My husband, Mike, had some farm knowledge. Sadly, I had none, I grew up in the city. Mike and I purchased this acreage on Anderton Road in Comox in 1993, before the days of internet and Google.

The land was perfect for us but had not been farmed, we started from scratch. We were much younger back then - newlyweds in our twenties - eager to learn and work hard, and grow as much food as we could. We wanted to raise a family on a farm, and feed our community with the same care that we would our own. To grow clean food that could be eaten without worry of chemicals - no washing, just harvest and eat. We also had hoped to share our farm with other families as often as we could.

Our farms’ story began with pumpkins and a pick-your-own pumpkin patch. The farm grew with careful considerations. Slowly we learned how to farm this land using sustainable farming practices, alongside beautiful orange squashes. Our feet deeply rooted in the soil.

Shamrock Farm and our three sons literally grew up simultaneously. Those three little boys are now grown men and have ventured off the farm to pursue their dreams and passions. We are proud of the kind, capable, humble and hardworking men they have become. Growing up on a working farm taught them more than we had ever imagined. What began as a family farm for our children and our local community to enjoy has grown to encompass so much more.

What hasn’t changed is our farming philosophy.

Everything we grow can just come straight out of the ground, and you can wipe the dirt off and eat it. We don’t use pesticides or herbicides on our farm, and we do not grow GMO crops. We grow over 40 types of vegetables, fragrant lavenders, and a plethora of specialty cut flowers.

Growing a wide range of vegetables and flowers is our main focus; however, we also keep chickens for eggs and a small herd of Nubian goats whose milk we use in our soap products. We have a line of lavender products and preserves that are produced onsite with fresh ingredients grown in our fields. Seeds are carefully collected during the season from open pollinated flower and vegetable varieties that we offer for sale to local gardeners. In the barn, we have a workshop where ingredients are blended into numerous farm products. We have a wonderful team of employees that work with us.

Shamrock Farm has grown to become a truly diversified 20-acre farming operation.

Vegetables and flowers are available for purchase at our farm stand right at the farm gate, it is run on the old-fashioned honour system (cash or e-transfer). We also sell directly to our customers at the Comox Valley Farmers Market, every Saturday during the growing season. Online sales are available year-round, and several on-farm Harvest events take place seasonally. Our produce and products are also available through wholesale orders.

It has now been almost three decades since we started our farm, and we still love growing pumpkins and thoroughly enjoy opening our pumpkin patch for local families to wander in every October. It’s a tradition for our family that we hope to keep for many more years to come.

This farm wouldn’t have been possible without the tremendous support from our customers, and our local community. We are grateful.

Shannon and Mike Farrell