Our Story

Elk Root Conservation (ERC) strives to be a model of reciprocal living — one that inspires others to create and participate in land-based solutions for local food security, Indigenous food sovereignty, and environmental resilience. As a not-for-profit with a certified organic educational demonstration farm in Vallican, BC, we believe that feeding community and protecting the environment go hand-in-hand. We are committed to fostering an inclusionary and safe space for all beings — on land and within our waterways — as we grow this model into resilient, sustainable communities across the region and province. 

Our work is guided by three core pillars:

Equitable Food Security & Indigenous Food Sovereignty

Programs and initiatives that ensure access to good food for all. 

Education & Innovation

Applied research and innovations, online learning, and hands-on opportunities through ERC's Inclusionary Education programs. 

Environmental Conservation & Restoration

Protecting and healing the planet for generations to come. 

These three pillars are brought to life at ERC Farm, a living lab and inspiring outdoor classroom nestled in the Slocan Valley, BC. The farm is home to our ERC Educational Demonstration Food Gardens & Forest  — together they supply an abundance of certified organic produce to the community while serving as a space to develop ERC’s Organic Reciprocal Agriculture Advancements (ORAA): creative, outside-the-box approaches that advance organic standards while protecting the environment to meet the challenges of today. 

At the heart of ERC Farm is our Food Forest — a thriving, biodiverse environment and one of the farm's most distinctive features. This unique food foresting design includes culturally valued foods for Indigenous community members, pollinator gardens with blooms from snowmelt to snowfall, a plastic-free Biodiversity Catchment Pond, a Native Plant Garden, Nursery and Seed Library, and a one-of-a-kind certified organic sustainable apiary. Together, these living elements support our environmental restoration goals, local food security, Indigenous food sovereignty, and habitat restoration. 

ERC’s Inclusionary Education Program is deeply woven into everything we do. Whether we're welcoming children and youth, diverse community members, or organic growers and producers from across the province and beyond, ERC Farm offers learning that is accessible, empowering, and rooted in ecological stewardship. 

At ERC we apply the same inclusive spirit to every member of our community — winged, web-footed, finned, or human alike. We are growing something that nourishes body, mind, and spirit, and we invite all of you to be part of this exciting journey and grow with us. 

Our Values

In How We Live

  • A deep appreciation for the history of the land and all those who have lived here: human, flora and fauna, on land, in water or sky. 

  • Climate-adaptive land-based approaches that respect and integrate soil, sun, and water. 

  • We apply our proven research and innovations in organic agricultural practices that support the reciprocal nourishment of our planet and people. 

  • Shared Indigenous knowledge and knowing provides fundamental understanding and proven land-based techniques. 

  • An educational demonstration farm that displays the effectiveness of land-based solutions in addressing real world issues, and disseminates concepts, knowledge and skills in sustainable practices. 

  • Relationships are at the foundation of all our work. 

  • An inclusive environment where diverse voices and experiences are welcomed and respected. 

  • Collaboration and partnerships that aim to address multiple aspects of each circumstance to alleviate food insecurity and champion food sovereignty for Indigenous peoples. 

  • Food systems that feed body, mind and spirit.

In who we are

  • Commitment to our vision, mission, and values. 

  • Accountability for our words, actions and our stewardship of the land, water and sky. 

  • Authenticity in how we present ourselves. 

  • Transparency in everything we do. 

  • Truthful in all our interactions. 

  • Confidentiality in respect to others. 

  • Awareness of the human and natural environment in which we live. 

  • Empathy towards those around us. 

  • Living in a culture of care for our volunteers, employees and partners – a passionate driven and cared-for workforce.

Elk Root Conservation is located adjacent to the ancestral Sinixt village site of n’kʔáwxtən, in Sinixt təmxwúlaʔxw and within the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) at the confluence of the Slocan River and Little Slocan Rivers. We also acknowledge the deep connection and significance of the land and waterways where ERC is located to the Syilx (Okanagan), the Ktunaxa and the Secwépemc (Shuswap) Peoples whose unceded traditional territories are also within what has come to be known as the Kootenay Region.

In addition to the cultural significance of our location to the Sinixt peoples, the reach of the confluence is a unique and ecologically important wildlife corridor. It is the perfect place to demonstrate how protecting the planet and our local food security go hand-in-hand. Not only for ourselves, but for ALL our children and future generations to come.