The use of the land at Craigflower Farm as a source of food and domestic materials began with the hunting, gathering and processing of natural products by the Aboriginal People.

The development of the Craigflower Farming industry is a result of the population growth in British Columbia.

In 1891 the Canadian census placed the total population of the Province at 98,173.

22,000 of these people were located on 6,500 farms, mostly located on Vancouver Island, the lower mainland and in the Okanagan and Kootenay valleys.

On the farm of the 1890's, there were no cars, few telephones and little electricity.

Most of the work was done by horsesin use on B.C. farms in 1894.

Tractors first appeared in the early 20th century and by 1922 numbered 332.

As late as 1933 there were only 20 combines.

To produce 1 acre (20 bushels) of wheat in 1890 with a gang plow, a seeder, a harrow, a binder, a thresher, and wagons and horses, took 8 to 10 people hours of labour.

Commercialization did not progress significantly until after the combined colonies of Vancouver Island and British Columbia joined Confederation in 1871.