Magnificent 60-Acre Sunshine Coast Farm with Unlimited Potential – Gibsons, BC

Description

Welcome to Elphinstone Farm, an incredibly rare 60.62 rural oasis located on the stunningly beautiful and highly desirable Sunshine Coast. It is partly composed of dense vegetation and mature trees, as well as a fully fenced farmyard with beautiful 3,649 ft2 residence plus cleared areas for planting produce of all kinds. The property was originally purchased as raw land by the current owners in 2009, and since then it has been developed into a highly functional hobby farm with unbounded beauty and unlimited potential.

Situated along the paved Port Mellon Highway and tucked between Mount Elphinstone Provincial Park and the endlessly scenic Howe Sound, the farm offers rare rural coastal charm, with immediate access to urban amenities. The property can be found only a few minutes’ drive north of the Langdale Ferry Terminal, which ensures a quick and painless commute and can make getting to Horseshoe Bay and Vancouver a simple and straightforward process. The nearest urban centre where you can purchase groceries, equipment and supplies is Gibsons, which is less than 10 minutes by vehicle from your front steps. Gibsons, and the surrounding area, also offers multiple options for schooling from K to 12. It is a family friendly community and a great place to raise children or to comfortably retire.

Heading back onto the farm, you are greeted with a long winding driveway that begins off of the highway and meanders towards the home. At the entrance to the property, you are greeted with a treelined boundary offering ample privacy, as well as a safe and secure 8 ft game fence that encircles approximately 25 acres, including the house, greenhouses, and cleared agricultural areas. The sturdy fencing ensures the local critters do not find their way into your crop fields and ensures your livestock and pets can roam freely throughout the farmyard. In an area that is frequented by deer, elk and the occasional black bear, the addition of game fencing is a hugely valuable asset that cannot be overlooked.

As we reach the residence, we are met with a magnificent home that seamlessly blends into its surroundings. Designed to be as functional as it is beautiful the 3-storey home is idyllic for a farming family, in need of storage space, and plenty of guest accommodations. Pulling into the carport there is a basement entryway into the house. The basement floor contains not only the necessary mechanical systems to run the home, but also a storage and workshop area. Staying with the home are sizable freezers and cool storage space, as well as multiple drying racks that are perfect for drying out produce. The previous farm manager made good use of them, especially for drying out the world class garlic that the property is capable of producing. The lower level also features a “rumpus room” with its own washroom and shower, and space for a kitchenette. A bed and couch/living space could also be added to provide additional accommodation for guests, farmhands or renters.

Moving upstairs you are greeted with a bright and spacious open concept kitchen, dining and living room area. The inviting bright flooring coupled with the stainless-steel appliances and white cabinets bounce ample sunlight around the room making it a lovely space for enjoying your morning coffee or entertaining family and friends. The living room is centered by a clean and unique fireplace which offers a lovely warm glow and as a heat source in the winter months. In addition to the fireplace, electric baseboards scattered throughout the home provide the primary heat and provide an even dispersion of warm air throughout each floor. For added comfort the sellers have installed an HRV (Heat & Energy Recovery Ventilators) system that continuously replaces stale indoor air with fresh outdoor air. Upstairs is where you will find each of the 3 bedrooms, including sizable master bedroom with adjoining suite, walk in closet and ensuite washroom. Ascending back down to the main level, and through the glass sliding doors you will be overjoyed with the 870 square foot covered wrap around deck that provides the perfect medium between your cozy home and the stunning wilderness that surrounds you.

The farmyard encompasses approximately 25 fenced acres and offers a new owner a variety of income generating opportunities, through the production of produce, raising livestock and also by hosting events. During the previous year, Elphinstone Farm has been the location for local farmers markets, where an assortment of growers can showcase their products. In addition, the farm has also hosted multiple U-Pick Blueberry occasions, which draws in residents from the surrounding area as well as tourists exploring the Sunshine Coast. It is a great way to help grow the local agricultural community while supplementing mortgage payments for many years to come. The two 30′ x 96′ greenhouses provide a controlled environment for sustainable food growth both for personal and commercial usage. Each greenhouse is connected to power and water, via the drilled well, providing a convenient method of farming fruits and veggies. Currently, a cleared 6-acre site is planted with blackcurrant and blueberry bushes, but could easily be switched out in favour of other crops of your choosing. To ensure optimal utilization of the farmyard, there is an additional 5 acres of cleared land with rich fertile soils that is ready to be planted.

As an additional measure for ensuring productive growth of crops, even in years of significant drought, the owners have installed 2 dugouts, each roughly 12’ deep that collect rainwater throughout the winter months. They are protected from evaporation by being located at the base of the tree line just outside the easterly fence boundary, and work via a gravity fed system that feeds water from one pit to the other. For further water collection, additional dugouts could be installed utilizing the same topographical characteristics and gravity fed system. By installing a water line, pumps and cisterns, a new owner could strategically irrigate trees, plants, crops as well as water livestock year-round at minimal cost.

With the low rainfall levels that the Sunshine Coast has seen, especially this year, it is imperative for a farm operation to have readily available water for personal use as well as for irrigation. This factor has been taken into consideration by the current owners, and their improvements ensure a turnkey water conscious plan moving forward.

Finding acreages of this size along the Sunshine Coast is incredibly difficult and rare. What Elphinstone Farm offers a new owner is the opportunity to explore their interests and put their entrepreneurial minds to work to unlock the endless potential this property presents. Whether you choose to grow veggies, raise chickens, host weddings, train horses or teach horseback riding, at Elphinstone Farm you are only limited by what you can dream up. Please contact the listing REALTOR® for more information.

LOCATION

1900 Port Mellon Highway – Gibsons, BC

DIRECTIONS

The property is located a short distance north of the Langdale Ferry Terminal. Whether driving off of the ferry, or headed towards it on the Sunshine Coast Highway, head north onto Port Mellon Highway. Continue straight for approximately 4 minutes (2.8 km) and the driveway will be on your right-hand side.

AREA DATA

The Sunshine Coast is located on the southern coast of British Columbia, extending 177 km (110 mi) between the entrance to Desolation Sound on the northwest and Howe Sound on the southeast.

The rugged mountains bordering these inlets cut it off from direct road connection to the rest of the province, so although part of the British Columbian mainland, it relies on ferry or air transportation.

Welcome to the traditional territories of the Squamish (Skwxwú7mesh), Sechelt (Shíshálh), and Sliammon (Tla’Amin) and Klahoose First Nations. The First Nations people have been on this land since time immemorial. Part of the larger Coast Salish people, they engaged in fishing, hunting, and trade, and were noted for their totem poles, cedar canoes, and unique language. Today, the Coast Salish people continue to contribute culturally and economically to the Sunshine Coast. From artist demonstrations to education about the ecosystems, the First Nations of the Sunshine Coast are ready to share their abundance of history and rich culture.

ENVIRONMENT

The Sunshine Coast area climate is characterized by mild, moist winters and warm, dry summers. Temperatures on the Coast can range from a damp cold and wet 0°C (32°F) in winter to highs of 30°C (90°F) in summer. The annual rainfall is approximately 100 cm (40 in). The Sunshine Coast remains sheltered from the open Pacific. Winters on the Sunshine Coast are mild enough that it’s possible to snowshoe on the Knuckleheads or Dakota Ridge in the morning and golf the very same afternoon.

WILDLIFE

The Sunshine Coast is home to an abundance of wildlife including black bears, cougars, coyotes, and wolves

RECREATION

The Sunshine Coast is renowned as being a highly desirable destination for tourism.  The rugged mountains bordering inlets make it a recreational enthusiast’s dream come true.  Regardless of your interests, whether they be on land or on the water, it will be readily available to you and your family.

Boating

Boating seas on is year-round and there is an abundance of things to see!  Sea lions, humpback whales, orcas, porpoises are frequent visitors to the Sunshine Coast.  The waters are easily reached from Vancouver, or from the Gulf Islands as well as the US.

Mountain Biking

The Sunshine Coast’s singletrack is “stuff that mountain biking dreams are made of.”  As if sculpted by a mythological mountain biker themself, the way the rocky shoreline fades into a mystical coastal rainforest makes for incredible scenic trails.  Whether you are a beginner, or a seasoned veteran, there are trails for all skill levels.

Cycling

A popular method of touring around the coast is by street bike.  Road cycling along Highway 101 ensures stunning vistas and beautiful terrain.  A lot of information can be found online with respect to cycling groups, as well as maps/trails.

Kayak, Canoe and Paddleboarding

The Sunshine Coast is arguably one of the worlds top locations for paddlers of all types to explore an unlimited supply of bays, inlets, and offshore islands.  Much of the coastline is sheltered ensuring protection from the elements ensuring a more enjoyable adventure.

Hiking

Whether it is your first-time hiking or your 500th, there are trails for you!  Majestic old growth forests, mountain views, and ocean vistas provide some of the most scenic hiking you will find.  The Sunshine Coast also boasts a number of wheelchair accessible trails making the lovely pastime available to people with varying degrees of mobility.

Snowshoe and Ski:

If you prefer to have your fun in the snow, you have come to the right place.  Cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and hiking in an unspoiled and serene mountain setting with ocean vistas await you at Dakota Ridge, Tetrahedron Provincial Park and Knuckleheads Recreation Area.  It’s a snowshoe, cross-country skiing, winter hiking, snowmobiling paradise, all yours to discover.  Also, open year-round, the Sunshine Coast Trail is 180 kilometres of pure winter hiking delight.

Golfing

If your idea of relaxing is hitting the links, the Sunshine Coast is a golfer’s haven.  With an average 2,400 hours of annual sunshine, it’s easy to see why golfers love to play here (even in winter!).  Grab your clubs and follow a golf trail along the Coast to seek out unique and extremely scenic courses.  Courses include Sunshine Coast Golf & Country Club, Blue Ocean Golf Club, Pender Harbour Golf Club and Myrtle Point Golf Club.

HISTORY

Settlement by Europeans and other non-native peoples began in the 1880s. Fishing and logging were the main occupations of the settlers, along with small scale farming mostly for their own subsistence. The establishment of logging camps in the Powell River area in the 1880s was a precursor to greater economic developments.

The naming of “The Sunshine Coast” originated with a pioneer family: the Roberts of Roberts Creek. In 1914, Harry Roberts painted “The Sunshine Belt” name on the side of the freight house on the first wharf built in Roberts Creek, and the name was apparently used to promote Roberts Creek as a summer resort destination. When the Black Ball Ferries started a car ferry service to the coast in 1951 they started using the term “Sunshine Coast” to promote the whole area and the name quickly caught on.

Between 1910 and 1912 the pulp and paper mill in Powell River was built on the waterfront by the Brooks, Scanlon and O’Brien Company. By 1930 the mill employed more than 2,000 workers, and had become the largest newsprint mill in the world. The development of the highway—which reached Pender Harbour in the 1930s and the northwest end of the Sechelt Peninsula in the 1950s—brought the settlements closer together and, after car ferry service began in 1951, closer to Vancouver. Subsequently, the population increased rapidly. Powell River Townsite was designated as a National Historic District of Canada in 1995—one of only seven in Canada. A charming community remarkably intact, it boasts over 400 original buildings contained within the borders of the 1910 town plan.

Sunshine Coast Today
With a population of just over 50,000 people the Sunshine Coast is a modern hub, yet retains its rich heritage. Forestry continues to be one of the region’s historic economic mainstays, with tourism and the cultural arts gaining ground as emerging sectors, along with fishing, aquaculture, retail and technological sectors.

Mining is significant as well, with the largest open pit sand and gravel mine operating in Sechelt. Howe Sound Pulp and Paper in Port Mellon, producers of wood-fibre based paper for the past century, is BC’s longest running pulp and paper mill. Local entrepreneurs have captured the attention of Canadian and International markets. Hapi Foods locally produces their popular Holy Crap cereal, and SideStix are leaders in durable medical equipment specializing in forearm crutches. These are just two examples of successful entrepreneurs that call the Sunshine Coast home.

MAP REFERENCE

49°26’56.60″N and 123°29’5.32″W

SERVICES

• Hydro
• Septic System
• Productive Drilled Well

IMPROVEMENTS

• 3,649 ft2 residence
• Two 30′ x 96′ greenhouses with power/water
• 8 ft game fencing enclosing roughly 25 acres
• 6± acres of planted blueberry and blackcurrant bushes
• 5± acres additional cleared ready for planting
• 2 cross irrigation dugouts and much more

TAXES

$3,005.05 (2022)

ZONING

AG

LEGAL

• Lot 3 District Lot 965 Group 1 New Westminster District Plan BCP42370
• PID 028-046-234