The Pender Islands Farmers' Institute has served the people of North and South Pender Island, BC since 1899 and is the oldest community organization on Pender Island. It is the proud sponsor of the Farmers' Market (est. 1978), the Fall Fair (est. 1932), Seedy Saturday, the School Planting program, the Neptune Navy Grimmer - Ashton Ross-Smith Bursary, and the Farm Food Hub (est. 2020).
The Institute has four objectives:
1. To improve conditions of rural life, so that settlement may be permanent and prosperous;
2. To promote the theory and practice of agriculture, by lectures, essays, the circulation of information and other educational methods, and to stimulate interest by exhibitions, prizes, and other means;
3. To arrange on behalf of its members for the purchase, distribution or sale of commodities, supplies, or products, and generally to act on their behalf in all matters incidental to agricultural pursuits;
4. To promote social interactions, mutual helpfulness, the diffusion of knowledge, and to make new people to the island welcome.
For our current update on our activities and survey from 2015 see here
We regularly post to our Facebook page so connect with us there (check out the Fall Fair and Farmers' Market Facebook pages also). We are strongly supportive of all levels of food production and food security initiatives.
Meetings are open to everyone. An Annual Membership Fee is $5.00.
If you would like to join us or renew your membership, PIFI-Membership-Renewal-Form.