A farm in B.C. supports people with mental health and addiction issues
By Diego Flammini
Staff Writer
Farms.com
A farm in B.C. produces livestock, related products and second chances.
John Volken Academy Farms, a 108-acre water buffalo and bison operation located on the Agricultural Land Reserve in south Langley, is also a residential treatment centre for people overcoming mental health and addictions issues.
“Academy Students have the opportunity to work on the Farm, helping to operate and maintain the state-of-the-art facility, contribute in the raising of the animals, and support the Farm Market in retail sales and product inventory,” the farm’s website says.
The farm opened five years ago and has seen multiple people come through its gates for its two-year residency program.
Take Bryan Perry, for example.
He came to the farm after 10 years of drug addictions which also affected his personal relationships.
“Coming from off the street, using drugs, you have no life skills,” he told Global News. “Everything you learn is from someone who’s been here before.”
Amanda Convery told Global News she lost her marriage as a result of her addiction.
If there’s a task on the farm to be done, the people in the residency program can learn how to do it, said Doran Pierson, the farm’s manager.
“They learn how to do everything from rebaling to the care of animals like scraping manure, scraping pads (and) milking the animals,” he said to Global News.
The work the students put into the farm helps produce meat, cheese and dairy products from the bison and water buffalo on the farm.
Those products are sold in the Farm Market, with the proceeds benefiting the John Volken Academy.
The academy’s namesake, John Volken, is the former CEO of United Furniture Warehouse and founder of the John Volken Addiction Recovery Academy.
In addition to facilities in B.C., the academy has locations in Arizona and Washington State.
Farms.com has contacted John Volken Academy Farms for an interview.