Gatineau’s historic Moore Farm to reopen

Fresh funding and better drainage allows it to reopen in next few weeks for rentals

Months after the rain washed away its income and forced it to close, the Moore Farm in Gatineau is about to reopen thanks to fresh support and better drainage.

The historic farm is a familiar sight on Tâché Boulevard east of the Champlain Bridge, with a big red-and-white building set back from the road and up a hill.

It closed several months ago because of a cash shortfall.

Now Sylvain Bertrand, president of the co-operative that runs the farm, says it should reopen in the next few weeks for rentals by everything from small groups to wedding parties.

“We also have a bistro that will be open on weekends in the next few weeks,” he said.

The farm produces organic vegetables on 15 hectares (38 acres) of land, and two years ago it struggled through a drought and still managed to earn $55,000 from sales.

But last year’s rains washed out the vegetables. Sales were only one-third of the previous year’s total, and the place had to close for the winter.

On Friday, Bertrand said funding has firmed up, and the land itself is solidifying as well.

The City of Gatineau has applied to the provincial government for permission to give the farm a property tax exemption, and the area’s councillor, Jocelyn Blondin, has chipped in $25,000 from his discretionary budget.

As well, new drainage work by the National Capital Commission will make the land less vulnerable to flooding during heavy rains, Bertrand said. That work will delay a return to vegetable production until 2019.

The farm belonged to Philemon Wright in 1824 and was sold to the Parker-Moore family in 1872. The NCC acquired it a century later.

The farm’s website is at lafermemoore.ca.