Jas has managed to sustain himself by growing and selling crops on the side.
“Pickling cukes were a huge part of my income last year, maybe $22,000.00 gross. They were primarily worked by two hired workers and volunteers who chose to help out. God’s Little Acre is making a bold move into the retail market. With at least two retail locations slated to open in the Spring of 2014, the farm will be se
lf-sustainable and the profits will support the charity side. This is a business model which will be transparent with the numbers and will basically be run like a non-profit. I’m not into having my vision changed and I’m not into getting public tax payers money year after year. It’s an uphill battle. Besides, we have the perfect thing – food – to offset the charity side crop expenses.”
“The general public likes the fact that we are not committed to death and that it is a basic operation of one person with a vision and now over 1100 people on the volunteer database. People respond to simplicity, I will always keep the charity side of God’s Little Acre at zero administration costs. There are plenty of wonderful people running wonderful charities that do a great job but this is grassroots. Don’t be surprised if in 5 years, God’s Little Acre has ten retail stores, but it better be giving away millions of pounds of product or it’s not happening.”
God’s Little Acre recently started GLA Saskatchewan and the goal is to go National. Wait until you hear how that started!
“Lifting peoples’ spirits by showing them they have friends who are willing to help them will ultimately allow them to reach out of poverty. God’s Little Acre will have it’s own Produce Bank right on the farm. We keep going until we can’t go no more…that’s my business plan.”
Just like the volunteers on the farm, Jas refuses to take any salary or wages from the charity side.
“We don’t need this project to make a profit on the backs of hungry people and it will remain that way. I have no problem living in the same poverty spectrum as the people we serve and fighting our way out the easy way…which is often the hard way. See you at the farm!”
Jas Singh
God’s Little Acre Farm 2014
