ABOUT
Thanks for finding out more about Glassen Farms. My name is Ben Glassen and this is my story.
My vision is in educating people in consuming ethical food on Vancouver Island. The choices we make when we decide what to eat three time a day and what we wear on our clothes have a direct connection to the farm economy and the future of our planet.
My mission is to feed families with nutrient-rich, ethical commodities. The meat industry, when done poorly and with long, fuel-consuming supply chains, is one of the largest contributors to carbon emissions. Instead, through Regenerative Agriculture and holistic management, I will improve carbon sequestration of the properties occupied by responsibly and humanely practicing animal husbandry.
My values in caring for animals will give them purpose their entire lives. As babies bedded down on carbonaceous material that will be used for garden fertilization. As youth, the chickens will be growing and maintaining pastures through their contribution as members in a diverse ecosystem of pasture animals. In their ultimate sacrifice they bring us health and strength as animals become humans, people who will go on with the power to make great change.
Partners
Braun Custom Meats — This local abattoir specializes in red meat. They are a key resource in the mid-island as other small slaughter facilities shut their doors. In order to increase food security, maintain a service needed by the community, and market animals being grown locally, Glassen Farms is sell meat sourced from farmers at the abattoir.
Website https://www.braunmeatprocessors.com/
APPPA — The American Pasture Poultry Producers Association is a non-profit membership-based organization that promotes education, networking and awareness of this industry through transparency, collaboration and innovation. APPPA represents the humane treatment of the animals, the economic development of producers both big and small, and developing awareness for producers and customers alike in the importance of daily moves for pastured poultry.
Website https://www.apppa.org/
The Cline Agricultural Health Centre — This cooperattive helps bring functional medicine, nutrition, and farm education opportunities in one space through collaboration with Nanaimo Food Share and Growing Opportunities. The Mission of Cline Medical Centre is to provide excellent care in serving their patients with safe and innovative therapies, providing a foundation for each patient to achieve and maintain their individual health goals.
Our dual focus is to participate in the research and development of more effective treatments for chronic and disabling disorders.
Website http://www.clinemedical.com
HISTORY
My mother had me at 42 years old in June of 1989. Today she has Alzheimer’s which was a major contributing factor to why I moved back to Nanaimo, Vancouver Island to be close to my parents. Often my mom Susanne will ask, “Tell me again what got you interested in farming?”
As a toddler, my parents had been invited to a rodeo in central Washington where we were living at the time. I clung to the fence line the entire performance enamored by the cowboys and livestock in the arena. From this time on, I had an insatiable fascination with ranching, livestock, rodeo and cowboys. Though my parents were not of the western lifestyle, they dutifully carted me to rodeos, had me in riding lesson and even let me ride steers in the junior bull riding as a young teen.
My dream of being a professional traveling rodeo cowboy came to life on wheels instead of hooves. I risked life and limb for the audience on the Mountain Bike World Tour placing top 20 in the world at each event I entered. Injury lead back to university where I received the Certificate in Mountain Bike Operations, the Diploma in Outdoor Recreation & Adventure Tourism and a Bachelors of Tourism Management. My final research was connecting tourism to the aquaponics farming industry through farm tours, food tourism and farmers markets.
Aquaponics is large investment so I put that on the back burner and looked at small investment low barrier to farming practices. This lead me to find Joel Salatin, Justin Rhodes, John Suscovich and Richard Perkins in the Regenerative Agriculture movement.
MY START RAISING Poultry
Living in Port Moody, BC in 2018 I wanted to follow the advice of Joel Salatin, John Suscovich and Justin Rhodes to, “JUST GROW!”
In order to start raising pasture poultry in my suburban location, I slid into a grey area in the by-law with Japanese Coturnix Quail. I followed Salatin’s four principals for a young farmer: 1. Borrow land 2. Mobile infrastructure 3. Modular units to scale 4. Direct market to the end user.
In 2018 I raised 200 bird for eggs and meat in partnership with seven families who lent their lawns as pasture. I picked up 10 faithful customers at Port Moody Car Free Day. Three schools raised my quail chicks to teach the animal life cycles.