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Postmaster, Please return Undeliverable labels to: Country Life in BC 36 Dale Road Enderby, BC V0E 1V4CANADA POSTES POST CANADA Postage paid Port payé Publications Mail Post-Publications 40012122Vol. 110 No. 2The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 FEBRUARY 2024 | Vol. 110 No. 2FRUIT Tesche takes over as GM for fruit growers 9 SAFETY Telus dials in new safety tools for agriculture 17 SPUDS Cariboo potato a case study in local resilience 21 PETER MITHAM VICTORIA – The number of farm properties in the province has dropped, according to BC Assessment data released January 1. The number of farm properties on the 2024 tax roll is 50,565, down 1% from 51,066 properties last year. The aggregate value is nearly $1.3 billion. BC Assessment deputy assessor Peter Alexander, who focuses on farm properties, said legislated assessment rates for valuing farmland means the roll’s value changes little from year to year. Alexander also cautioned that current year gures are not directly comparable to previous years, due to the parameters applied each year. However, in 2020 and 2021, the roll had nearly 53,000 farm properties with an assessed value of $1.3 billion. While the province waived the need for producers to requalify for farm class status during the pandemic and following the heat dome of 2021, this changed with last year’s roll. Property owners aected by last summer’s wildre were encouraged to contact BC Assessment last fall, but Alexander said extreme weather appears to have had little impact on valuations this year. “We have not received a signicant number of inquiries on farm properties where extreme weather events have been reported to impact operations,” he says. Sheri Braun holds fresh olives harvested from the trees she and her husband George tend on Salt Spring Island. Pressing the hard berries yields precious oil that sells for $125 per 200 ml bottle. It's been a dream come true for the couple. Read their story on page 31. THE OLIVE FARMFarm class numbers dropPETER MITHAM WESTWOLD – Drawing groundwater illegally is now subject to nes of up $500,000 following the province’s announcement of a host of new penalties for violations of the eight-year-old Water Sustainability Act. “Previously, small nes (as much as $230) were available for minor violations or, for the most serious violations, court prosecution,” the province said in announcing the changes. “The new nes for Water fines uppedIrrigation, dams targettedGreen is goldFirst in time uFarm assessments uRooted in your community® since 1973www.tlhort.com1-800-661-4559SeedPlant NutritionCrop ProtectionSuppliesService
2 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCmoderate to serious violations will give government more tools to encourage compliance with the act.” The nes, detailed in a January 12 order in council, follow on work announced in March 2023 to “bridge the gap between tickets and prosecution.” The nes apply to contraventions of the Water Sustainability Act itself, as well as the dam safety, groundwater protection and water sustainability regulations that give the act force and eect. Those drawing groundwater without a licence are liable to nes of up to $100,000, while contraventions of Section 88 (sh protection) orders can incur nes of up to $500,000. Those numbers are “crazy” says John Benedict, who has farmed in Westwold rancher since 1951 and was ned a few hundred dollars last summer when natural resource ocers showed up at the end of August to shut down local irrigators under a sh protection order issued August 15. Westwold was one of four watersheds where the province curtailed irrigation last summer, including the Koksilah, Bessette Creek, and for the rst time, the Tsolum. “They’re more trying to scare people than they are trying to accomplish anything,” he says. “You might think you’re going to scare somebody with a number like that but I doubt very much if a judge would order that kind of penalty.” With more than 300 acres of pasture, Benedict saw others irrigating with impunity and decided to turn on his system the morning natural resource oces showed up – and then only to larger operations like his. Rather than establishing hefty nes, he says the province could do more good by following through on its new water licensing regime that prioritized the historic water rights of existing users. Government modelling had been pointing to the possibility of a shortfall for months, meaning ocers had time to identify the newer licensees rst in line for curtailment under a rst in time, rst in right (FITFIR) system. “Those should have been the rst ones to be shut o, not the oldest water rights in the country,” Benedict says. “Most of these larger water rights go back to 1875, 1873. … All of these smaller guys –dozens and dozens of them – kept on happily sprinkling and we were made an example of.” But the province has largely responded to low streamows with Section 88 orders to the exclusion of other provisions of the Water Sustainability Act. Meanwhile, progress on the backlog of water licence applications has been slow, with some applicants waiting more than four years for approval. While the province wants to be taken seriously, Mike Wei, the province’s former deputy comptroller of water rights who now works as an independent consultant, says it needs to be taken seriously, too. “It probably signals that the government is being more serious about water,” he says of the nes, but it also has to deliver timely decisions and be consistent in enforcement. “They need to put their minds to that for these nes to be morally acceptable.” Ranchers, for their part, want the province to pay more attention to the impacts on their operations. BC Forests minister Bruce Ralston promised local producers, including Trudy Schweb of Schweb Family Cattle in Yankee Flats, that they would be involved in planning for the 2024 season. As of late January, that hadn’t happened. While responsibility for water management shifted from Forests to Water, Land and Resource Management in October, Schweb doesn’t think that should void Ralston’s promise. “It’s not fair that the ranchers being impacted by these decisions are not part of the planning,” she says. Benedict agrees. “You get a lot further if you cooperate and plan ahead,” he says of the province. “The meeting in the fall, they said they wanted to start in early in the new year and have a meeting and have a system u First in time, first in right needs to be respectedu Farm assessmentsset up so it went better this summer than last year, but so far we haven’t heard anything.” Waiting game The province has also yet to make good on a request from growers in the Tsolum watershed, which was also hit with a curtailment order last August. “Farmers understand that our rivers are in crisis,” says Arzeena Hamir of Amara Farm in Courtenay, who was part of a delegation to Comox Valley Regional District last summer to urge long-term planning for the watershed. “By the time a Section 88 is actually called, it’s often too late to do anything to support the salmon and other life depending on the river. … [We] asked the government to bring all the players to the table that impact/use water in our vulnerable rivers.” This includes forest companies, whose logging practices impact both the headwaters as well as erosion that can change downstream behaviour in the watershed. Comox Valley producers also want a moratorium on bulk groundwater extraction, which continued even as forage irrigation was limited, and fewer barriers to dugout creation. “We asked for these three things and what did we get? Fines,” she says. “I don’t know why this government is so resistant to real action and getting farmers on board, rather than penalizing them.” Uncertainties The uncertainties around what lies ahead have Westwold producers talking about turning on the taps as soon as possible this spring to recharge their soils. The BC Agriculture Council and BC Cattlemen’s Association have both advocated for better management of the province’s water resources. Neither were immediately available for comment on the new nes. But without smarter management of the existing regime, Schweb and Benedict say investment in local agriculture will suer, even as the province touts millions in funding for agricultural water infrastructure and other initiatives in the name of food security. “What’s the use of spending a few hundred thousand dollars on the latest state-of-the-art ecient sprinkler system when you’re not going to be treated any better than the Tom, Dick or Harry that drilled their well the day before?” asks Benedict. The number of farm properties is dierent from the number of farms in the province, as a single farm may use several properties, each holding farm class status for assessment purposes. The residential portion of each farm falls within the residential class, which accounts for 88.5% of all assessments in the province. These properties saw their values shift within a range of plus or minus 5% versus a year ago as high interest rates moderated demand for housing and, in turn, market values. 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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 3Province says no funds available for added water storageTOM WALKER KAMLOOPS – Growers across the province have been pinning their hopes on winter delivering the hit of moisture needed to address last summer’s dry conditions but early reports aren’t promising. The regular water supply bulletin issued by the BC River Forecast Centre in early January described the provincial snow pack as “extremely low,” at 44% below normal. This compares to 18% below normal a year earlier. “A lot can happen over the next four to six months, but we would certainly like to see more snow accumulation than we have at this point,” says BC Cattlemen’s Association general manager Kevin Boon. The Peace region entered winter at Level 5 drought for the second year in a row, while four of the province’s 34 basins – the Upper Fraser East and West, the Kettle and East Kootenay – entered winter at Level 4. Just three basins, all in the Northwest, were drought-free. The drought reduced hay production and limited pasture growth and triggered irrigation curtailments in four watersheds, forcing many cattle producers to downsize their herds. Snow basin indices released by the province January 10 reported snowpack levels at zero in the Skagit and West Road Chilcotin basins up to a high of 96% of normal in the Stikine. Boon says he has already been having conversations with range officers across the province about strategies to address another year of drought. “We might have to delay turn out, hoping that there will be some late spring, early summer rains, or if it’s another dry summer, we might have to bring the animals off range early,” he says. Either way, poor range quality will force producers to feed more at home. “In a worst-case scenario, producers will be looking to sell animals that they can’t afford to feed,” Boon explains. “We had strong prices last summer and fall and that helped out when ranchers had to reduce herds, but those who need to sell animals this year might not do so well.” Reduced snowpacks have a significant impact on stream flows, and last year, drawing water to irrigate forage crops was restricted in the Lower Salmon, Koksilah and Tsolum rivers as well as Bessette Creek to protect spawning fish populations. Lower Salmon producers are particularly worried. At a recent Okanagan Basin Water Board Water Stewardship Council meeting, staff from the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship (WLRS) shared data from a provincial observation well 20 km south of Salmon Arm showing the current groundwater levels in the 150-foot well to be significantly below levels recorded over the past 20 years. Okanagan fruit growers are at risk as well. While much of the industry sources water from municipal systems supported by extensive upland storage, recent events in Lake Country show how growers there could also be impacted. A federal fish protection order on Middle Vernon Creek in Lake Country forced the municipality to draw down its main upland storage, Beaver Lake, in 2021, putting the municipal water supply at risk. If snow melt and spring rains do not refill Beaver Lake and a similar event happens this year, that could lead to a reduced supply for the municipality, which could impact fruit growers in the community if they are required to conserve water. While the province has committed to developing watershed plans across the province, conservation and curtailment are the only tools being employed to manage water. WLRS staff sidestepped questions at the Okanagan meeting, saying only that they were beginning to hold community-based meetings in key watersheds, plans would be community-based, and that no funds are allocated for projects such as increased headwater storage or stream bank rehabilitation. That is not enough says Lake Country cherry grower David Geen. “Conservation is part of having a resilient water supply, but it is only one part,” he says. “Before you start removing someone’s water rights and reducing their ability to economically raise their crop, let’s make darn sure that we have exhausted all the other possibilities.” Snow followed an Arctic outow in January that froze farm work in its tracks. MYRNA STARK LEADERSnowpack lows raise grower fears for summer FOR BAGGED or BULK ORDERSDarren Jansen Owner604.794.3701organicfeeds@gmail.comwww.canadianorganicfeeds.comCertified by Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd.
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Publication Mail Agreement: 0399159 . GST Reg. No. 86878 7375 . Subscriptions: $2/issue . $18.90/year . $33.60/2 years . $37.80/3 years incl GSTThe agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 Vol.110 No. 2 . FEBRUARY 2024Published monthly by Country Life 2000 Ltd. www.countrylifeinbc.comThe Bank of Canada uses the annual rate of ination as a barometer of the country’s economic health and aims to maintain the rate between 1% and 3%. There are only two means at the bank’s disposal to ensure it hits the mark: quantitative easing, whereby low interest rates increase availability of money leading to economic growth (ination) and high interest rates that decrease the availability of money leading, oxymoronically, to negative growth (recession). Below 1%, the economy risks falling into recession and above 3%, ination risks becoming a self-fullling reality of runaway price increases. In a perfect world, the economy would oat along reliably at a 2% ination rate with minimal bank intervention. Alas, there is no perfect world. Like a driver trying to maintain the speed limit on hilly terrain, the bank must be ever mindful of when to apply the brake pedal and when to push the accelerator. As the country emerged from two years of COVID, ination started to climb. In March 2022, the bank began raising its so-called policy rate, which sets the pace for rates at nancial institutions across the country. The rate rose steadily from 0.25%, with negligible eect. Surging ination peaked at 8.1% in June 2022. The bank kept raising its policy rate, which nished the year at 4.25%. But ination was stubborn. By mid 2023, the policy rate had risen to 5%, where it has remained. Meanwhile, the economy shrunk 1.1% in the third quarter of 2022. The unemployment rate was up to 5.5%. Ination is now 3.5%, stubbornly above the 2% the bank is shooting for. Many economists are predicting the key rate won’t fall until the latter half of 2024. Given that interest rates are one of the main drivers of ination, it seems counter-intuitive that raising interest rates would be an eective strategy to ght ination. Employment is also a problem according to the bank, which considers the jobless rate too low. Rates of 6% or even 7%, are seen as a necessary precursor to any rollback of the policy rate. Not only is unemployment too low, the wages paid to workers are too generous. Increased joblessness and wage freezes might be a hard sell to workers struggling with high mortgage interest and soaring rental rates. For small businesses, it is a double-whammy: high debt servicing costs and hesitant cash-strapped or unemployed customers. As those businesses fail, perhaps their employees will unwittingly join the ght against ination by being drafted into the ranks of the unemployed. Large corporations have fared much better since the beginning of COVID, and seem largely immune to the bank’s scal machinations. Operating prots of Canadian corporations in 2022 were up $275 billion from 2019. Non-scal factors, beyond the Bank of Canada’s purview, doubtless play an ongoing role in both global and domestic economies. Two such factors are geopolitics and climate change. Consider how each of them has aected shipping, the cornerstone of the global supply chain, hence the economy. Drought in Central America has reduced water levels in Lake Gutan and curtailed operation of the Panama Canal. Daily transits have fallen from 38 per day to 18, and draft has been reduced meaning some large vessels must be partially o or under-loaded to pass. Vessels in waiting are paying as much as $4 million to jump the queue. Others are opting to spend as much as three additional weeks at sea to by-pass it altogether. Shipping on the Mississippi River has been curtailed by low water levels for the past two years. Low water levels on the Rhine River have disrupted shipping for several years. Conversely, much of the river was closed in December due to ooding. Ships trying to pass through the Suez Canal are being attacked at the entrance to the Red Sea by Houthi rebels in Yemen. Most shipments are being rerouted via Cape of Good Hope, adding 10 days to sailing time and nearly doubling freight rates. Conict in Ukraine continues to disrupt shipping from the Black Sea. All of this is contributing to delays and cost increases disrupting the global supply chain and fueling global ination. No amount of unemployment in Canada or tweaks to the Bank of Canada’s monetary policies will aect any of it whatsoever. Bob Collins raises beef cattle and grows produce on his farm in the Alberni Valley. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada.4 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCAbundance and well-beingFebruary 22 will see delivery of the provincial budget, with its potential for disappointments and good news. What will be funded, and what will go wanting (often for the umpteenth year)? How will the province balance scarce resources with the abundance people expect? The province invariably frames its spending in positive terms even as critics point out where more could be done. Despite a massive, $200 million investment in food security last year, many of the programs funded have been oversubscribed. Others have placed requirements on producers that ensure the funds don’t go as far as they would if producers were undertaking the projects free of government stipulations. This is especially true of water storage projects. Consultants double the cost of on-farm initiatives in order to ensure provincial funding isn’t misused, meanwhile the province denies having funding for larger, upstream storage projects. Red tape undercuts government largesse, the funding abundant but never enough. The seminal work on economies of abundance, written 90 years ago by Stuart Chase, argued that the abundance around us is usually squandered. When resources are available, we take them for granted rather than allocating them so that all benet. With so much available, why wouldn’t there be enough for everyone to get their share? But sometimes the abundance needs to be harnessed, and the stakeholders need to be consulted. This is what farmers around the province want when it comes to water, and they’re willing to share their own knowledge to enrich the experts government brings to the table. Just as the government is working to incorporate Indigenous knowledge, farmers want their own intimate experience of the land honoured. “We’re all in this together,” was a catchphrase of the pandemic, but too often people remain apart by virtue of public policy. This doesn’t benet the well-being of stakeholders or the common good. Recent extreme weather events have shown what we have to lose. Government needs to put our tax dollars to work supporting the farmers who keep us fed, delivering not only public benets for the province as a whole but mitigating the personal pressures producers face, too. The Back 40 BOB COLLINSPublisher Cathy Glover 604-328-3814 . publisher@countrylifeinbc.com Associate Editor Peter Mitham news@countrylifeinbc.com Advertising Sales & Marketing Cathy Glover sales@countrylifeinbc.com Production Designer Tina Rezansoff Peek-a-boo, PW!An economy adrift in troubled waters
There has to be a better way to manage waterBC’s water licensing regime needs a reset to enhance food securityCOUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 5determining water use with administrative and technical guidelines under a rst in time, rst in right regime. Our water licence application, which we led after learning the province had no trace of our original application, is stuck in processing. Two years after the nal deadline for existing groundwater users to claim their historic water rights, many farmers are waiting for their applications to be processed. And what of the 60% of non-residential groundwater users who didn’t apply for a water licence? The water licence’s purpose is to measure and manage water. “If we can't measure, then we can't manage,” says Water, Land and Resource Stewardship minister Nathan Cullen. Is it time for a reset? The situation presents lots of uncertainty for farmers, but we’re used to it. We just get back up on the tractor, lean into the challenge, problem solve and persevere. We are farming for the future, but how can we farm without water? The government says that the surface water sources in the watershed our well is located in have been fully recorded for decades. However, from the conrmed data from the province’s observation well, we don’t see how our farming activity and well use negatively aects surface water in the Cowichan Valley. Experts told me that farmers withdraw groundwater with an intent and purpose of reintroducing it to the ground, where it re‑enters and replenishes the local groundwater regime. When properly managed, farm water is not permanently diverted from the natural hydrological system. Another reported that if soil becomes dry, it becomes compacted and then the soil cannot hold water, causing reduced inltration of precipitation or recharge during the rainy season. This means that if farmers cannot irrigate their crops, then there is reduced inltration to the aquifer during drought times. One farmer told me that the Crofton Mill uses surface water directly from Cowichan Lake. The mill’s annual use of 89.3 million m³ would irrigate approximately 73,661.53 acres. I wish farmers had been at the table when the government came up with rst in right, rst in time. There is lots to learn, but the answers to my initial questions support the reality that there is a positive reciprocal relationship that exists between farmers, the community, soil and water. Secondly, there needs to be a I have occasionally found myself pondering a mindset of scarcity. However, as a farmer cultivating the lands of the Cowichan Valley for over two decades, my commitment lies in nurturing abundance and growing vegetables for our community. Without water, vegetables would be scarce, increasing local food insecurity. Our region experiences abundant rainfall throughout most of the year and a scarcity lasting three or four months in the summer. When the rains stop, surface water falls. Perhaps it is a water storage issue, rather than a water scarcity issue. Farmers are inherently hopeful folk who generally believe in the promise of abundance. The culture of our community revolves around the production and gathering of food, and farmers need water to produce. Watch a child sipping from a glass of milk, nibbling on a fresh carrot at a farmer’s market, or peeling a farm-fresh egg after a community egg hunt; agriculture is a community priority. As part of the Water Sustainability Act (WSA), community advisory tables are being set up to establish land and water use priorities in watersheds around the province. I was invited to join one in the Koksilah. However, decision-makers won't receive advice from the community advisory group for two years, so the Water, Land and Resource Stewardship licensing team are Viewpoint KATY EHRLICHserious water licence reset, otherwise a looming threat to food security is almost certain to become a reality. There are solutions. First, we must continue to ask questions so we can learn how best to support our communities, the land and the water. But it is also a matter of mindset. The scarcity eect is a cognitive bias born from scarcity. People's brains react by assigning higher value to scarce resources, like rain in the dry summers of the Cowichan Valley, and lower value to abundant resources, like rain in the valley's winters. To resolve this opposition, why not devise a solution, collecting abundant rainfall in winter for use in summer? It's not a simple solution, but it's a globally practiced one. Last but not least, there needs to be a serious water licence reset or at least a moratorium until community advisory tables advise on land and water use in regional watersheds. Farmers might have to shoulder the burden of setting up water infrastructure on their farms. Yet, aren't farmers the ones providing the essential goods and services for food security? Typically, governments address scarcity by allocating funds to those in need. We were fortunate to receive some funding for water collection infrastructure, but it is a drop in the bucket to what is needed to support food security in our community and BC. The entire community needs water, and casting blame for low surface water levels and drought on farmers and other businesses that serve our communities creates hostility and is unproductive. Let’s support the future of farming and continue to learn how to be creative problem solvers who strive for abundance. Nathan Cullen announced an abundant $100 million for watershed security, which he says “paints a bright future for British Columbians.” Where will this money go? What does a bright future mean? Farmers unite, and don’t give up the ght! Katy Ehrlich and her husband John own and operate Alderlea Biodynamic Farm in the Cowichan Valley. She is a member of the Community Consulting Advisory Table, created to determine how water and land is managed in the Koksilah watershed. %PXOUPXO3FBMUZtOE4U7FSOPO#$t0óDFPat | 250.308.0938QBUEVHHBO!SPZBMMFQBHFDBThea | 250.308.5807UIFBNDMBVHIMJO!SPZBMMFQBHFDB6475 COSENS BAY RD, COLDSTREAMwww.FarmRanchResidential.ca “Farmers helping farmers with their real estate needs”83.8 acres irrigated, level farmland with good quality soil. License drilled well est 200 GPM. Cur-rently producing forage. Clean-slate property ready for a home, outbuildings or whatever ideas you may have, 5 minutes from Armstrong. 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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 7Travis Hopcott was part of the agricultural advisory committee that helped update Pitt Meadows' Agriculture Viability Strategy. RONDA PAYNERONDA PAYNE PITT MEADOWS – A new Agriculture Viability Strategy is giving Pitt Meadows a renewed focus on actions beneting farmers and agriculture. Travis Hopcott, co-owner of Hopcott Farms and a member of the Pitt Meadows Agricultural Advisory Committee, praises the strategy, which applies to the city’s 6,900 hectares located in the Agricultural Land Reserve. Hopcott played an active part in the plan’s creation and update of the previous plan adopted in 2000. The work took nine months. “I was present for a couple of the drafts and then they used our store location as an opportunity to get feedback from those that live in Pitt Meadows,” he says. “They had a big display there, and questionnaires.” Committee members like Hopcott contributed seven in-depth agriculture-based interviews that helped drive the strategy. There were also written surveys for those in agriculture and a dierent version of the survey for others in the community. The Agricultural Land Commission and the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food provided input on the draft plan. While most of the farms in Pitt Meadows are large-scale commercial operations, the study represents all agriculture sectors, including small, mixed-use farms. Hopcott believes the new strategy will help connect the municipality with farmers in a more direct and meaningful way. Upland Agriculture Consulting principal Ione Smith was lead consultant on the project and agrees. “Pitt Meadows was already leaps and bounds ahead of some of the other municipalities that we’ve worked with,” she says. “[It] was really fantastic to have that level of support at the outset.” A major part of the support was the city’s project manager for agriculture and environment, Michelle Baski. “Our last agricultural plan is from the year 2000,” Baski explains. “It needed to be updated because of the changing agricultural sector in Pitt Meadows and the changing environment.” The strategy is intended to guide the community’s relation to agriculture for the next ve to 10 years. It outlines ve goals, including protect farmland for farming; plan and manage infrastructure assets; support economic viability; help agriculture adapt to Pitt Meadows ag strategy is action-basedCity's previous plan was adopted at turn of the centuryNew ag strategy uMFG OF MINI SKID STEERS AND A VARIETY OF ATTACHMENTS INCLUDINGTREE SPADES | TREE SAWS & SHEARS | BOOM MOWERS | PTO POWER PACKSBRUSH MULCHERS | ROTARY BRUSH CUTTERS | PTO GENERATORS | AUGER DRIVES | FLAIL MOWERSTREE PULLERS | FELLER BUNCHERS | EXCAVATOR ADAPTERS | SCREW SPLITTERS | TRENCHERS | STUMP GRINDERSBAUMALIGHT.COMAdair Sales & Marketing Company Inc. 306-773-0996 | info@adairreps.com
8 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu New ag strategy can serve as a model for other communitieschallenges and “help the community support and be proud of agriculture in Pitt Meadows.” Baski says each of the goals have strategies and recommended actions and these cascade to specic recommended actions. When looking at infrastructure, for example, one of the strategies is to create an agriculture water study. “We are looking to do a water study this year,” she says, noting that Pitt Meadows has secured funding for the project from the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. “That would be an example of an action that would support that goal.” Each strategy includes a timeline of short (one to two years), medium (three to ve years) or long (six to 10 years) in terms of implementation. The document also recognizes existing ongoing activities in the community that back agriculture, such as supporting the Agricultural Advisory Committee and ensuring it continues to serve as an advisory board for the city. “We leaned heavily on our Agricultural Advisory Committee in creating this,” says Baski. “We’re hoping that it will serve them well and that it will serve the community well.” She recognizes that no community is in a silo when it comes to the agricultural needs municipal governments must address. This was considered in the strategy’s creation. “A lot of the issues that we’re hoping to tackle are applicable to many other cities across the province,” she says. “We’re hoping that some of these actions can benet the province as a whole.” When actionable items fall outside of Pitt Meadows’ jurisdiction, the city will be an advocate to ensure the community’s agriculture sector has the support it needs. Smith says some of the work is simply about ensuring agriculture is included actively rather than governments waiting for farmers to put their hands up. “A lot of it is about creating that seat at the table,” she says. “Making sure agriculture isn’t neglected. Because the agriculture community is so busy, they don’t necessarily sign up.” Farmers know that non-farmers generally don’t understand the challenges they face. Hopcott says he wasn’t surprised by how little the public knew. “How we grow things and some of the challenges involved in producing a product or growing a product … there’s a lot of work that needs to be done with regards to awareness,” he says. From a selsh perspective, he hopes the strategy will create more opportunities around agritourism, “to connect individuals with how the food is grown.” “People love that type of experience so that’s what, personally, we’re looking forward to,” he says. Hopcott also found some city sta were ignorant about farming practices and needs. “We do have a water licence and we’ve had it for decades. But sta understanding about water, how much water [the farm uses] … there was a bit of a disconnect with infrastructure in that regard,” he says. “This whole process just gave everyone, including the farmers, a better understanding of agriculture in the city.” Even without all the actionable activities, Hopcott sees the strategy as strengthening that important connection with the city. “At the very minimum, the huge benet is allowing the municipality an understanding of how important agriculture is,” he says. “It just connects the two dierent parties.” Pitt Meadows has developed short, medium and long-range goals for its farmlands, 6,900 hectares of which lie in the Agricultural Land Reserve. SHUTTERSTOCK / EB ADVENTURE PHOTOGRAPHY PRE-OWNED EQUIPMENT CLAAS AXION 930 MFD TRACTOR CONSIGNMENT UNIT CALL FOR DETAILS CASE IH FARMALL 95A MFD ROPS TRACTOR WITH LOADER CALL FOR DETAILS CLAAS JAG 870 SP FORAGE HARVESTER 10’ PICKUP & 6-ROW CORNHEAD CALL FOR MORE DETAILS/PRICING CLAAS ORBIS 600 CALL FOR DETAILS CLAAS 750 TEDDER JUST IN | CALL FOR PRICE CLAAS 880 CENTER DELIVERY ROTARY RAKE JUST IN CALL FOR PRICE CLAAS 970 SP FORAGE HARVESTER 10’ PICKUP & 10-ROW CORNHEAD CALL FOR MORE DETAILS/PRICING KUBOTA DMC8536T MID PIVOT MOWER CONDITIONER $31,900 KUHN GF7802THA TEDDER $18,700 MCHALE R68-78 CENTER DELIVERY ROTARY RAKE CALL FOR PRICE NH T4.75 TRACTOR ROPS MFD WITH LOADER $47,500www.caliberequipment.ca STORE HOURS MONDAY-FRIDAY, 8-5 CLOSED SATURDAY604-864-2273 860 RIVERSIDE ROAD ABBOTSFORD More Crops. Less Ash.
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 9Tesche takes over as GM for fruit growersLucas retires after 25 yearsTwo good apples: Glen Lucas, left, will be succeeded by Melissa Tesche on his retirement, March 4. TOM WALKERTOM WALKER KELOWNA – A new general manager has been selected to lead the BC Fruit Growers Association. Melissa Tesche, general manager of the Okanagan Kootenay Sterile Insect Release (OKSIR) program, will succeed Glen Lucas, who retires in March after a 25-year career in the industry. “We are happy to welcome Melissa to the team,” says BCFGA president Peter Simonsen, noting that Lucas has agreed to support Tesche as she transitions into the new role. Lucas retires at a time of much introspection in the industry. The government-led industry stabilization initiative has moved forward on 19 recommendations to rejuvenate fruit growing in BC over the last two years. Lucas has been a major contributor to the numerous committees the initiative has spawned. BCFGA is currently helping growers and packers to consider either a marketing commission or a marketing association for the apple sector. Lucas was also central to development and administration of various iterations of the provincial replant program that supported apple and cherry growers to plant newer, more popular fruit varieties. And under his watch, the BCFGA helped to bring in the rst SAWP workers in 2004. “That year, we had four workers come into the Okanagan. This year we had 3,900 SAWP workers – that’s more than half of all who come into the province,” he says. Lucas is delighted to see Tesche take over. “I’m very excited about what Melissa will be able to add to the BCFGA,” he says. “It will be dierent, but I think she brings some very interesting experience to the position and her relationships across the industry are a real strength.” Tesche is very familiar with the orchard industry, having been at the helm of OKSIR since 2015. The program rears and releases sterile codling moths into apple orchards where they mate with wild moths, but produce no larvae. Codling moth larvae are a A true, terroir inspired Hazy IPA. Our farm grown Pilsner malt and Cascade and Chinook hops combine with white wheat to create the perfect balance of body, bitterness, and juiciness.Suppor soi-based agriculturDrinfarm fresh beerfarm fresh beerfarm fresh beerGrown and brewed on-farm in Ladner, B.C.www.barnsidebrewing.caAsk for us at your local Angry Otter Liquor StoreAsk for us at your local Angry Otter Liquor StoreAsk for us at your local Angry Otter Liquor Storemajor scourge of the apple industry worldwide and the award-winning SIR program has nearly eliminated codling moth damage across BC. “The OKSIR program is the envy of apple-growing regions all around the world,” Tesche says. “It is an example of the synergy that can happen when the worlds of science, industry and government are willing to work together. Each of these worlds have their own values and ways of communicating, and the best part of my position at OKSIR has been helping these dierent worlds collaborate.” Cornerstone BCFGA has been a cornerstone of the fruit industry for well over a century, Tesche notes. “They are diverse in membership and they are grower-directed. They are connected locally, provincially, federally and internationally,” she says. “BCFGA also works in the overlaps between industry, science and government. My experience in the fruit industry, and the relationships I’ve built over the last nine years, will all serve me well in my new position.” OKSIR was responsible for bringing Washington State University’s Decision Aid System to BC. Originally developed for the Washington apple industry, DAS is a web-based model that follows weather data for the timing of pest and disease outbreaks in orchards and recommends mitigation strategies. Tesche has also been a key player in the industry stabilization Initiative, sitting on the steering committee and chairing the extension committee. Both Lucas and Tesche see labour continuing to be a top issue for fruit growers going forward. “The labour challenges of industry can’t be ignored,” Tesche says. “Every season, growers are desperately trying to nd people to prune, to pick, to do the work in the orchards. Without a labour force there won’t be local fruit available.” Apple grower Amarjit Lalli has worked with Tesche both as a director of the BCFGA and a board member of OKSIR. “Melissa will be a great addition to the BCFGA,” Lalli says. “She is well-equipped to deal with the issues facing the tree fruit industry. She will help to redene the organization.” Originally from Alberta, Tesche’s extended family are grain and cattle farmers. She combined degrees in biology and education to work in environmental education. Prior to joining OKSIR, she completed a Masters of Science in conservation biology at UBCO while working for the Okanagan Basin Water Board coordinating the milfoil control program. Tree Fruit Growers: Join or Renew your 2024 BCFGA MembershipAt the BCFGA, our mission is to· Advocate for the interest of growers· foster collaboration within the industry· promote sustainable practices to ensure the continued success of fruit farming in BCTogether, our collective voice is strong.1. LMIA Application Assistance2. Communication via weekly newsletters, Ag publication subscriptions, Tree Fruit Production Guide, seasonal farm labour information, extension advice, spray schedules, and more.3. Member Support: • Monetary incentives for things like EFP completion ($250) and COR: Worker Safety ($250-$500). • Discounts & Partnerships like the TFW Housing Building Permit application discount, and Crop Tracker digitized Spray Records & GAP modules (free for members)Representing Growers Since 1889.1.800.619.9022 info@bcfga.com www.bcfga.com 880 Vaughan Avenue Kelowna, BCMEMBERSHIPMEMBER INCENTIVESeasy scanQR link
10 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCView over 100 listings of farm properties at www.bcfarmandranch.comBC FARM & RANCH REALTY CORP.Buying or Selling a Farm or Acreage?GORD HOUWELING Cell: 604/793-8660GREG WALTON Cell: 604/864-1610Toll free 1-888-852-AGRI Call BC’s First and Only Real Estate Office committed 100% to Agriculture!PROFESSIONAL SERVICESBC potato harvest up 10% versus 2022hot, dry conditions – a phenomenon reminiscent of the impact extreme heat had on the crop in 2021 – they were the exception rather than the norm. The harvest in 2023 compares to 1.6 million cwt in 2022, when a wet, cold spring delayed planting and pushed harvest into October. Both years came in under the haul of 2.1 million cwt seen in 2021 as the industry recalibrated to demand trends seen during the pandemic. The greater harvest in BC last year contributed to Canada’s largest-ever potato harvest, UPG general manager Victoria Stamper reported. The national harvest of nearly 126.9 million cwt was attributable to largely favourable growing conditions in much of the country relative to 2022. Demand for the BC crop appears to be strong, with UPG’s disappearance report indicating uptake of nearly 1.1 million cwt as of December 18, a 21% increase from 2022 based on strong Expert farm taxation adviceApproved consultants for Government funding throughBC Farm Business Advisory Services ProgramEnderby 250-838-7337Armstrong 250-546-8665 |t1VSDIBTFBOETBMFPGGBSNTt5SBOTGFSPGGBSNTUPDIJMESFOt(PWFSONFOUTVCTJEZQSPHSBNTt1SFQBSBUJPOPGGBSNUBYSFUVSOTt6TFPG$BQJUBM(BJOT&YFNQUJPOT$ISJT)FOEFSTPO$1"$"-PSFO)VUUPO$1"$"5PMM 'SFF1-888-818-FARM |www.farmtax.comRossworn HendersonLLPChartered Professional Accountants - Tax Consultantsartered Professional Accountants - Tax ConsultanCALL FOR AN ESTIMATE LARRY 604.209.5523 TROY 604.209.5524 TRI-WAY FARMS LASER LEVELLING LTD.IMPROVED DRAINAGE UNIFORM GERMINATION UNIFORM IRRIGATION FAST, ACCURATE SURVEYING INCREASE CROP YIELDS We service all of Southern BCfresh market demand. This left 951,000 cwt in storage. While this was above the three-year average of 710,000 cwt, the larger 2023 crop and good demand made it of little concern. —Peter Mitham \ PRFA president brings fresh outlook Peace Region Forage Association president Brian Gilbert hopes to give back to the organization and people who have helped him so far throughout his farming career. Gilbert was elected president at PRFA’s annual general meeting December 1, succeeding Neil Ward of Fort St. John. “The forage association is a great resource for learning. I'm constantly trying to learn to be a better operator of our business,” says Gilbert, a hay and beef producer at Baldonnel. The eld demonstrations and webinars the association oers help local growers improve operation management throughout the year, something Gilbert and his wife have experienced rst-hand. “The farming and ranching community is made up of a bunch of wonderful people. They've been very good to my wife and I over the years,” Gilbert says. As a young farmer inspired by more experienced producers, Gilbert hopes to draw a younger crowd to the association and continue to grow its membership. “For me, it's just a way to give back and try to share the knowledge that I've learned,” he says. “As with all these industries, not just farming and ranching, the older generations are retiring and I, being the younger face in it, I’m hoping that I’ll get more younger members involved.” In addition to PRFA’s business meeting, guest speaker Barry Yaremcio, a beef nutrition specialist from Yaremcio Ag Consulting in Stettler, Alberta, spoke about feeding through the winter on limited feed supplies. The audience was engaged and asked questions to learn more about applying alternative feed strategies within the context of their operations depending on the feedstock available in their particular area. “The drought is at the forefront,” Gilbert says. “Most producers there have had to make dierent choices this year with their herds because of the lack of feed. It’s just such a challenging time in the Peace right now and it's just a matter of getting through it and hoping for some rain and snowpack this winter.” —Kate Ayers Nanaimo farm saved Public concerns last fall that housing could trump food security have prompted Nanaimo city council to preserve Five Acres Farm. “Overwhelmingly, there was a lot of support for no housing on that space,” says City of Nanaimo community planning manager Lisa Brinkman. The city bought the land in 2019 to save it from development. But in August 2022, it held a community engagement event to gather input on potential plans for the city-owned farm. The second phase of engagement began last summer. The city’s options for the site included using up to two acres for aordable housing and protecting wetlands on the property but leaving scant room for the existing urban farm. The options also included leaving the property as is. A survey at an open house in October saw 91% of attendees vote in favour of no housing. The online survey, which closed November 3, included 796 responses over the four-week period with 76% of respondents voting for against a housing component. “There was a lot of feedback about farming. People really love the agricultural focus of this property,” Brinkman says. At a council meeting on December 18, members directed city sta to incorporate option ve into the Park Avenue Concept Plan, which would see all ve acres of 933 Park Avenue dedicated for recreational use, farm practices and wetland protection. The parks and recreation department will bring forward an updated park plan to council in the spring, Brinkman says. —Kate Ayers BC’s potato crop was up 10% in 2023, according to United Potato Growers of Canada. With few acres abandoned and ideal conditions through the growing season, BC is estimated to have harvested nearly 1.8 million hundredweight (cwt), or 87,950 tons. “It was the perfect year, really,” Heather Meberg, owner of ES Cropconsult and organizer of the annual potato variety trials told Country Life in BC at the annual potato eld day in Delta at the end of August. The harvest proved her correct, delivering larger, more uniform potatoes than those seen in previous years. While some yellow varieties developed unusual shapes and sizes due to the season’s Ag Briefs PETER MITHAMRENEWyourSubscriptionDon’t forget toRESubscripforgWe are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Loretta G. GressLori passed away on July 26, 2023 at the age of 75 in Abbotsford.She is survived by her sons Michael (Jeannie) Bangle and Gavin (Julia) Gress, and her daughter Chantel Gress, as well as her sister, Billie George, and nieces Corrine and Deanna and nephew Kevin George. She has also left behind several grandchildren and great grandchildren: Evelyn and Daniel Gomillion, James and Leslie Bangle, Taylor Bangle, Alexandra Garbutt, McKenzie Gress, John Gress, Jacquelyn Stewart, Chase Stewart, Jaxson Messina, and Sophia Bangle.She will always be remembered for her many years of work at the Pacic National Exhibition in Vancouver and her contributions to BC Hatcheries. Lori retired in 2013 after 16 years with the BC Broiler Hatching Egg Commission. She loved life to the fullest truly through the simple pleasure of chatting to friends, family and the people she met. Lori had a calming eect when helping others through dicult times - she was the person you called when you needed to work something out. She loved to cook and left her family an amazing perogy and cabbage roll recipe that had been passed down on her mother’s side. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends. Lori was remembered in a private memorial for family only.
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 11Fruit sector has two years to take the reinsPilot program aims to put collaborative leadership in placeKellie Garcia Bunting is leading a two-year initiative to consolidate fruit industry leadership. TOM WALKERTOM WALKER KELOWNA – A newly created position under the province’s tree fruit industry stabilization initiative seeks to provide leadership across the BC tree fruit and grape sectors with the goal of having industry leading the stabilization work. Work to date has been largely government-coordinated, says provincial tree fruit and grape specialist Adrian Arts, but with the increasing cross-industry cooperation, it was time to look at a transition of responsibility. “The cross-commodity leadership project aims to have the partners and industry groups stepping back into a primary leadership role in the industry,” Arts says. Kellie Garcia Bunting has been appointed to lead the project, which has received two years worth of funding from the province. “Kellie’s experience with policy and managing people will be a big resource,” Arts says. “The stabilization plan was written by the government with a lot of engagement from industry, but it has been a very top-down process,” Garcia Bunting notes. “That is going to flip. We are going to be in charge of many of the recommendations but also on a lot of cross-sector work that can really benefit from collaboration.” But there needs to be a plan in place for that transition, Garcia Bunting says. “My first order of business is building a framework for transition of leadership on the 19-plus recommendations in the stability plan,” she explains. “There is currently no framework in place for that, so I am hoping I can help build that framework.” Garcia Bunting is known for her work developing the Sustainable Winegrowing BC program and most recently, as the policy and planning director for the Okanagan Basin Water Board. Garcia Bunting will be working with industry representatives from the BC Fruit Growers Association, the BC Cherry Association, the BC Grapegrowers Association, the Sterile Insect Release program and the BC Wine Grape Council. The group has been meeting consistently for the past two years, and will be what Garcia Bunting calls her “quasi-board of directors.” Garcia Bunting has taken over the administration of two committees, labour and extension, that were previously directed on a volunteer basis by industry members. Labour support All farmers in the valley could benefit from more domestic labour and all farmers want more knowledge support, Garcia Bunting says. “Right now, extension is piecemeal. Growers are getting it from many different organizations but if we can come up with a model for ... extension, I think that would be really beneficial,” she says. There are many additional commonalities that could be addressed with cross-commodity leadership, Garcia Bunting points out. “I believe that communication, speaking with one voice as agriculture across the valleys, is important,” she says. “We farm across seven regional districts and some 15 municipalities, and each local government has a patchwork of their own regulations for Commonality uKind, generous, thoughtful, embracing. Only a few of the words used to describe June Norma Clifton and the 89 years of life that she lived full of love and laugher. June was born on July 13, 1934 in Penticton as the oldest child to Lewis and Hazel Agar. She grew up on a farm in Cawston surrounded by the company of her seven siblings: Vivian, Deanna, David, Bill, Tom, Marilyn, and Gary, as well as several of her cousins that lived just down the road. Right from a child, June had a love for having a good time and sharing a laugh. She loved to sing and play the piano and to go uptown to Keremeos on weekends to watch the weekly shows that were playing. When June was young, her family moved in with her grandparents and she developed a special bond with her grandma and admired her abilities – something that she herself would hold to her own grandchildren later in her life. Outside of working with her family on the farm, she worked at Kickbush’s Box Factory – making wooden apple boxes for the local orchards and worked at the local packing house. Later in her adult life, she would work for the Keremeos Post Oce for many years and enjoyed her time there getting to know the community.In her early 20s, June fell in love with her square-dancing partner, Wilson Clifton. This was the start of a relationship that would grow into 65 years of marriage and a lifetime of memories. They were married on November 10, 1956 and started their life together living across the river above Wilson’s parents. After they had their two sons: Bradley Ross and Wilson Wade, they purchased the property that is now Clifton Ranch, moving there in May of 1968. Their ranch started as a bare piece of land and a Purebred Hereford herd of 80 cows and three heifers, but over the years they would increase their land base, improve eciencies through adding irrigation and infrastructure, and grow their relationships and reputation throughout the ranching community by attending many conferences worldwide and with their involvement in 4-H. Their family of 4 shared a passion for ranching together and some of June’s favorite memories were moving cattle as a family and having picnics in the mountains.Along with their expanding ranch, June and Wilson’s family also grew over the years to have ve grandchildren: John Ross, Cassie, Marla, Trisha, and Megan; and years later to have eight great-grandchildren: Wylie, Weston, Jessie, Cora, Annie, Wade, Tillie, and Marion. June loved her family so much and will always be known for never letting any of them leave her house hungry or without a hug goodbye.June loved owers, reading, puzzles, crafts, gardening, watching heartwarming shows, and to open her home to anyone that wanted to visit. There were many memories made in her home over the years as a place for friends to live when they needed, hosting countless family gatherings, and preparing many three course lunch meals for the ranch crew of some times over 10 people. One of her most admirable qualities was her eort to connect with the people that she cared about. She kept every card, letter, and present ever given to her and took the time to write personalized cards, letters, recipes, and to chat on the phone for hours. She didn’t ever forget a birthday and never held back sharing the love that she felt.After the passing of Wilson in 2022, June continued to live alone in her home of 55 years with support from her family and nieces and continued to do all the things that she loved right up until her sudden passing. June will be remembered for her smile, her laughter, and for always taking the time to make those around her feel special. We will all forever miss the love and laughter of our amazing Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Sister, Aunt, and Friend: June Norma Clifton.JUNE NORMA CLIFTONJULY 13, 1934 - December 30, 2023
12 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu CommonalityCohortWholesale.comTechnical and sales support provided byCrack the cherry cracking code!Lalstim Osmo • Minimizes yield losses caused by rain-induced splitting• Works quickly and provides protection for several weeks• Excellent tank-mix partnerAlways read and follow label directions. Lalstim Osmo is a registered trademark of Lallemand Plant Care. Copyright ©2023 Lallemand Plant Care. CRACK THE C DElallemandplantcare.com things such as accessory farm buildings, worker accommodation, water supply and restrictions and even open burning. Many of our growers farm in more than one location. I know it would be beneficial if we could develop more commonality of regulations for growers.” There is also a potential benefit to organizing funding applications, Garcia Bunting believes. “This new entity could help create efficiencies so, for example, the BC Wine Grape Council and the BC Grapegrowers are not both applying from the same funding pot and having that competition,” she explains Garcia Bunting says that her most recent employer provides a solid example of collaboration, and similar to the organization of the Okanagan Basin Water Board, local government could play a key role. “I get really excited working with a similar model with agriculture,” she says. “Maybe each of the regional districts has an agriculture liaison who specifically focuses on agriculture issues, elevates the importance of agriculture in their communities and works for change within their organizations.” The two-year pilot will need to win the approval of the industry and come up with a funding model to remain sustainable. “That’s my challenge. We need to prove value over the next two years so we can continue,” Garcia Bunting says. BC Fruit Works labour-matching tool pausedCritics says employment app didn’t bear fruitMYRNA STARK LEADER KELOWNA – BC growers looking for domestic labour for their orchards and vineyards won’t have the BC Fruit Works matching technology to help them this year. A smartphone app launched in 2023 is oine following a survey of employers and branch hands – the name given to workers – who used the app in 2023, as well as discussions with industry stakeholders. The intent is to have a low-tech alternative in place for this growing season. In 2023, there were 408 active workers waiting to be matched, and 56 producers in the system. “There was that imbalance of people looking for work and people providing work,” says BC Fruit Works program manager Kellie Garcia Bunting. While research indicated that workers seemed to like the tool, some didn’t have the best experiences with employers. Of the nine employers who responded to the survey, there were mixed reviews about the technology but plenty of feedback related to worker behaviour and reliability. “Rather than invest more into the technology, we will step back and focus on producer engagement, ideally so we can recruit more producers to participate,” says Garcia Bunting. Work will be undertaken to better determine producers’ needs and which producers would benet from a domestic labour matching solution. Garcia Bunting says this work still falls inside the three pillars of the BC Fruit Works program, which are recruiting domestic labour, implementing a job matching method and undertaking a human resource component. “I've had conversations with dozens of people trying to gure out exactly what we should do in 2024. How should we spend our time and money?” she said. “So that's what we came up with.” Additionally, she says the program report and funding application completed in early January asks for more money for program evaluation to help get a better view of the domestic labour need landscape, particularly considering foreign labour programs. Smaller farms don’t have the work to bring in full-time foreign help and larger farms invest in foreign labour because it’s often more reliable and consistent then Canadian labour. The aim will be combining the survey ndings with those from the BC Grape Growers’ Association labour research with Kwantlen Polytechnic University. No financial obligation Garcia Bunting says there is no nancial obligation to CrewDriver, the app’s developer, for pausing in 2024 and it makes sense to have more clarity about producers’ wants before customizing the app further. “CrewDriver wasn't as customized as it could have been, due to budget limitations. So, again, 2023 is not necessarily a great indication of how well it can work,” she says. In 2023, $70,000 of BC Fruit Works’ $223,000 budget went to the app. Garcia Bunting has heard comments that this new way of matching was less cost-eective than older systems, on a cost-per-match basis, but says it’s not a fair comparison. Software development requires a higher upfront investment, for example, but costs diminish once the system is in place. Garcia Bunting says if all goes according to plan, BC Fruit Works will have a full-time project manager in place by mid-February. “I need a good relationship builder as well, who isn’t afraid to pick up the phone and phone a producer and talk about the program and its benets,” she said.
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 13Okanagan grapes hit hard by Arctic outflowSecond freeze event in as many years promises further painAn Arctic outow in January dealt a blow to grape growers whose vines have yet to recover from a December 2022 freeze event. MYRNA STARK LEADERTOM WALKER SUMMERLAND – Mother Nature has slammed BC grapegrowers for a second time in as many years, when temperatures across the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys plunged towards -30° C, January 12 and 13. While the severe cold temperatures themselves will cause damage, what is even more concerning is that the temperature remained in that range for some 40 hours, rather than briey hitting an extreme low and rising again. “I don’t want to be the bearer of doom and gloom, but realistically, the chances of damage are higher than last year, given the prolonged cold spell,” says BC Grapegrowers Association president Sue de Charmoy. The temperature in the commercial vineyard at the Summerland Research and Development Centre dropped below -18° C on the evening of January 11 and continued all the way down to -23° C, says federal research scientist Ben Min Chang. Testing of the Merlot vines that Chang conducted just before the cold snap showed that the temperature at which 50% of the buds would be damaged, also known as the low temperature exotherm (LTE) 50, was -22° C. “You would expect that there would be somewhat more than 50% damage to the buds,” Chang says. “But in fact, 100% of the buds I sampled after the cold snap were dead.” The length of the cold spell was the cause of the additional damage, Chang explains. “We know that length of exposure is also important. At temperatures of only -18° C, Merlot buds typically sustain 50% damage after six hours.” Chang adds that damage to the xylem, the vine’s inner tissue, begins two or three degrees below the LTE 50. “So in areas where it was colder than the LTE 50 for your grape variety, you should also assess for trunk damage,” he advises. Mitigation effects The eects of the freeze were a hot topic at the BC Grapegrowers Association’s annual pruning workshop in Osoyoos, January 16, where De Charmoy and Chang spoke. The day included presentations on sampling for bud and trunk damage, pruning practices with an emphasis on working with cold-damaged vines, and how to structure vines to recover from previous damage. Sampling vines for damage helps growers plan their pruning strategies. If there is bud damage, pruning crews would typically leave more buds and longer canes on the vine in hopes that at least some of the buds would grow and produce fruit. But if they leave too many buds, the vine will put energy into growing the shoots and leaves. “Generally we leave 50% more buds on the vines when we know there is winter damage,” says Jon Furkalo, senior vineyard manager with Earlco Vineyards Ltd. in Penticton. “I don’t want to make you do too much shoot-thinning work later in the season, but if you have too much fruit and you don’t do the work, the grapes may not ripen and the multiple slender shoots will be less hardy next year,” he said Planning work with the future of the vineyard in mind is important, the presenters emphasized. With an average lifespan of 25 years, work done now will impact the vine for years to come. “You may have to cut back below an area of trunk damage and start training suckers into new canes,’ says Troy Osborne, senior viticulturist with Arterra Wines. “You might lose some fruit for two years, but you have set up the perfect plant for future years.” The full extent of this winter’s damage will not be known until well into the spring. Dierent varieties in dierent locations have dierent hardiness factors. Pinot Gris from the Similkameen had an LTE 50 of -25° C on January 10, according to the Summerland grape hardiness report, while Merlot from the same area would suer a 50% loss at -21.6° C. Soil type, irrigation practices, age and health of the vines all contribute to the hardiness level, as well as how hard the plants worked the year before. The damage from the December 2022 cold event meant that many vines were cropped lighter than usual, contributing to an anticipated 54% reduction in the grape crop. De Charmoy had some nal words of hope for the tough year ahead. “This is an enjoyable industry; hang on to that,” she says. “Remember the good times. The good times will come again.” ! !"#$$%&'COWICHAN EXHIBITION PARK • WWW.IASHOW.CA • COWEX@SHAW.CA1.800.282.7856 Now is the time to over-seed those worn out hay elds and pastures. Discover this nitrogen xing cover crop & forage, and what makes Frosty such a unique legume.Find out more at terraseco.comLow hard seed counts allows for quick establishment.
14 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCWorry about the weather,not your warranty. You have enough to worry about when it’s baling season. Worry about the weather, not your warranty with new industry-leading coverage on New Holland Roll-Belt™ and Pro-Belt™ round balers. From the hitch to the bale ramp, you’ll be backed by a 2-year/15,000-bale factory warranty, as well as a 3-year/22,500-bale pickup warranty. Balers with factory-installed endless belts also receive a 3-year/15,000-bale endless belt warranty. This isn’t a purchase protection plan either, but rather a full factory warranty* with extended coverage. It’s time to bale with greater peace of mind.Get all the details on the new warranty coverage on Roll-Belt™ and Pro-Belt™ round balers. Stop in today or visit newholland.com.ARMSTRONG HORNBY EQUIPMENT ACP 250-546-3033 CHILLIWACK ROLLINS MACHINERY LTD 604-792-1301 CHEMAINUS ROLLINS MACHINERY LTD 250-246-1203 FORT ST JOHN BUTLER FARM EQUIPMENT LTD 250-785-1800 KELOWNA ROLLINS MACHINERY LTD 250-765-8266 LANGLEY ROLLINS MACHINERY LTD 604-533-0048 WILLIAMS LAKE GRASSLAND EQUIPMENT LTD 250-392-4024 VANDERHOOF GRASSLAND EQUIPMENT LTD 250-567-4446© 2020 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. New Holland is a trademark registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.Decades of delivering great service in the Peace Country. 9008 - 107 Street, Fort St John 250-785-1800 butlerfarmequipment.ca
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 15Corn rootworm requires diligence and controlInfo session explores options for farmers Experts from Pacic Forage, AgSolutions Ltd., BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada spoke at a November 15 information session on corn rootworm in Salmon Arm. JACKIE PEARASE 23.85 Acres | $2,470,000 25.61 Acre Blueberry Farm | $2,150,000595 Acre Ranch 5 titles | $3,500,000 34.8 Acre Cranberry Farm | $3,750,0002689 Sutherland Road, Agassiz, BC4184 Humphrey Rd, Agassiz, BC5770 Spring Lake Rd, 100 Mile, BC 8450 Gibson Rd, Chilliwack, BCLEADER IN AGRICULTURAL SALES IN THE FRASER VALLEY WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE4323 Humphrey Rd, Agassiz, BC 92.95 Acre Blueberry Farm | $4,825,000T 604 793 8138 | bryanvanhoepen.com |SOLDJACKIE PEARASE SALMON ARM – North Okanagan and Creston farmers growing corn need to be proactive in response to a pest rst detected in the Lower Mainland in 2016. Corn rootworm made an appearance in several new BC communities in August 2023. These include Salmon Arm, Armstrong, Enderby, Vernon, Lumby and Creston. The pest has been in Ontario and Quebec since 1975 and much longer in the US where it is responsible for over $1 billion annually in losses and control costs. “It is a serious pest. It’s been in the US for a long time; since 1868, and yet they’re still dealing with it,” says entomologist Susanna Acheampong with the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food in Kelowna. Acheampong was part of a group of experts who spoke to about 40 producers at an information session November 15 in Salmon Arm. Adult corn rootworms lay eggs in the soil in the fall, requiring the cold to develop. The larvae hatch in the soil in May or June and develop in three stages before emerging as adults in mid-July to August. The larvae do serious damage by eating the brace roots of corn while the adults feed on the leaves and silk of the plant. Damage includes leaning plants from the larvae and windowpaned leaves and snipped silks from the beetles. Adults will also feed on pollen of melons, squash and cucumber, some weeds and late season ower crops like dahlias. Provincial entomologist Tracy Hueppelheuser in the agriculture ministry’s Abbotsford oce was involved in a study and survey from 2017 to 2022 after corn rootworm was detected on the coast. It provided researchers with important information on monitoring, trapping and management options. She encourages farmers to monitor plant stability as the corn grows to determine presence of the larvae. Sticky traps should be set in mid-July to September and visual checks for the beetles done frequently. Baited traps were twice as eective as unbaited traps in the study, she says. (Pheromones are used to lure males and plant attractant is used for females.) Understanding the life stage of the pest is important to determining the type of control required. Control options AgSolutions Ltd. owner Matthew DeJong says farmers can control rootworm with chemical sprays applied to the soil or the plant, Bt corn and crop rotation. “It’s important to note that we don’t want to overuse any of these three options,” he says. Bt corn is genetically modied to resist the larvae whereas a foliar spray would be required once the beetles are spotted. To combat resistance to genetic traits that is resulting in unexplained damage in Eastern Canada, it is important to purchase seed that includes refuge in the bag (RIB) where 5% to 15% of the seed is untreated. The untreated seed helps to mitigate resistance. “If you don’t have that, what’s been found is you develop a resistance that much quicker,” Pacic Forage owner Alexis Arthur says. “If every year you use the same thing, at some point Mother Nature is going to beat you out. Try and utilize a few dierent things.” Hueppelheuser says crop rotation should be done every three to ve years as a rule, and immediately if damage is noted. “Even just one year of rotation, one year out of corn, brought their beetle numbers down to a manageable level,” she says of the study. A monitoring program of 16 traps in the North Okanagan in August 2023 turned up varied numbers, from zero to 125. Seven to 14 beetles per trap in a week is considered too many. “It’s denitely here in the Interior of BC and we’ll have to do something about it,” Acheampong notes. “We have to be concerned about that and we need to make sure that we follow up and keep an eye on them.” She says the pest is also problematic for sweet corn growers because they also have the added worry about product contamination if they detect the problem too late. Producers are encouraged to alert the ministry when they nd corn rootworm, taking photographs where possible to help with identication and the degree of infestation.
16 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCA BET TER WAYALWAYS INNOVATINGALWAYS EVOLVINGALWAYS FINDINGFCC is proud to oer financing and knowledge to people with one eye on today and another on tomorrow.People like you.FCC.CADREAM. GROW. THRIVE.PETER MITHAM ABBOTSFORD – There’s no quick x to the long-term decline in uid milk consumption, and growing the dairy market will require a fresh take on the kinds of products sold to consumers. “We think that there’s still a lot of growth opportunities in the domestic market,” Phil Vanderpol, chair of the Dairy Processors Association of Canada, told the Mainland Milk Producers annual general meeting in Abbotsford, January 12. “The concern is that there is a decline per capita of consumption in dairy over the past four years.” The pandemic played a role, shifting demand overnight from restaurants to retail before gradually picking up in foodservice (where visitation continues to lag pre-pandemic levels), but DPAC felt other factors might be at play. It divided the dairy case into butter, cheese, yogurt and uid milk, and its analysis of per capita consumption last year was illuminating. “Butter, which is a big driver ultimately for butterfat and quota, we’re below where we were. We’re not yet back to pre-COVID levels,” Vanderpol says. “The US has more than recovered. They’re back into growth and we’re still trying to catch up.” It’s a similar story for cheese, which has gained 5% on 2019 levels in the US, where consumption now outpaces Canada by more than 40%. “When you see that kind of gap between neighbours, we should do some more work,” Vanderpol says. “That’s an untapped opportunity.” Yogurt was also still down based on 2022 numbers (2023 data was not yet available) but the long-term decline in uid milk consumption appears to have bottomed out at 53.2 litres per capita. “It looks like the declines have attened and maybe we can see some pickup on that in future,” Vanderpol says. But there remain plenty of unknowns, and Vanderpol says the industry really needs to dig into the data and understand how consumer behaviour is shifting and the role changing demographics are playing. Population growth in Canada is faster than in the US, osetting some of the per-capita declines, but not enough to keep overall demand from shrinking. “The good news is we have a growing population base. The important thing is we need to understand the trends, understand where the opportunities are,” he says. “What are their consumption habits? How can we tap into potentially them becoming consumers of dairy if they’re not already?” A good example of a company that’s meeting the need of new immigrants is Surrey’s Punjab Milk Foods Ltd., which is building a 296,000-square-foot plant to meet growing demand for South Asian dairy products such as ghee, paneer, desserts and beverages. “That’s a good example of tapping into an immigrant population that’s very heavy dairy consumers, but we weren’t necessarily as an industry meeting all their needs,” Vanderpol said. “That company is producing products specically targeting that consumer.” Additionally, smaller dairies are emerging serving the needs of Persian and other communities. However, purchasing power is also a consideration. DPAC’s study pointed to a widening gap between GDP in Canada and the US for consumers paring back on dairy products. “For many years, up until 2015, there was the gap of about 20% on GDP between Canada and the US, but since then it’s signicantly widened,” he said. “On an average basis, we’ve become poorer than our American neighbours, and the US economy is growing faster than the Canadian economy and it’s projected to continue to grow faster, whereas most projections that I’ve seen for the Canadian economy are basically at. That puts additional strain on consumers. They just don’t have the additional money to be able to spend.” And lest the fears seem overblown, Vanderpol cited data indicating that Canadians are consuming less food per capita. “It’s deeply concerning if we’re not even consuming as much food per capita as we were,” he says. Producers also heard from Megz Reynolds of the Do More Ag Foundation. Reynolds shared her personal struggle with mental wellness, and gave producers tips on managing their mental health to ensure wellness rather than illness. A recent study from the University of Alberta found that farmers who identied primarily with their work and who suered a nancial crisis were at greatest risk of a catastrophic loss of personal well-being. This was consistent with Reynolds’ own experience, and she encouraged producers to reach out and speak up if they feel they’re on the brink, noting that free, condential support is available both through Do More Ag’s AgTalk app and counselling through AgSafe BC. Population trends create new opportunities New products are needed, DPAC chair tells Lower Mainland dairy producersRENEWyourSubscriptionDon’t forget toRESubscripforg
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 17The incidence of injury among farm workers is greater than for all other occupational sectors, according to WorkSafeBC data. MYRNA STARK LEADERRONDA PAYNE LANGLEY – An accident that leads to injury or death is a devastating situation for any farming family, often jeopardizing the future of the business if the key operator is involved. The key to on-farm safety is to identify and understand risks and ensure safety tools are deployed before they are needed. Thankfully, new tools can help reduce the risks and ensure a speedier response when an accident happens, but the solution has to t the farm and the best solution is always prevention. Appreciating the scope of risks in farming was what Robin Anderson, communications coordinator with the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association, addressed in a webinar hosted by Farm Management Canada focused on improving farm safety. She was joined by Chris Corbett, senior channel manager with Telus Agriculture, who spoke about tools that may work for farmers. Anderson shared information from a national project that reviewed coroners’ reports to better understand the risks and how people are dying in farming-related accidents. “It’s the rst full report since 2012 and takes in data up to 2020,” she says. Nationally, she says there are an average of 62 deaths a year and that number has slowly declined by about 1.4% over 31 years. The majority of deaths occur during work and are males, age 60 and up, who are the primary farm operator. Non-work-related deaths typically involve children aged one to four. While the national ages and incident parameters track the same in BC, Wendy Bennett, executive director with AgSafe BC, says the decline in deaths does not. “In BC, sadly, the number of fatalities seems to be consistent year-over-year but the cause of death varies tremendously,” she says. Causes of death both in BC and nationally are machine-related, falls, drownings, animal-related and other circumstances. The data Anderson referred to excludes injuries, but those are tracked via WorkSafeBC. However, not all farming-related injuries are reported. Telus dials in new safety tools for agricultureBut old-fashioned prevention still goes a long wayConnected workers uApril 4th!Get Ready forSpring Auction! Consign Now!:beekmanauctions.comFarm & Rural ResidentialProperties in the Peace Country are our specialtyAnne H. ClaytonMBA, P App AACI, RIAppraiserJudi LeemingBHE, P App CRAAppraiser250.782.1088info@aspengrovepropertyservices.ca www.aspengrovepropertyservices.caYOURHelping YouWEEKLY FARM NEWS UPDATEScountrylifeinbc.comSign up for FREE today.YOURping Youpingpgpping Youc.comSignupfor
18 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Connected workers are safer workersOur John Deere 6R Tractors are among thesmartest tractors ever built, featuring a widevariety of John Deere Precision Ag Technologies.Connected TechnologyBigger, Faster and Clearer More Accuracy and Long-Term RepeatabilityPLUSDisplayG5™StarFire ReceiverSeamless Streaming of your Farm Data™JDLinkModemPrecision Ag Essentials Package with Display, Receiver & Modem Limited Time Sale Price $5,999Nanaimo | Chilliwack | Langley | Kamloops | Kelowna | Prince George | 1.877.553.3373Scan here to learn more aboutPrecision Ag Technologies orvisit us online at www.pce.ca*Pricing is for a limited time only. Please see your sales representative for details. High-risk activities Between 2014 and 2018, WorkSafeBC data indicates that agriculture-related injuries exceeded those of all other occupational sectors by 13% to 22%. “Machine-related incidences outstrip non-machine-related,” says Anderson. “Tractors account for 44% of those [national] machine-related injuries.” Common hazards include biological risks such as mold or diseases; chemical; ergonomic, such as pruning low branches; physical, including noises and extreme temperatures; psychological, such as stress or working alone; and general safety factors including falls from heights, slips, machinery or trips. These hazards must be identied so they can be anticipated, mitigated or even eliminated. Bennett added that all hazards are signicant, even though they may be dicult to identify. “Working alone still continues to be a hazard and still continues to be a consideration,” she says. “Having a working-alone plan, and that can of course include a schedule or checking-in, is part of [mitigating hazards].” Safety plans don’t need to be complex or technology-based. They can start with a simple conversation, says Bennett. “It’s all about nding something that will work for you and it might be something that works dierently than for your neighbour,” she says. Watching out for each other is critical. If someone is not back to the house or oce at an agreed upon time, someone should be tasked with checking on them. Bennett says this is often practical and second-nature, but it should be formalized and incorporated within a safety plan. “It will be dependent on the circumstance, too,” she notes. “If you’re going to go walk the barn, I don’t need to check in with you every 15 minutes, but if you’re going to pick apples in the orchard on a ladder, I probably should check in with you more frequently.” Some accidents can be partly anticipated and are avoidable but others are not. Bennett recalls a case where a barn cat came from out of nowhere, caused a fright, a fall and an injury. These are the times when having a method to get help is important. On-farm tools As Telus has expanded its technology offerings to agriculture, it has developed tools for use on-farm and some of those are specific to safety concerns. Corbett says the company started looking into agriculture in 2018 and launched the ag division in 2020. “The big piece today is working safety,” he says. “You think you’re safe, you’re acting safe, but stuff happens. There’s all kinds of stories.” The line of tools through Telus’s Decisive Farming’s Connected Worker line provides options for fall detection, check-ins, monitoring and emergency SOS, to name a few. “Connected Worker really touches on that part Robin was talking about, working alone,” he says. “There’s a mandatory check-in that the users have to use to check in throughout the day.” Custom settings in the smartphone app allow for how much time between check-ins and how much can elapse before escalation when a check-in is missed. Escalation can include texts to pre-identified individuals, calls and even contacting 911. “The user can create a custom escalation path,” he says. “It’s just a simple timer.” And it’s a simple tap on the phone’s screen. No one needs to be on their phone once they tap the screen to check in. The company also has a wearable fall-detection device that can work as a standalone tool separate from the app. There are also satellite products that allow for connectivity when workers are in remote areas without cell phone coverage. “There’s a ton of solutions and a ton of options, and technology is great if that’s your thing, but if you don’t come back for breakfast or you don’t come back for lunch, what’s that person who is expecting you going to do?” says Bennett. “A lot of it is just having a plan.” She sees the benefits of satellite tools, especially in cases where a rancher needs to ride several miles through desolate territory without cell service. Or, when one end of the barn just doesn’t get cell coverage. “There’s always technology. There’s tons of different types of technology that will work in a variety of circumstances,” she says. “It’s great if that’s your thing, but we don’t need to give them another widget. A lifeline should be simple.” “If you’re going to go walk the barn, I don’t need to check in with you every 15 minutes, but if you’re going to pick apples in the orchard on a ladder, I probably should check in with you more frequently.” WENDY BENNETT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, AGSAFE BC
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 19‘Living Wage’ certification out of reach for many Thin margins, increasing costs pose challengesRising wages were out of tune with Esquimalt Farmers Market’s expectations when it signed on to provide its staff with a “living wage.” Now, it’s trying to nd ways to maintain certication while operating within budget. SUBMITTEDLiving wage benefits uKATE AYERS PITT MEADOWS – The living wage in BC has soared over the last three years and agricultural employers feel the current certication structure combined with persistent ination prevent them from providing “living wages” for their area. “We have a natural love for people and, obviously, we know if they're successful, we'll be successful, and people is the best investment you can make,” says Hopcott Farms co-owner Travis Hopcott. “We're very people- oriented … so it just made sense to at least entertain the idea.” BC businesses and non-prots can apply to be certied as Living Wage Employers through Living Wage for Families BC. The living wage calculation is completed by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives and is based on a two-parent family with two children where each parent works full time. The living wage changes based on costs in each region. In the last update, published in November, the main drivers of the increase were housing and food costs. Clayoquot Sound on Vancouver Island has the highest living wage at $26.51 per hour. Eight of the 20 dened regions in the province have wages above $25 per hour, including Metro Vancouver, where Hopcott is located. Metro Vancouver’s rates were $20.52 and $24.08 in 2021 and 2022 respectively. The $3.56 jump was the highest annual increase in the Metro Vancouver living wage since it was rst calculated 14 years ago. Today, the area’s living wage is $25.68. By contrast, BC’s minimum wage is $16.75 per hour, which increased by 6.9% on June 1, 2023. Another minimum wage increase is expected in June. On January 1, the province raised piece rates for hand harvested crops by 6.9%. According to WorkBC, general farm labour positions pay $19 an hour while listings for farm supervisors pay up to $22 an hour. Many pay more, however. Statistics Canada reports that agricultural service contractors, farm supervisors and specialized livestock workers were being oered wages last summer of $27.95 an hour; three years earlier, the hourly wage oered was $23.95. JUWEL – EASE OF USE AND SAFETY OF OPERATIONFOR ANY STRATEGIC TILLAGE PRACTICELOOK TO LEMKENJuwel mounted reversible ploughs from LEMKEN combine operational reliability and ease of use to deliver excellent performance.@strategictill | lemken.caVanderWal Equipment is now a LEMKEN dealer.■ Optiquick for ploughing without lateral pull ■ TurnControl for safe plough turning ■ Hydromatic for disruption-free ploughing even in stony soils ■ Skimmer with easy adjustment options – all without tools■ Also available as M version with hydraulic turnover deviceVAN DER WAL EQUIPMENT (1989) LTD. 23390 RIVER ROAD, MAPLE RIDGE, BC V2W 1B6 604/463-3681 | vanderwaleq.com Quality Pre-Owned Tractors & EquipmentCHALLENGER MT545E full load . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140,000 JAYLOR Mixer Wagon 4575 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,500 MF 1742 tractor, AWD with cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27,500 MF 4609 tractor with 931 loader, 2215 Hours . . . . . 49,000 MF 4707 4WD, LDR, LOW HOURS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70,000 MF 4708 tractor/loader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59,500 MF 6713 tractor, cab, AWD, 207 hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . 92,500 MCCORMICK X5.40 cab tractor, low hours . . . . . . . 60,000 TURBOMATIC 600 lt sprayer with side cannon . . . . 8,500 VICON fertilizer spreader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,500 WALLENSTEIN M130 manure spreader . . . . . . . . . 17,500 WN WL60T articulating loader 2018 . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85,000IN STOCK!
20 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Living wage calculations exclude housing meals While these were above the living wage, employers are only certied if all employees, including entry level and seasonal roles, receive the living wage. Over 400 employers across BC are living wage-certied, says Living Wage for Families BC provincial manager Anastasia French, including four in the agriculture sector. “Often employers will see benets on the other side of it. It helps lower sta turnover, it helps increase morale and increase productivity,” she says. Hopcott recognizes the importance of treating employees with respect and his responsibility to treat them fairly. However, providing over $25 an hour for entry level or seasonal positions is simply not feasible, he says. “There's absolutely no way for us to pay … 17 and 19-year-olds that are working the till $25, $26 an hour. We would probably go out of business,” Hopcott says. His research found that many living wage employers were already paying the region’s living wage when they applied for certication and that the process doesn’t include meaningful exibility for operations seeking certication. Rather than a blanket rate across regions, Hopcott would like to see a more contextualized approach. For example, Hopcott Farms’ diverse nature can provide employees with unique non-monetary perks and benets, but those aspects are not factored into compensation. Living Wage for Families BC considers such non-monetary benets as full health and dental plans, additional paid time o and educational training to lower the required living wage. “We are working through formal policies for what we can include and what we can’t include,” French says. “Food and housing are kind of the two essentials for life. It's important that [workers] can have the choice of where they live and what they eat, so at the moment we don't include those as things that can lower the living wage.” That said, food and housing, for example, are some perks that producers could provide for employees. “If there could be more, you know, boots-on-the-ground understanding of the parameters around these businesses, especially the businesses that are trying to be living wage-certied,” says Hopcott, who would like to see specic allowances for specic businesses. This doesn’t mean farmers shouldn’t try to pay a living wage to workers, but it will look dierent. “In order to do that, unfortunately it has to start with saving as much money as you can where you can,” Hopcott said. The feat of paying a living wage is equally challenging, if not harder, in the not-for-prot sector. Esquimalt Farmers Market Society executive director Melanie Bourette-Knowles must draft several budgets each year considering the potential number of employees, vendors and grants, or the lack thereof. When the society was rst certied in 2022, it didn’t anticipate the impact ination would have on living wage calculations. Between 2021 and 2023, Victoria’s living wage increased from $20.46 to $25.40. “When we joined, it wasn't too far o of what we were paying our sta anyway, so it was very achievable,” says Bourette-Knowles. “It jumped to $24.29 sort of overnight [in 2022]. That was a bit of a shock to the system and budget.” She had developed the 2022 budget assuming the living wage would remain at the 2021 hourly rate. As a result of the continued increases, the society now operates with fewer sta and existing sta take on more of the workload. “We're trying to cut down and get by for a larger portion of the year with fewer sta [by] just having a third sta member for the peak season,” Bourette-Knowles says. Remaining certied poses a predicament because to aord the living wage, the position has to be part-time and short-term in nature, which can deter applicants seeking stable employment, even if a living wage is provided. “Knowing how much we rely on public funding, sponsorship, fundraising to even just get a zero balance and to not be in decit – it's a lot of work. A lot of having to ask people for money and, of course, none of that is guaranteed,” Bourette-Knowles says. “There’s denitely a question mark as to whether we can aord to do it, but I think our response to it is basically cutting down the position so that we don't have to pay for as long.” As a farmers market, the society’s success depends on vendor participation and community members spending money on food as well as discretionary items like jewellery, clothing and art, since those vendors pay more for their spot than farmers. However, in the current economy, consumers are less willing to buy non-essentials, and those other vendors may participate less throughout the year. “We really do rely on other vendors to boost the overall revenue to keep the entire thing sustainable,” Bourette-Knowles says. “We have to either gure out how [to get] people to spend more money, which is really hard to do right now, or nd other ways to make money because believe me, we’ve cut back on everything that can be cut back on.” Sta hours are the one variable the society can trim, but Bourette-Knowles recognizes that isn’t feasible for most, if any, farms. “There’s work to be done, especially when you're farming. You have to harvest crops when they're ready to harvest. You can't just be like, ‘oh, my hours are up, or I can't aord to pay you,’” she says. “It doesn't work that way.” Elevate Your Operations With Dependable and Ef昀cient Kubota Farm Solutions.ABBOTSFORD1-888-283-3276VERNON1-800-551-6411KELOWNA1-800-680-0233
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 21Cariboo potato a case study in local resilienceBanned seed variety finds a following in small plotsBlushed with success, the Cariboo potato is a favourite of Rob Diether even though it can't be grown commercially. SUBMITTEDYou shouldn’t have to worry about the longevity of your fence and wood infrastructure. 250.295.7911 TF 1 877.797.7678 bill@pwppost.com www.pwppost.com 1821 Crowsnest Hwy. Princeton, BC V0X 1W0 PWPSuperior quality fencing products for all types of farm and agriculture applications.fence posts polesgrapevine stakes tree stakes trellising doweled post & rail fencingrewoodThe PWP process penetrates and retains in the sapwood layer and the heartwood is untreated as it should be. As a food source for bugs and fungus, the sapwood layer must draw and retain the treatment process to meet quality standards. Unlike our competitors product showing very little treatment penetration or retention.Preferred Supplier for British Columbia Ministries and Parks Canada.Bill Everi“ You shouldn’t have to worry about your treated wood infrastructure.”Black CreekAsk For Us By Name PWP Premium & PWP Select at the following trusted dealers.The PWP treatment process achieves a far superior penetration and retention quality, increasing the lifespan of vineyard, orchard, fence line posts and poles 2-3 times longer.Our Competitor’s Product.We look forward to seeing you at the Pacic Ag Show.Stop by to discuss upcoming fencing needs, view samples and learn about choosing the right treated product for your next project.KELLY SINOSKI 100 MILE HOUSE – A co-op farmer near 100 Mile House is seeing renewed interest in the Cariboo potato nearly 50 years after it was outlawed as a commercial seed spud. Rob Diether, a member of the Community Enhancement and Economic Development Society (CEEDS), has been growing the hardy yellow potato with pink eyes at the Horse Lake Community Co-Op since 1983 after he and a few others got their hands on the outlawed spud. “We just kept growing them and producing and saving more and more seed,” Diether says. “We don’t grow a lot but it’s perfect for the Cariboo climate and over the years the farm co-op has grown several tons of the tuber. They are wonderful; a kind of creamy potato with slightly yellow esh.” The potato was a product of the potato breeding program at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Fredericton research station. It was tested in the Cariboo seed control area between McLeese Lake and Williams Lake in the 1960s and did extremely well, Diether says, earning itself the Cariboo name by an federal researcher in Prince George. But by 1976, the Cariboo was deregistered as a commercial seed variety because its tubers clung to the vines, which included thick, feathery foliage. “It was not a viable variety for commercial purposes because the plants were known to get caught up in the harvesting machinery,” according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). Decertication came with the threat of a $10,000 ne for those who outed the law. Although no nes have been issued at this point, the CFIA acknowledges that it’s a possibility if the decertied potatoes are sold for seed. “Since the Cariboo (potato) was deregistered in 1976, it is currently an unregistered variety and its continued production (depending on the size of the eld) and sale of seed could result in the CFIA having to take steps to enforce the Seed Act and Regulations which may include nes,” the CFIA said in an email to Country Life in BC. AAFC controls what seed varieties can be grown in the country to ensure all seeds are certied for disease resistance, insects and other issues. CFIA says commercial growers can still register a variety with CFIA or under the CFIA’s Garden Variety Program. Home growers can also apply to have the Cariboo added to the list of approved garden varieties. Bill Zylmans, who sits on the BC Vegetable and Potato Association and BC Certied Seed Potatoes Growers Association in Delta, says Diether isn’t a problem, partly because his farm is far from commercial growers and partly because the Cariboo potato never saw a hugely productive yield. “He isn’t a threat to the industry,” Zylmans says. “There are more of these kinds of varieties. It only comes into play if he turns it around and calls it a seed potato. This man is just having his fun, doing his thing way out there.” If anything, Diether has reminded the public about the potato’s versatility – and why it deserves to be on the dinner plate. Diether was inundated with calls and emails from people across the country looking for the outlawed tuber after he told CBC how he and some friends went in search of the Cariboo potato in the early 1980s. It took them three years to get four Cariboo potatoes, which they mostly used for seed in the co-op garden. “I don’t know what it is about potatoes. People are really interested,” Diether says. Zylmans was at a potato conference in Toronto when the story came out, and says he was confronted by people asking him about the “rabble-rousers in BC.” “It’s made a lot of people think,” Zylmans says. “Potatoes are a very diverse product that gives you a good balance of vitamins and minerals. There isn’t a vegetable out there that has as many uses as the potato.” Diether, who shares Zylmans’ love of the potato, says he has no plans to stop growing the Cariboo variety even though it has other issues besides commercial harvesting. It must be hilled as much as possible and kept in a cold, dark space, he says, as it is light sensitive and turns green easily. But he believes it’s important to have a diversity of potatoes and the Cariboo is perfect for the home garden. “You can reach down and loosen up the soil and when you pull up the plant, the tubers are all connected to the vine,” Diether says. Plus, he adds, “It’s BC and it’s got the name Cariboo. There’s no such thing as a Cariboo carrot that I’m aware of.”
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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 23Consumers unwilling to pay market prices for locally grown food made producers reluctant to expand. SUBMITTEDTRACEY FREDRICKSON NAKUSP – The Arrow Lakes region of the West Kootenays is one of the most scenic parts of the Columbia River, nestled between the Selkirk Mountains in the east and the Monashees in the west. It has a strong agricultural history dating back to the 1800s, when many settlers came to the area to pursue a farming lifestyle. The region supported an abundance of produce and tree fruits for decades, but agriculture began to decline in the 1960s when dams were built, and ooding under the Columbia River Treaty resulted in the loss of 200,000 hectares of rich, arable land. Supply chain issues such as those seen during the COVID pandemic have contributed to the need to revitalize the agriculture sector and make food security a community priority. “Nakusp is the largest community in the region, removed from every major highway that connects the region to its closest cities,” points out Aiden McLaren-Caux, economic development coordinator for the Nakusp and Area Development Board (NADB.) “When there are supply chain problems, we feel them rst because trucks just don’t come out here.” To address these issues, NADB worked with regional partners to launch the Grow Arrow Lakes project in 2022. The initiative has provided unexpected insight into what it takes to grow the sector in this remote, rural and tightknit community. At the start of the project, about 20 producers and agriculture-related businesses were identied in the region, including small-scale vegetable farms, orchards, honey producers, a few wineries and cideries, and hobby farmers who grew food to meet their own needs. The project was to be a catalyst for engaging the local agriculture sector and developing an easily identiable, regional Arrow Lakes brand that would help local producers improve and expand their markets. An educational and marketing campaign was planned to help drive the development of agri-tourism ventures, and eventually a year-round central food hub would be created to boost sales for local producers and better connect residents with local food. Research for the project showed a much dierent agricultural landscape that “challenged our initial assumptions about agriculture potential in the area,” says McLaren-Caux. 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Basic support needed u
24 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Basic support neededThey were expected to have the capacity to provide a consistent volume of products to the public through roadside stands, farm gate sales or pre-arranged pick-up or delivery. It was also assumed that residents, retailers and restaurants would welcome access to more locally grown food. In fact, only a few producers had the capacity to operate at a commercial level, and none were able or ready to participate in a food hub or agri-tourism initiative. Most were unwilling or unsure about committing to provide a consistent supply of products, while consumers, restaurants and retail outlets were not willing to participate without that commitment from producers. In addition, collaboration among local organizations involved in agriculture and food security initiatives was weak. Despite extensive outreach to the agriculture community through press releases, social media, one-to-one interviews and surveys, few chose to respond to invitations to be listed in a new Grow Arrow Lakes directory. Most of those who did respond said they were “too busy to participate,” “have no desire to gain more business,” “nice idea but I don’t want the public on my land,” and other similar comments. A lack of consumers willing to pay market prices for locally grown food was a major reason producers were reluctant to expand their capacity. “At this point, we took a step back, realizing that most producers required basic support and encouragement to increase their capacity and condence,” says McLaren-Caux. Building on the work of Phase 1 of the Grow Arrow Lakes project, Phase 2 launched in 2023 with nancial support from the Economic Trust of the Southern Interior, the Arrow Slocan Tourism Association, and the Nakusp and Area Community Forest. Phase 2 resulted in the development of the regional Arrow Lakes brand and a multimedia marketing campaign to inform and excite the community about its agriculture heritage. The Grow Arrow Lakes website was revised to be more interactive so producers can add and change information about themselves and product availability. A print and web-based directory, map of local producers and product stickers were created to inspire the community to buy local. A Supporting Local Agriculture Committee was also formed, made up of NADB members and others with an interest in local agriculture. The committee sets terms of reference and scopes out potential initiatives, such as the Grow Arrow Lakes project. While Phase 2 is still launching and its full impact is yet to be realized, positive results are taking place. “The analytics are much higher now that the site is up and running,” says McLean-Caux. “Users are taking advantage of its interactive nature, and it is becoming a reference point for local agriculture information, including proles that tell the stories of local growers.” Educational needs of farmers and producers including best practices, greenhouse growing, regenerative agriculture and sales and marketing have been identied. Growing information for dierent parts of the Arrow Lakes is also needed since its communities ChampionSupporterAbbotsford Tech DistrictAgSafeClearbrook Grain & MillingInvestment Agriculture FoundationFarm Credit CanadaUniversity of the Fraser ValleyWest Coast ReductionBC Agriculture Council wishes to thank our sponsors who helped make the2024 BC Agri-Food Industry Gala another great success!THANK YOU!FanContributorBC Milk Marketing Board BC Shellfish Growers’ AssociationBerry Haven FarmCo-operatorsAgricultural Credit Corporation BC Chicken Marketing BoardBC Dairy AssociationCountry Life in BCClarion Hotel & Conference CentrePrins GreenhousesUnited Flower GrowersGlobe PrintersKato’s NurseryMainland Milk Producers’ Associationare located in dierent zones with diverse soil types and varying amounts of rain and snow. “For the time being, we are estimating increased purchasing from visitors to the area at farmers markets, locally owned retail outlets, and farmgate sales, promoted by our multimedia campaign,” says McLean-Caux. Agri-tourism initiatives and development of a food hub are considered longer-term opportunities once the sector becomes more stable and resilient. Mickey Wojnarowski and his wife Brenda Lee Morgan own the HomeGrown Market & Juice Bar in Nakusp. The store sells produce, owers, health supplements and artisan gift items made or produced in the Arrow Lakes region. Wojnarowski also sits on the new agriculture committee and the Central Kootenay Food Policy Council. “We were already connected with some 60 producers and artisans in the area when the website and directory came out, and since then we’ve been in touch with many more,” Wojnarowski says. The HomeGrown Market is undergoing an expansion that will double its size. Carlee Hughes, owner of Nakusp East Farms and a long-time Nakusp resident, says conversations about agriculture in the region are taking place again. “There is a sense of pride that the sector is an economic priority for the region,” she says. “At our farm, we’ve had more inquiries and orders due to the social media work that has been done, and the prole we’ve received has helped our credibility as a trusted farm in the area.” “Once people try our products, the majority become repeat customers,” Hughes points out. “This shows how important it is to create awareness and connection to high-quality local food.” FOLLOW USLIKE US@countrylifeinbcOLLOW US
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 25Silvopasture a new frontier with deep rootsBC ranchers pilot agroforestry systemCattle, pasture and trees coexist in a silvopasture system. CRYSTAL LAKE RANCH BCHA President Kym Jim 403-358-8935 BCHA Secretary Janice Tapp 250-699-6466 www.bchereford.ca KATE AYERS MALAKWA – While integrating farming and forestry is not new, the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food and BC Cattlemen’s Association hope to seed interest in this diversication strategy. “Without the silvopasture that we implemented on Crown land, we would not have enough forage on that Crown land base,” says Crystal Lake Ranch owner Werner Stump. “We would no longer be a commercial operation. We would be a hobby farm. That's how much of an impact it's made to us.” Stump and his family run a 200-head cow-calf operation in the North Shuswap area on 1,000 deeded acres and Crown land through range tenures. Silvopasture is an agroforestry system that exemplies the cohesive management of trees, forages and livestock. “It’s the purposeful blend of agriculture, forestry and conservation practices, management techniques and objectives into that whole management approach on the same land,” says provincial agroforestry specialist Lisa Zabek. “It focuses on the interactions of trees and grass, trees and livestock, and livestock and grass.” Zabek began working on the ministry’s agroforestry industry development initiative about 20 years ago, with her focus to date being the development of pilot programs and demonstration sites. “It's a great idea and it sounds really interesting but where is the information that will help me adapt it to my location? What do I need to know?” Zabek asks. “There's a lot of information in other jurisdictions across North America, Europe, etc. But from a BC perspective, how do we adapt it to our growing environments, to our ecosystems? That's really what I've been working on.” The ministry plans to launch workshops and a workbook this year to help producers implement silvopasture into their unique landscapes. BCCA and the ministry are working to develop further case studies and facilitate eld tours in the spring. “There are a variety of scales and species that can be used. You can work with cattle and timber, sheep and timber, Silvopasture uFOR ALL THOSE WHO WANT TO GO UPVAN DER WAL EQUIPMENT (1989) LTD.3080T TELESCOPIC WHEEL LOADER 23390 RIVER ROAD, MAPLE RIDGE, BC V2W 1B6 604/463-3681 | vanderwaleq.com
26 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Silvopasture offers environmental benefits … it could be chickens and orchards,” Zabek says. “It's really about understanding the principles and the interactions and then trying to adapt them to your own operation.” Running start Stump had a running start with his implementation of silvopasture because he’s a professional forester and rancher. “Growing trees and grass made sense to me. It’s something our family has been practicing, to some extent, for a long time,” he says. Given his ranch’s situation and climate, growing trees and forage was a logical combination to get the best return per acre on the more marginal rangeland, Stump says. Stump has devoted about a third of his owned acreage to silvopasture and another 800 acres of Crown land. While the animals enjoy the forage resource, he harvests the trees for timber. This intentionally integrated system looks to minimize negative and maximize positive interactions between trees, other crops, livestock and humans. With several component parts, silvopasture can help producers diversify revenue sources, improve animal welfare and enhance environmental benets. “On really hot, baking afternoons, by adding trees into your landscape, you’re contributing to your livestock health and wellbeing from that shade perspective because the tree canopy creates microclimates,” Zabek says. Charlie Willis of Cranbrook’s Kootenay Tree Farms has used silvopasture in his Christmas tree business for 35 years. The combination with pasture reduces the temperature in his tree blocks, which helps reduce disease. Silvopasture systems can also protect riparian areas. Pilot projects in BC have shown that if producers provide animals with feed, water and shade, they will remain in the managed block and not bother with ecologically sensitive riparian areas, Zabek says. Grazing livestock within a tree block can reduce wildre risk through targeted grazing, she adds. The removal of understory fuels doesn’t eliminate wildre risk, but it can reduce the intensity of small res and slow them down. As livestock graze the understory grasses and forages, their passes through the coniferous stands save producers time and labour mowing among tree blocks and manage competition for resources. Willis has never mowed his tree blocks. He works with about seven ranchers throughout the year where cattle graze from May 15 to September 15. “If the cow does not graze the forage, we end up with a lot of mice and voles,” Willis says. “They will feed on the forage and seed heads and when they run out of seed to feed on in the wintertime, they'll girdle our trees.” As long as the cattle leave between four and six inches of forage, wildlife and livestock can coexist on the property. Stump has noticed his silvopasture tracts boast more wildlife. Because of the integration of two or more crops into a system, silvopasture is more complex to manage compared to conventional production systems, Zabek says. “There is no one approach that's going to t every circumstance,” Stump says. “You really have to look at the ecosystem and your environment and your personal situation and make sure what you’re doing is matching the capability of the landscape and the ecosystem and also matching your objectives.” Establishing trees and grasses and integrating livestock at the same time may cause some challenges. For example, producers must consider that trees have a production timeline of a couple decades while generally, forage crops are annual. Obstacle planting, for example, can protect new seedlings from grazing livestock. Vulnerable seedlings can be inadvertently kicked, rubbed or trampled by livestock, so producers should plant young trees beside immovable objects, including rocks or stumps . Predation may be an issue in some parts of the province. For example, sheep may require a protective pen and guardian dog overnight to prevent ock losses due to wildlife attacks. While starting silvopasture on a land base may require some research and conversations with specialists, including ministry sta and professional foresters, economic and environmental benets can be realized on farms that pay attention to the details. “It would be timely if the Crown started looking at [silvopasture] to maximize the return to the public for the Crown land,” Stump says. “BC really lends itself well to the silvopasture management regime in that there's a lot of marginal land. … There's a huge chunk of the land that you could grow some crops on in conjunction with timber. I see it as a huge opportunity in front of us in terms of the opportunity to expand agricultural production and help out new entrants.” “Growing trees and grass made sense to me. It’s something our family has been practicing, to some extent, for a long time.” WERNER STUMP CRYSTAL LAKE RANCH
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 27Overwintering cattle depend on energy-rich feed, but options vary this winter following a drought that reduced traditional forage supplies. SUBMITTEDKATE AYERS VANDERHOOF – Many beef producers across the province are managing their herds with less feed than normal, and often of lower quality, due to last year’s drought. “We have enough feed to get through now at this point. There are a lot of other people who don’t. In general, this country is very short of feed. There are a lot of farmers who got 25% of [a] normal crop,” says Martin Ruiter of Whispering Winds Ranch in Vanderhoof. “We had one eld that we planted in May that essentially was nothing, just dirt all summer long. And then it started to rain in early August and the crop came up. I thought it would be rotten in the ground, but it came up.” Ruiter managed to harvest 300 tons of feed from the eld, which lacks irrigation. It was a pleasant surprise, compared to what others experienced. “We’re not as bad o as a lot of people. I know a lot of farmers have sold o their herds,” he says. “We get calls almost every day for hay sales because we normally have hay to sell but we don’t this year.” While a shortage of winter feed isn’t ideal, ranchers have options to get their cattle through to spring healthy and well-conditioned. Feeds available will largely depend on where ranches are located, says BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food beef and livestock specialist Laura Code. For example, grain screening pellets and straw are two common feed alternatives when high quality forages are in short supply. Canola, wheat, oat and barley straw can be mixed with higher-quality forages to make them go farther, a practice common on the Prairies. Last year, BC Production Insurance doubled the abandonment threshold for 2023 grain and oilseed crops that could instead be used for livestock feed. These crops included barley, canola, oats, eld peas, rye and wheat. “Other options … are fruit, vegetable and bakery waste and byproducts as well as wet brewers’ grains and cidery waste and byproducts,” Getting through winter when feed is shortAlternative feed sources need to be monitoredNon-conventional feed uMatsqui Ag-Repair Abbotsford, BCNorth Valley EquipmentArmstrong, BCNorthline Equipment Pouce Coupe, BCHuber Equipment Prince George, BCSmithers, BCVisit your local KUHN Hay & Forage dealer today!Invest in Quality®www.kuhn.comFC 61 TL SERIES | Side-Pull Mower Conditioners9'2" – 11'6" working widthsStandard drawbar or 2-point Gyrodine® swivel hitch for tight turnsBroadest range of windrow width settings in the industryFinger, rubber roller or steel roller conditioning–adjustable for any cropLubed-for-life Optidisc® Elite cutterbar and Fast-Fit® blades
28 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Non-conventional feed will have different nutritional values“If they're starting at a lower body condition score going into winter, it's going to take even more energy to get them back up to a good score,” Code says. “It's going to aect their reproduction and how soon they're going to be able to rebreed in the spring.” Cattle that are overwintering in below -20°C temperatures will need more energy to maintain conditioning, she adds. Testing feed and monitoring water quality can help producers be proactive in addressing potential nutrient and energy imbalances before cattle experience adverse health impacts. Upgrading feeding equipment or infrastructure is a big initial investment but can help with feed management, especially throughout the winter. “If a producer has the appropriate setup, they may want to consider a total mixed ration to get all of the feed components together in a similar consistency,” Code says. Another strategy is to alternate low and high-quality feeds. “You can feed a lower quality forage for a few days and then a higher quality forage for a few days,” Code says. Producers can separate cattle based on their energy needs to better manage feed resources. “Since the dierent stages of production require dierent nutrient levels, you can consider grouping your animals,” Code says. “You can have your rst-calf heifers in one grouping and mature cows in another grouping, for example. Also, consider if you can set aside some of your higher quality feedstu to meet the increased energy and protein demand for your pregnant cows during their third trimester and into lactation.” Code pointed to the Beef Cattle Research Council as a comprehensive resource for producers when feeding through a drought. Cowbytes for example, is a ration-balancing software. Yaremcio encouraged producers to use the feed options available and substitute what they can to ensure nutritional needs meet cattle demands. “Don't be afraid to use some of these lower quality feeds like the pea straw, barley straw, canola straw, and timothy and fescue [stover],” Yaremcio said. “They can be included in the rations, but you need feed tests, and you have to get the rations balanced. You can't just go by eyeball.” Code says. “[But] with all of those, the nutrient content can be highly variable from one load to the next, and sometimes the producer has to go pick them up. Then it can be fairly costly in transportation even if they're getting it for a low dollar value.” These non-conventional feeds often have energy values and nutrient contents that dier from homegrown feed, which can pose challenges when feeding livestock in dierent stages of production. For example, pregnant and lactating cows will need more energy than heifers or calves. “Nutritional status of an animal is not an on-and-o switch. It's something that happens over a period of time. So, when you're on a declining plane of nutrition … it could take four to six weeks for problems to start,” says beef nutrition specialist Barry Yaremcio of Yaremcio Ag Consulting in Stettler, Alberta. “The rst thing that goes is immunity and the ability of the animal to stay healthy. Second thing is the reproduction capability of the animal. And the third is when you hit the bottom and you are actually decient, you'll start seeing clinical symptoms of nutritional deciency.” Yaremcio was a guest speaker at the Peace Region Forage Association annual general meeting on December 1. Feed tests and analyses can help producers determine the contents of their feed. Feed testing “If you're feeding a stressed or over-fertilized forage, it might have high nitrates and so this is important to evaluate with a feed test,” Code says. “The other challenge is mineral and vitamin availability. You'll need to consider supplementing those appropriately depending on what the analysis reads. Calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and then the trace minerals as well, such as selenium and copper, are important.” A ruminant nutritionist can help producers interpret the results and adjust rations, if needed. When feeding options with lower digestibility like straw or baled oats, impaction can be an issue. Producers need to balance the ration with another roughage and should monitor feed intake and refusal. “A producer can mix the straw and hay, but the cows will sort out the hay. They will eat the straw if it’s what is left and the only option,” Code says. “This is where monitoring intakes and wastage is important to get a gauge on how much the cattle are eating.” Due to the dry conditions this year, some Peace Region producers were able to cut hay from lowlands and sloughs that are usually too wet to harvest. “Some of that slough hay, you got to be careful because protein levels are maybe a little bit better than straw, but it might have a high level of manganese, which may interfere with reproduction,” Yaremcio says. “And watch your costs because if you've got a cow that’s in thin condition, it will need an extra 1,400 pounds of hay over the winter, just to stay warm, not to gain weight, compared to a cow in good condition.” Bred cows and heifers that are decient in minerals and energy due to lower quality feed may have lower calf weights in the spring or abort the pregnancy. Since these outcomes may not be apparent until calving season, producers can track cattle performance and health throughout the winter with pregnancy checks and body condition scores. “Serving and Supporting the Community Together”PROVINCIALLY INSPECTED ABATTOIR B.C. #34ALL SIZES MARKET GOATS & LAMBS604.465.4752 (Ext 105)FAX 604.465.4744 ashiq@meadowvalleymeats.comProducer Check-o Supports Beef Industry Projects.www.cattlefund.net 1.877.688.2333www.cattlefund.net 1.877.688.2333www.tubeline.ca 1.888.856.6613@TubelineMFGFind us onTL360BF8000The TL360 high speed individual wrapper, is designed to wrap on the move. The TL360 allows operators to pick up and carry another bale while one is still in the chamber. The BF8000 SL is equipped with a loading arm and has a bale capacity of 2,500 lbs. 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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 29Shirlene Cote and Michael Nyberg have merged operations and joined co-ops, but Cote said ceding control is a big concern of sole proprietors such as herself. FACEBOOK / EARTH APPLE FARM Details countCo-op members share the importance of clear structures RONDA PAYNE ABBOTSFORD – Sharing the workload, the expenses and the administrative duties of an operation are benets of co-op membership, but current members say success hinges on having a clearly dened structure. “Most of us don’t have experience with having shared ownership of anything, with anyone, outside of maybe our immediate family,” said Young Agrarians co-op coordinator Emi Do during a November 28 webinar. She denes as co-op as “a jointly owned, democratically governed group project created by willing participants to address a shared need, challenge and/or opportunity,” noting that co-ops are generally about achieving economies of scale and obtaining things dicult to access alone, such as land, distribution opportunities or resources. She says “willing participants” are essential because it means no one is forced to join, or to stay with the co-op, making clarity around entrance, exit and structure a must. “Participants have to be willing and everyone can leave whenever they choose,” she says. Shirlene Cote, founder of Earth Apple Farm in Abbotsford, knows her way around a co-op as she’s part of a few. She’s a shareholder in Glen Valley Organic Farm Co-operative (GVOFC), a land co-op. Cote leases land from the co-op to run her business with her life and business partner, Michael Nyberg, who merged New Mountain Farm with Cote’s business in 2020. “We do six acres of mixed vegetables here and we specialize in seed garlic,” she says. “We partner with another farm, Close to Home Organics.” Together, the two farms operate the Glen Valley Organic Farm CSA marketing co-op, which also sells produce from Snow Mountain Farm. “We’re also a member of the BC Eco Seed Co-op where we sell our seed garlic,” Cote says. Because Close to Home Organics also farms at GVOFC, the farmers were in an informal partnership before forming their CSA program co-op. “Overall, I’d say it’s way more ecient in some ways and in other ways we’re trying to gure out how to make it more ecient with lots of people’s input,” she says. In 1998, a group of people Greenhouse Ground CoverGreenhouse FilmProtection NetsMulch Film Landscaping FabricsShade Nets Bale WrapsBunker CoversSilage BagsTwine & Net WrapsHay TarpsForage & Grain Seed1.800.663.6022office@silagrow.com5121 - 46 Ave S.E. Salmon Arm, BCPick Up & Delivery Only 112-18860 24 Ave. Surrey, BCVisit our website for informative content and detailedproduct descriptions.silagrow.comProvince steps up uTRACTOR TIME VICTORIA 250.474.3301 4377C Metchosin Rd. 30 mins from Victoria & 15 mins from Hwy#1 in Metchosin.HANDLERS EQUIPMENTABBOTSFORD 604.850.3601 339 Sumas WayHOUSTON 250.845.3333 2990 Highway CrescentFinancing programs are subject to change at any time.Mahindra 26with snowblowerThree locationsoffering exceptionalsales & service.
30 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Communication key to successful co-ops ® The TD logo and other trade-marks are the property of The Toronto-Dominion Bank or its subsidiaries. Ken S. Uppal MBA P.Ag District Manager Abbotsford & Fraser Valley604-621-3350kanwar.uppal@td.comBrad Redekop BBARelationship ManagerAbbotsford & Fraser Valley604-870-2228bradley.redekop@td.comDave Gill Account ManagerAbbotsford & Fraser Valley604-807-4761baldev.gill@td.comRahan AhmadAccount ManagerAbbotsford & Fraser Valley778-847-1566 rahan.ahmad@td.comMartyna Spichtig Vice President, Agriculture ServicesBritish Columbia & Alberta403-470-0201 martyna.spichtig@td.comConnor Watson B.Comm, FABRelationship ManagerBC Interior778-201-5753 connor.watson@td.comTed HallmanAccount ManagerBC Interior250-470-7557ted.hallman@td.comMeet our Agriculture Services TeamWe are dedicated to helping you achieve your business goals and creating a lexible and customized banking solution that is right for your farming operation.M05338 (0120)formed the GVOFC and purchased the 50-acre parcel with the desire to keep the land in organic food production. Each shareholder purchased a $5,000 share and individuals can still join by purchasing shares. The approximately 50 members make decisions about the land and how it’s farmed though participation in regular co-op meetings and committees. While shareholders like Earth Apple and Close to Home Organics farm the land and are involved in GVOFC committees (one is known as the “farm team”) that make decisions around on-farm practices such as pest control or water use, other shareholders participate in committees dealing with administration, leases, maintenance and other aspects of the farm. Others are passive shareholders. Earth Apple and Close to Home Organics make decisions about what to plant, who will attend the next farmers’ market and how to share on-site resources like coolers within their CSA co-op structure, but how they manage the land and other issues around farming practices would be part of GVOFC farm team discussions. Cote is a shareholder and a member of the GVOFC board, though she’s not the only one involved in decisions around her farm and that group decision-making was one of the things that concerned her before entering the co-op as a farmer. But, entering the co-op, she feared losing the control she had as a sole proprietor. “It turns out, having multiple people’s input and learning to trust people, it goes a lot further,” she reects. Communication around on-farm work involves a lot of texting as well as day-to-day, on-site conversations to ensure clarity. On Vancouver Island, Isabelle Morris started farming about 15 years ago on her family’s Wyndlow Acres Farm in the Yellowpoint area south of Nanaimo. She then met three other farmers in the area and the group recognized compatible needs which led to the 2014 formation of Farmship Growers Co-op to grow vegetables sustainably at the family farm. “We had some help starting up our co-op from FarmFolk/CityFolk so that we’d have something that would stand the test of time,” she says. Staying flexible Farmship’s structure has been exible enough to allow farmers to come and go from the organization over the years. “Some of the scary things weren’t what I thought would be scary,” she says. “It became scarier over time.” When the co-op began, the participants knew each other’s strengths and what they brought to the organization, but people leaving, new people joining and not having that deep knowledge of skills and commitment hit her fear points. “The four of us who had created the co-op had worked together for almost a year to hone our skills of communicating and [learn] who brings what,” she says. Taking time to get to know people before letting them in the organization and having dened conditions for acceptance is important to maintain the right balance, assess skills and ensure the right t. Morris found that when people left, for whatever reason, she would often take the departure personally. Having conditions for departure spelled out beforehand can mitigate some of the unpleasantness and uncertainty of how to part ways. “These rules should be very clear because it can create some tensions,” she says. “All the prot-sharing and the cash-ow management should be very well explained to everyone as they walk in. The exit strategies as well. Yes, they’re free to walk out at any time, but what are they leaving with?” She acknowledges that farming is busy, and often the important conversations get left for another day. “We’ve run into that problem over the years,” she says. “We get busy and we don’t talk.” Morris suggests communication training for those establishing a co-op together. Further south on the island, Cowichan Valley Co-operative Marketplace incorporated in 2014 and added the online marketplace [Cow-op.ca], in 2015. Laura Boyd-Clowes joined as community facilitator in 2017 when the co-op was experiencing signicant nancial stress. Things have since turned around, but growing its home delivery business to 98 households has been a slow grind. Her advice to those starting a co-op is to be patient. “I was young and I just thought, ‘well, the more people the better,’ but it’s not necessarily going to move faster just because you have a lot of people moving in the right direction,” she says. “Sometimes it’s a lot slower.” Financial status Sta, including a general manager, operations manager, summer students and others, handle day-to-day operations. Even so, there are nancial strains, which is something both Morris and Cote related to. Boyd-Clowes says as a registered non-prot, being able to apply for grants is helpful moving the organization forward without being solely reliant on farming income. “When you’re considering starting a co-op, there’s three basic questions that you should be able to answer,” she says. “Who are the members? What is the common need? And what is the joint venture that you’re going to take on together?” Do says other considerations are how members are going to work together, who is going to make decisions and who is going to do the work. There are a number of supports for those looking to start a co-op or are already part of one, including Young Agrarians, the BC Co-op Association and, at a regional level, Co-operatives First.
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 31Oil toast that! Sheri and George Braun raise a glass to another successful harvest on the 72-acre property where they grow olives on Salt Spring Island. THE OLIVE FARM info@reimersfarmservice.comCheck out our Einbock Tillage Equipment For Organic FarmingTine Weeders Row Crop Cultivators Rotary Hoes Camera GuidanceSystems AND AEROSTAR 900 Tine WeedersDELTA Drain Tile Cleaners Improves Drainage & Conditions Soil Economical & Reliable Low Maintenance Safe and ProvenFALL PRICING ON IN STOCKMYRNA STARK LEADER SALT SPRING ISLAND – George and Sheri Braun are a prime example of pursuing agricultural success by thinking outside of the box. In 2010, they followed their dream, establishing an olive grove on Salt Spring Island. It might have been fate. As dating teenagers, they visited Sheri’s grandparents’ home there. For fun, they drove up Mount Maxwell, a well-known lookout. Fast-forward 45 years when they rediscovered that the photo of them snapped that day clearly shows their eventual 72-acre farm in the valley below. Born in Paraguay and raised in Abbotsford, George’s Ukrainian Mennonite family had some farming history. However, George spent most of his career in construction, building or maintaining railroads, grain elevators, petrochemical operations and transit lines in Alberta, Minnesota and Saskatchewan. For 21 years, the couple lived just outside Calgary as George continued his construction business. A holiday to Spain in 1998 planted the seed of their future olive grove. “We kept coming across these beautiful olive groves, and said to each other ‘One day, maybe, we'll do this in retirement’,” explains Sheri. Back then, they thought about a grove in Portugal or Spain. But with their family in Canada, that wasn’t realistic. Instead, in 2001, they purchased a 27-acre cherry orchard o Lakeshore Drive in Kelowna. “We didn't know a thing about growing cherries or even that there was more than one cherry variety,” says Sheri with a laugh, “but it took us to a warmer climate.” They entrusted orchard management to a well-qualied farm manager. After about ve years, they realized their hope of an organic cherry orchard wasn’t feasible. Also, Kelowna was too cold for even the most northern olive varieties. They sold in 2006, and spent four and half years scouting for land to build their dream, eventually choosing a south-facing hillside on Salt Spring Island. “My mom was born on Salt Spring so I had a vague idea of the climate. It's always been called a mild Mediterranean climate,” says Sheri. Cleared 80 years prior, the property they moved to in 2010 had 50 acres of hay, six acres of grapes and some berries. They cut brush, cleared rock, amended the clay soil, seeding wheat in year one, along with 200 cherry trees, thinking of a mixed farm. Understanding that olive trees typically produce after about 10 years, the Brauns chose to go big. Two years of prepping their land culminated with the planting in 2012 of 1,000 trees of three northern Tuscan varieties sourced from Olivi Nursery in Faireld, California: Leccino, Maurino and Frantoio. “We knew it was a high-risk endeavour, but I’d far sooner wake up one morning and say I lost 1,000 trees than say I wish I would have planted 1,000,” says George. “We thought we could bring in trees and plant them,” Sheri adds. “But they were fragile little slips that needed rooting so we built a greenhouse.” Most of the olives are on 10 by 10 by 18 feet spacing but they also have 2.5 acres of high-density Allegra, a patented variety from Italy, planted on ve by 15 spacing in 2018. “I should have probably gone 20 by 20, at least, on the rst trees because now that there is more canopy, it’s too dense,” says George. They now have approximately 3,000 trees in four groves on 10 acres. The cherries have been removed to focus on the olives. The majority of the land is in hay. Growing olives in BC isn’t for the faint of heart, but they’ve endured. No universities in North America have researched growing olives in Canada because it isn’t viewed as viable so George seeks information from his nursery and follows the research at the University of California-Davis. He also Googles a lot, and has taken online courses from Spain and learned modern olive milling skills through a master miller course in Oregon. Salt Spring couple presses on with olive dreamPersistence delivers rewards and a new BC cropTrees are hardy uExtreme High DigestibilityHigh Disease ResistanceBranch & Tap RootedPerforms in Heavier SoilsRapid Re-GrowthVery High QualityExtreme High DigestibilityHigh Disease ResistanceBranch & Tap RootedPerforms in Heavier SoilsRapid Re-GrowthVery High Quality1.800.282.7856 terraseco.comTerra Seed Corp Tap Root with Branch Root
32 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Trees are hardy and productive www.GroberNutrition.com | 1.800.265.7863 |C.J Brookes Chilliwack (604) 846-2100Dares Country FeedsLangley (604) 856-1611Smithers Feed Store Smithers (250) 847-9810Spruce Capital Feeds LTDPrince George (250) 564-6010Agri-Supply LTDKamloops (250) 372-7446Barriere Country Feeds Inc. Barriere (250) 672-5256Beavervalley FeedsWilliams Lake (250) 392-6282Country West SupplyArmstrong (250) 546-9174Chilliwack (604) 847-3737Find Grober products at the following DairyCrop B.C. area dealers:Top Shelf FeedsCourtenay (250) 897-3302 Duncan (250) 746-5101 Powell River (604) 485-2244Victoria (250) 478-8012Contact the DairyCrop teamGerry DeGroot (604) 819-4139James Robinson 236.986.7693Evan Davidson (604) 991-6708YOUR YOUNG ANIMAL SPECIALISTS SINCE 1974High quality products backed by 50 years of research, knowledge and commitment to young animal nutritionEarly on, experiments included building housing over the trees for winter. But it trapped cold air rather than warming the trees. Annual soil testing determines nutritional requirements and although not certied organic, they only use organic products. Unexpectedly, but happily, 2016 saw their rst harvest and press. The result was 162 200 ml bottles of oil, proving that olives could not only grow in Canada but produce a top-quality product. But the years since have been tough weather-wise, says George. In summer, the trees require irrigation from wells on the property fed through a one-half-inch line hanging a couple feet above the roots. In winter, excess water must be drained away from the trees through weeping tile-like drainage they’ve installed. “We used to joke about facing the perfect storm, but honestly, the environment has been more dicult every year. We’ve had worse winters the last eight than the rst two, and the heat dome two years ago came when the grove was in bloom, baking our blossoms,” says George. Happily, 2022 revived their spirits as 9,600 pounds of olives yielded 339 litres of oil. Even though 500 to 600 trees have suered weather damage through the years, they remain positive. “The trees are hardy,” says Sheri. “George spent the last month pruning new growth that's come back from the roots with a vengeance. So, next year, it'll probably be amazing.” Marketing their oil, which retails for $125 per 200 ml bottle, is a bright spot. The rst customer was a ne-dining Italian restaurant in Vancouver. Without even tasting the product, the chef ordered a case. “We haven't done the things people might normally do, like go to food fairs, because we can’t yet supply the market we have,” says Sheri, adding that most sales have been through word of mouth. Although the Brauns don’t dwell on past decisions, good or bad, purchasing a larger olive mill for the 2016 crop was among the good moves. Extracting oil from their smaller, hardier Canadian olives would likely have been impossible with a smaller version. Like many BC farms today, nding employees and battling weeds are ongoing issues. Two part-time local employees help. However, caring for olive trees takes some learning since it diers from caring for fruit trees. “It's harder than it was in the beginning to nd local help, even pickers. When we nd more skilled agricultural help, we could pull back a bit,” says George, who sees the potential to double or even triple olive oil production as the trees mature. In the meantime, there are more practical obstacles. “George spends hundreds of hours mowing. European groves are sprayed for weeds. You see dirt. We don’t want to do that,” explains Sheri. “We deliberately keep the grass and growth longer to help wick away all the rain. But of course, vegetation needs constant cutting because here it just keeps growing.” They’re looking into a robotic mower which could oer them more freedom. “In Europe they say, ‘You plant a garden for your family, a vineyard for your children and an olive grove for your grandchildren.’ I don’t know if that’s true,” says Sheri. “We love our life here, but it’s been an overwhelming project, and if we’d known what we know today, we may not have been here, but we’re condent we can see this through. We’re all in. We’re farmers and we’ve enjoyed enough success and encouragement to keep our dream alive.” Workers harvest olives at George and Sheri Braun’s grove on Salt Spring Island before the hardy berries are pressed for oil that sells for $625 a litre. SUBMITTED
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 33Robin Tunnicliffe, left, and her partner Sasha Kubicek, right, have the blessing of Geoff Mitchell to take Sea Bluff Farm forward. TOM WALKERTOM WALKER METCHOSIN – Long hours of hard work, years of experience and a ready local market will not guarantee success in vegetable farming on southern Vancouver island without stable, long-term land tenure. “I was tired of leasing land. I’d been doing it for years and it felt like it could all be torn away so quickly,” says veteran market gardener Robin Tunniclie. “Often, it was just a year-long lease and there was no point in investing in perennial crops or infrastructure if I wasn’t going to be there the next year.” It took the passion and legacy of a long-time Metchosin farmer to ensure that Tunniclie and her partner Sasha Kubicek could own land and run a successful farming business. “Bob Mitchell was a well-known gure in the local farming community,” recalls Tunniclie. Residents remember him hauling truckloads of seaweed from local beaches or the stench of the manure piles that helped build his soil. He served on the Metchosin council and the local agriculture committee. “He was committed to local agriculture and he rmly believed that farmland should Metchosin farm transitions to new owners Ownership lays a foundation for growing Sea Bluff’s legacy be farmed, not sit idle in the shadow of a large house,” she says. Plans fulfilled uUSED EQUIPMENT KUBOTA K76249H 76” SKIDSTEER SNOWBLOWER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,500 KUBOTA AP-SC2572, 72” SKID CUTTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,500 JD XUV560E 4S GATOR 2019, 4 SEATER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14,500 NH 1033 BALE WAGON, 105 BALES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,500 NH 1036 BALE WAGON, 70 BALES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,500 SHAVER #10 POST DRIVER, SKIDSTEER MOUNT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,500 USED TRACTORS KUBOTA T2380 2017, 48” DECK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,500 TORO 328D 48” MOWERS, 2,900 HRS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,500 KUB F2880 2006, 1,411HRS, 60” REAR DISCHARGE . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,500 KUB M5-111HDCC24, 2021, TRACW/ M32 LDR, 35HRS . . . . . . 115,000 KUB GF1800-4W, 2010, 1,100HRS, NEW 60” MOWER DECK . . . . . 16,900 NEW INVENTORY KUBOTA RAKES, TEDDERS, MOWERS, POWER HARROWS - CALL! RAIN-FLO MULCH LAYERS, MULCH LIFTERS & TRANSPLANTERS, IN-STOCK OMH PROSCREEN, TOPSOIL SCREENERS. 68”, 78” AND 108” MODELS CONSTRUCTION KUB SVL75-2HWC 2016, CAB, HYD CPLR, 2,000HRS . . . . . . . . . . 63,500 KUB SSV65P 2021, CAB, HYD CPLR, 130HRS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64,850 KUB SVL75-2 CAB, HYD CPLR, STD FLOW 1,100HRS . . . . . . . . . . . 71,500 KUB SVL95 2020, CAB, HIGH FLOW, 225hrs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99,375 CASE 420CT, 2007, TRACK LOADER, ROPS, 1,750HRS . . . . . . . . . . 45,000 CAT 289D 2019, TRACK LOADER, CAB, 1621 HRS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74,750 TORO TX1000 2017, MINI TRACK LOADER, 300HRS . . . . . . . . . . . 29,500 TORO 22473 TRENCHER, 2017 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,500 KUB KX080-42 2019, HYD Q/A, 2 BKTS, THUMB, 590HRS . . . . . . 145,000 WACKER NEUSON RD12 2021, 67 HRS, DRUM ROLLER . . . . . . . 22,500
34| FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCRobin Tunnicliffe, left, and Sasha Kubicek, right, say Sea Bluff's produce is price-competitive with mainstream grocers, but farming is still a tough row to hoe. TOM WALKERu Plans fulfilled vision In 2010, Tunniclie and her partners in Saanich Organics, Rachel Fisher and Heather Stretch, wrote All the Dirt: Reections on Organic Farming. “Bob read our book in 2012 and basically head-hunted me and Sasha to come and run Sea Blu Farm,” Tunniclie recalls. “He told me during my rst interview that if we did a good job at managing, the farm would be ours. But I didn’t really believe him.” Kubicek, an accountant, put together a detailed business plan and budget and the couple agreed to move onto Sea Blu Farm. “We work about eight of the 10 acres of land, and we have a lease plot just up the road where we grow our warm summer crops,” Tunniclie says. “The soil is excellent from all the work Bob has done. “There is lots of water and pipes to the whole area and there were outbuildings, a tractor and other equipment.” Mitchell was very keen to support the couple in making the farm a success. “He really wanted the farm to thrive, and when I asked him for something, he would deliver,” says Tunniclie. That included building a dedicated wash station on a cement pad, installing coolers and helping with hoop houses. “I think it was one of the greatest joys for him, seeing this property become what he knew it could,” she said. “Every once in a while, Bob would mention that the farm would be ours, but it put us in a bit of a dicult situation.” As farm mangers, the couple received a salary but didn’t have a lease on the property. They talked to Bob’s son Geo who assured them that his dad had always thought that way. “Bob had always told his son that if he wasn’t going to farm it, he wasn’t going to get the land,” Tunniclie says. Geo assured them he wasn’t interested in being a farmer and that he would abide by his father’s wishes. Shortly before Mitchell’s death in 2022 at the age of 83, he had the papers drawn up and Tunniclie and Kubicek became the owners of Sea Blu farm. “We are so grateful to Bob,” Tunniclie says. “Owning a farm of our own is a dream come true and we love living in Metchosin.” Ownership has given the couple the assurance they needed to continue to expand the operation to include strawberries, blueberries and more apple trees. The mild southern Vancouver Island microclimate allows them to grow year-round, often with three plantings in a plot of soil and a variety of some 45 crops. “This is such an excellent farm site,” Tunniclie says. “And we are in an ideal location for local sales.” About 80% of their production is sold through their on-farm stand, open Tuesdays and Saturdays, and their local box program. The rest is sold through Saanich Organics, a group of three farmers who supply 200 CSA box customers, three downtown Victoria farmers markets and a stable of some 40 restaurants. “Our marketing is what makes us a success,” says Tunniclie. “Our local customers are amazing. They really value the quality of our produce and now we are nding that we are price-competitive with imported food in the chain grocery stores.” Located 45 minutes from downtown Victoria, Metchosin is dotted with small multi-acre plots of ALR land, most with expansive houses. Many run just enough livestock to qualify for farm status. “When you drive along William Head Road, there are dozens of farm properties like ours, but almost no one is farming as intensely as we are,” Tunniclie notes. “There is only one other vegetable stand at the Metchosin farmers market.” She says she encourages her neighbours to lease out their elds. “I tell them to get their hands on a Young Agrarian so they can continue their tax break, because the fellows that run livestock are getting pretty old,” she says. Given the price of land, it’s not hard to see why there are so few farms. “There is a 12-acre piece of bare land right across the road Matsqui Ag-Repair Abbotsford, BCNorth Valley EquipmentArmstrong, BCNorthline Equipment Pouce Coupe, BCHuber Equipment Prince George, BCSmithers, BCVisit your local KUHN Hay & Forage dealer today!Invest in Quality®www.kuhn.comFC 61 TL SERIES | Side-Pull Mower Conditioners9'2" – 11'6" working widthsStandard drawbar or 2-point Gyrodine® swivel hitch for tight turnsBroadest range of windrow width settings in the industryFinger, rubber roller or steel roller conditioning–adjustable for any cropLubed-for-life Optidisc® Elite cutterbar and Fast-Fit® bladesfrom us that has about eight acres in hay production and is listed for $2.195 million,” Tunniclie notes. “Our farm is a commercial success, we make a good income from our land, but there is no way we could aord to pay $2 million for a property.” Tunniclie supports the work Young Agrarians is doing through the province’s land-matching program to link landowners with young farmers seeking land. “But I believe that if properties are going to get a tax break by leasing to a farmer, there should be a requirement for a ve-year lease in order to qualify for farm status,” she says. “That would give the farmer some security to make improvements to the land.” Sea Blu Farm is able to oer full-time employment to four workers, but Tunniclie says it’s hard to nd reliable help who will accept the rigours of small-scale farming. “It’s hard work, there is no way around it,” she says. “Even though we pay considerably more than minimum wage, it’s expensive to live on the south island.” Tunniclie hasn’t ruled out turning to foreign workers. “We know that would be a good source of labour on the farm, but it makes me sad that we can’t make it work with local workers growing food for locals,” she says. There is so much potential for local food to be grown on the island, Tunniclie points out. Fifty years ago, the Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable (CRFAIR) estimates that over 80% of what Vancouver Island residents ate was grown there. Today, the share is around 10%. “We have so much potential to be a breadbasket here,” Tunniclie says. “That’s my dream, to keep feeding Metchosin.”
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 35Feb. 27-29 | 9am-12:30pm PSTWATER, SOIL, CLIMATEResearch and resources to support BC FarmersRegister now for this free event!watersoilclimate.eventbrite.caHosted by the BC Agricultural Climate Action Research NetworkSupported by the BC Ministry of Agriculture and FoodJoin us online for sessions that showcase programs,research and tools to help farmers adapt to climatechange - from dealing with drought to building soil health.Virtual Workshop v4200W Model ShownDESIGNEDFOR HARSH CONDITIONS• 34” high mouldboard• Spring trip on cutting edge• Bucket edge mount or Qtach available• Replaceable, reversible steel cutting edge• Replaceable, reversible rubber cutting edge (OPTIONAL)• Skid shoes optional• 36” deep fixed endplates• Available in 10’ 12’ 14’ widths• 2 Year Commercial WarrantyMax Operating Weight 25,000 LB.• Spring trip on cutting edge• 34” high mouldboard• Lateral float• Two angle cylinders• Hydraulic 35º angle either direction• Replaceable, reversible steel cutting edge• Replaceable, reversible rubber cutting edge (OPTIONAL)• Skid shoes• Cross-over relief valve protection• Heavy duty construction• Available in 9’ 10’ 12’ 14’ widths• 2 Year Commercial WarrantyMax Operating Weight 25,000 LB.1.866.567.4162 www.hlasnow.comNo crying over spilt spudsJust pick up and carry on is the best strategy I’ve been scheduled to give a talk on organic potato production at the Pacic Agriculture Show. I’ve been preparing primarily by repeatedly running through the list of reasons why I should have refused the oer. This ineective preparation method is not leading me down the road to creating an informative and entertaining talk on the specic challenges of producing marketable potatoes in an organic system. In fact, I did refuse the oer, on the grounds that my expertise is limited to my own farm, which is quite niche, not to mention small. I suggested that the big operator in the Fraser Valley who grows organic potatoes in massive scale might be a more appropriate expert. But no, they did ask him, and he said he was too big to be useful. So back it came to me, I said yes, and now here we are. In my mind, the main limiter is that I don’t know much about fertilizers. We use cover crops and a long rotation for fertility, a system we’ve been working on for decades. It works for us. In terms of scalability, it is not ideal, and I don’t think it is very relatable either, which is the main trouble. I’ve been doing some organic-approved fertilizer research, so I hope to be able to answer questions, but I’ll be skipping lightly over the topic during the actual presentation. However, the topic of this article is about to change. I just got back to my computer from a big day of washing and sorting potatoes and, you guys, I almost tipped over 3,000 lbs. It happened early this morning as I was flying around getting ready for the all-star crew to arrive. As you do, when you want to be efficient, right? We store the potatoes in 1000 lb totes and stack them three high in the cooler and move them around with a hand pallet jack. A “family member” once tried to transport a three-stack on the tractor forks, so this would not have been the first 3,000 lb spill. No one has ever driven the stack on the pallet jack right out the door of the cooler, though. Luckily, only one front wheel went over and down so the stack tipped crazily but jammed against the door. I was able to lift the fallen corner with the tractor fork, and slowly move the whole works back into the cooler. It was an undeniably advanced loader move that required years of experience, nerves of steel, and a feather-light yet confident hand on the loader control. Having only one of those requirements, I was lucky to accomplish it. The most potatoes we ever had to pick up was around 6000 lbs. That was the time “family member” accidentally hit the lever that activates the live bunker bottom on the harvester and emptied a full load while leaving the field. The situation taxed, to the very extreme, everyone’s ability to stifle emotional impulses. We just hunkered down and started picking up potatoes. Eventually we got to the end of the pile. The closest I came to crying over spilt potatoes was several years ago at a Vancouver market. At this market location, we had to run the truck up a bit of a hill to make room for the tents. We’d done it like that several times. This time, however, when I opened the back to start unloading, all the 30 lb trays of potatoes fell out, one by one, in quick succession. Bam bam bam. I think there were 60 bins. The stunning finished product was an 1800 lb pile of potatoes studded with plastic bins. The emotional part was the amazing fellow vendors who, without a word, left their own set-up routines and dropped to their knees to pick up our potatoes. No questions, no wry comments, barely even arched eyebrows. Just help. I love them all. We joke about it now. Anna Helmer farms in Pemberton and really appreciates a finite pile. Farm Story ANNA HELMER
36 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCHenderson (finally) takes time for soul-searchingWhen we left o last time, Delta had all but refused Kenneth’s oer to move back to the city with him, saying she needed some space to think, and suggested he do the same. Rising from a sleepless night at Newt and Susan’s, his mother wasted no time in calling him out on his self-pity. Rural Redemption, Part 167, continues ... Kenneth tracked Newt down in the barn and asked if he could stay on for a while until he had a chance to sort things out with Delta. Newt said it would be ne with him as long as he got the okay from Susan. Kenneth said she was just waiting for the go-ahead from Newt so he would take them up on the oer, and he wasn’t sure how long it would be for. “Troubles then?” asked Newt. Kenneth nodded. “I don’t know what you’re up against and whatever it is, it’s no business of mine. That said, I’m going to share one observation. You can make what you want of it. I’ve seen alcohol cause a lot of problems over the years, but I never saw it solve a single one.” Kenneth bristled briey but his mother’s lecture, a sleepless night and half a bottle of Scotch had taken the starch out of him. “Point taken,” he said. Kenneth left, resolved to do some soul-searching and get some sleep. He would see Delta tomorrow. ttt Junkyard Frank was at the coee club table at the store after the morning rush the next day, lamenting that ever since they started putting all that computer stu in cars nobody came to him for a tune-up anymore. Lois said maybe he should advertise then. Frank said there wasn’t much point in advertising something you couldn’t do anymore, but it was a shame things had fallen o so badly on the tow truck end of it, too. Lois said folks were probably scared o by the old truck and maybe he should think about buying a newer one. “Holy jumpin’, Lois! You got any idea what one of those would set me back?” Lois didn’t have any idea, but she knew money wasn’t the problem. Frank had made a career of acting poor and he played the part convincingly. Lois found out otherwise when Frank asked her to sign on to be the executor of his will. She agreed but had to promise not to breathe a word to anyone about his “assets and such.” She had been playing a supporting role for years and knew full well that Frank could plunk down the cash for any tow truck that caught his fancy. Frank was still shaking his head and tsk-tsking the notion of a new truck when the door opened, and a tall, dark stranger walked in and said good morning. “Morning,” said Lois. “What can I get you?” “A cup of coee and some information, I hope.” Lois pointed him to the coee urn and said it was do-it-yourself. “What do you need to know?” she asked. “I was wondering if you might know Delta Fording?” “Maybe. I know a Delta but she’s not a Fording.” “That could be her. She’s divorced and probably isn’t using Fording anymore.” “That sounds like her,” said Frank. “I know her. Know where she lives, too. Fine looking woman?” “Very. Could you tell me how to nd her?” Frank was halfway through saying he sure could when Lois cut him o. “Hold your horses, both of you. Mister, if you want to see this Delta you’re looking for, why don’t you phone her and get her to tell you where she lives?” “I don’t have her number.” “So, before we send you o on a wild goose chase, maybe you should tell me who you are and I’ll call her and see if you ring a bell with her, and is she at home to company?” “At home to company?” “That’s a polite way of asking if she wants you bothering her.” “But ...” “No buts. If you don’t have her number and you don’t have a name, you’re barking up the wrong tree.” “You don’t understand.” “I understand if you were a gentleman nobody would have to coach you through this, and if you’re not a gentleman, you’ve got no business imposing your company on a lady. And the Delta I know is most certainly a lady. “I’m an old friend.” “Save it,” said Lois. “Pretend you’re a prisoner of war. Name, rank and serial number.” The stranger raised both hands and surrendered. “My name is Vernon Jones. I’m from Calgary and I’ve known Delta for more than 15 years. I work with her husband – ex-husband.” “Alright, Mr. Jones, you have your coee and I’ll see if you pass muster. Frank will tell you all about his tow truck and nothing else. Right, Frank?” Lois stepped around the corner and called Delta. “Hi, Delta. It’s Lois at the store. I’ve got a stranger here asking after you. Says his name is Vernon Jones and he’s from Calgary, and he’s an old friend of yours. Wants us to tell him where you live. Any of this sound legit?” “Oh, my goodness, sure. Vern and Linda. We kind of lost touch after Ricky and I split.” “Should I send him over?” “Sure, by all means. Thanks, Lois.” “Okay, Mr. Jones, it looks like you and Linda are good to go. Follow the road out front, start counting the driveways on your right and turn into number four. Follow it down until you get to the house.” It took Vernon Jones less than ve minutes to get away from the store and arrive at the old Corbett place. Delta was waiting on the porch. “Hello, Vern. Whatever brings you this way?” “I heard from Rick you’d settled out this way and I was kind of in the area, so I thought I’d look you up.” “Well, I’m glad you did. Where’s Linda?” “I’m on my own. Linda and I are divorced.” “I’m sorry. I’ve lost touch with everyone since I left.” “No need to be sorry. It’s all over and done with and probably for the best all-in-all.” “How long?” “It’s been nal for three weeks, but she moved out not all that long after you left.” “So, this is a long way to come. What brought you this way?” “I might as well say it: you did. I’ve been thinking about you ever since you left, Delta. I couldn’t think of any other place to go, anywhere else I want to be.” Oh-oh, thought Delta. ... to be continued Woodshed Chronicles BOB COLLINSThousands of BC farmers and ranchers turn to Country Life in BC every month to nd out what (and who!) is making news in BC agriculture and how it may affect their farms and agri-businesses! www.countrylifeinbc.com/subscribeCREDIT CARD # _________________________________________________________________ EXP _____________ CVV _____________ o NEW o RENEWAL | o ONE YEAR ($18.90) oT WO YEARS ($33.60) o THREE YEARS ($37.80) Your Name ____________________________________________________________________________________________ City ________________________________________________ Postal Code _______________________________________ Phone _________________________ Email _______________________________________________________________ MAIL TO: 36 DALE RD, ENDERBY, BC V0E 1V4 subscriptions@ countrylifeinbc.com Please send a _______ year gift subscription to ______________________________________________________________ Farm Name ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Address ______________________________________________________________________________________________ City _________________________________________________ Postal Code ________ ______________________________ Phone _________________________ Email _______________________________________________________________
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 37Cosmopolitan flavours lead chef to farming Grower’s long-term plan targets value-added processingCarlos Rodriguez is looking forward to expanding his business on leased land in Kelowna. MYRNA STARK LEADERMust be 19+ to playLottery #1469684-H BC GATOR4-H BC GATORLOTTERYLOTTERYLots of great prizes up for grabs!Tickets just $10.00 eachChances are 1 in 10,000 to win!Know your Limit, Play within ItProblem Gambling Help Line: 1-888-795-6111 | www.bcresponsiblegambling.caMYRNA STARK LEADER KELOWNA – An aspiring market gardener is setting his sights on value-added products as he scales up his Kelowna farm. Born in Mexico with Peruvian heritage and raised in Venezuela, Carlos Rodriguez worked his way from dishwasher to chef at Vancouver restaurants after moving to Canada in 2002. Visits to the Okanagan and stints working at Mission Hill Family Estate Winery in 2015 and 2016 prompted him to relocate to Kelowna in 2020. He hoped to open a restaurant but decided to work for a summer with organic grower and podcaster Jordan Marr of Unearthed Organics, whom he met while working at Mission Hill. “I had always been really interested in growing food because of my cooking experience and the connection to farmers,” Rodriguez says. “Then I saw what happened to the restaurant industry in COVID- time and thought that I could remove the bricks-and-mortar restaurant and still create a hospitality-based business, starting in the garden.” This past summer, leasing 0.125 acres at Helen’s Acres in the Lower Mission district of Kelowna, he focused on growing herbs which he sold at the Kelowna Farmers’ and Crafters’ Market. He also employed his creativity and chef skills to create and sell small batches of dressings, steak sauce and jam that reect his Latin and South American heritage. “I want to focus on culinary herbs rst, then eventually aromatics in general, even medicinals, because it gives me a large window to create with – jams, chutneys relishes, bread, essential oils, teas. It's a broad foundation for me to work from,” he explains. But to sustain the farming venture, known as Okanagan Herb Patch, he required more land. An opportunity presented itself when Simon Answerth, the sole graduate of a three-year farm incubator program spearheaded by the Central Okanagan Community Farm Society and run in conjunction with Trinity Baptist Church in Kelowna, decided to return with his family to Australia to be closer to relatives and the potential to buy aordable land. Answerth’s Lightfoot Farm, a market garden on two acres of leased land in Kelowna’s Glenmore neighbourhood, became available. Answerth arranged to transfer the land to Rodriquez. “I’m happy to be moving to this well-kept and well-maintained farm,” says Rodriguez. “For now, I've got garlic to plant and some carrots to pull, and then I'll hit the ground sprinting in spring.” Rodriguez, who, like Answerth, participated in the mentorship program run by Young Agrarians, is using this winter to rene his planting and business plans. In the short-term, he’ll continue cooking in a rented commercial kitchen, with a longer-term goal of creating and rening products he could sell on a commercial scale. “I'm trying to nd a niche in the market. I don't want to come with the same jams others are making so it might make things a bit more dicult to get footing. But I think Kelowna, and the Okanagan, has a good taste for good food so it's just a matter of the right product, marketing and exposure,” he says. The market garden sits under Rodriguez’s holding company, Allium Hospitality, aptly named since onions are his favourite garden product because of their versatility in the kitchen. “When I get to the place where I can start doing some catering and some dinners, then it'll be Allium Hospitality Hosting,” he explains. While his business plan is continually evolving, his goal for 2024 is a manageable-sized garden. He’s looking at investing in some mechanical cultivation tools to stay on top of weeding, thinking about additional labour to help in the garden and learning more about soil biology and soil building. He understands the importance of right-sizing the business, which is nanced with his savings and a revolving line of credit from Farm Credit Canada. “There is pressure from myself to make next year protable, so it's a delicate balance between how much land or how little land I can make money on. And then what am I going to do with the rest?” he says, adding, “I plan to cover crop to really hold onto Simon's hard work because it's a real benet to come into a garden that's been well-tended.” Rodriguez has found that people are still willing to spend on food and experiment tasting new avours despite a tighter economic climate. He’s also happy Answerth’s landlord supports his vision for the land. “Finding arable land here, with landlords in touch with the realities of farming, was challenging,” he says, noting that several people asked rents in the range of $500 to $1,500 a month, not including infrastructure and with no long-term tenure. “This landowner has an agricultural background and is in touch with the realities of farming, things like agreeing to ample notice if anything was to change with the land, and having details in writing,” he says. Rodriguez says another positive is the camaraderie between small-scale local market gardeners. “Everybody wants to see everyone else succeed. So, whether it's information sharing, or a bit of tool sharing, or time sharing, there's just a lot of that going around,” he says. “Simon has passed on that goodwill from being there himself and I hope I could do the same in the future.”
38 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCSpoon-shaped puff pastry garnished with a dab of cream cheese, capers and smoked salmon get a special meal off to a great start. JUDIE STEEVESBy February, I’m always ready to celebrate something: ANYTHING! Christmas is long over, as is New Year’s and it’s been too long without a jolly occasion. So, I leap at the opportunity to celebrate Valentine’s Day and my love for family and friends in February – not to mention my favourite sweetie. Since I show my love for them all by cooking, a special meal is always top of the list to demonstrate that I’m thinking of them—and all good thoughts! I have to be perfectly honest here. I thoroughly enjoy having a special meal cooked for me as well, and the following recipes came from my daughter, Emily, who cooked this very special meal for us as a perfect and very personal Christmas gift this year. She opened the occasion with a glass of bubbly and crispy, delectable spoon-shaped puff pastry with a dab of herbed cream cheese, capers and smoked salmon with fresh dill, served in front of the fire. We then moved to the dining table for a delicious pumpkin soup, followed by perfectly seared scallops with twists of green onion and lemon; then the main course: roasted whole carrots and beans with these potatoes gratin and steak with red wine glaze. The meal was capped off with a Steak and potatoes, dressed up for farePotatoes gratin are the perfect accompaniment to steak with red wine glaze – at Valentine's, or any special time. JUDIE STEEVESJude’s Kitchen JUDIE STEEVESPOTATOES GRATIN4 medium potatoes 2 tbsp. (30 ml) butter 2 shallots 2 cloves of garlic 1/2 c. (125 ml) cream 1/2 c. (125 ml) Swiss cheese couple of sprigs of fresh thyme salt and freshly ground black pepper • Thinly slice the potatoes across the narrow part. • Spray a little oil in a half-dozen or so mun cups, ready for the sliced potatoes. • Melt butter in a frypan over medium heat and mince the shallots (or green onions or onions) and garlic. Add to pan and cook until they’re translucent. • Add a half cup of cream and simmer it all for a few minutes. • Meanwhile, layer half the sliced potatoes in the greased mun cups. Pour half the onion, garlic and cream mixture over them. Top with fresh thyme leaves, salt and pepper and a slice of Swiss cheese. (You could also grate it.) • Top with the second half of the potato slices, the rest of the cream mixture, thyme leaves and the remainder of the Swiss cheese. • Cover loosely with foil and bake at 350° F for about 40 minutes. • You could make them up to this point, then refrigerate until 15 minutes before dinner is ready to serve. Then, pop them back in the oven for 10 minutes to reheat and crisp up, without the foil. • Serves 4-6. scrumptious chocolate mousse with orange whipped cream and a fresh mint leaf. I had to ask for a couple of recipes, which she shared with me and I thought would make a great Valentine’s Day meal for your sweetie. Or, a memorable meal to celebrate your special someone’s birthday. Whatever your occasion, pick one and cook up something fun, delicious and special. These make elegant little individual servings of potatoes that are crisp on top and creamy inside and look really classy on the plate. Quantities can be varied to suit.RED WINE GLAZE FOR STEAK2 garlic cloves 1/4 red onion knob of butter 2 c. (500 ml) red wine 1 tsp. (5 ml) fresh thyme leaves 1 tsp. (5 ml) fresh rosemary 3 tbsp. (45 ml) beef stock paste 2 tbsp. (30 ml) brown sugar 2 tbsp. (30 ml) water 1 tbsp. (15 ml) cornstarch 1 tbsp. (15 ml) butter • Mince garlic and nely chop sweet onion, shallots or green onion. Melt a knob of butter on medium heat in a frypan and sauté garlic and onion until soft. Add red wine and bring to bubbling. Keep bubbling to reduce the mixture for ve minutes or so, stirring occasionally. • Add chopped thyme and rosemary and simmer for another few minutes. Add beef stock paste such as Better than Bouillon and brown sugar and let simmer for a further ve or 10 minutes. • Combine cold water and cornstarch in a tiny bowl and add to the sauce, whisking in quickly while still bubbling until it thickens and clears. • Whisk in cold butter to melt and smooth the sauce and serve while still hot. • Serves 4-6. This is rich and decadent with a steak. Spread on a plate and top with your favourite hot barbecued or seared steak.
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC FEBRUARY 2024 | 49TRACTORS/EQUIPMENTREAL ESTATEFOR SALEFOR SALEHELP WANTEDHAYBERRIESIRRIGATIONFor Tissue Culture Derived Plants of New Varieties of Haskaps, Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, Saskatoon Berries and Sour Cherries, Please Contact:DISEASE FREE PLANTING STOCK OF NEW BERRY CROPS 4290 Wallace Hill Road, Kelowna, BC, V1W 4B6info@agriforestbiotech.com250.764.2224www.agriforestbiotech.com NEW POLYETHYLENE TANKS of all shapes & sizes for septic and water storage. Ideal for irrigation, hydropon-ics, washdown, lazy wells, rain water, truck box, fertizilizer mixing & spray-ing. Call 1-800-661-4473 for closest distributor. Manufactured in Delta by Premier Plastics premierplastics.com DON GILOWSKI 250-260-0828 Royal LePage Downtown Realty Ltd BUYING OR SELLING OKANAGAN FARM, RANCH OR ACREAGE? REAL ESTATECOURTENAY HEREFORDS. Cattle for Sale: yearling bulls and bred heifers. John 250/334-3252 or Johnny 250-218-2537.PYESTERDAY’S TRADITION - TODAY’S TECHNOLOGYMANAGERS Phil Brown 250-293-6857 Catherine Brown 250-293-6858 ccr.princeton@gmail.com www.coppercreekranch.com PRINCETON, BC Raising registered polled & horned Herefords & F1s. BREEDING BULLS FOR SALE.LIVESTOCKDeBOER’S USED TRACTORS & EQUIPMENT GRINDROD, BCJD 6300 4WD OPEN PLATFORM W/640 LDR $36,000 JD 1630 W/LDR 15,000 MF 165 DSL W/LDR, CANOPY 9,000 JD 1630 W/LDR 16,000 ED DEBOER 250/838-7362 cell 250/833-6699 CURT DEBOER 250/838-9612 cell 250/804-6147CUSTOM BALING 3x4 BIG SQUARES SILAGE BALING/WRAPPING ED DEBOER 250/833-6699 CURT DEBOER 250/804-6147EDVENTURE HAY SALES ENDERBY<dX`c1ZcXjj`Ô\[j7Zflekipc`]\`eYZ%ZfdfiZXcc1-'+%*)/%*/(+C@E<8;J1),nfi[jfic\jj#d`e`dld(*gclj>JK#\XZ_X[[`k`feXcnfi[`j%),;@JGC8P8;J1),gclj>JKg\iZfclde`eZ_M[WYY[fjcW`ehYh[Z_jYWhZi$8l^ljk@jjl\;\X[c`e\1Alcp).#)')' EQUIPMENT DISPERSAL • CARRO IRRIGATION REEL 110/400 (3.8” x 1300 ft hose). Honda motor drive. Nelson 150 gun. $12,500 • NH 520 manure spreader, c/w end gate, rear pan & top beater, side extensions, mint condition, $13,750 • FIRESTONE radial 8000, 460/85R38 (18.4/R38) 70% tread, $950 • LOEWEN BOX SCRAPER, 3 pt, with rubber, like new, $800 • JD CLAMP-ON DUALS 18.4-38, $2,500 TONY 604-850-4718Craig Elachie ShorthornsGrant & Barbara Smith | Balmoral Farms 250.835.0133 craigelachieshorthorns@gmail.com 1802 Tappen-Notch Hill Rd Tappen BC V0E 2X3RINIER EL 140 IN-ROW TILLER SN 17859 $8,500 Call 778-241-1665 ADVERTISING THAT WORKS!Available now, 4- 1/4 mile Used VALLEY, ZIMMATIC, T.L. PIVOTS, 3- Used 1,000 ft, 1,250 ft Hose reels, 10,000 ft 12 in 8,000ft 10 in HDPE, Steel pipe in all sizes used. Dealer for Pierce Pivots, T.L Piv-ots, lease your new or used pivot, Hose reels, RM, Idrio, diesel pumps, centrifugal, submersible, freq drives, pump stations, 30 years experience. Talk to Brock! 250 319 3044FEEDERS & PANELS that maintain their value!ROUND BALE FEEDERS BIG SQUARE BALE FEEDERS FENCE PANELS CATTLE & HORSE FEEDERSHEAVY DUTY OIL FIELD PIPE CRADLE FEEDERS. Single big square or 2 round bales Outside measurement is 8 feet x 12 feet Silage bunk feeders For product pictures, check out Double Delichte Stables on Facebook www.doubledelichtefarms.ca Dan 250/308-9218 ColdstreamROUND BALED HAY HAYLAGE & SILAGE All good quality feed, tight well wrapped bales. First cut harvested in early May: $110/bale. Second cut sold out. Third cut: $120/bale. No rain. Volume discounts. Selling fast. CARL 604-825-9108 ourgoodearth@live.com LIVESTOCKDEAN SPADY, Presidentspadylivestock@gmail.comGARY WOOD, Vice Presidentsemiahmooshorthorns@shaw.ca • M.K MARTIN Land Leveler LLT-10. Purchased new in 2020. Excellent condition. $4,000 • FERRI Ditch side mower ZE20ROD ZMFE200 8’ head. Purchased new in 2020. $4,000 JAMES 604 202 0428 YOURHelping YouWEEKLY FARM NEWS UPDATESURg YougYouWSNEW HOLLAND 5060 square baler. Very good condition, well maintained, stored inside. 2012 model. Bales approximately 20,000 bales. Lower Mainland. $26,000 obo. krystibryant@yahoo.ca REGENERATIVE FARM MANAGER wanted, Cranbrook, BC. Visit https://www.algaecal.com/careers/ or Call 604 262 2753 DISCOVER PRINCE GEORGE BURNS LAKE 6 bed/3 bath, 40x80 shop, 4.88 ac, MLS R2837650 $399,900 LOG HOME on 159 acres, 6 bed/3 bath. MLS R2838745 $599,999 PINEVIEW 5 acres with 2240 sqft home, 2700 sqft shop. MLS R2839389 $599,000 SALMON RIVER 141 acres north of PG, MLS R2838283 $234,900 MINUTES FROM CITY 46.44 acres, dev. pot., MLS R2838250 $360,000 ALEZA LAKE 32 private acres w/lake-front, R2767603, $89,900 UNIVERSITY WAY 161 acres raw land, 7 min from DT R2768741 $7,031,000 NORTH NECHAKO 35.88 ac w/subdivi-sion in place for 25 lots. R2768501 $1,022,650 DEV POTENTIAL 4.28 acres min from downtown. R2764657 $532,250 SHAMROCK RD 13 acres in city zoned RS2, AG R2765461 $222,500 CHIEF LK RD 2 bed mobile on 16 acres, R2692851 $199,900 ROBSON VALLEY Cozy home on 159 acres in Robson Valley. R2819439 $599,900 SINKUT LAKE Cabin w/breathtaking views on 79 acres. R2826706 $299,900 PURDEN SKI HILL Home away from home. R2790401 $149,000 CLOSE TO AIRPORT 80.49 acres, multi-use zoning R2702887 $699,900 KELLOG CREEK RANCH 5 titles, 7000 acres range, 2200 sq ft home, guest cabin C8059864 $1,899,900 SHADY REST Mobile & RV park on 23.87 acres, Hwy 16, Houston C8049762 $1,450,000 56 CITY ACRES Zoned AF, bring your ideas R2716736 $2,399,900 DOME CREEK 160 acres with tons of potential. R2702148 $399,900 CATTLE RANCH 1,280 acres; 5 bed/3 bath home. Fenced, outbuildings; R2804464 $2,000,000 SAXTON LAKE ROAD: R2610535 and more lots available in this area. CRANBROOK HILL 77 acres w/dev po-tential minutes from UNBC. R2640598 $1,335,000 HART HWY 54.95 acres. R2640583. $649,900 CLOSE TO THE LAKE 8.3 acres. R2610880 $224,900 69+ ACRES ON RIVER Approx 50 acres in hay. River, road access. R2775277 $838,000 55 ACRES Dev potential close to airport. R2707390, $675,000 80 ACRES/TIMBER VALUE Zoning allows ag, housing, forestry & more. R2665497 $449,900 15 MINUTES TO PG 58 Acres, mostly flat lot with lots of potential. R2665474, $349,900 Carrie Nicholson PREC* 250-614-6766 Carrie Nicholson PREC* 250-614-6766 HWY FRONTAGE 190 acres w/exc po-tential for subdivision/commercial ven-tures. R2660646 $650,000 WRIGHT CR RD 195 acres bare land. R2655719 $578,500 21 ACRES PG in city limits on Hwy 16, R2816079 $595,000 RANCHEREE LAKE 160 ac north of PG MLS R2810798 $217,400 NORTH NECHAKO 40+ acres, timber. MLS R2743590 $845,500 CITY LIMITS 297 ac of development land. MLS R2750732 $6,695,000 BLACKBURN RD 33 ac of prime land in city limits. MLS R2707522 $779,000 160 ACRES in city limits with develop-ment potential MSL R2750747 $3,596,000 PRIME LAND 30+acres zoned AF. MLS R2707553, $779,000 LARGE PARCEL 40 acres, development op, MLS R2707552, $1,157,000 IDEAS WANTED 114.77 ac south of city MLS R2815937 $2,490,000 TABOR 7.61 acres short drive from town. R2808337 $99,900 PRINCE GEORGE & AREA SUBDIVISION LOTS: PARADISE ESTATES: R2688574 and more lots available in this subdivision. GLADTIDING ESTATES R2687614 and more lots available in this subdivision. CHIEF LAKE ROAD: R2689813 and more lots available in this subdivision. PRIME DEVELOPMENT 28 acres at Otway & Foothills Blvd MSL R2774437, $3,471,000 CHARMING FARMHOUSE on 39 ac, lots of storage, MLS R2796441 $599,900 TABOR LAKE 7.31 ac, zoned residential single family. MLS R2805409 $209,900 March deadline February 17BOOK YOUR MARKETPLACE AD BY FEBRUARY 17
40 | FEBRUARY 2024 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC