Ezra Farmstead
The Ezra Institute is located on a twenty-five-acre Farmstead atop the Niagara Peninsula in a Canadian biosphere reserve area. Overlooking Lake Ontario and perched on the dramatic edge of the Niagara escarpment, over seven acres of our land is a conservation forest with rare birds, plants and animal species - some of which pass through the area on annual migration routes. Sighting deer, coyote, foxes, turtles, and various birds of prey are a normal part of daily life at the farmstead. Our farm and conservation management team are developing various conservation projects involving butterflies, birds, snakes and trees, as well as reintroducing indigenous plant species into the area.
On the front of the property, our five-acre permaculture organic orchard project includes varieties of apples, pears and stone fruit, both miniature and full-size, as well as a large vegetable garden. Irrigated by our own well, bringing fresh water from an escarpment aquifer, the orchard is gradually getting established and drawing bees and birds to share in the bounty! Our goal is to manage and steward our land resource well, with minimal external inputs, to produce fruit and vegetables for market and consumption at our annual programs.
With effective management, the orchard will soon be able to make a meaningful contribution to the Institute's annual fundraising targets.
The orchard and forest serve as a beautiful living picture and object lesson of cultural reformation and a restorative use of God's good creation. Delegates in all our high-impact training programs have the opportunity to work on the farm and conservation area and learn about biblical creation care. Our Faith & Farm Camp has a particular emphasis on this.
