact on the uncertain future of small-scale agriculture.
Over the years, we have slowly grown the farm, taking on more land and raising more animals as time and cirumstance allow. Gaining a foothold in the local food community has enabled us to steward land that would otherwise be neglected, increasing biodiversity and promoting ecological diversity with intentional, multispecies grazing practices.
We work closley with our community's best local chefs and butchers to ensure the quality we put into raising our animals is maintained throughout the process. Our mission is to bring the quintessential quality of the small family farm, to your table.
We are honoured to feed families all over the island, some of whom have been loyal customers since the very beginning. We pride ourselves on transparency and trust and value the relationships we build with each one of our customers.
The Land
Brass Bell Farm lies on 108 acres of stewarded land on Southern Vancouver Island, in the traditional and unceded territory of the Sc'ianew Nation. The farm's diverse landscape includes forest, fields, and rocky shoreline, with strong winds and fog banks rolling in from the sea. These unique weather conditions require creative approaches to farming, and our heritage breeds of sheep, goats, cattle, pigs and poultry make it possible to persevere in our coastal climate.
The farm's diverse array of livestock is key in returning it to a healthy, balanced state, and we strive to promote the growth of wild plants and animals, while inhibiting that of invasive species. Through soil testing and keen observation skills, we monitor our progress to ensure we maintain a beneficial presence upon the land.
Why 'Brass Bell' Farm?
While the farm has been in existence for over a decade, it has been through many iterations during that time, and it wasn't until 2020 that it became 'Brass Bell Farm'. At that time Amber decided she really wanted to make a 'go' of the farm, and play an active role in feeding her community and shaping local agriculture. After agonizing over a new name for some time, the sight of the old brass bell that sat on the kitchen hutch sparked inspiration. Inherited from her grandmother, who's hobby farm had been a second home during Amber's childhood, the bell had been rung every mealtime to signal to her grandfather that it was time to come in and eat. And so Brass Bell Farm was born.
While the vintage grazing bell worn by livestock has become the farm's emblem, this old dinner bell is the true inspiration behind the name!
FAQ
Ordering
Yes! This year we are offering on-farm pickup for our customers. After you place your order, if you selected 'on-farm pickup' you will receive an email from us regarding the day and time your items will be available.
Our meat is delivered to you frozen to better withstand transport and ensure it lasts as long as possible in your freezer.
Thanks to our amazing community of customers, we struggle to keep our farm store stocked. The best way to purchase meat from us is to sign up for our newsletter as that is where we announce upcoming sales and product updates, including the days/times we will be restocking the store. We are working hard to increase our capacity so that we can have a more steady supply of product, without compromising our values of small-batch and seasonal foods.
Yes please! If you won't be home to receive your delivery we ask that you leave a cooler and ice pack out in an obvious/visible place for us to leave your items.
Due to the high demand of our products (beef in particular), there are unfortunately times where a customer has items in their cart and discovers they are no longer available when it is time to checkout. Placing items in your cart does not save them, and so they can still be purchased by someone else if they checkout before you. If you want to be sure to get the products you want, we recommend purchasing each product individually so that you checkout quickly. We are happy to combine multiple orders on our end.
We have an order minimum of $50 which allows us to compensate for the time it takes to select, pack and deliver an order. The exception to this is our ABC cards which an be picked up on-farm, added to an existing meat order, or sent to you via courrier.
We offer free delivery in Greater Victoria for residences, and we encourage chefs to contact us to discuss delivery options further afield.
Products
Due to managing a vareity of parcels of leased land, an official transition to certifed organic is not possible for us. However, all of our animals receive ceritfied organic feed and in the event we need to treate a sick or injured animal with medication, it is no longer a candidate for our meat sales.
Due to strict laws against selling raw milk in BC, we do not offer raw milk to the public. See our 'dairy' page to learn more about what we are up to in the milk department!
Yes. Whether you are using a naturally derived product such as celery salt or something like salt petre, nitrates are an essential component in preventing spoilage of our cured products like ham and bacon. We have discussed this with our butcher at great length and know that they use the smallest amount possible to create a safe and delicious product.
While ruminants such as our cattle and sheep can do very well on a grass-only diet, pigs and poultry are not able to be sustained on grass alone. Our pigs are fed a cerified organic hog feed in addition to living on pasture and foraging as they please.
Our cutting is done by the wonderful butchers we use, and while we stive to offer a variety of cuts and sizes, we cannot take custom requests for a specific weight of a particular product.
The Farm
As we are a working farm and the property is also home to ourself and others, we are not able to accommodate unguided tours or visits. We understand the importance of connecting with the farm and encourage you to visit us on instagram for more 'behind the scenes/day in the life' content. We do offer tours, educational events and workshops on occasion, and these are great times to come and visit us!
When discussing farm visit protocol, we always mention the importance of biosecurity. This word can sound a little off-putting and imply that there are diseases to be wary of. And there are! But not on our farm, and we want to keep it that way, so we ask visitors to not wear shoes or clothing that has been worn on other farms unless it has been cleaned and disinfected; Not walk in the pastures where our animals are; and refrain from contact with the animals, unless told otherwise. As we work with many rare breeds, keeping our farm disease-free is essential to their future, and we appreciate you helping us with this!
We love dogs, but our livestock do not! We ask that all dogs stay at home, or in the vehicle when you come to the farm to pickup your order. A strange dog running around is the equivalent of a wolf on the loose for our sheep, and it can be a stressful experience that can result in panic, injury and even pregnancy complications. We appreciate your cooperation with this!
While we raise the majority of our meat at our 'home base' we often lease additional grazing spaces for our cattle during the spring and summer months.