Celebrating Our Agricultural Roots
Mission's Farms & Farmers were amongst the earliest settlers who built a rural way of life that supported their families and the local economy. Once known as "the home of the big red strawberry", Mission area's agricultural past includes raising beef for the early prospectors, dairy farms, processing of fruits and berry crops, and many farm coops for marketing the abundant products.

The Oblates of Mary Immaculate at St. Mary's Indian Residential School maintained dairy cattle, poultry and swine, planted an orchard and extensive vegetable gardens. They offered an agricultural education to their students, firmly believing farming would replace traditional hunting and fishing and help to Christianize their students

Sam McDonald acquired 300 acres of land on Nicomen Island where he operated a prosperous farm as early as 1865, supplying beef to prospectors and mainland communities; steamers could simply stop at McDonald's Landing and cattle would be loaded up a plank from the beach to the ship.

Settlers from a variety of ethnic backgrounds were attracted to the rich land and farms were soon established throughout the area. What is now central Mission, between 2nd and 7th Avenues was once planted in raspberries, strawberries, and vegetable crops. Dairy farms were thriving, with milk being brought from landings along the Fraser by paddle steamer to the Truro Condensed Milk plant near the Mission Railway bridge.

It was relatively easy to move goods to the east, west and south on CPR lines. A food processing industry grew strong in the area, and a number of agricultural cooperatives were founded by farmers to market their goods.