Forest Valley Acres Ltd. is a family-owned and operated hydroponic farm located in the picturesque Comox Valley. With a commercial-size greenhouse, Selena and Matthew Lawrence grow fresh lettuce and herbs all year round using a Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) hydroponic system. The product grows horizontally in channels, providing the little starts with enough sunlight to grow into big, healthy, delicious greens. Established in 2022, Forest Valley Acres Ltd. is a sustainable farm using modern and innovative techniques, and they’ve built their business with the intention to provide fresh, clean produce to Vancouver Island.
Before the purchase and development of their greenhouse, Selena was a Personal Trainer. Matthew is a Red Seal Carpenter and Welding Inspector. Together with their shared passion for creating a farm life for future generations, they created their business plan and Matthew built the greenhouse with his father in the winter of 2022-2023. This switch to a farming lifestyle allowed Matthew to work from home, meaning less time on the road and more time with his family.
With 3 young children, these two have their hands full. Selena and Matthew are both full-time parents and business owners. They do all the daily jobs of harvesting, transplanting, and seeding between the two of them – with a little help from the grandparents. Situated on five acres, they have a little hobby farm with goats, chickens, cats, a dog, and an outdoor garden. Selena grows dahlias and other cut flowers for pleasure, as well as a vegetable garden for homesteading. Farming has a way of becoming an all-encompassing lifestyle, and these two have little time for activities off the farm but love the life they have created for their kids.
Matthew grew up in the Okanagan, and often went hunting with his dad and brothers in the fall. They grew up with a hobby farm and enjoyed eating out of the garden in the summers. Selena grew up as an avid athlete, from swimming and volleyball to skiing. Her loving mother was always providing freshly farmed food from local vendors, instilling the importance of nutritious food. Nutrition was a big part of her upbringing and influenced her to pursue health and fitness.
Today, as they shift into the roles of running a business and the pressure that comes along with it, learning and development have been a key part of their journey (not to mention the pressure of keeping the books). Forest Valley Acres Ltd. is one of the only NFT hydroponic farms on the island, and they are constantly learning this new, technical way of farming. Growing all year round has proved difficult to find reasonably priced freight, and competing with soil farms during their growing seasons has been tough. Initially, their business plan was based on wholesale commercial sales, but as often happens when running a new business, they had to adapt. Now, they are selling their lettuce locally by focusing on a direct-to-consumer approach at farmers’ markets.
For Selena and Matt, being part of the community means actively contributing to healthier lifestyles by offering fresh, locally-grown produce. They believe in helping to build a thriving local economy by selling directly to customers rather than wholesaling off the island or out of the province. Community is at the heart of what they do—welcome to the BC Farmers’ Market family!
During the 2024 BC Farmers’ Market summer season, Forest Valley Acres could be found in the Hatch + Hype tent at the Campbell River Farmers Market on Sundays from 10 am to 2 pm. You can find out more about them and where they’ll be next on their socials. We wish them continued success!