Updates from Makaria Farm

Brock McLeod of Makaria Farm

Brock McLeod died peacefully at 4:52pm on Wednesday, September 20, 2017. He was surrounded by family and friends, and was able to die at home thanks to the incredible support of our local Home Care Nursing team, family doctor Dr. Roy Gilbert, and palliative care oncologist Dr. Val Misuda.

Our Plan B Life

Our son Isaac and I (Heather) moved to my hometown of Invermere in December 2017. I write about grief and our Plan B life on Medium.com and my website. You can follow our adventures on Instagram.

My first mystery novel is in on its way toward publication: One for the Raven is set at the Duncan Farmers’ Market, with characters based (loosely) on many of our friends from our farming years. I’m writing my second novel in 2020-2022: the detective character shares my story of young widowhood.

Listen to Our Story

In Brock’s memory

Those of you on Facebook may want to Like/Follow our “In Memory of Brock McLeod” Facebook page.

Brock loved learning and was a critical thinker who always offered a unique perspective. We have funded two bursaries in his memory:

Cowichan Valley School District #79

This memorial bursary will be awarded annually to a graduating high school student in the Cowichan Valley School District with an interest in post-secondary studies who demonstrates Brock-worthy critical thinking skills and a love for learning.

Donations to this fund can be:

  • mailed directly to Cowichan Valley School District #79 (cheque memo line: Brock McLeod bursary) c/o Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, CVSD, 2557 Beverly Street, Duncan, BC V9L 2X3, or
  • made online at: https://www.canadahelps.org/dn/28782 (message field: for the Brock McLeod bursary).

Vancouver Island University – Liberal Studies

This memorial award will be given annually to a Vancouver Island University student entering their 3rd or 4th year of the Liberal Studies program.

Donations to this fund can be:

  • mailed to the VIU Foundation (cheque memo line: Brock McLeod memorial) at 900 Fifth Street, Building 310, Nanaimo, BC  V9R 5S5, or
  • made via telephone with your credit card by calling Marcela Leus at 250-740-6210, or
  • made online at: https://giving.viu.ca/ (designation: Other > Brock McLeod memorial).

Contributions are eligible for a charitable tax receipt.

Organ & Body Donation

Brock was registered as an organ donor and eye donor, and wanted his body to be donated to UBC’s medical program. Unfortunately we were not able to fulfil his wishes in this respect, due to an infection he contracted a week before his death which disqualified him. I’ve included the links to these programs here with the hope that more people will choose to register and donate, and help others in a way that Brock wasn’t able to.

Thank you to our community

Our family was supported to an unbelievable extent by our community over the past years, in the form of cards, love tokens, fundraisers and hugs. Brock’s final years were stress-free and full of love. Thank you so much for your support.


From 2008-2015, Makaria Farm fed food-loving folks in Victoria, the Cowichan and Nanaimo.

brock-isaac-tractorIn late 2014, farmer Brock was diagnosed with kidney cancer. In June of 2015 we learned that the cancer is extremely aggressive: he has stage 4 renal cell carcinoma. This is a terminal form of cancer. There is no known cure and no realistic hope of remission. Reluctantly, Brock and I (Heather) realized that farming was no longer possible for our family.

heather-in-fieldWe sold our 10 acres of A1-ALR farm land in Cowichan Station, and have been selling off our farm’s assets.

Our life these days is all about our family, friends, and Brock’s bucket list. We roadtripped across Canada — all the way to Newfoundland! — in June and July of 2016, visiting family and long-distance friends. We went to Tofino in 2015 (an incredibly generous gift from our friends at the Community Farm Store), and continue to spend as much time as we can on Chesterman Beach, which is Brock’s favourite place to be.

We are so grateful to the many, many people who have supported our family. From gifts of meals to help with farm chores to financial support to cards and emails and Facebook messages, we have felt loved from the beginning. Thank you for helping us focus on our family and create a stress-free life while we revel in this time together.

To read more about our story and Makaria Farm’s history, please click here.