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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. 109 No.6The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 JUNE 2023 | Vol. 109 No. 6FLOOD Sod industry sees slow recovery from disasters 7 PEOPLE New agriculture minister settling into her role 11 ADVOCACY New farmers institutes form to address gaps 19PETER MITHAM COMOX – The sudden onset of heat in May has given some insects the boost they needed after a cool spring. Tent caterpillars were ourishing on Pender Island, while in Comox, integrated pest management specialist Bonnie Zand was on the lookout for spider mites. “Most of our pests, their development depends on heat units,” she says. “Expect that timings may be pushed ahead.” A single burst of heat isn’t a disaster in itself but it primes bug populations to ourish later in the season. “We had four or ve days of high, 28, 29 degree weather … [which] really gives them a jump on development,” she says. “Depending on what the rest of the season does, we’ve got pests that like really hot dry weather, things like spider mites. So if we continue with hot and dry from this early in the season, it’s just going to give those pests that really like that a boost.” Conversely, pests like cabbage maggot, which prefer a cool, wet spring and thrived last year could be stopped in their tracks by a sudden change in weather. Zand recommends that growers scout their fcrops, taking note of anything unusual and recognizing that conditions are constantly evolving. “Check your elds is what I would say,” she says. “Be aware that things can change really quickly with that burst of really hot weather that we’ve had.” While the hot weather has A wave of warm weather in mid-May helped keep apple trees on track, with blossoms like these heralding a solid crop this fall. But much depends on pollination and good weather through the rest of the season, two variables growers know better than to take for granted. MYRNA STARK LEADERPest pressures shiftKATE AYERS & PETER MITHAM FORT ST. JOHN – Wildre season is o to an early start in BC, driven by dry conditions last fall that have continued into this year. “It’s been very dry. We went into the winter with the driest soil conditions I've ever seen,” says grain producer Dave Wuthrich of PW Farms in Flatrock, a half-hour drive east of Fort St. John. “We're used to seeding into mud. And it is so dry that I seeded through slough holes that I have never Dry heat hitsNew season, old foesBlossoms of hopeForage Seed1-800-661-4559Produced by & available atDisruptions uWarm weather u
2 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCallowed some crops to catch up after being delayed a week or two by cool weather earlier in the season, Zand notes that the same holds true for wild plants that serve as alternative host to pests. Spotted-wing drosophila could get a lift from the development of salmonberries, for example, creating a larger base population that’ll be keen to infest commercial fruit crops later in the season. This year will also see provincial entomologists and growers on the lookout for various invasive species. Surveillance for Japanese beetle will continue in the Lower Mainland, where a new control zone was established in Burnaby. The beetle has also been identied in Richmond and Port Coquitlam, which was home last year to the largest number of beetles trapped outside Vancouver, where the pest was initially discovered in 2017. Japanese beetle has also been noted in Yakima and Benton counties of eastern Washington, key grape-growing regions where eradication eorts are underway to protect local agricultural operations. Surveillance also continues for Northern Giant Hornet, which has not been reported in BC since 2020. However, three nests were destroyed in Washington in 2021 and US regulations require three consecutive years of no detections prior to declaring a pest eradicated. Spotted Lanterny is also a looming threat. While it has not been detected in BC, a possible sighting occurred in Washington in 2021. Dead specimens have also been found in Oregon and California. Ontario’s agriculture sector is on the lookout, too, as the pest has spread rapidly since the initial detection in Pennsylvania in 2014. seeded before in my life.” The Prince George re centre, which includes the Peace region, reported 51 wildres as of May 21, or more than half of 91 wildres burning across the province. The res have consumed more than 500,000 acres. This compares to less than 5,000 in the rest of the province. To date, the province has reported 288 wildres this year, signalling an early and aggressive start to the wildre season. The res, including the Stoddart Creek and Red Creek wildres, had put 130 livestock operations under evacuation orders and a further 90 on evacuation alert as of May 16, according to the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food. In addition, res northwest of Fort St. John briey put the entire city on evacuation alert. The res have disrupted an otherwise smooth start to the growing season for grain producers, many of whom were three-quarters of the way through seeding when the evacuation alerts occurred. “They need to make a decision whether they will choose to stay or leave,” says Peace River Forage Association coordinator Nadia Mori, who says vandalism and looting are always concerns when evacuation orders come through. “Those who do choose to leave, it shouldn't be that they have to worry that their property is at risk,” she says. “Unfortunately, there have been some observations of some people looking around farmyards and seeing what they could do there. So it's very, very sad to see that.” Producers who pitch in to help ght the res also face challenges. Mori says producers in the Goodlow area left o seeding to help ght the Boundary Lake re, but were then hit by a disruption in fertilizer deliveries. “For four days, they were not able to continue seeding because they were helping to ght the re,” she says. “Then, for an additional two days, they couldn't get fertilizer shipped to them. … They have 8,000 acres that they manage and they're not even halfway done.” The res come on the heels of a severe, extended drought last fall that saw the region end the year at a Level 5 drought rating. The province has yet to oer a reassessment of moisture levels in the region and across the province, preferring to wait until runo eases and an accurate read on soil moisture can be had. An above-average snowpack in many regions of the province this spring melted quickly with the high temperatures that favoured an early start to the wildre season, however. With daytime highs in many regions 10-15°C above seasonal norms, conditions have accelerated snowmelt and runo along the Skeena and other rivers. Dena Leier of Graham Acres Homestead and Creamery in Terrace received a ood alert late on May 16, mobilizing her for the possibility that her nine-acre property could be ooded. The property is home to 12 milking goats, bees, layers, pigs and cows. “We’re working with other farms that have higher properties to get our goats into a safe zone,” Leier says. “We've got everyone on red alert at the moment.” The farm also produces garlic, and Leier was concerned the water might ood the crop. “Not only do we have to worry about the river rising, but we have an aquifer under our property,” she adds. “When the rivers that we see rise, so do the aquifers. … We're just waiting to see gushers coming out of the ground as the water levels become high.” This year’s freshet could push the Skeena to levels last seen in 2021, which Leier says was the worst in her experience. “It's still hot, unprecedented heat. And so, we're kind of just checking every three to four hours and then reassessing,” she says. “Not only that, but we can also still see the snow in the mountains and it’s still melting.” Okanagan tree fruit and grape growers, who have faced challenging weather conditions for the past couple of years, welcomed the warm weather, which gave their trees a much-needed nudge after entering May two weeks behind schedule. “Despite the delayed season, grower expectations are for a normal crop -- with the exception of apricots and peaches,” the BC Fruit Growers Association reports. Stone fruits were nipped by frost in November then hit with a blast of extreme cold in late December that devastated both tree fruit and grape plantings. Cherries saw some bud damage, but peaches and apricots were hit hardest. While cherry volumes will be o by 10% to 20%, the other stone fruits are on track for “very light” crops this year. The full extent of the damage has yet to be seen, however, with BCFGA noting “a lot of weather variables in the weeks and months to come.” On the plus side, pome fruits are in better shape. “Apples and pears appear to have not suered too much damage and we will likely have a normal harvest this year. So far, everything is looking great for these hardier tree fruits,” BCFGA reports. “Current predictions for an almost-normal growing season in 2023 are a much-needed ray of hope for growers.” u Disruptions create challenges as the growing season startsu Warm weather boosts pest developmentFamily Farm Friendly Financial Planning Services.Holistic financial planning for your family farm now and into the future. 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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 3Funding helps mitigate financial risk of new practices KATE AYERS FLATROCK – As weather extremes become increasingly common, equipment and fuel prices soar and public scrutiny of agriculture increases, producers need to adopt new management practices to reduce costs, maintain protability and improve environmental sustainability. But changing on-farm practices can be costly, making farmers think twice before taking the plunge. To prove out some of the options farmers are asked to consider, the BC Grain Producers Association is facilitating eld research in the Peace Region in partnership with growers that highlights the importance of farmer-led eld-scale research. “You have to know what the products will do on your farm because every farm is dierent,” says grain producer Dave Wuthrich of PW Farms in Flatrock, a half-hour drive east of Fort St. John. “Our soil is dierent than our neighbours two miles down the road.” To enable farmers to try new practices and test products, 10 trials were conducted across the region in the inaugural Peace Region eld research project. Producers trialed fertilizer types and amounts, micronutrients, herbicides, inoculants and seeding rates. BCGPA monitored all sites for growth and yield variations between treatments. The team also collected data on insects, diseases and plant counts. On PW Farms, Wuthrich had a Crystal Green Synchro (8-40-0) trial, which compared the continuous release granular phosphorus fertilizer to the S15 (13-33-0) control plot. “Throughout the season, there was little visual dierence between the Crystal Green Synchro side and the S15 side. Through measurements, the S15 side was found to be, on average, two inches taller than the Crystal Green Synchro. Plant counts showed no signicant dierences,” the eld results say. However, when the trial was harvested on September 6, the Crystal Green Synchro side averaged 4.79 bushels per acre more than the S15 plot. A cost analysis shows that on PW Farms last year, Crystal Green Synchro was $30.49 per acre more protable than S15. “It was eye-opening and good to see. I always believed that we should do a bit of trials on our farm,” Wuthrich says. “You can't always believe what you read in the magazines or what the reps are telling you. You have to see what it actually does on your farm. Sometimes you’re reluctant because you think it's not going to work or it’s too expensive but, in the end, it penciled out that it would have made me more money.” Overall, Wuthrich had a positive experience with the on-farm trials and some valuable takeaways. “It's important that we do have an organization like the BC Grain Producers to push their members to try new things and maybe adopt new strategies and maybe change the way that we do farm, hopefully for the better,” Wuthrich says. “We can get the same amount of yield with less inputs, less diesel burned, those kinds of things … [and] help encourage the government to form programs that would benet us and make it easier for us to transition to newer and greener technologies.” The project’s initial year was funded with $100,000 from the BC Hydro Peace Agricultural Compensation Fund, which is again providing $100,000 this year. “We’re building upon the research that we did last year,” says producer and BCGPA vice-president Jennifer Critcher. “We’re doing what producers want to see and are already doing on their farms but facilitating that knowledge sharing between the dierent farms.” This year, spring quickly snuck up on Peace producers with most growers being half to three-quarters of the way through planting as of May 11, so some trials are already underway. Last year, producers were still waiting to get on to elds on May 18, Critcher says. “We have an equipment trial, in which we are comparing a planter with a precision air drill to see how Farm-level trials help producers know what works in their specic locations, putting a local twist on knowledge transfer. JENNIFER CRITCHERField-scale trials essential for adaptive farmingtheir seed placement is and how that aects yield on the other end. And we have some canola variety trials,” Critcher says. Three locations will test 11 varieties. “We are so grateful to the BC Hydro Fund because it’s crucial to get this project up and running and producers are seeing value in it,” Critcher says. Farm & Rural ResidentialProperties in the Peace Country are our specialtyAnne H. 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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.109 No. 6 . JUNE 2023Published monthly by Country Life 2000 Ltd. www.countrylifeinbc.comAmerican chemist Gordon Moore died on March 24 at age 94. His passing went largely unnoted beyond his own community and eld of expertise. This is somewhat surprising given there are few people anywhere in the world unaected by his endeavours. He is perhaps best known for Moore’s Law, based on a prediction he extrapolated in a 1965 article in Electronics magazine. Moore noted that since the birth of transistors in 1947, the number of them that could be squeezed into each integrated circuit was doubling every year and would continue to do so. Devices using them would become exponentially smaller, more ecient, cheaper and more popular. They might even nd their way into personal computers, household appliances and wristwatches. Moore’s Law became a tenet of the semiconductor industry, to be broken at the risk of falling behind your competitors. Moore also made several pioneering innovations in performance and manufacturing technology. He left his original employer in 1957 and became one of the eight founding members of Fairchild Semiconductor. In 1968, driven by the desire for faster development and broader application, Moore teamed with Robert Noyce and founded NM Electronics, what we know today as Intel Corp. Intel introduced the rst commercially available microprocessor in 1971 and by 1990, Intel CPUs were in 80% of computers manufactured worldwide. Early transistors were the size of a peanut. There were six of them in the portable radio I purchased in 1963. That radio was scarcely larger than two stacked decks of cards and cost almost $15. Intel’s rst commercially available microprocessor in 1971 was the size of a thumbnail, contained 2,300 transistors and sold for US$60. The Intel processor in the laptop I’m using now is half the size of a business card and 4,600 times more powerful than the 1971 model. It is no longer being produced, but its replacement is more than one and a half times more powerful and sells for a little over $500. Microprocessing has changed the world in ways barely believable to those of us old enough to have been mesmerized by six-transistor radios. It has opened the door for household computers, the Internet, mega data, wireless communications, global positioning systems (GPS), complex sensors and robotics, articial intelligence and virtual reality. All of this technology is increasingly being applied to agriculture. From robotic milkers in dairy barns to precision seeding, fertilizing and spraying in grain elds; precision seeding and cultivating on vegetable farms to drone herd surveillance on ranches; precision irrigation, monitoring crops in storage, monitoring ewes in the lambing pens, and a long and ever-increasing list of other applications that oer increased productivity, greater eciency and more prot, microprocessing has become ubiquitous in agriculture. From a business perspective, it is hard to argue with increases in productivity, eciency and protability and perhaps here there is an agricultural parallel to Moore’s Law. Failure to adopt technology that can adapt to rising input costs, the eects of climate change, water shortages and labour challenges might prove existential. The upside is simply too big to ignore. Where does this leave farmers? When Norbert Beaujot introduced the DOT autonomous platform several years ago, he was quizzed about the absence of controls or an operator’s station. He said he had resisted the temptation to add a seat because to do so would just encourage someone to climb aboard and ride it around the eld. Scale will play a determining role in adopting most of these advancements. For anyone milking more than 50 cows, robotic milking will be a viable consideration. Anything more than a stool and bucket would be folly for someone milking just one. Our reel move irrigator is an ideal t for 50 acres of cropland and the available water resource. Nothing about it would make sense to the small acreages a kilometre away. Some technologies will make sense for anyone. Someone with two ewes could likely still justify the hundred dollars for a camera to monitor the lambing stall. On the other end of the scale is Mr. Beaujot’s DOT platform. The cost is $500,000. The technology will scale up by adding more units, but the bottom line is $500,000. For BC, a province committed to saving farmland, much of it in small unaordable parcels, one of the biggest challenges will be sourcing tech at anything close to a realistic price for small producers. Without it, they will forego many of the benets it promises larger producers. Hand labour is often the compensating investment for the mechanization or technology small producers cannot aord. Given that is precisely what much of the new technology is trying to eliminate, for small producers it risks being just another lap in a vicious circle. 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 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCPeak productionHigh summer is nearly upon us, and for those who don’t grow food, that means a fresh bounty of seasonal produce. While a relatively temperate climate in BC means a long growing season that gives us greens when many other provinces are dealing with white stu, summer remains the stand-out season for fresh produce and the socializing that brings communities together around market stands, meals and the good times we associate with both. But the short window of the summer season masks the fact that the plants and animals, not to mention farmers, who make it all possible work behind the scenes throughout the year to ensure any of it happens. This might be peak season for farmers markets, but peak production season is year-round. The wild weather of recent years has many growers hoping for a normal year, an idyllic run of months that mirrors long-term weather patterns and seasonal averages. But the extreme weather of the past decade (and longer) illustrates how each year is really part of a continuum. Rather than no two years being alike, each year is a eld trial where the seeds of the future are being sown today. Just ask producers in the Peace, a region that ended last fall at the most extreme Level 5 drought rating. While the province doesn’t assess drought levels over the winter, conditions this spring were such that many growers were on their elds far earlier than last year. The dry conditions were a welcome shift following years that saw seeding delayed and crop development dampened. But dry weather has also brought wildres and fears of wildres. Other parts of the province have seen the risk of landslides and ooding increase. It may be a new season, but many producers live with the evolving consequences of 2021’s heat dome, wildres and oods that continue to reveal themselves in new and fascinating ways. This is where growers, and all of us, need to be attuned to the present moment. While luxuriating in the bounty of high summer, our gratitude for what we get to enjoy here in BC should include a word of thanks for the capacity of plants, animals, and the farmers who tend them, to adapt. While the capacity isn’t endless, it continues to surprise, feeding the wonder that makes us grateful for what our elds and farmers deliver. Technology running laps around producersBack 40 BOB COLLINSPublisher Cathy Glover 604-328-3814 . publisher@countrylifeinbc.com Editor Emeritus David Schmidt Associate Editor Peter Mitham news@countrylifeinbc.com Advertising Sales & Marketing Cathy Glover sales@countrylifeinbc.com Production Designer Tina Rezansoff Hello, PW?
Remembering Craig Evans, practical visionary Recognizing success and pondering succession for Nanaimo farm social enterprises COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 5Westwood Dairy farm. The farms, with Evans employed at Vancouver Island University as a worksite trainer in its Workplace Essential Skills and Training program, provided jobs and mentorship to people with barriers to employment, helping them learn how to grow, process and store organic food. Much of the food grown on the farms goes to Nanaimo Foodshare’s Good Food Box program, lling 600 to 700 boxes per week: bulk buying enables box participants to receive fresh produce at a 50% discount on grocery store prices. As he developed his practice, Evans scaled up from managing gardens to managing farms. He kept experimenting: trying out non-standard approaches to beekeeping, breeding new varieties of kale, growing carrots for seed. As he said, “That’s the beauty of saving your own seed, planting it out, looking at how it grows … and then choosing what you think might work well in a perennial food system that takes the least amount of work to maintain.” Farming as a social enterprise was Evan’s life’s work: using food to build skills, meet needs and develop community relationships. In this model, the farm is the centre or glue that holds the work, the teaching, the learning and the eating together – it feeds the community in a variety of ways. The social enterprise farm tackles the same challenges of growing, harvesting, processing and marketing as any other farm business with similar products. Dierences arise in the ways social, environmental and economic priorities are balanced in the operation’s nancing, governance structures, workforce compensation and choice of market channels. Now, without Evans, the question for what he built – farms and organizations – is what will succeed him. The post-founder period is dicult for any enterprise. Visionary founders make connections and carry initiatives by force of personality, seizing on the shortest possible route between creative imagination and practical action. Not everyone can pull this o and many don’t try. Evans was a master at it. A group has stepped forward to continue the work of the Growing Opportunities co-op. However, it still seeks secure land access. Evans’ path was not an easy one: he was always pushing against norms such as “highest and best use” of land. This value, typically taken to mean housing, has also meant the disappearance of farms. Five Vancouver Island lost a local hero when community farm and food entrepreneur Craig Evans died on March 6. Hundreds gathered on April 1 to celebrate the connections he built and the inspiration he shared. After arriving in Nanaimo in 1978, Evans helped set up the city’s rst recycling programs. Then, captivated by the experience of growing food in his rst garden, he enrolled in a greenhouse technician program at Malaspina College (now Vancouver Island University). In the program, he developed his vision of food production in community, writing a paper on how to grow organic food in greenhouses with a worker co-operative in order to feed low-income people. “I’ve never seen this before,” commented his instructor. Evans heard that a lot. He took a relational approach, focused on systems and connections, not single disciplines. Pursuing his vision, he founded Nanaimo Community Gardens in 1987, the Nanaimo Foodshare Society in 2000, and Growing Opportunities, a non-prot farming co-operative, in 2008. The co-op began work with volunteer farmers in 2009 at Providence Farm in Duncan, where Evans was market garden manager. It moved from there to Five Acres Farm in Harewood, south of Nanaimo, and then in 2018 to the Cline Agri-Health Centre in Nanaimo, on a 47-acre property originally established in 1864 as the Viewpoint KATHLEEN GIBSONAcres was the last of about 90 ve-acre parcels established in 1888 in the Harewood area. Evans had hoped the farm could be purchased and placed in a farmland trust, but it was purchased by the City of Nanaimo in September 2019 and is slated to become a farm-oriented residential community. A September 2022 public engagement report showed support for the plan’s agricultural values and concerns about the housing component. Evans once said of agriculture: “The goal is to create permanent grazing elds for people [so] that we can just open the gate, walk in, and there’s lots of food at all dierent times of year that we can harvest … we’re looking for the simplest path from the land, to the hand, to the mouth.” This radical openness and simplicity, says CR-FAIR executive director Linda Geggie, were typical of Evans: “Craig’s key messages were about how growing food is a transformational process and how important community connections are so we can make good decisions about caring for each other and the world we live in. He was an intuitive teacher, mentor and leader. He created environments where people felt safe, as well as seen and heard.” Recognized for his contributions by the City of Nanaimo and fondly remembered by colleagues and others he inspired, Evans succeeded as far as his vision and practice reached – which by now is a long way. Geggie planted the sunower seeds she received at his April celebration “as a garden for Craig. What I love is that these sunowers will attract pollinators and make thousands more seeds. The good they do will continue to spread.” Kathleen Gibson lives and grows food in Lekwungen territory/Victoria, BC. She, along with Craig Evans and his partner Jen Cody, helped found the BC Food Systems Network in 1999. MNP.ca/BCAgHarinder Harry, CPA, CA, Partner, Surrey / Langley Leader, Agriculture Services 604.546.0650 | harinder.harry@mnp.caYour B.C. farm faces constantly changing factors that can impact your success, from weather patterns and economic shifts to transportation challenges. 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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 7Rob Rindt of Western Turf Farms says they are still recovering from the November 2021 ooding. SUBMITTEDKuhnNorthAmerica.comVisit your local British Columbia KUHN dealer today!INVEST IN QUALITY®www.kuhn.comMatsqui Ag-RepairAbbotsfordNorthline EquipmentPouce CoupeHuber Farm EquipmentPrince GeorgeTHE HAY AND FORAGE TOOL SPECIALISTS Mowers Mower Conditioners Mergers Wheel Rakes Tedders Harvesting high-quality hay and forage is the focus of KUHN's hay tool innovation. Our commitment is to help yougain a maximum return on investment by providing products known for performance, reliability, and longevity.Rotary RakesTHE MOST COMPLETE HAY LINE Cut • Dry • HarvestSave time, money and improve hay quality with KUHN.SANDRA TRETICK ABBOTSFORD – BC’s turf industry has yet to recover from the double effects of the pandemic and the November 2021 floods, which sped up the contraction of a sector heavily concentrated in the Fraser Valley. Sales were already on a downward trend from the sector’s peak of $12 million in 2017, although they rebounded slightly last year to $10 million according to Statistics Canada estimates released in April. This was up slightly from $9.9 million in 2021, a level not seen since 2007 and down nearly 18% from the 2017 high. While the number of farms has dropped by half since 2012 to just 24 last year, acreage remained steady for more than a decade at around 2,000 acres until the pandemic. Acreage dropped from 1,810 in 2020, to just 1,640 in 2021 before creeping back up to 1,727 acres in 2022. But it remains to be seen whether the industry will rebound. “Anecdotally, I would say that among other things, homes have gotten a lot bigger while lot sizes are getting smaller, so there’s not a lot of room for landscape,” says Jerry Rousseau, executive director of the Western Canada Turfgrass Association, which primarily represents professional sports turf managers as well as five sod farmers. “I’ve also noticed that people don’t seem to like caring for their lawns as in previous generations, even basic stuff like mowing,” Rousseau says. Seventeen months after the November 2021 flooding, two Abbotsford sod farmers spoke to Country Life in BC about their recovery. Rob Rindt, general manager of family-owned Western Turf Farms Ltd., lives in Langley. He grows sod on 100 acres there and 400 acres on Marion Road in Sumas Prairie, where the farm’s shop and main office are located. It’s also where three of his four brothers as well as his parents, who started the farm in the 1950s, live. The family was forced to flee the farm when the Nooksack River overflowed into Sumas Prairie in November 2021 and the Barrowtown pump station couldn’t keep up. A week later, Rindt was able to make the trip out to the farm by boat. He recalled smelling diesel on the trip, like “all the fuel tanks are just letting all the fuel into the water, all the chemicals, all the oil in the water.” The full impact of the contaminants has yet to be seen. “It was pretty crazy, just seeing everything you worked for your whole life underwater,” he says. In addition to flooded Sod industry sees slow recovery from disastersTwo farms have vastly different flood recovery experiencesLong road back uHelping you grow your business.Helpingrowbus
8 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Long road back for flooded turf farmsABBOTSFORD1-888-283-3276VERNON1-800-551-6411Premium parts, for premium equipment.Trust AGCO Genuine Parts.fields and buildings, the farm lost machinery and equipment. Rindt estimates that they are millions of dollars out of pocket. Rindt turned 39 earlier this year so he has time to rebuild, but replacing everything on cash flow alone means it will be a long time before the operation – the largest in BC – is back to normal. Western supplies golf courses, municipalities, landscape contractors, builders and homeowners in BC and Alberta with some US sales, but since the flood it’s been focused exclusively on meeting local demand. It’s been a challenging time for the whole family. “They’re still dealing with it,” he says. “It was pretty hard on everybody. What I have learned is how fast things can just disappear. It kind of opened my eyes to appreciate and to try to enjoy life a little bit more. Enjoy family.” The experience is partly what led Rindt to run for Township of Langley council last fall. “I grew up in Langley Township and the way we were going, it’s a joke” says Rindt. “There’s no proper maintenance or ditching, you know, like regular annual maintenance.” Not far from Western’s Abbotsford operations, another turf farm, Bos Sod Farms Inc., saw its fields on Dixon Road flooded. The farm was started in 1993 by Bert Bos, who had come to the coast from Alberta where his family ran a dairy farm after emigrating from Holland. He specializes in sod for golf courses and sells as far as California and Ontario, but BC, Alberta, Washington and Nevada are his primary markets. He also sells to landscapers and homeowners. “Everything that we grow is actually done on sand that we bring in,” says Bos. “So we’re a little bit different that way.” Bos thinks the sand actually may have helped his fields recover faster from the flooding because the drainage was a little better. He also thinks the volume of water helped dilute contaminants. “It wasn’t waterlogged quite as long,” he says. “The grass still looked relatively good [after the water receded] but the cold snap that happened in December, that kind of kicked the grass back pretty hard.” He says the flood weakened the grass so it couldn’t handle the unusually low temperatures. They didn’t lose any crops, but remediation took extra time. “We had a five-month gap where we did not harvest,” says Bos. “We were able to get back in operation in April [of 2022].” That gap is unusual for the farm, because they normally harvest 11 or 12 months of the year. Bos notes that they were able to make up all the lost sales in the same year. “On the business side, it actually hasn’t been too bad considering,” he says. “We’re able to get back on our feet and carry on our business.” Unlike Western, Bos was able to drive all of his motorized machinery to higher ground so he only lost some equipment that he couldn’t move or was lower priority. But he didn’t have flood insurance on his house because the premium for flood and septic backflow was so high. Because he was offered insurance but chose not to insure, Bos says he didn’t quality for provincial or federal help. “So their reasoning is, if it’s readily and reasonably available, then you don’t qualify,” he laments. “I think you could debate that. $9,000 is not a reasonable cost.” Bos has filed an appeal, but he’s still waiting for a response. He also thinks the upgrades and repairs that have been done to the dyke infrastructure thus far are inadequate. “If you don’t want to do the necessary infrastructure upgrades, you have to be prepared to help out the individuals that are impacted by an event like this,” he says. On a positive note, Bos expanded the farm and purchased 45 additional acres last year, bringing him up to a total of 165 acres and they rebuilt the office, which he says is “new and improved.” The BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food says the primary market for sod produced in BC is the housing industry and, to a lesser extent, sports fields and golf courses. Turfgrass production is scattered throughout the province with about two-thirds grown in the Lower Mainland, on Vancouver Island and in the Okanagan.
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 9BC Veg looks beyond legal challengesThree years of deficits demand long-term planningPETER MITHAM DELTA – With a full slate of commissioners and sta in place and the settlement of several legal issues in sight, the BC Vegetable Marketing Commission looked forward to more normal times at its annual general meeting in Tsawwassen, April 26. “For the rst time in a while, all positions have been lled, which is great,” reported Derek Sturko, who succeeded Debbie Etsell as commission chair in December. Those positions include nine directors, including three each from the greenhouse and storage crop sectors, and a further three independent member who provide outside expertise. The addition of outside directors was undertaken in response to legal challenges that underscored the need for the commission to avoid the apprehension of bias in its decision-making. Separately, Sturko reported that the civil suits launched against the commission, specic commissioners and general manager Andre Solymosi are in the process of being resolved. “Some of those legal challenges the commission was experiencing over the last little while are coming to closure in a way that’s satisfactory to all parties,” he says BC Farm Industry Review Board chair Peter Donkers, who oversaw a supervisory review triggered by the legal challenges, hailed the resolution of the court cases as a positive development. BC FIRB issued a decision last year that found there was no evidence presented to substantiate the serious allegations that had been made against the commission. This contributed to the resolution of the various parties’ grievances. “Hopefully much of that is put behind us and we can move on productively, strategically, in a manner that’s informed and respects everyone’s capacity to contribute,” Donkers says, thanking commission members for their resilience and patience. “I commend the commission on its hard work during this challenging period, and its continued good governance, transparency and accountability.” But the legal challenges have left the commission with long-term nancial issues. The commission has run signicant decits in the last two years, driven by nearly $215,000 in legal fees. This year’s decit will be even larger, as operation costs increase and provisions remain in place for additional legal expenses. “We’re still projecting to run a decit of $273,000 in the 2023 crop year, and that’s despite the fact that we increased levies by 10%. And that’s the rst levy increase we’ve had in eight years,” commission vice-chair Craig Evans told the meeting. “We took a very generous approach on the expense side to try and be realistic. We’re realizing that we’re in a transition year trying to gure out what a normal year would look like, given the extraordinary expenses we’ve had on the legal side.” To keep expenses in check, the commission is regularly reviewing its nancial statements and reducing consulting fees and other expenses where possible. The decits have eaten into the commission’s unrestricted reserve funds, which have fallen to approximately $330,000, and further decits could wipe out the remaining funds. “We need to get out of this nancial situation that we’re in,” Evans says, noting that it poses an existential risk to the commission. “We realize it’s not going to happen overnight.” The commission has renewed its nance committee to engage in long-term planning to address the issue. It’s working on a three to ve-year nancial plan to get the commission back on an even keel. “We are trying to give them more comprehensive work to do to help them inform commission decisions,” Sturko says. The levy increase, which takes eect this month, is a case in point, as is a new greenhouse grower levy to support eorts to keep the Japanese market open to BC greenhouse bell pepper shipments. In his comments, Donkers said former chair Debbie Etsell’s six years at the commission had laid a good foundation for Sturko as he leads the commission forward. “Your leadership will help shape the future of the sector,” Donkers says. A volunteer at Helen's Acres Community Farm speaks to Grade 4 students from Dorothea Walker Elementary School in Kelowna as teacher Kelvin Nicholls (right) looks on. Nicholls' grandfather raised beef cattle in the Lower Mission area when he was a kid and now he's keen to share where food comes from with his students. MYRNA STARK LEADER74 Acre Farm w/2 Houses FOR SALE IN CHERRYVILLE, BC 604-316-3244 w/Dairy Processing Plant, Store & Farm Suite $5700/Mth in Rentalincome on Barns/Plant!Teaching moment
10 | JUNE 2023 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 SERVICESEcoFarm rebrands, expands mandateFollowing the announcement, the festival featured farm tours, children’s activities, live music and food. Tours showcased the on-site anaerobic digester, robotic milker and calf feeding system, an automated hydroponic wheatgrass system called HydroGreen, herds of dairy and grass-fed beef cows, layer barn, beehives, berries and rice elds. EcoDairy manager, Nikki Cheater, told Country Life in BC that the event “was a great success with lots of young families in attendance, as well as many other folks of all ages.” EcoFarm, founded in 2010, is guided by a board of directors representing local businesses, the community and education sector. It leases the agri-tourism building from Bakerview Farm, one of the business units under the Nutriva Group umbrella, which also includes Vitala Foods and a variety of agri-businesses including Diverse Feed Solutions, Nutritech Solutions, Bradner Milk Transport and Fraser Analytical Services. Vanderkooi is also CEO of Nutriva. EcoFarm will be transitioning its web content to a new website over the coming months. “We will continue to stay focused on our mission and vision of inspiring a love for farming and food and to be a celebrated community partner,” said Vanderkooi. —Sandra Tretick Vegetable roundup The past year was marked largely by good times for BC vegetable growers. The annual market review BC Vegetable Marketing Commission analyst Aanchal Sandhu presented at the commission's annual general meeting April 26 noted stable demand with a market value for regulated vegetables of $404 million, up 1% from a year earlier. Greenhouse vegetables represented the largest share of value, at $320 million, down $1 million from last year thanks to declines in the value of tomatoes on the vine and long English cucumbers. Storage crop value increased 9% to $82.3 million. Potatoes were a key contributor to the growth, with pricing at its highest in 10 years, while storage crops also saw strong growth thanks in part to a 31% increase in the per-ton price for yellow onions which also saw a signicant increase in acreage. “There’s a stable market with potential for growth,” Sandhu said of overall demand for fresh vegetables. But this doesn’t mean A popular agri-tourism destination and demonstration farm in Abbotsford has rebranded to reect its growing scope of operations. Bill Vanderkooi, chair of the non-prot EcoFarm Innovation Association (formerly EcoDairy Innovation Association), made the announcement on Earth Day, April 22, with special guests including Abbotsford mayor Ross Siemens, Abbotsford MP Ed Fast and former Science World CEO Bryan Tisdale. “What began as EcoDairy has grown and diversied into the EcoFarm,” said Vanderkooi at an on-farm event called EcoFarm Fest 2023. “As the years have gone by, we have been enhancing what we do and what we have to oer visitors to the farm.” Expert farm taxation adviceApproved consultants for Government funding throughBC Farm Business Advisory Services ProgramEnderby 250-838-7337Armstrong 250-546-8665 |t1VSDIBTFBOETBMFPGGBSNTt5SBOTGFSPGGBSNTUPDIJMESFOt(PWFSONFOUTVCTJEZQSPHSBNTt1SFQBSBUJPOPGGBSNUBYSFUVSOTt6TFPG$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 BCAg Briefs PETER MITHAMproduction, or protability, is easy. “One of the biggest challenges this industry had this year was the rising cost of supplies,” Sandhu says. Root crops were challenged by weather, with a cold, wet spring delaying plantings, while four months of dry weather robbed them of the moisture needed to mature. “Rutabaga acreage continues to decline every year due to lack of crop protection materials for root maggot,” she adds. — Peter Mitham Replant program revamped The province announced a new replant program for perennial crops on April 30, ending weeks of speculation regarding the long-awaited initiative. Up to $15 million is being allocated for the new program, to be administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. It will have three streams, with funding disbursed on a rst come, rst served basis to the tree fruit, hazelnut, grape and berry sectors. Grower representatives quoted in the province’s press release were unanimous in welcoming the announcement by BC agriculture minister Pam Alexis. The new program combines and broadens the scope of three sector-specic replant programs for the orchard, hazelnut and raspberry sectors, and includes funds for market development, plant removal and replanting. The orchard sector, for example, has been without a replant program since 2021, after 30 years of provincial support for orchard renewal, while the grape sector has never had a replant program. "Tree-fruit growers in BC appreciate the investment in food security and ensuring that growers have the resources to renew their orchards," says BC Fruit Growers' Association vice-president Sukhdeep Brar. "[BCFGA] thanks Minister Alexis for this vote of condence in the local production of high-quality, BC-grown produce." The program aims to cover 100% of removal costs and 75% of replanting costs. Sector development programs will be fully funded by the province. But unlike previous programs, there is no timeline for the funding, and no allocation to specic streams. Sector development and plant removal costs are funded rst, the province says, with replanting funded in the second and subsequent years of the program with whatever funds remain. “Priority [is] placed on sector development projects and removal projects in the rst year, and planting projects in later years, the province says. “The funding for the program is expected to be sucient for multiple years.” Review of the rst batch of applications was set for May 25. The funds have been made available as part of the $200 million in food security funds announced March 7. —Peter Mitham Helping you grow your business. you ours.
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 11New agriculture minister settling into her roleAlexis sees herself as the sector’s “fairy godmother”MYRNA STARK LEADER MISSION -- June 7 marks six months since a cabinet shue saw Abbotsford-Mission MLA Pam Alexis succeed Lana Popham as BC Minister of Agriculture and Food. The scope of BC agriculture has been a steep learning curve for the rst-term MLA who previously served as Mission’s mayor from 2018-2020. “When people ask what it's like to be the minister and how I'm approaching things, I clasp my hands together and say, I feel like I'm kind of holding everything up. I'm ensuring that that support, like a big hug, is happening with the agricultural sector,” she says. “It's been horric these last few years: climate, prices, costs, labour shortages. There has been terric pressure on the sector, and we desperately need them.” Alexis has friends in the dairy sector but no formal agriculture education nor experience but she describes herself as naturally curious. She says she asks lots of questions and believes in connecting with people. She names January’s BC Agriculture Council gala in Abbotsford as a highlight. “I just loved that night. Everyone wanted to speak with me. … We had 200 invites to meet and I think we’ve done 75 so far,” she says. “I really believe in making connections to people and understanding as much as I can. We're getting there.” Being mayor of Mission, a community where agriculture is front and centre, primed her for her current role, but the full extent of the BC agriculture le really hit her when she met with her provincial and federal counterparts. “They talked about two or three commodities, compared to BC’s 200. It's complex and it’s been certainly a steep learning curve, no question,” she says. The issues depend on who’s talking with her. In the Fraser Valley, it’s the interface between population growth, the resource and agriculture sectors. Farmers are also concerned about land use and land in the ALR that isn’t being used. Rising labour costs and other issues also gure in the Pam Alexis is the rst female MLA in Abbotsford-Mission, and succeeded Lana Popham in December as BC's Minister of Agriculture and Food. MYRNA STARK LEADER conversations. But the dramatic ooding of November 2021 is what’s left a lasting impression on Alexis, who calls the event “life changing.” “I don't know that we were ready for issues with access to food and access to goods. It was a terrible, terrible time,” she says. The ooding made food security her overarching goal as minister. She says all BC communities need to be better prepared so they can access food, no matter what happens with the climate or California. Her priorities mirror the mandate letter she received from the premier. Similar to the letter Popham received, it directs Alexis to “support farmers, ranchers and seafood producers to ensure food security for British Columbians by establishing policies to use agricultural land wisely, increase production, and add processing capacity.” Further, it directs Alexis to focus on the export sector, emergency management and climate readiness, to work with the agriculture sector to identify practices that reduce carbon emissions. She’s also charged with working with the minister of education and childcare to expand school meal programs. Alexis says her personal goal is to ensure BC is ready for the future, and she’s interested in creating something that benets people. Preventing Injuries | Minimizing ImpactEncouraging Worker Health & WellbeingScan Me!Injury ManagementInjury ManagementContact AgSafe for online and on-site injurymanagement resources for your workplace.Contact@AgSafeBC.ca1 (877) 533-1789(604) 881-6078 COMMITTED TO AGRICULTURE in BRITISH COLUMBIA rollinsmachinery.comCHILLIWACK • 1.800.242.9737 . 44725 Yale Road West • 604.792.1301 LANGLEY • 1.800.665.9060 |. 21869 - 56th Avenue • 604.533.0048 CHEMANIUS • 1.250.246.1203 . 3306 Smiley Road KELOWNA • 250.765.8266 . #201 - 150 Campion StreetNEW! SUPREME 700T feed mixer (N32578)................................................... $69,500 CUB CADET lawn tractors, 2023 units, ride-on, o-turns ......................... CALL USED TRACTORS JD 860 Loader, backhoe (CNS797)....................................................... $21,000 KUBOTA BX1860 no loader (CNS816).................................................... 13,015 KUBOTA L3901 STRC w/loader, 1310 hrs (CNS815)............................ 28,000 KUBOTA M7060 2019, cab, no loader, 200 hRS [U32830].................... 67,000 KUBOTA M6-141 1755 hrs, 2018, ldr w/3rd function (CNS820) .......... 98,000 NH WORKMASTER 105 cab, loader, low hours (U32946) .................. 87,000 QUALITY USED EQUIPMENT MCHALE FUSION VARIO 2017, 14,000 bales [U32135] ....................... 85,900 MASCHIO 105 Rototiller, like new (CNS810) .......................................... 3,750 FANEX 500 Tedder (CNS798)..................................................................... 3,500 WALLENSTEIN MX50G Manure spreader (CNS813) ........................... 4,800 BUHLER Triplex mower 18’, like new [CNS794] .................................. 19,900 KVERNELAND 9084C Rake, 26’ (U33029) .............................................. 18,900 KVERNELAND 9476C Rake 2017 (U32957)............................................. 33,700 NH L170 Skidsteer, hand/foot controls, Open Cab (CNS796).................. 25,000 NH FP240 Chopper 29P Grass, 3PN Corn Crop Proc (CNS786) .......... 47,500 “Change is inevitable. But we have to be ready. So, we've got to gure out how we're going to be ready. Face it. Deal with it,” she says. Alexis wants producers to know that she cares deeply for their livelihoods and is fully committed to doing everything she can to help them be successful, adding she sometimes feels like a fairy godmother in place to support farmers with provincial funding. In contrast, her biggest a-ha moment was accepting that she’s not superhuman. Having had a stroke in 2021, with no lasting impacts, she does yoga, tries to get enough sleep and eat regularly – more of a challenge for the agriculture minister, she laughs, than most people imagine.
12 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC1For commercial use only. Customer participation subject to credit qualification and approval by CNH Industrial Capital America LLC or CNH Industrial Capital Canada Ltd. See your participating New Holland dealer for details and eligibility requirements. Eligible equipment limited to dealer inventory in stock. Previous retail sales are not eligible. Down payment may be required. Offer good through June 30, 2023. Not all customers or applicants may qualify for this rate or term. CNH Industrial Capital America LLC or CNH Industrial Capital Canada Ltd. standard terms and conditions will apply. This transaction will be unconditionally interest free. Canada Example: The interest rate will be 0.00% per annum for a total contract term of 60 months. Based on retail contract date of April 1, 2023, with a suggested retail price on a new Roll-Belt™ 560 Specialty Crop round baler of C$116,982.00, customer provides down payment of C$23,396.40 and finances the balance of C$93,585.60 at 0.00% per annum for 60 months. There will be 60 equal monthly payments of C$1,559.76; provided that the amount of the last payment may be slightly different due to rounding. The total amount payable will be C$116,982.00, which includes finance charges of C$0.00. 2Cash back amounts vary and are applied at time of sale. Taxes, freight, setup, delivery, additional options or attachments not included in suggested retail price. Offer subject to change or cancellation without notice. ©2023 CNH Industrial America LLC. All rights reserved. CNH Industrial Capital and New Holland are trademarks registered in the United States and many other countries, owned by or licensed to CNH Industrial N.V., its subsidiaries or affiliates.Are you ready to roll this haymaking season? Reliable New Holland hay equipment is ready to help you in the fields and in your wallet during the Ready to Roll sales event. Take advantage of big savings on select haytools including Roll-Belt™ and Pro-Belt™ round balers and Discbine® disc mower-conditioners. 0% for 60 Months 1 OR Cash Back! 2Hurry, oers end June 30, 2023. Stop in today for complete details or visit nhoers.com.ARMSTRONG 250/546-3033 3520 Mill Street | hornbyequipment@shaw.ca SERVING OUR CUSTOMERS WITH SALES, SERVICE & PARTS FOR 50 YEARS!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
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 13The BC Fruit Growers’ AssociationDID YOU KNOW?supports research projects for the tree fruit sector:BCFGA funds research projectsApple Pests and Alternative Control StrategiesUÊApple Crop Load Management: Enhancing UÊThinning Predictability and Tree ResponseExtending Storage Life and Maximizing UÊQuality to Reduce Post-harvest Apple LossIntroducing our new Horticulture and Research Project Manager, Gail NelsonResearch funding:Effect of water stress on Ambrosia fruit.UÊCover crops for drive alleys.UÊHot water fumigation of fruit trees.UÊMolecular markers in cherries.UÊDetection of Little cherry disease.UÊCherry fruitlet nutrient analysis.UÊ 1.800.619.9022 info@bcfga.com www.bcfga.com TOM WALKER SUMMERLAND – Tree Fruit and grape growers will benet from the support of two extension specialists recently hired by the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food. “This is a collaborative support position,” explains Lindsay Hainstock, a former BC Tree Fruits Co-op eld sta until those positions were cut in 2019. “It is currently a one-year pilot with the overall objective to increase capacity.” Based in Summerland, Hainstock says she and fellow extension worker Katelyn Hengel, based in Vernon, will work with industry consultants, associations, researchers as well as producers. “Our approach is to work with the industry folks who are actually doing the work on ground,” she says. “They know what actually needs to be done. They are in the eld and see the problems.” Hengel says an initial goal is to understand what is currently happening – “what events are being held, what resources are being developed and seeing how we can support that and, if there are any gaps, seeing where we can ll in.” The positions are not intended to provide direct advice to growers. “We do not have the capacity to be giving one-on-one support in the eld,” Hainstock says. Indeed, it’s almost impossible. The positions are intended to support more than 1,500 growers across the province, Hengel points out. “We will need to change the conversation around what extension services means,” she says. Not that they couldn’t provide direct support. Hainstock is well known in the valley for her 16 years at BC Tree Fruits. Hengel spent the past three years managing six conifer species at 20 sites for reforestation projects as part of the BC Ministry of Forests' seed orchard team in Vernon. “A seed orchard is much like a tree fruit orchard. It’s organized in rows, the trees are all grafted onto rootstock, there is an irrigation system and slew of pests to contend with, and we manage the orchard to produce the best crops of seeds,” Hengel says. Hainstock says she has always enjoyed supporting producers. “Food production is one of the most important jobs out there,” she says. “I come from a research background and being able to translate that to producers is something I have always enjoyed.” The province’s tree fruit industry stabilization Initiative makes now a good time to add extension capacity. “The relationships that are there between industry, producer associations and the ministry have laid a strong foundation for us to take this collaborative approach,” Hengel says. A key resource will be the BC Decision Aid System. “There is a calendar function on their web site and we are really encouraging producers to use it,” says Hainstock. “They can know that we will all be feeding into DAS and they can get the latest information on what is happening.” Grower engagement sessions from the stabilization initiative are a starting point. “What we have heard back from the industry is that there are a lot of new and innovative ideas out there, but it takes time and money to research them and organize events to showcase them,” says Hainstock. “We can help with that organization. They don’t have to travel the world to know what is going on; we can bring those ideas to BC.” Hengel points out that you can actually travel the world through the use of technologies such as Zoom. “There are opportunities to connect with extension specialists in other regions,” she says. Hengel and Hainstock have been invited to be part of a North American group of extension specialists in neighbouring Washington, Pennsylvania, New York Ontario and Nova Scotia. “We are working together to put together a series of four webinars dealing with orchard adaptation and innovation,” says Hainstock. “Another interest we have heard from growers is crop load management.” For the grape sector, responding to damage from last December’s extreme cold event is a top priority. Bringing in technology to do physical demonstrations in orchards and vineyards is important, adds Hainstock. “Growers can get more of a hands-on feel and see if that is something that can improve the eciencies in their operations,” she says. “Every year there is always something to learn and that is why extension is here.” Fruit specialists take extension in new directionSupport role, knowledge transfer trumps one-on-one helpThe province's two new tree fruit specialists Lindsay Hainstock (left) and Katelyn Hengel (right) look forward to lling in the gaps to help the province's tree fruit growers up their game. MYRNA STARK LEADERFOR ALL THOSE WHO WANT TO GO UPVAN DER WAL EQUIPMENT (1989) LTD.5080T TELESCOPIC WHEEL LOADER 23390 RIVER ROAD, MAPLE RIDGE, BC V2W 1B6 604/463-3681 | vanderwaleq.com
14 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BC1.866.345.3414 • WWW.FARMREALESTATE.COM1.866.345.3414 • WWW.FARMREALESTATE.COMWE’VE GOT THE FARMSYOU’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR!CALL TODAY TO INQUIRE ABOUT OUR OPTIONS!NEW PRICENEW PRICENEWNEWNEWNEWPENDINGPENDINGNEWNEWRecord beef prices trigger mixed feelingsStrong futures market good and bad news for BC cattle inventoryKATE AYERS PRINCE GEORGE – Record beef prices at public and private auctions over the last couple of months are a boon for producers with market-ready cattle, but the situation raises concerns about the future of BC’s beef sector. “We are experiencing record prices right now … and there's several reasons for that. And one of the biggest reasons is your North American cow herd is at the lowest level it's been since 1962,” says rancher and Canadian Angus Association president Tom de Waal. De Waal hosted a bull sale at Harvest Angus in Prince George on April 22 where his two-year-old registered Angus bulls averaged $6,002 apiece and yearling bulls averaged $5,130 each, he says. “Since we started selling here in BC, and we've been selling annually for I think this was either the 12th or 13th sale that we've had so far, these have been the highest prices that we've seen,” he says. Cows also sold at high price points, de Waal adds. While many factors are at play, including soil moisture and feed supply, de Waal suspects the calf and feeder markets will stay strong through the fall. “They need to have feeder cattle and there are not enough feeder cattle to ll these feedlots,” he says. “Right now, they're contracting fat cattle for next February. Your fat cattle are already contracting over $4,000 piece. How much of that is going to dribble down to the cow-calf producer? I guess we’ll wait and see.” Again, while summer growing conditions, among other factors could inuence price, BC Cattlemen’s Association general manager Kevin Boon thinks the current market is a light at the end of the tunnel for livestock producers. “The futures are looking pretty bright. They're pretty much showing that they'll remain somewhat constant to the prices that we're seeing right now,” Boon says. “And so that's very good news for our producers because while the price has been going up in the grocery stores, our cost of production has been rising pretty steadily, pretty much since the start of COVID. So, we're catching up right now and it's looking really, really positive for us here in BC.” Market prices At the Kamloops sale on May 3, steers up to 299 pounds averaged $370.00 per hundredweight (cwt) with the 400-499lb steers averaging $376.20 and peaking at 425.00. The 300-399lb heifers brought in the highest at $321.00 and the 400-499lb group brought in an average of $307.30. At the Vanderhoof replacement heifer sale on May 5, the 500-599lb heifers averaged $319.80/cwt. Steers in the same weight category averaged $350.01. Both livestock producers and feedlot operators are dealing with record-high input costs, so they need record-high cattle prices. The caveat to high cattle prices is that producers are more likely to sell their replacement heifers. “I would think that it's going to be a long time yet before the North American cow herd starts to grow,” de Waal says. “Because historically what happens when these cattle prices take off like they are, nobody retains replacement females. The cattle are worth lots of money, so they don't breed them. … That doesn't help build cow numbers.” De Waal hopes that a jump in beef prices at the meat counter will be a wake-up call for consumers and raise awareness about what is going on in the sector. “The farmer has been taking it up the hoop for quite a few years, maybe where we might be in danger of losing some of these people,” de Waal says. “I just turned 60 the other day and there's not a lot of young people coming into this game anymore. There's not a lot of newcomers in it. … I don't think a lot of people really realize the hardships that a lot of these ranchers go through.” TOM DE WAAL
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 15Proposed amendments to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's traceability rules could place workers at risk by requiring the prompt replacement of tags lost when animals move between farms, fairgrounds or processing plants. FILEemail: audreycifca@gmail.com395 Kinchant Street, Quesnel, B.C. V2J 5A3Producers can apply for an advance on calves, yearlings, lambs, bison, forage and grain up to $1,000,000.00 with the rst $250,000.00 being interest free. Plus, interest relief through the Advance Payments Program is available to association members on their feeder cattle purchases.June 2-4, 2023Williams Lake, BCBC LIVESTOCK STOCKYARDSThank you to all our generous sponsors and contestants for making this Cariboo Classic Jr. Steer & Heifer Show a great success.caribooclassic@gmail.comFollow usJoin us at the second annualProducer Check-o Supports Beef Industry Projects.www.cattlefund.net 1.877.688.2333www.cattlefund.net 1.877.688.2333CFIA proposes traceability updatesSafety, added costs top list of producer concernsTOM WALKER VANDERHOOF – Proposed amendments to the identication and traceability sections of the federal Health of Animals Regulations are receiving mixed responses from industry, who support the changes but say they come with added tagging and reporting requirements, and could compromise safety. “[The Canadian Food Inspection Agency] is moving to make traceability requirements more robust with practical measures for disease tracking and we support that,” says Alex Kulchar, a rancher and backgrounding operator near Vanderhoof who chairs the BC Cattlemen’s Association’s beef production and innovation committee. “But some of the specic requirements are fairly substantial. Overall, it appears CFIA is looking to develop a database that tracks animal movements without the involvement of producers, Kulchar says. “It seems like CFIA is looking to put pins on a map to know the whereabouts of animals,” he says. “I believe that if they want to know where animals are, they are still going to have to talk to the producer.” CFIA is proposing the amendments as part of its eorts to provide “accurate and up-to-date livestock identity, movement and location information” to address the risk and limit the impact of animal disease outbreaks, food safety incidents and natural disasters. The proposed amendments seek to address gaps in the current livestock identication and traceability system. They call for including goats and cervids (deer) as species subject to traceability requirements; shortening the time period allowed to report an event to seven days from the current 30-60 days; adding a requirement to identify the location of sites where animals are located and requiring the reporting rather than simply the recording of domestic movements of livestock. (Animals moved within the same farm property or to and from a leased pasture where all animals are from the same farm are exempt.) Premises Identication (PID) information and identication tags linked to that PID, are at the core of traceability protocols. “Premises ID is pretty universal in commercial livestock operations,” says Kulchar. Premises information, including the number of animals on farm, must be kept up to date. “If I buy 50 calves for my backgrounding operation, I will be required to update my PID within seven days,” Kulchar explains. Tracking livestock movements is a key to the new regulations. Animals that remain on a single farm their entire life don’t have to be tagged. Tags are to be re-named “approved indicators.” They will be linked to the premises where the animals are located. When animals move o farm, tag numbers will be used to report the movement. There is no requirement to report when animals leave a site. But before they leave the farm of origin, they must be tagged, and departure and arrival information including both PIDs, the number of animals, and the licence plate of the transport, must be delivered in a manifest to the arrival site within 24 hours of arrival and the arrival site must report that information within seven days. The regulations also apply to animal carcasses. Retagging complicated u
16 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Retagging complicatedTRACTOR TIME VICTORIA 250.474.3301 4377C Metchosin Rd. 30 mins from Victoria and 15 mins from Hwy#1 in Metchosin.HANDLERS EQUIPMENTABBOTSFORD 604.850.3601 339 Sumas WayHOUSTON 250.845.3333 2990 Highway CrescentMORE Built-in WeightTHE OFFICAL TRACTOR OF TOUGHMahindra 6075 with Mower Delivering maximum performance, productivity and ef昀ciency.PROVINCE WIDE SALES AND SERVICE Carcasses that move o-farm for disposal must be tagged and their movements reported. Tagged carcasses that are disposed of on-site must also be reported. (The disposal of animals that have remained on their farm of origin throughout their lives and lack tags is not reportable.) There is a retagging requirement that cause some producers concern. Any animal that loses its tag during transport must receive a new one at the destination site linked to the destination site’s PID. Kulchar says that wouldn’t be a problem for him, as all of the animals he takes in for backgrounding are put through a squeeze, health-checked and vaccinated and can have a new tag attached at the time if needed. However, if an animal loses a tag while on site, producers must apply a new tag and report the information within seven days. “That seems like busy work,” says Kulchar, who feels it’s enough for animals to be tagged at departure from a site. “I will still be checking tags when the animals leave my ranch.” On-farm tagging could be a problem for some small producers, says Merritt pork producer Julia Smith, who also serves as executive director of the Small-Scale Meat Producers Association. “I’m pretty good at pig wrestling and don’t mind doing it, but we have some 7,500 members who are mostly small operations. They don’t move their animals very often and may not have a lot of experience. I worry that someone will get hurt.” BC ranch safety specialist Reg Steward, superintendent of eld operations with AgSafe BC, also stresses the safety issues. He describes his own experience taking three animals to an abattoir on a November morning, noticing a tag is missing and having to rope the animal in the dark, on an icy landing, in order to put on a missing tag. “It’s always the ornery cow,” Steward recalls. “It’s not safe and it takes extra time and now you are worried that you’ll miss your booking time. You’ve got a 300 to 400 km drive to the abattoir, so you might speed.” Stewart fully supports the traceability requirements, but says there is no sense in trading traceability for safety. “A signed adavit that this is an animal from your farm would accomplish the same thing, without putting extra stress on the farmer or the abattoir, who must report the animal’s arrival,” he says. “To put people at risk to accomplish what is doable by other safe and humane means borders on irresponsibility. As the goals of the regulations and requirements are easily met by a safer means, it seems ridiculous to insist on a method that can and does put the handlers at risk unnecessarily." CFIA notes that there are exceptions for animals that might cause serious injury and proposes that they be transported to an identication site for tagging. “Having animals putting handlers and equipment in jeopardy isn't worth the risk,” says BC Bison Association president Conrad Schiebel. “But we haven’t heard that a special site has been identied for BC.” If animals need to be moved in an emergency, the requirements for tagging as they leave a site are waived. “That’s pretty important if we have to evacuate animals in a wildre emergency,” Kulchar says. Kulchar adds that it is very important for individual livestock owners to make their voices heard before the June 16 deadline. “Look up the regs to know what is coming and comment as to what their thoughts are,” he says. “And let your individual associations know as well. The more voices they can say that they represent, the more clout we will have.” Not fair for Fairs Fall fairs are key social events for the agricultural community and the general public, and volunteers are the backbone of fairs. But proposed regulation changes by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency could force many of them to shut down. “I’m on our fair committee, and we’ve just learned that fairgrounds would be considered an intermediate site and would be required to report animal movements to and from the fairgrounds within seven days,” Vanderhoof rancher and Nechako Valley Exhibition Society director Alex Kulchar explains. “And if an animal loses a tag on the way to the fair or while at the fair, the fair operators are required to apply a new tag registered to the fair.” That’s a lot of work for fair volunteers. The Canadian Association of Fairs and Exhibitions says that these requirements will jeopardize the more than 5,000 animal events that take place across Canada each year. “More than three-quarters of fairs, exhibitions and agricultural societies surveyed say they will be negatively impacted by the proposed requirements and will have to cancel shows,” says CAFE. The reporting could be done by the individual farms CAFE notes. “Two thirds of exhibitors have said they would be willing to be responsible for reporting animal movements to and from the fairgrounds if the process was simple and direct,” it says. “We propose that the movement of animals to/from the fairgrounds be reported by the farm of origin and that they be responsible to ensure that all animals sent have approved intact/undamaged indicators.” CAFE says having fair sta tag animals is a non-starter for exhibitors, noting that 90% rejecting this proposal. “It is not practical nor safe for our facilities to be responsible for animal tagging,” CAFE adds. CAFE says it is willing to enforce proper tagging protocols by ensuring that all animals arriving at fair sites have tags and by restricting participation until animals have been tagged. “We propose that the owner/farm of origin be responsible for applying approved indicators issued to the farm of origin,” CAFE says. “It’s important to balance traceability objectives with the sustainability of the industry and the promotion of agriculture to the public,” says CAFÉ interim executive director Kryssie Thomson. —Tom Walker
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 17Bison exports hit by century-old regulationsUS meat inspection rules out bison meatBison producers in Canada say their operations are jeopardized by US enforcement of a century-old rule that prevents further processing of bison meat into burgers, sausages and other products. FACEBOOK / TURTLE VALLEY BISON CO.“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.comHave you herd? VBP+ TrainingWorkshops or Webinarsare Free!Looking to learn moreabout how to raisehealthy beef cattle?Open to producers of allsizes!free to all beef producersin bc!TOM WALKER CHASE – It’s always an exciting time when new bulls arrive at Turtle Valley Bison Ranch near Chase, and this April was no dierent as owner Conrad Schiebel welcomed 10 of the handsome animals. “We just open the back of the livestock trailer and get out of the way,” says Schiebel, president of the BC Bison Producers Association. “The bulls hit the ground at a gallop and head to the far end of the pasture.” But the arrival also heralds a likely downturn in the Canadian bison industry due to a long-standing American law. Schiebel says he picked up the animals for a good price and will nish them to add to his direct meat sales program, but that wasn’t the previous owner’s intention. “These are Plains bison from a high-end breeder in the Peace and they were originally headed for nishing and processing at Rangeland Meats in Lacombe,” he notes. “There has been a real slowing down of the bison feeder industry that is a direct result of the US enforcing their amenable species legislation.” Bison is considered a non-amenable or “exotic” species in the US under rules that date back to the 1700s when bison was considered a game species . Since 1906, products made entirely from game meats like bison are not considered meat and excluded from federal meat inspection rules. This means federally inspected plants in the US will not accept meat for further processing even if it comes from a federally inspected plant in Canada. The rule was overlooked for years but enforcement since 2020 combined with a slowdown in foodservice sales as a result of COVID has put a damper on bison production in Canada. “I think it’s really a protectionist measure,” says Schiebel. “It’s only for processed meat, not for live animals.” Canadian bison processors like Rangeland Meats in Alberta typically sell higher-end bison cuts in Canada and have in the past sent the trim cuts (about 80% of the carcass) to the US, which has a much larger market for products like bison burgers and sausages. “We will probably never know for sure all the reasons behind the enforcement, but our industry has relied on shipping semi-trucks full of boxes of bison trim to the States,” says Bison Producers of Alberta chair Steven Lunty. BC producers are just beginning to feel the eects of the legislation but price cuts have already led to downsizing of Prairie herds. “We have gone from an historic high of $6.40 per pound down to, at its lowest, $4.00 per pound (hot hanging weight), for an average 750-pound animal,” he says. “That’s a drop from around $4,200 an animal to, if you’re lucky, $2,000.” Meanwhile, input costs have easily doubled over the last two years. “When you compound everything that is happening, people are downsizing and getting out of the industry,” says Lunty. “The estimates are we will see a 20% to 30% reduction in herd size across Canada over the next year.” Canadian producers hope access will improve as foodservice demand recovers in the US, but Lunty says the industry is actively working to expand Canadian sales in the meantime, something neglected in the past, as well as exports to Europe and Japan. “The problem is, they don’t eat a lot of burgers in those countries,” he said of the potential export markets. Schiebel has concerns for the long term given that BC still classies bison along with deer (cervids) as game animals. “We are the only province or state in North America that still considers bison to be a game animal – it has a dual designation of livestock and game,” he explains. “So if the US really wanted to be sticklers they could say any animals raised in BC are game and they could reject it. This is something the association has been trying to correct over the last 30 years.”
18 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCServing the Okanagan and Fraser Valley We’ve been proudly family owned and operated since opening in 1976. And with two blending plants, we’re one of BC’s largest distributors of granular, liquid and foliar fertilizers. Our buying power and proximity to the Fraser Valley makes us the logical choice for truckload shipments. OKANAGAN FERTILIZER LTD 1-800-361-4600 or 250-838-6414Island 4-H beef show kicks off season42 members from six clubs head to Duncan for spring showAMANDA POELMAN DUNCAN - The Vancouver Island 4-H Beef Spring Show welcomed 42 members from six dierent clubs to Cowichan Fairgrounds in Duncan, April 28-30. Through the course of the weekend members enjoyed a tting challenge, a full day of competition, a silent auction, and a delicious wrap-up dinner. Judge Caylynne Brown of Princeton competently lined up all the contenders and delivered excellent reasons and suggestions to the members on their projects and individual skills. The Winner’s Circle Fitting Challenge: Linden Hastie (Abbotsford 4-H Beef) Team Fitting: Abbotsford 4-H Beef (Kaden Tamis, Bailey Hastie & Pax Howes) Junior Showmanship: Parker Springford (Parksville-Qualicum 4-H Beef) Intermediate Showmanship: Caden Frank (Abbotsford 4-H Beef) Senior Showmanship: Kaden Tamis (Abbotsford 4-H Beef ) Grand Champion Showman: Parker Springford (Parksville-Qualicum 4-H Beef) Reserve Champion Showman: Caden Frank (Abbotsford 4-H Beef) Champion Market Steer: Rylee Hastie (Abbotsford 4-H Beef) with “Gizmo” - Angus X, 1150 lbs Reserve Champion Market Steer: Bailey Hastie (Abbotsford 4-H Beef) with “Mellow” - Charolais X, 1210 lbs Champion Heifer: Parker Springford (Parksville-Qualicum 4-H Beef) with “Mika” - Angus Reserve Champion Heifer: Lucas Pfaender (Langley 4-H Beef) with “Gema” - Angus X Top Homegrown Heifer: Lucas Pfaender (Langley 4-H Beef) with “Gema” - Angus X Homegrown Steer: Caden Frank (Abbotsford 4-H Beef ) with “Boone” - Hereford X, 940 lbs Top Hereford Heifer: Alexa Wolfe (Langley 4-H Beef) with “Trudy” Top Hereford Steer: Gabriel Harder (Langley 4-H Beef) with “Swurd”, 1150 lbs Top Shorthorn Heifer: Ainsley Fraser (Cowichan 4-H Beef) with “Betty” Top Shorthorn Steer: Carlie Macneil (Abbotsford 4-H Beef ) with “Maverick”, 1190 lbs Thank YouThank You!!!to the Generous Sponsors of the 2023 Island 4-H Beef Spring ShowAgWest Veterinary GroupBC Hereford AssociationBC Shorthorn AssociationBev & Doug RobertsonCariboo Classic SocietyChemainus FarmsChris Sunnus Farm ServicesCountry Life Cowichan Cobble Hill 4-H DistrictCowichan CollisionCutting EdgeDick & Jean JamesDon AllinghamGeorge & Gladys BairdGraham WestbyHelen & Sandy ChristisonIsland TractorJMK Valleyview EnterprisesJust SewMartin Bros.MNPMorningside FarmPeter BaldryPorters DairyPrairie Coast EquipmentSpringford Farm Ltd.Stanhope-Wedgwood TransportStevenson Family FarmsTerralink Horticulture Inc.Thompson LivestockTrouw NutritionWhitta FarmsWestGenMELLOREXCAVATINGIn Memy of Josh Mell
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 19New farmers institutes form to address gaps Groups look forward to more extension and advocacyKatie Underwood of Peas n' Carrots Farm in Saanich is working to build community through the new South Island Farmers Institute. SUBMITTEDUSED EQUIPMENT KUBOTA K76249H 76” SKIDSTEER SNOWBLOWER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,500 KUBOTA AP-SC2572, 72” SKID CUTTER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,500 DAN SM40, S/S POST DRIVER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,500 USED TRACTORS KUBOTA T2380 2017, 48” DECK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,500 KUBOTA BX2360 2010, 1,900HRS, TRAC/MWR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9,750 TORO 328D 48” MOWER, 2,900 HRS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,500 GRAVELY ZTHD60 2017, 60” ZERO TURN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,500 KUB F2880 2006, 1,411HRS, 60” REAR DISCHARGE . . . . . . . . . . . . 11,500 KUB F3990 2015, 72” SIDE DISHARGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22,500 JD 4200, 2001, 1570HRS, TRAC/LDR/BH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,500 NEW INVENTORY: NEW GREENWORKS COMMERCIAL CORDLESS BLOWERS, CHAINSAWS, STRING TRIMMERS, HEDGE TRIMMERS, LAWNMOWERS. 82/48 VOLT 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 www.hlaattachments.com 1-866-567-4162 KATE AYERS SAANICHTON – The newly formed South Island Farmers Institute oers producers the opportunity to connect and learn from one another, a missing component in the local community over the last few years. “We had about 55 people join us. A lot more people than I had expected, and I was really excited that so many people came and there were a lot of people who I hadn’t met yet,” says grower and lead organizer Katie Underwood of the group’s rst meeting on April 16 at the Saanich Fairgrounds. “People were making connections and the networking was great.” Underwood manages Peas n’ Carrots Farm in Saanich, a half-acre plot in organic mixed vegetables. Underwood has wanted to build community in the South Island for some time, but the Mid-Island Farmers Institute annual general meeting in February provided the inspiration she needed to put an event together. “That was wonderful because we were back learning in person, shaking hands, sitting down with other people and asking questions in person instead of doing it on Zoom,” Underwood says. “I really wanted to see that happen in the South Island because we don’t have an institute down here that is providing networking or education opportunities.” The BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Peninsula and Area Agricultural Commission and Capital Region Food and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable (CR-FAIR) support the development of a farmers institute in the region and funding is available to make future events possible. The last Farmer2Farmer event in the South Island was in 2018, Underwood says, which was facilitated by CR-FAIR. And she sees a future collaboration with the roundtable, which is helping with grant applications. While Underwood’s vision is for producers to learn from one another through peer-to-peer learning and workshops, the objectives and outcomes are entirely up to the group. “Farmers institutes can be whatever they want – running fairs, tool shares, bulk buying, social club – they are shaped by the people who are a part of them,” Underwood says. “We can be formal and apply for funding, but it’s really what we will all make of it and who is involved at what time.” Looking ahead, Underwood hopes the group can host a summer picnic or BBQ to keep people connected. Advocacy efforts On April 5, the Lake Country Farmers Institute in the Okanagan became ocial, hosting its rst meeting on April 11 at Beasley Park. In early May, the institute had 30 members focused on addressing agricultural water concerns, a May 9 news release from the institute says. The group is encouraging the District of Lake Country to postpone the adoption of a municipal water conservation plan and water master plan to allow for input from the farmers institute. In addition, members are working on projects to bring information to the public and politicians as water supply and aordability continue to threaten the sustainability of farming in the district. The district’s agriculture plan, published in September 2020, identied climate change impacts such as an unstable water supply, extreme weather events and changes in pest pressures as threats to local agricultural production. A 2019 producer survey showed that 76% of farm operations irrigate, with the top ve crops in the area listed as apples, cherries, peaches, garlic and plums.
20 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCCohortWholesale.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 RONDA PAYNE DELTA – Vasanna remains the top-yielding variety at the BC Cranberry Research Farm in Delta, making it a hot topic of discussion at the Pacic Northwest Cranberry Congress, held online February 23-24. This was the third year in a row that growers from BC, Washington and Oregon and beyond met virtually, with this year’s event attracting more than 150 people. “It’s a concept that is working very well,” says Jack DeWit vice-chair of the BC Cranberry Marketing Commission board. “The quality of speakers is very good.” A highlight of the rst day was the reports from BC Cranberry research committee chair Todd May and University of the Fraser Valley assistant professor Renee Prasad, who spoke on the research farm’s variety trials. “The total 2022 crop at the research farm was 2,091 barrels, up about 8.5% from 2021,” says May. About 97% of fruit hand-harvested at the farm was greater than a half-inch in diameter, not unlike what commercial growers reported. This compared to a proportion of 91% in 2021. “Firmness was very similar between years,” says May, adding that the percentage of fruit considered of poor quality was also similar between the 2021 and 2022 seasons. DeWit expressed concerns about May and grower Grant Keefer burning out because of the volume of time and energy they invest in the industry’s research farm, but May says the work never grows old. “It will be quite a long time yet before I get to the point where it’s not magical going there,” says May. Keefer added that the great thing about the research farm is that it’s a controlled setting where studies can be replicated for several years. Prasad says a cooler start to the 2022 season followed by a warm, dry nish was unusual but did not have an impact on fruit rot. “We continue to have very low levels of fruit rot at the research farm,” she says. She adds that fungicides for fruit rot should be planned at bloom. In her review of varieties and bud development from tight bud to bloom, Valley Corp.’s BG variety and Mullica Queen continue to be early performers over the course of three years of data. “We have three years of data now that show that BG and Mullica Queen are relatively early to do most things,” she says. “Haines is relatively slow to do most things.” Vasanna, which leads the pack in grower interest, also leads in bud stage development. Prasad’s data shows Vasanna reaches early hook stage by mid-May, where the lowest ower stalks on new growth are elongating and pushing away from the stem. It’s the rst variety to do so, giving it a jump on hook development, where those stalks are fully elongated and droop to create a hook shape. Surprisingly, in 2022, Haines did not lag behind in bloom even though bloom was late for all varieties. Research farm yields were higher in 2022 for most varieties. However, the data was based only on harvested berries from Field 1 at the farm. Vasanna reached its highest yield in 2022 at more than 500 barrels per acre versus an average yield over eight years of trials of 438 barrels per acre. The variety has led in yields for several years. Other eight-year average results from varieties in Field 1 included: Crimson Queen at 377 barrels per acre, Haines at 338, which was slightly better than Mullica Queen at 330 and Demoranville at 313. RS-11 is the lowest performing variety at 287 barrels. Among the Valley Corp. varieties, yield averages are lower than those varieties previously noted, but in 2021 and 2022 all were still above 300 barrels an acre. New trials to assess the impact of fertilizers on canopy and fruit began in 2022. In explaining that results were too preliminary to act on, Prasad discussed a few nutrition basics. “Every eld situation is dierent,” she says. “Take cues from your crop before fertilizing. Your nutrition decisions can impact the vines for multiple seasons.” These decisions include looking at things like lots of runner growth, fruit rot and high pest pressure, which can indicate excess nitrogen, whereas yellow-tinged elds often mean low nitrogen. With eight years of data, Vasanna is a clear leader in berry trialsBC research farm steals show at cranberry congress
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 21Award-winning products from BC ingredients Saanich Peninsula barley makes ‘spectacular’ whiskySaanich barley elevates the quality of Graeme Macaloney's single-malt whiskies, now sold in eight countries. SUBMITTEDSuppor soi-based agriculturGrown and brewed on-farm in Ladner, B.C.www.barnsidebrewing.caThis German-style Lager is the pinnacle of our One Mile Beers. Crisp, light and refreshing, this lager utilizes only our Ladner-grown Pilsner malt and Sterling hops.Ask for us at your local beer storeAsk for us at your local beer storeAsk for us at your local beer storeDrinfarm fresh beerfarm fresh beerfarm fresh beerKATE AYERS SAANICHTON – While the grain-producing areas on Vancouver Island are small, they deliver big on taste for local distillers and brewers. Macaloney’s Island Distillery, Twa Dogs Brewery and Phillips Brewing in Victoria are among those using barley from the Saanich Peninsula to create award-winning beverages. “It’s very cool to know that we live in a special part of the world where we may not have the largest abundance of each crop, but we can grow most crops,” says Saanichton grain producer Bryce Rashleigh. “And we have people who have expertise that put it on a world stage and that's very fascinating. … They have told me different times I've made some of the best barley they've ever found. But it's because we're in this sweet little zone.” Rashleigh has provided barley to feed and flour mills as well as distilleries and breweries across the province. Brewers and master distillers give Rashleigh a new outlet for his grains, providing a more profitable option than shipping to customers on the Lower Mainland or even up Island. Weather conditions on the Island, without the harsh extremes of cold winters and hot summers, favour barley with lower protein and starch content than Prairie grains, allowing Macaloney’s to make award-winning whiskies. “I'm committed to working with BC barley because … I’ve got three-dimensional flavour profiles that have big and juicy and malty and biscuity notes. It’s spectacular,” says Macaloney’s president and head distiller Graeme Macaloney. In Scotland and England, for example, barley breeders develop high-starch varieties, which result in high alcohol yield but compromise flavour, Macaloney says. On the other hand, Canadian barley has been developed for baking and brewing, which contributes to a “complex” flavour profile but cuts alcohol yields, he explains. Macaloney’s main malt barley suppliers are Rashleigh and Gambrinus Malting Corp. in Armstrong. As a result of Macaloney’s commitment to sourcing local barley and distilling practices, the company received impressive recognition at the World Whiskies Awards in London, UK in April. In addition to receiving the World’s Best Pot Still award for its flagship whisky Kildara Signature Expression, Macaloney also came home with awards for Best Canadian Single Malt, Best Canadian Pot Still and Best Canadian Single Cask Malt. New this year and due for launch in June is a peated whisky called The Peat Salty tang uWITH OVER 29 YEARS OF EXPERIENCEWe oer our clients the best service there is in the real estate industry ensuring there are no unanswered questions or concerns.8450 Gibson Road, Chilliwack 34.79 acre cranberry farm in East Chilliwack. Currently producing three varieties of cranberries for Ocean Spray with Class A shares. The perfect opportunity to start your farming dreams.MLS# C8049150 | Asking $3,900,000-'+$.0*$/(*/
22 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Salty tang lent by peat and seaweed Chassis with ideal ground tracking Hydraulic working width adjustment. Very convenient operation on request Comfortable road transportMore success with PÖTTINGER.TOP 1252 CChilliwack – 1.800.242.9737, 44725 Yale Road WestLangley – 1.800.665.9060, 21869, 56th AvenueChemainus – 1.250.246.1203, 3306 Smiley RoadPÖTTINGER CANADATel. 450-372-5595, www.poettinger.ca 2 year warrantyCHILLIWACK 1-800-242-9737 | 44724 Yale Road West LANGLEY 1-800-665-9060 | 21869 56th Avenue CHEMAINUS 1-250-246-1203 | 3306 Smiley Rd KELOWNA 1-250-765-8266 | #201-150 Campion StreetPÖTTINGER CANADATel. 450-372-5595, www.poettinger.caProject: Single Cask Portuguese Red Wine Barrique with Washington Peat. Despite the several peat bogs in BC, no commercial production exists so Macaloney looked south and found a Seattle company harvesting peat on the Olympic Peninsula. The peat is combined with seaweed from Cascadia Seaweed of Sidney, which operates seven farms across Vancouver Island. Macaloney has known Cascadia chairman and founding partner Bill Collins for a number of years and began sourcing seaweed from Cascadia’s Diplock farm near Bamfield in 2020 to give his whiskies a unique local flavour. “Over the years, Graeme and I continued to talk and he suggested that seaweed might be a very interesting ingredient, both for the beers that he was making, but also in using it in the process of creating peated whiskies,” Collins says. “Using seaweed might try and build in flavors that might suggest the ocean and might also give people some sense in the way that whisky is made in Scotland and to try and bring that essence to Canadian production.” Along with bringing local barley to global markets, the collaboration exposes Vancouver Island seaweed to international consumers. “We're building on the strengths of what we have to take our products internationally and our relationship with Macaloney Island Distillery is just a prime example of how two companies that are competing globally can get together and deliver something as simple as algae from the sea to make distinctive products that can compete worldwide,” Collins says. Also new to the distillery this year and launched in May is a map of the world’s first international whisky trail, Macaloney says. The objective of the Northwest Whisky Trail is to promote agri-tourism in the province, he adds. “This is all about really trying to promote the export of BC barley upgraded into super-premium whisky. The passport has a map of BC, Washington and Oregon distillers all using local barley,” Macaloney says. “Us and several other of these distillers are exporting to every continent except Antarctica. And so that means that people in Europe, Asia, North and South America and Africa, when they taste our whiskies, they will be intrigued to come … and visit the source of these great whiskies.” Victoria’s cruise ship and tourism industry is another export opportunity and was part of the original business model. Macaloney’s products are distributed in eight countries, which he expects to rise to 25 in the near future. According to BC Distilled, Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands have 22 distilleries, the Lower Mainland including the Fraser Valley and Coast have 31, and the Okanagan, Kootenays and Interior have 25 for a total of about 78 craft distilleries in the province. Following a doctorate in fermentation science, Scotland-born Graeme Macaloney began working in the biotech sector. In 2013, he decided to pursue his passion for whisky production, vetted a business plan with experienced Scottish whisky exporters and drew up proposals for a large-scale distillery and brewery in Victoria. But leasing a 17,000-square-foot building and installing some of the “biggest craft distillery pot stills on the North American continent” is not cheap, Macaloney admits. “I'm not independently wealthy. We don't have big corporate investors or venture capital [rms] behind us,” he says. “But based on my experience in biotech, I thought, let's do crowdfunding. Though crowdfunding hadn't really been launched in Canada back in 2014. So, I really pioneered that by going to whisky consumers across the country.” By sharing his dream and passion with whisky enthusiasts, Macaloney has recruited about 700 shareholders who have invested in his business, including grain farmers in the Prairies. Also in 2014, an Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada investment in innovative distillery technology gave Macaloney a huge funding boost. The distillery received $2.37 million to bring an accelerated whisky maturation process to market, a North American rst. “Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada hadn't done anything in the brewing and distilling sector like that before, and it was all predicated on us taking Canadian grain, upgrading that to a super-premium export product and then shipping it all over the world,” Macaloney says. “And, of course, creating some jobs along the way. This wouldn’t have happened without the help of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and 700 consumers.” —Kate Ayers Seed- and crowdfunding sprout distillery
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 23Seed producer takes a page from the craft beer movementOregon considers banning canola farms in seed beltFiona Hamersley Chambers of Metchosin Farms wants BC to adopt a Craft Seed designation that provides transparency regarding the source of seeds sold by seed companies. SUBMITTEDFOR BAGGED or BULK ORDERSDarren Jansen Owner604.794.3701organicfeeds@gmail.comwww.canadianorganicfeeds.comCertified by Pro-Cert Organic Systems Ltd.Einbock Tillage Equipment For Organic FarmingEconomical Reliable Low Maintenance Safe and Proven Order now for guaranteed next season delivery.Tine Weeders Row Crop CultivatorsRotary Hoes Camera GuidanceSystemsOrder now forguaranteed next season delivery.DELTA Drain Tile CleanersImproves Drainage & Conditions SoilEmail us today at: info@reimersfarmservices.comSANDRA TRETICK VICTORIA – The Oregon state legislature gave first reading in April to a bill that would severely restrict canola farms in the Willamette Valley Protection District in an attempt to guard the area’s specialty seed producers. Currently at the public hearing stage, seed companies support the move. The valley is ideal for producing high yields of quality seeds because of a unique combination of soil, water and a favourable climate. Fiona Hamersley Chambers, owner of Metchosin Farms, says 80% of US spinach seed is grown there, but notes that southern Vancouver Island is also ideal for growing spinach and other crops. “British Columbia is the seed basket of Canada,” she says. “Nowhere else in Canada can you grow the extraordinary range of seed crops successfully that we can here. Metchosin could be full of spinach seed. We have the ideal conditions. I pull it out as a weed.” Hamersley Chambers spent a lot of time over the last two years developing a concept that she’s calling Craft Seed, a fusion of lessons from the craft beer movement and the VQA, which she pitched last year to then agriculture minister Lana Popham. “VQA was a response by the British Columbia wine industry to California imports,” she says. “We need to be able to explain in simple terms and with a very basic logo, why we are different. I think that Craft Seed is a way to do that.” Her proposal highlighted bulk imported seeds as a food security loophole and included a certification scheme that would clearly identify BC-grown seed. She says Popham liked the concept but it didn’t get traction. SeedChange is a charity that works with Canadian farmers through the Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security in partnership with FarmFolk/CityFolk in BC. It estimates that 97% of vegetable seeds planted in Canada are imported. FarmFolk/CityFolk BC seed security manager David Catzel wrote a letter to the BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food last year supporting Hamersley Chambers’ proposal, but FarmFolk/CityFolk has since submitted its own proposal that recommends a designation based on a pledge rather than certification. “[We] would actually be working with all the seed growers to come up with quality standards we all agree to adhere to, and then we will pledge to do that, rather than certification,” says Catzel. “Certification is expensive to run. I didn't want to burden farmers with additional fees.” The province has not yet made a decision on whether to fund the FarmFolk/CityFolk proposal. The motivation behind both proposals is to distinguish good quality, locally grown seed from internationally sourced seeds. “Even if [local seeds are] comparable to the international market, they’re better because we can mitigate all those supply-chain issues that will inevitably come up at some point in the future,” Catzel adds. FarmFolk/CityFolk’s initiative builds on previous work to develop industry capacity for BC seed growers, including variety trials, detailed enterprise budget templates and three mobile seed cleaning trailers that travelled more than 8,500 kilometres around BC last year making 35 different stops. The current trials include three types of lettuce being evaluated for hot-season growing and two types of carrots. Carrots normally take two years to produce seed, but they were able to partner with UBC Farm and cut that down to a year by taking advantage of a winter greenhouse. Catzel says the proposal that is currently with the ministry would include gathering seed growers together to develop quality assurance standards, come up with a brand and launch a media campaign. Both he and Hamersley Chambers are hopeful it will get the go-ahead. “This is a designation for BC seed farmers that is long overdue and I’m hopeful by working together we’re going to make this happen,” says Hamersley Chambers. “We really do not have food security if we don’t have seed security. People need to understand how little seed we produce.”
24 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCSANDRA TRETICK VICTORIA – Metchosin Farms on southern Vancouver Island did a massive pivot in 2020 when consumer demand during the early months of the pandemic cleaned out stock at West Coast Seeds. Seeds had typically made up about 20% of the farm’s sales with the rest coming from starts and perennial fruit bushes. But today, seeds now account for 70% of farm sales. “It was a huge opportunity for many small growers and for us,” says owner Fiona Hamersley Chambers, who estimates she has distributed over 60,000 seed packages since the start of the pandemic. “[It] sounds impressive, but when you’re selling them for $4 or $4.50 a package and you think about all the labour that goes into that, it’s not super-viable. We had to invest significantly in infrastructure. I think we lost money during that time period,” she says. Although it seemed like an incredible business opportunity at the time, she finds it hard to compete against West Coast Seeds, which is large enough to import and resell seeds to meet demand. “If you buy 800 kilos of kale seed and you repackage it into small individual packets at six grams, we simply can’t complete,” she says. “We are all struggling to do something that we know is extremely important.” Hamersley Chambers notes that her sales have levelled out since the pandemic. “The first year of the pandemic was this crazy explosion,” she says, “I really feel that this is our year to try and find that economic balance.” She does about 65% of her seed sales online with the rest through small retailers or from her own farm stand. Fellow seed producer Dan Jason operates Salt Spring Seeds. He grows 250 varieties on his own farm and works with 10 other growers to offer 700 varieties altogether. He provides the packages and each farm fills and returns them. Jason handles sales and customer service and says his sales are increasing every year. “It’s certainly increased the past three years for sure,” he says. “This year is probably going to be a little bit above last year.” Salt Spring Seeds sells around 60,000 packages a year through online sales and a dozen stores in BC. About 40% of sales are within BC. “I’ve been doing this since 1986,” says Jason. “I don’t have a business model. It’s evolved naturally.” Jason believes there’s room for more farmers to start their own seed companies. “It’s much easier when you get your act together as a seed company to make money than it is as a farmer,” he adds. “Local communities would support that for sure. There’s so few seed companies. We really need a lot more.” The BC Eco Seed Co-op has 23 members which produce certified organic and ecological seeds. They offer about 200 varieties in packets and bulk sizes with most sales online. Chris Thoreau is the co-op’s operations manager and a member grower. He says income from seed sales is supplementary for most co-op members. “Seed production can be quite difficult to be economically viable,” says Thoreau. “The expenses can be quite high when you look at packaging and shipping. There’s probably a scale at which it starts to make sense, somewhere in the middle or really, really big.” The co-op had a 300% increase in sales in 2020 due to the pandemic. “That was definitely a spike, but we’ve managed to stay at those levels,” he adds. “Our sales have gone up in 2021 and 2022, [but] not that same amount. This is not an unknown phenomenon. It happened in 2008 when the market crashed. Seed sales went up.” A spokesperson for Delta-based West Coast Seeds says the company saw an increase in demand and sales in 2020, both on its e-commerce website and through its retail partners. That demand stayed steady in 2021 but plateaued last year and into this year as customers returned to more historic buying patterns. Organic seeds are their top sellers, and while the company sources its seeds from growers around the globe it says it is “always looking to establish more relationships with local seed farms.” West Coast Seeds and sister seed company Renee’s Garden out of California are both owned by the Diamond Group, a BC-based family-owned business led by Craig Diamond. Seed sales plateau following pandemic boostFarmers split on whether seed production is economically viableBC-grown seeds make up a small percentage of all seed sold in the province. SUBMITTED1.800.282.7856 Find out more at terraseco.comFiXaTion CloverFrosty CloverCrimson CloverDC Red CloverWhite CloverHybrid CloverAlfalfaWinter PeasFiXaTion CloverFrosty CloverCrimson CloverDC Red CloverWhite CloverHybrid CloverAlfalfaWinter PeasTerra Seed Corp Healthy Soil Nurtures a Healthy Herd
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 25Diversification, patience help honey sector growBeekeepers share secrets to sweet successA strong start to the year at Revelstoke's BeeKind Honey Bees is the result of slow, steady and strategic growth that's key for beekeepers seeking commercial success. FACEBOOK / BEEKIND HONEY BEESTOM WALKER KAMLOOPS – The BC honey industry is small by comparison with the rest of Canada. On average, BC and Quebec tie for fth in total honey production behind Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Ontario. In 2022 there were approximately 4,300 beekeepers in the province, managing some 63,000 colonies. A recent sector analysis for the BC Honey Producers Association examined the province’s bee industry and recommended ways to improve returns and grow the industry. Two presenters at the BCHPA semi-annual education day in Kamloops explored the topic of commercial beekeeping. John Gibeau, founder of the Honey Bee Centre in Surrey, gave an overview of commercial beekeeping in BC and Alberta. The Honey Bee Centre has multiple revenue streams including a commercial honey farm with a Canadian Food Inspection Agency-registered packing facility, pollination services, a country store and an educational facility. It even provides bees for the lm industry. During his talk, Gibeau said the commercial industry in BC and Alberta is driven by pollination rst, with income from honey production a second bonus. “We are basically pollinators,” Gibeau says. “That is our contribution to Canadian agriculture.” Gibeau told attendees that an operator requires 4,000 colonies to support a family on beekeeping alone. “There are approximately a dozen operations of that size in BC,” Gibeau says. “In Alberta, there are 400 families that make their living o of bees [alone]. ” An operation with 4,000 hives requires about eight workers, often temporary foreign workers whom the business has trained and who return each year. “In a typical commercial operation, one worker can manage about 400 to 500 colonies,” Gibeau explains. Spring starts with Honey Bee Centre colonies pollinating blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries in the Lower Mainland and then moving to northern Alberta to pollinate canola and alfalfa and forage on clover for honey production. “We are aiming for $500 a year combined revenue per colony,” Gibeau says. BC colonies on average produce 85 lbs of honey, he notes, while Alberta can get 150 lbs and in the Peace they can see 300 lbs from colonies Growth prospects u100 Mile HouseNew Cal Rabbit FarmAbbotsfordBlackwood Building CentreAgassiz Building SupplyAldergroveOtter Co-OpArmstrongCountry West SupplyAshcroftAshcroft Building CentreCastlegarMitchell SupplyChilliwackCANEX Building SuppliesCountry West SupplyClintonClinton Building SupplyCranbrook / KootenaysTop CropCrestonGrowers SupplyCourtenayTop Shelf FeedsDuncanTop Shelf FeedsGrand ForksBoundary Home Building CentreHoustonBulkley Valley Home CentreKamloops / MerrittPurity FeedKelownaGrowers SupplyKeremeosQC LtdLangleyCountry LumberDawson Brill LumberLillooetLillooet BuildersLogan LakeFence ‘N More Supplies LtdMaple RidgeHaney Building CentreNanaimoCountry West SupplyOkanagan / OliverGrowers SupplyParksvilleFenceline ProductsPembertonAnimal BarnPentictonGrowers SupplyDan ZellerPitt MeadowsOtter Co-OpPowell RiverPowell River Building Supply Top Shelf FeedsPort AlberniBeaver Creek Home CentrePrincetonFletcher’s Building CentreQuadra IslandQuadra Island BuildersRock CreekFreeman’s Farm & Vet SupplySalt Spring IslandWindsor PlywoodSecheltGibsons Building CentreSmithersSmithers Feed StoreSorrentoSorrento Building CentreTelkwaBulkley Valley Home CentreVernon Growers SupplyWasa / East KootenaysWasa Hardware & Building CentreWilliams LakeBeaver Valley FeedWinlawSlocan Valley Home Hardware 250.295.7911 TF 1 877.797.7678 bill@pwppost.com www.pwppost.com 1821 Crowsnest Hwy. Princeton, BC V0X 1W0 PWPPrinceton Wood Preservers is proudly Celebrating 50 Yearsfence postspoles grapevine stakestree stakestrellisingdoweled post & rail fencingrewoodBill EveriThe Everitt-Marion family is also celebrating 30-years of owner-operation at the mill and treating plant. PWP’s focus continues to be PWP Premium brand high quality kiln dried, pressure-treated products that meet CSA standards for MOTI and MOF projects. Our team also launched a PWP Select economy grade line in 2022.From Vancouver Island to Quebec, the Yukon Territory to California, buy the name that lasts. Buy Princeton Wood Preservers Ltd.Preferred Supplier for British Columbia Ministries and Parks Canada.Ask For Us By Name PWP Premium & PWP Select at the following trusted dealers.
26 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Growth prospects strong for beekeeperswith two queens. The Honey Bee Centre is a member of the Bee Maid Co-op that processes and markets honey from Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Current wholesale honey prices are around $2.80 per pound. “You can make money at that price level,” he says. Gibeau is bullish for prices to stay at that level and for the industry to expand. “We could easily use 1,000 more colonies in blueberries and there is an opportunity to expand pollination services,” he says, noting, “Only half the blueberry growers use bees in the elds.” But the learning curve is steep, Gibeau warns. There are also dierent levels of equipment and management techniques required to expand production in typical increments from 50 to 300 to 700 and 2,000 colonies. “Don’t grow too fast, about 15% a year is good so you aim for doubling your number of colonies every ve years,” he says. Ron Glave of BeeKind Honey Bees in Revelstoke, a hybrid business that relies on a variety of revenue sources within the broader community, has taken a similar approach to building his operation, with key dierences. “I started with my rst hive in 2013,” Glave told BCHPA members. “And as you all know, one hive leads to two hives, leads to ve. But the awe that I felt with my rst hive is still there.” That rst hive showed him the complexity of beekeeping. He dove into learning the art from beginner courses through to Bee Master, including a trip to Apimondia in Montreal. “I have also been fortunate to connect with a number of beekeepers who have been my mentors along the journey,” Glave says. BeeKind Honey Bees was up to 85 hives by 2019. “That was my rst commercial year, and we have been working diligently on the business since then,” he says. “We assessed that the reward would outweigh the risk given our limited experience working with livestock.” By 2021, he was up to 211 hives. Glave’s professional background was in construction management, and he says that’s come in handy building BeeKind. “Mastering beekeeping is only half of the equation,” he says. “Entrepreneurship and all of the hats you must wear to be a success in business can be overwhelming, but also extremely rewarding.” Glave says he nds a lot of potential in Revelstoke. “Our honey harvest is always in high demand and it’s great to be able to produce something that ies o the shelf,” he says. But he also recognized an opportunity to combine his passion for being an entrepreneur with teaching and coaching beekeeping at a community scale. “We host others in our education yard, oering beginner courses, including school groups,” Glave says. “It’s wonderful to see a group of kids all suited up and the same look of wonder on their faces as I have.” In addition to the courses and honey sales, BeeKind sells nucleus colonies and queens. “It feels like there is a lot of margin in stock production,” Glave says. “And it also provides revenue across the year.” Former provincial apiculture specialist John Gates mentored Glave in stock production techniques and in 2021 Glave had the opportunity to buy Gates’ North Okanagan business and the equipment that went with it. “This was an opportunity to increase our stock production and the support that John has given us has been incredible,” Glave says. An extensive website is a key to the business. The online store oers honey as well as pollen, bulk beeswax and a variety of beeswax candles. In addition to the bee stock sales, hive equipment, feeding and treatment supplies are also oered. BeeKind has expanded from farmgate into retail stores with branded, CFIA bar-coded labels. “We have developed a wholesale radius of about two and a half hours’ drive including sales to restaurants as well,” Glave says. His most recent expansion has been into commercial pollination. He had 48 hives in North Okanagan cherry orchards last year, and this year he’s looking at opportunities to expand that. “It took us four years to understand cash ow and we believe diversity can mitigate some of the seasonal risks associated with commercial beekeeping,” he says. “One winter we lost 86% of our stock, but there is always a villain in every story. Listen to your heart and listen to your bees.” “It’s wonderful to see a group of kids all suited up and the same look of wonder on their faces as I have.” Ron Glave, BeeKind Honey Bees *Trade-in bonus of 2013 or newer equipment. Financing on approved JD Financial credit only. Limited time offer, please see your local PrairieCoast equipment for all details. PRINCE GEORGE | KAMLOOPS | KELOWNA | CHILLIWACK | LANGLEY | NANAIMO WWW.PCE.CA | 1-877-553-3373MEET OUR LINE UP OF 5G TRACTORSNARROW & NIMBLE AND READY TO GET IT DONEThe 5075GL Tractor is ready to get thejob done with a powerful 75HP engineThe 5G Cab Tractors (75-100HP) are the ideal narrowsolution for all your vineyard and orchard applicationsACT NOW FOR OUR LIMITED TIME OFFERS$5000 COMPETITIVE TRADE-IN BONUS5 YEAR POWERGARD PROTECTION$10,000 FACTORY DISCOUNTS LOW RATE FINANCING
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 27Dicklands Farms is nally realizing its vision for a renewable natural gas facility with the help (left to right) of Daniel Zabala, Derek Wegener, plant manager Hugues Harel and farm owner George Dick. SUBMITTEDKATE AYERS CHILLIWACK – Dicklands Farms in Chilliwack has partnered with FortisBC to produce renewable natural gas from agricultural and food waste. The project, which started 13 years ago, is anticipated to produce enough gas for 2,000 homes. “In 2010, we started working with ARDCorp to do a feasibility study and Fortis was part of that,” says George Dick of Dicklands Farms. The study was completed at the end of 2012. “Our site was deemed to be feasible and practical. So, we started investigating it … and we designed a plant and then when it came down to the end, we kind of felt there wasn't a good enough cash ow situation.” The family and business partners, including George and his wife Michelle, his brother Aron and wife Shelley, and his parents Jacob and Marie Anne, decided to put the project on the backburner while they continued to operate their mixed farm of dairy cattle, broilers and some crops. But in fall 2016, their vision of running a biogas plant came back in focus when the BC Utilities Commission changed the upper rate for gas sales, allowing FortisBC to pay more than $30 per gigajoule of biomethane. “That's when we kind of started to re-evaluate the plan that we did have and kind of go through the motions and the steps again,” Dick says. “We've worked fairly diligently and consistently on it, starting at that point. So, a seven-year development is really what it ended up being.” While the Dicks are not the rst adopters of on-farm biogas production, they faced several hurdles along the way due to the newness of the Long road leads to RNG Dicklands Farms enters 20-year contract with FortisBCEducation key uMANUFACTURING OF MINI SKID STEERS AND A VARIETY OF ATTACHMENTS INCLUDINGDRAINAGE PLOWS | TREE 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
28 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Education key to securing approvalstechnology in the agriculture sector. “In its essence, it’s not a complicated thing, what we're doing,” Dick says. “We're going to have a tank, we're going to put the manure we already have in it and then we're going to add some food waste to it or some waste feed and we're going to make gas and put it in the line. I mean, it's not that complicated.” But between construction and operation, the project requires the approval and expertise of many departments and professionals. “We deal with biologists, chemists, and [physicists], you deal with engineers, and you deal with your electrical supply, and is Fortis close enough?” Dick says. “And how do your neighbours feel about it and what's your plan for odour control? And what's your plan for nutrient control and is your nutrient control system good enough for the standards? And the standards keep changing.” The new technology means that not everyone is familiar with the benets and challenges of such a project, so many questions arise. “You go to the Ministry of Environment, and they say, ‘well, what's a biogas plant?’ so you have to educate them to get the permit; you go to the City of Chilliwack and they ask, so you have to educate them to get the building permits; you go the Agricultural Land Commission and you have to educate them; and then you go to the banks to borrow the money and they don't know what it is,” says Matt Dickson, managing director at Hallbar Consulting, a company that specializes in biogas and nutrient management projects. “Anytime you talk to anyone new, you have to spend a lot of time educating them and bringing them up to a level of understanding before you can get what you need from them. That's very challenging and time-consuming.” FortisBC worked alongside the Dicks since the beginning of the project to determine if the RNG produced could enter the natural gas system, how much gas they could accept into the system given the local load and demand in area and the required infrastructure, says FortisBC RNG supply manager Scott Gramm. “It's a 20-year agreement for us to buy energy from them. And they were able to kind of build a business case around that and get whatever they needed from their investors or banks to build a facility,” Gramm says. “It’s been a long journey with some ups and downs and surprises along the way.” Despite the challenges, the family pressed on and saw the job through to completion. “I think we both realized this is what needed to be done for the health of the farm, for the health of the local community and the environment, [and] the health of agriculture,” Dickson says. “It's just something that has to be done if we're going to keep farming and keep living on this planet and keep moving forward.” The project took a mix of stubbornness and sheer determination, Dickson says. The plant started running on May 1 and is slowly working up to full production. For now, the bacteria are fed a purely manure diet. In the future, Dick looks forward to adding local food waste into the digester and creating fertilizer pellets as a cost-eective way to move nutrients around or outside the Fraser Valley. Biogas production a sizeable investment of time and money Farmers considering RNG production must ensure they have the nancial bandwidth to take on such a project, with an on-farm plant costing at least $15 million. “The nal cost of a facility like this, it's quite a wide range like the Dicks invested on the higher end, intentionally to give them as much exibility as possible over the length of the project,” says FortisBC RNG supply manager Scott Gramm. “We're kind of looking somewhere on the low end, $20 million up to $40 million.” The total investment will depend on the size of the plant and scale of energy production. To make an RNG project feasible on a dairy farm, Gramm says a milking herd of 300 is the minimum with access to other organic waste sources, such as a grocery store or restaurant. “I would say, if you're not willing to spend $15 million, just don't do anything,” says Dicklands Farm owner George Dick. Regardless of farm or project size, Dick suggests all interested producers do their research. “I think the biggest thing is take the time to educate yourself on what it is and what all the parts are. … Work through it yourself and understand it yourself and I think if you do that, then you're going to avoid a lot of the pitfalls,” Dick says. “You know, spend some time, go talk to people, go to other digesters, … and get their experiences and then you have to really make it your own.” Dick recommends that farmers take ownership of planning and provide input during every step of the process to ensure the end result meets their goals and objectives. “It's just really important to educate yourself,” he says. —Kate Ayers Save water, save energy, save labor and do a better job of irrigating. NELSONIRRIGATION.COM Automatically change the arc of throw on traveling Big Gun® sprinklers. Low pressure R2000FX Rotator® has unparalleled radius of throw. 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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 29Farmer-first tech drives efficiency, sustainabilityBC company develops, trials irrigation reduction tools Vintality president Christopher Mark says a new irrigation system puts the farmer's needs rst. SUBMITTEDKATE AYERS MILL BAY – Kaleden-based Vintality Tech Inc. has developed and is trialing a new tech and user platform combination to reduce irrigation in vineyards. The technology will allow for precise water timing and placement using real-time tracking of water use through sub-soil mapping. This development came at a perfect time for Unsworth Vineyards in Mill Bay. The team has just under 15 acres in production and is expanding the operation by another 40 acres, which is where Vintality came into play. “I was looking at irrigation control options. … And I really like the idea of their irrigation control system rather than just buying one that is a one size ts all operations,” says Unsworth viticulturist Felix Egerer. He was drawn to the fact that the system can be tailored to eld conditions and be part of developing a system that can help producers across the province. So, Vintality installed their tech’s infrastructure while Unsworth expanded its plantings. “We've agreed on components and now we're planting the vineyard this month and putting in posts as infrastructure, the trellis system and then once we have those, we can put in soil sensors and add the weather station, add the ow sensor to the irrigation system, kind of wire it all together, and have it up and running, ideally before irrigation season starts,” says Egerer, speaking last month. Egerer is eager to use data throughout the growing season to make more informed management decisions. The move was supported by owners Barbara Banke and Julia Jackson of California’s sustainability-minded Jackson family, which has set ambitious sustainability targets for itself through 2030. These include a focus on water security. “It was denitely kickstarted by them but the irrigation system control was something I pushed and earned support from the mothership for myself,” Egerer says. “It'll allow us to really irrigate based on data, not just based on feel or a recipe that is set, because we have the soil moisture sensors, we have the weather data, and we have the software that kind of puts it all together and gives me something to look at. And really irrigate by volume not by time, which is also really nice.” Farmer-first tech One of the biggest considerations throughout the development of this technology was that it was farmer-rst. “As a farmer, you're constantly being sold a new technology that's going to solve all your problems. And I think kind of what we're trying to do is keep the technology powerful but simple, so that it's getting out of the farmer’s way and it's there in service to the farmer,” says Vintality president Christopher Mark. “So, not all of a sudden, you're having to spend time reading manuals and watching YouTube videos on how to work this.” The technology accounts for poor rural cell service by using mesh networking, which links up devices through a wireless network to prevent reception drop-outs. In addition, Vintality is building out an app-based platform where farmers can quickly refer to a simple dashboard to learn key eld Right time uYOURHelping YouWEEKLY FARM NEWS UPDATESURg YougYouWSQuality Pre-Owned Tractors & EquipmentANDEX 773 Rake . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,500 BOBCAT 751 Skidsteer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coming soon CLAAS DISCO 2650 Mower, 8 ft 5 in cutting width 8,000 FELLA SM 320 Disc Mower, 3 point Hitch . . . . . . . . . 9,000 JAYLOR Mixer Wagon 4575 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12,500 JD 348 Baler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17,500 KUBOTA M7-151 Premium, with 245 Hours . . . . . .135,000 MF 1725M tractor, loader, backhoe . . . . . . . . . . . . 27,000 MF 1742 tractor, AWD with cab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27,500 MF 1835M tractor, loader Backhoe, 40 Hours . . . . 52,000 MF 4609 tractor with 931 loader, 2215 Hours . . . . . 49,000 MF 6713 tractor, cab, AWD, 207 hrs . . . . . . . Coming soon TURBOMATIC 600 lt sprayer with side cannon . . . . 8,500 WN 8085T articulating loader, coming soon . . . . . . 47,500 VAN DER WAL EQUIPMENT (1989) LTD. 23390 RIVER ROAD, MAPLE RIDGE, BC V2W 1B6 604/463-3681 | vanderwaleq.com Sulky DX 20 precision spreader1.5 ton economical spreader Equally capable of spreader cover crops at low rates or fertilizer at high rates, at widths up to 60 ft.
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While the tech’s priority is to help producers, Mark hopes it will contribute to the conservation of the province’s water resources without negatively impacting crops. “One of the big things is that when you properly time your water usage versus just kind of applying it whenever, the plant will actually develop more resilience to heat events,” Mark says. “So, I think from a climate change, from a food sustainability … from a food security perspective, it’s important because it allows us to maintain yields. We're seeing dropping yields because of climate change quite directly.” Along with Unsworth, two Okanagan vineyards are trialing the system with the rst phase of the commercial system set to be complete by the end of May. Vintality was able to advance their technology with a $192,022 grant through the Canada-British Columbia Agri-Innovation program, which the team received last August. Beyond grapes, Mark says the technology could be applied to other crops that use automatic watering systems to boost protability and plant quality. Do you ever arrive at work in the morning with a clear idea of what you’d like to accomplish for the day only to discover right away that the other people at your work have a dierent set of priorities for you? This would happen all the time if I insisted on arriving with a commitment to my own task list because on our farm there are at least three bosses. I don’t mean to boast, but I can never be certain about what jobs the day will bring. Such luxury. Occasionally, however, I forget how lucky I am, and unadvisedly arrive with clear objectives in mind. This is all ne unless the other people also have clear, dierent and strong objectives. When they do, as happened the other day, something ironic happens. No one’s priorities get addressed, but I think we end up doing what needs to be done. Is this a phenomenon that occurs when a group has achieved the management Shangri-la of a collective benevolent dictatorship? Or is it more of a cosmic joke played on loose operations like ours where everyone can be the boss: do not cling, grasshoppers. Again, I’m not boasting, but I am part of a spontaneously prioritized and variously managed operation with no short-term objective agreement mechanisms and an ephemeral long-term vision. We don’t hold meetings, we don’t share our to-do lists, we all have strong opinions, but we’ll blow in the wind if that’s what’s on tap for the day. I have no idea why we aren’t among the nation’s fastest-growing companies. I am aware that most successful businesses feature a more organized top-down management structure, with one boss telling the next level of bosses what to do and so on down the line. I can tell this involves lots of meetings, motivational emails, and most of the people doing what they are told to do and not striking out on whimsical tangents. I sometimes nd myself accidentally pining to work in just such a system. While I don’t crave workshopping goals and performance objectives or striving daily to fulll the expectations of my employer, I do fantasize a little about agreeing to do what I am told to do. That’s why I love working on other people’s farms. There’s no need to ask questions, suggest innovations, or debate direction: just do the work that somebody else has decided you will do today. Right now, the other farms are sorting seed potatoes. The job is to stand before an endless stream of potatoes and pick out debris, oversize potatoes and rocks. There’s glory in nding rocks. There are hardly any in Pemberton elds and they look like potatoes, so it takes a sharp eye to recognize one. You tap your prize on metal with triumph, alerting everyone to your excellence before chucking it in the rock bucket and receiving the ego-boosting congratulatory glance from the boss. This is not mindless work, as so many haughty management types would like you to think. In fact, it is the opposite. Once you have the physiological mechanics sorted out according to the task – hand-eye coordination stu mainly, with a certain amount of baseline attention devoted to safety – your mind is free to wander at will. Many an article have I composed over the years in just such a situation. Not only that, but my catalogue of farm skills contains a largish amount of material gleaned from watching the various bosses xing and organizing things. I notice we aren’t the only farm in the world with more than one boss. I am going to segue now into a rant about the misuse and abuse of precious BC farmland in the Agricultural Land Reserve. Consider that done. Anna Helmer farms in Pemberton where the sheds are emptying and the elds are lling. Strong opinions spark spontaneous achievementFarm Story ANNA HELMER
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 31UFV brings fresh perspectives to agricultureNew hires, new projects take shape at new campusUFV berry horticulture research director Lauren Erland is exploring how a diversity of crops and diversity in growing practices can help future-proof food systems. UNIVERSITY OF THE FRASER VALLEYAlways read and follow label directions. Gatten® is a registered trademark of OAT Agrio Co., Ltd. Copyright ©2021 Nichino America, Inc. Worried aboutPowdery Mildew?Get Gatten!Gatten® fungicide Gatten®acts on multiple stages of powdery mildew development, delivering both preventative and post-infection control.RONDA PAYNE CHILLIWACK – New hires are bringing fresh perspectives broader connections to the University of the Fraser Valley’s agriculture program in Chilliwack. “We are living in an era of unprecedented climate change at the same time that we need to feed a growing global population of more than eight billion people,” says UFV berry horticulture research director Lauren Erland, who joined the school in July 2022. “On average, nearly half the calories we consume in a day come from only three crops: corn, wheat and rice.” During a Science Café event held March 22 hosted by the school’s sustainability oce, Erland explained that her research looks at climate change along with diversity of crop species and diversity in growing practices to help future-proof food systems. Breadfruit, which is native to the South Pacic, and cranberry, native to North America, were both discussed as examples of this research. Joining Erland at the Science Café event was UFV English professor Michelle Superle and biology professor Alan Reid, who discussed the Reconciliation Shakespeare Garden taking shape at the Chilliwack campus. “We’ve lost our way of telling stories with our plants,” he says. “If we lose the story, how do we secure the food? Plants are not options. Plants rule and animals drool.” Some of the plants celebrated in Shakespeare’s works were included in the garden at the former UFV campus on Yale Road north of Highway 1. This garden was lost when UFV consolidated its Chilliwack operations at Canada Education Park on Vedder Road in 2012. The new garden pays homage to the old, but also integrates native plants and others from around the world in an evolving collection. A number of plants are being brought together for companion planting, appearance and other benets. For example, Saskatoon berries will be used to stabilize the roots of an Asian pear tree. Nodding onions have helped attract pollinators to the area, which Reid describes as having been a desert before the garden’s development. “I want to bring back the heritage we had,” he says. “It was one of the top 15 gardens that connected Shakespeare and plants. The community used to come in and tend our garden. How do we reconnect people with our garden here?” Several UFV departments Field trials u
32 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Field trials don't need to be perfectMultiple modes of actionson your toughest pests.Cormoran® Insecticide• Broad-spectrum rapid insect knockdown combined with extended residual control• Controls all damaging stages of target insects, including eggs, immatures & adults• Convenient co-formulation replaces the need to tank-mix different products• Registered for apples, blueberries, cherries, strawberries and many other fruit & vegetable cropsAlways read and follow label directions. Copyright ©2021 ADAMA Ltd. Cormoran® is a registered trademark of ADAMA Ltd.Technical and sales support provided byCohortWholesale.comare participating in the garden’s creation, including biology, English and Indigenous studies. Reid helped design the Interdisciplinary Studies 300 course that took on the challenge of designing the garden in tandem with the other departments. Erland answered questions at the end of the event specic to some of her work. “This summer, we’re starting a small project at the cranberry research centre in Delta,” says Erland. A number of small greenhouses at the research farm will allow her team to measure hormones and other plant characteristics. The research farm is where UFV associate agriculture professor Renee Prasad can sometimes be found undertaking research projects. She has also been known to lead the open house events at the Agriculture Centre of Excellence at the Chilliwack campus. The open house events are held twice a year and introduce the agriculture opportunities at UFV to potential students. On April 13 she showcased the centre and discussed some of the reasons it’s the ideal place to learn about agriculture. “It’s not a commercial greenhouse, it’s a classroom,” she said of one of the three greenhouse bays at the UFV campus. “Sometimes, if it’s perfect, you’re not going to learn a lot of things.” The greenhouse’s vertical growing towers are an example of how imperfections create teaching opportunities. Purchased on Amazon, the towers require signicant eort to clean between growing periods. “Would I recommend getting these? No. But it’s great for teaching. There’s no learning if it’s perfect,” she explained. “The outdoor space is also part of our classroom. We try to spend as much of our time in September outside, either on land here or at partner farms.” UFV assistant professor Tadhg O’Leary is a livestock instructor who grew up on a dairy farm and joined UFV in fall 2021. His area within the centre attempts to mimic a commercial barn where the students work with beef one year and swine the next. Students also raise sheep and goats. “Other than farming livestock, many of our alumni will work closely with farming industries following graduation, whether that be as animal nutrition consultants or within the [BC] Ministry of Agriculture or federal positions for inspection and support roles,” O’Leary says. “As a newcomer to the university, I am actively updating our curriculum to ensure our teaching is closely aligned with modern industry practice and that our research is helpful and relevant to our agriculture community.” Students are also engaged in environmental enhancement practices so visitors to an open house may see something as odd as turkeys with a xylophone or goats with stepladders. “Farming is undergoing a huge transition during these past few decades and so too is consumer demand for their products,” he says. “We at UFV must ensure our future graduates are ready for these opportunities and that they can evolve with market demands.” O’Leary says support from industry has been strong. He sees his job being to connect with smaller farming sectors to ensure they have a say in the UFV community, from part-time, small ruminant farmers or pedigree sheep and goat owners. “I like to ensure the minority farming groups are represented and their needs catered for in our future,” he says. Research is a key component in that outreach and O’Leary wants farmers involved in ongoing animal health research, from ongoing projects combatting antimicrobial resistance to neonatal animal care. “This year we had a great opportunity to welcome local farming groups to our facility to help with continuing education opportunities and knowledge transfer,” he notes. UFV associate professor Renee Prasad says some of the best teaching moments come when equipment and experiments turn out to be less than perfect. RONDA PAYNE
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 33Christian Kimber says urban farming allows him to work the hours he needs while giving his son, who lives with autism, the support he needs. SUBMITTED“Serving British Columbia proudly since 1946”Machinery LimitedROLLINS RToll Free 1-800-242-9737 www.rollinsmachinery.com info@rollinsmachinery.caChilliwack 1.800.242.9737 . 47724 Yale Rd W Langley 1.800.665.9060 . 21869 56th Ave Chemainus 1.250.246.1203 . 3306 Smiley Rd Kelowna 250.765.8266 . 201-150 Campion StToll Free 1-800-242-9737 www.rollinsmachinery.comChilliack 1.800.242.9737 | 44725 Yale Rd W Langley 1.800.665.9060 | 21869 - 56th Ave Chemainus 1.250-246.1203 | 3306 Smiley RdChilliwack 1.800.242.9737 . 47724 Yale Rd W Langley 1.800.665.9060 . 21869 56th Ave Chemainus 1.250.246.1203 . 3306 Smiley Rd Kelowna 250.765.8266 . 201-150 Campion StSPRING FEEDING MADE EASYGreenhouse 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.comUrban farming venture sticks close to homeCommunity orientation led 3 Crows Farm to grow smallTRACEY FREDRICKSON CRANBROOK – Urban farming has been described as the future of agriculture as global concerns about food sustainability and security continue to mount. Also known as urban agriculture, it uses small plots of urban land instead of large rural tracts. In 2021, Statistics Canada reported 802 urban farms and community gardens across the country, with 95 located in BC. Rooftop gardens, hydroponics, vertical gardening and raising micro livestock such as rabbits, hens and bees are among the diverse components associated with urban farming. The practice provides solutions for people who cannot aord to buy land to grow food. It takes place where consumers are already living and working, minimizing transportation costs and emissions. The networks and interactions with consumers urban farming fosters broaden awareness about the importance of growing food and contributes to a sense of community. Cities around the world have developed food strategies where urban farming is a priority in addressing a greener economy. Cranbrook resident Christian Kimber, a park ranger for many years, had additional reasons for starting 3 Crows Farm in 2011. After his son, Aiden, was diagnosed with autism, Kimber’s wife Janis Reid was inspired to become a behaviour analyst. To give Reid the time she needed to earn her MBA, Christian wanted to nd work he could do from home with exible hours so he could be available to care for his son. Inspired by SPIN Kimber was already farming most of his own yard in Cranbrook when he was inspired by Wally Satzewich, a Saskatchewan farmer noted for his role in the development of Small Plot Intensive (SPIN) farming. SPIN farming is well suited to urban farming projects where space is limited. Kimber took Satzewich’s Flexible hours u
34 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCu Flexible hours made small-scale farming appealing PRE-OWNED EQUIPMENT CLAAS ORBIS 750 CORNHEAD 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 970 SP FORAGE HARVESTER 10’ PICKUP & 10-ROW CORNHEAD CALL FOR MORE DETAILS/PRICING JD 956 MOWER CONDITIONER $32,900 KUHN GF7802THA TEDDER CALL FOR DETAILS NH T4.75 TRACTOR ROPS MFD WITH LOADER $47,500 www.caliberequipment.ca STORE HOURS MONDAY-FRIDAY, 8-5 OPEN SATURDAY 8-12 604-864-2273 860 RIVERSIDE ROAD ABBOTSFORD More Crops. Less Ash.online courses and realized that in addition to being able to work exible hours he would spend less money farming his neighbours’ lands than investing in a rural property. His garage became his workshop and he installed LED lights to grow microgreens. He also built a large walk-in fridge in his basement which allows greens to be harvested a couple of days before the weekly farmers markets and stored fresh. At any given time, Kimber farms four to six plots in Cranbrook ranging from 400 to 10,000 square feet. The homeowners who oer growing space receive produce in exchange. Kimber covers the cost of irrigation, fencing and soil amendments, if needed. In addition to using the SPIN method, Kimber draws on dierent techniques depending on the slope, soil quality and other factors that aect the sites. He also works with a local brewery to use spent grain from the brewing process to build soil, contributing to a circular economy. Microgreens represent 100% of sales during the winter and are the backbone of 3 Crows’ year-round business. In the warmer months, microgreens go down to about 20% of sales as the plots Kimber farms around Cranbrook come to life with greens, beets, carrots, radishes, garlic and herbs. Kimber does not have a Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program like some other urban farms do. Instead, He devotes his time to supplying produce to 12 restaurants in Cranbrook, Fernie and Kimberley, and selling at weekly farmers markets in Cranbrook and Fernie. “It is quite protable to open a storefront for six hours and generate 50% of weekly sales,” he points out. Social consciousness Kimber’s social consciousness extends to all aspects of the business. “I know many large farms that innovate by practising no-till, air seeding and managing biodiversity on their sites but they also use large machinery, chemicals and pesticides, and require more land to park their equipment than they do to grow crops. This has made me think about excess and ineciency in society in general, and nding the point where everyone wins.” The answer appeared in the rst plot he farmed for a couple across the street who were no longer interested in caring for their lawn. Those neighbours told another neighbour about sharing their land in exchange for produce. That neighbour also provided a plot and the process continued to repeat itself. Twelve years and a change of owners later, Kimber is still farming the original property. “The small urban gardener isn’t going to solve all of the world’s food problems, but we play an important role in creating awareness of food supply issues and bringing people together in the community,” he says. “For me, it is night and day to be able to walk or ride my bike to where I plant, weed and harvest. That’s the win-win.” At the same time, the farm has provided many lessons, including the importance of keeping an eye on the bottom line. “The best advice I could give anyone getting into urban gardening is pay close attention to your operating expenses,” Kimber says. For example, in the farm’s early days, Kimber transported produce to the Cranbrook market on his bike rigged out with in a box overowing with vegetables. As the business grew, he started to use the family van for transportation, and even his wife’s car when needed. “I dream of having an electric cargo van,” he says. “Then I compare that $80,000 purchase for something that would only be used by the business, to the old van that works for the family and the business throughout the year. I need to be larger to support that kind of investment.” He took on a partner for two seasons but found having two full-time employees was not yet economically feasible for the business. “It can be a struggle to nd full-time sta during peak periods, so I strive to have returning sta. People are always more ecient with at least one season behind them,” he says. “I’ve also found it is most ecient to do many tasks by hand,” he adds. “For example, I was encouraged to use a type of tiller which builds the soil instead of digging it up – an investment of several thousand dollars. Instead, I use a tiller I found online years ago for $300 that needed some minor work. I am still using it, and when I need a more powerful tiller, I rent it.” Looking ahead, Kimber is considering changes that will make the business more ecient and protable. “I could probably generate 20% more business by using a greenhouse to extend the seasons. I will certainly be investing in greenhouse technology in the future, whether it’s on my own property or somewhere else,” Kimber says. “At this point in our growth we don’t need to nd more places to farm; the focus will remain on ensuring consistent supply of quality produce to our target markets.” No regrets Kimber has no regrets about his decision to become an urban farmer 12 years ago. “The exibility of a home-based lifestyle has enabled me to be with my son more and help care for him,” he says. Meanwhile, his wife has achieved her own career goals. Reid is a consultant and owner of Rocky Mountain Behaviour Analysts, working with children with a wide range of needs, including autism, in locations throughout the Kootenays.
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 35Barriere expo supports youth in agricultureAnnual event brings together 4-Hers from across the provinceSouth Thompson 4-H senior club member Riley Knoll says participating in 4-H has given her the condence and leadership skills needed to handle animals and people, expertise that will be on display at the BC Agricultural Expo in Barriere this fall. FACEBOOKbcagexpo.caSHEEP - BEEF - RABBIT - GOAT - SMALL ENGINE - DOG PHOTOGRAPHY - GARDENING - HORSE - LEATHERWORK EDUCATIONAL DISPLAYS Celebrate 4-H Youth and Local Agriculture Live Auction - Monday, September 258:30 am Complimentary Buyer's Breakfast10:00 am Live Auction - Internet Bidding @ DLMS SPECTATORSWELCOME FREE ADMISSION! KATE AYERS BARRIERE – Back for its eighth year, the BC Agricultural Expo is preparing for an exciting event at the North Thompson Fall Fair Grounds and Agriplex in Barriere, September 22-25. The BC Ag Expo is known for encouraging youth involvement in agriculture and bringing together over 225 4-H members in the province to exhibit their year-long projects. “BC Ag Expo has been a large supporter of the 4-H program since it was rst established. By oering bursaries, post-secondary education funds, and large awards, this show helps support the future generation of youth in agriculture,” says South Thompson 4-H club senior member and 2023 4-H BC provincial ambassador Riley Knoll. “Currently as one of the biggest shows in the province, BC Ag Expo gives 4-H members the opportunity to showcase their projects at a year-end show, producing high-end livestock and then selling them at the Monday auction.” The event features beef, dog, goat, horse, rabbit and cavy, and sheep shows as well as leatherwork, photography, and small engine displays. A live auction on the 25th allows spectators to bid on beef, sheep and goat projects, quilting and photography pieces. Auction support “The support at our auction has been incredible and I plan to use the money I have made to fund my post-secondary education,” Knoll says. “Our agricultural and business communities have rallied every year to make the auction a success and make sure kids are rewarded for their year of hard work with great livestock prices.” Knoll has been involved in 4-H for eight years, completing sheep, rabbit and beef projects. Throughout her time with local clubs, Knoll has participated in many shows, judging and public speaking opportunities and provincial and national trips. “I have gained many lifelong skills, friendship and experiences,” she says. In addition, 4-H oered Knoll opportunities to make industry connections and give back to the local agricultural community. This year, Knoll has a market lamb, ewe with lambs and a market steer. This year marks her rst experience showing beef and it got o to an eventful start. “As soon as we got him home, my steer jumped a fence and headed for the hills,” Knoll explains. “My brother roped him to bring him home but at the same time my horse spooked, I came o and broke my arm. I was told showing a steer would be exciting but had no idea it would start on day one.” Knoll looks forward to showing o her hard work (and tamed calf) at the expo this fall. Reecting back on her 4-H experiences so far, Knoll recognizes the value and importance of hard work and is grateful for the skills she has acquired along the way. “I have gained condence in public speaking, leadership, animal husbandry and teamwork,” Knoll says. “Through 4-H, I have learned to take responsibility for myself, my livestock and others as I now take on the role [as] mentor in my 4-H community. As a provincial ambassador for the 4-H program this year, I am proud to promote the program in my region and throughout the province.” Overall, she encourages all eligible youth to participate in 4-H if given the opportunity. “Be willing to put in the extra work as it will bring you to the top and give you a boost in life as you age out of the program,” Knoll says. “Build connections, get out of your comfort zone, and work hard at it. I believe that 4-H is by far the best youth development program in all of Canada, so use it to the fullest of its potential.” YOURHelping YouWEEKLY FARM NEWS UPDATESURg YougYouWS
36 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCDelta and Deborah have a heart-to-heartWhen we left o last time, Newt Pullman and Christopher had pulled Kenneth’s Massey out of the septic eld while Delta had given Kenneth a hosing down – literally and guratively. Rural Redemption, Part 159, continues ... Kenneth stood silently contemplating what Delta had said. Delta was starting to sound just like Deborah, and Janice Newberry, too, for that matter. It was all so frustrating. And unfair. “I don’t understand what you want from me, Delta. If it will make you happy, I’ll thank Newton Pullman. Hell, I’ll even apologise for not saying it sooner.” “Don’t apologise or thank anyone on my account. Do that because you are thankful for his help, and it will make you feel good to say so.” “That doesn’t make any sense,” said Kenneth. “I’ll thank him because you want me to, but there’s no way I’m going to feel good about it.” “Never mind then,” said Delta. “I’d hate for you to be unhappy on my account. Maybe instead you can try to remember the last time you actually said ‘thank you’ or ‘I’m sorry’ to anyone.” Kenneth drew a blank, and Delta left him to think about it. She left for Newt’s to check on the horses but pulled into Tiny’s driveway when she saw Deborah’s car at the house. Deborah greeted her from the front porch. “Good morning, Delta. What brings you our way?” “I was hoping you might have time for a talk.” They settled in for coee on the porch. “I’m curious about the name on your gate post. Who’s Tiny Olsen?” “He lived here before us. Most of the older locals still call it Tiny’s place and I put it back up because I think it makes them feel good to see it there again. Kenneth always took it as an insult whenever anyone called it Tiny’s place. I’m guessing you didn’t stop by just to ask about that?” “No. I suspect you might be wondering about Kenneth and me?” “I know he bought the Corbett place, and you might be taking your horses there. Anything else isn’t really my business.” “It’s him I want to ask you about.” “Shoot! I’m the local authority on Kenneth Henderson.” “Just say so if I’m being awkward.” “Don’t worry about that. Our divorce is nal, and I had a conversation just like this with his girlfriend more than a year ago.” “Did he always seem so unhappy?” “Dissatised, at least, and unhappy for a long time. And self-centred, and arrogant, and hard done by. Kenneth is a chip o the old block. Just like his father but not as cruel or vindictive. He never quite measured up to his father’s expectations and at the bottom of it all, he’s not very self-condent. I think criticizing and complaining are his way of feeling better about himself. Don’t get me wrong. Things were better when we were rst married and we never had any money worries. We had a very upper middle-class life, but things got more and more adversarial, and I didn’t realize it but I was suocating.” “What happened in the end?” asked Delta. “Coming here was the beginning of the end. None of us wanted to come in the rst place but Kenneth didn’t care. Right from day one, I was Deborah to people here, not Kenneth Henderson’s wife. Back in the city, people we knew all thought I was so lucky to be Kenneth’s wife. Here, I got sympathy because of it. I found the old Deborah and both of the kids found out who they really were, too. The more we thrived, the more demeaning he got. In the end, Janice Newberry was the straw that broke the camel’s back.” “You remind me of myself a little,” said Delta. “Ricky and I were all good in the beginning but somewhere along the line, Delta disappeared and turned into Ricky’s wife. Looking back, I hate both of us for letting that happen. Ricky never got mean or critical; he just came home one day and said he found someone else willing to have the kids he never wanted to have with me, and it was all over.” They passed a moment of silent sympathy for one another. “Are you attracted to Kenneth?” Delta nodded. “With some reservations.” “Understandable,” said Deborah. “For what it’s worth, consider this: Kenneth isn’t likely to be doing anything solely because he wants you to be happy. He’s doing it because he thinks it’s the way to get what he wants. Call him on it right from the start. Call him on all of it and don’t be afraid to spell out the consequences. Be yourself and demand what you know will make you happy. Kenneth is an emotional bully and that only works if there’s a victim. Don’t give him another one.” ttt Eunice Montgomery phoned for Ashley the next morning to say that Gladdie Harrison was home from the hospital and her daughter Wendy was staying with her for a few more days and it would be a good idea if Ashley could spend some time with Gladdie before Wendy left. Eunice could introduce them if Ashley could make time that afternoon. And she was still willing to do it, wasn’t she? They arranged to meet at Gladdie’s at one o’clock. Eunice introduced Wendy and Ashley. “Nice to meet you,” said Wendy. “Come in. Mom’s asleep. It will give us a chance to chat. Thank you for agreeing to do this. She speaks highly of you.” Ashley admitted she didn’t know Gladdie very well and she was a little surprised that Gladdie asked Eunice to see if she would agree to sit with her. But everyone who knew Gladdie said what a wonderful person she was, and it would be a privilege to spend time with her. “We are hoping you will be available from seven in the morning until one or one-thirty. You could help mom dress and have breakfast. She’s at her best in the morning and she’ll probably talk your ear o. She’ll have a bit of lunch around noon and be asleep by one. There will be a nurse around to see her a couple of days a week, and some neighbours who will take turns to make sure she has dinner and gets to bed alright. I’ll be here for the rest of the week to make sure everything goes smoothly so how would you like to start tomorrow morning?” Ashley agreed and was about to go when Gladdie called from her room. “Wendy, is that Ashley I hear? Bring her in to see me before she goes.” ... 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! CREDIT CARD # _________________________________________________________________ EXP _____________ CVV __________ o NEW o RENEWAL | o ONE YEAR ($18.90) oT WO YEARS ($33.60) o THREE YEARS ($37.80) Your Name ______________________________________________________________________________ Farm Name _____________________________________________________________________________ City ______________________________________ Postal Code __________________________________ Phone _____________________ Email ______________________________________________________ MAIL TO: 36 DALE RD, ENDERBY, BC V0E 1V4 subscriptions@ countrylifeinbc.com www.countrylifeinbc.com/subscribePlease send a _______ year gift subscription to _______________________________________________ Farm Name ____________________________________________________________________________ Address _______________________________________________________________________________ City _________________________________________________ Postal Code ________ _______________ Phone _________________________ Email ________________________________________________
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 37Gala sparks the passion for Ag in the ClassroomMore than $12,000 raised in annual fundraiserBC Agriculture in Classroom executive director Pat Tonn (right) shares a laugh with chef Trevor Randle at the annual Taste of BC Agriculture event in Surrey on April 29. RONDA PAYNESAVE THE DATEDRAW:JUNE 242023GatorLotteryRONDA PAYNE SURREY – The heat was denitely on for BC Agriculture in the Classroom at its annual Taste of BC Agriculture fundraising event held at the Surrey School District Resource and Education Centre, April 29. The event not only attracted 143 guests and raised more than $12,000 for BCAITC programs, local reghters made an appearance when an alarm was set o by steam from one of the cooking stations. “I can see the headlines now,” BCAITC executive director Pat Tonn quipped in her address to the crowd. “BCAITC was hot tonight.” Past events have included everything from a sit-down served dinner to make-and-take crafts with an agriculture focus alongside food stations. This year’s showcase of locally grown foods and fun activities continued as planned after the re alarms were reset. Seven dierent food stations featured everything from potstickers and mushroom risotto to turkey tacos and fresh raw oysters. All included ingredients from BC’s food producers while oering avours from around the world. “It’s a collaboration of the Surrey (teaching) chefs. They started brainstorming weeks ago,” said BCAITC chef and event MC Trevor Randle. “It really highlights our local products. Food is universal. It all has to work together and it’s all amazing local food cooked really well.” Student volunteers from the Take a Bite of BC program, through which they learn about the culinary arts, were on the frontlines with the teaching chefs as they prepared and served dishes to guests. It was a dynamic, fast-paced environment lled with questions and excitement. Special activities like the ‘Spring Spin’ wheel added to the night’s excitement, echoing through the room as guests paid for a chance to spin and win prizes including beer from Barnside Brewing and Ravens Brewing paired up with Hardbite chips, blueberries, wine, gift cards and more. BCAITC director Katie Lowe, executive director with the BC Egg Marketing Board, helped participants at the wheel throughout the evening. More than 100 $20 spin tickets had been purchased by 5 pm, said BCAITC board member Donna Jack. By the end of the evening, more than 150 prizes had been won and 35 silent auction items had been bid on and collected, including a ower arrangement donated by Quik’s Farm and mixed themed baskets from Save On Foods. “We’re lucky to be here,” said Tonn of the event, which occurs in dierent communities each year. “We teach the kids about growing food and the satisfaction of growing it in their backyard or garden and about careers,” she says about BCAITC’s programs. “In the coming year, we’re going to be expanding into a food security program with more fruits and vegetables to classrooms.” Close to 1,000 classrooms participate in the Spuds in Tubs program that give students the chance to plant potatoes, watch them grow and harvest them over the course of the school year. Similarly, the Harvest Bin Project uses bins as raised beds to learn about growing crops, selling them and running a farm business on a micro-scale. Complete with a gift card for a local garden centre for soil, plants, seeds and other growing needs, students are able to connect to the process of growing food. Canadian Pork Council director Jack DeWit and BC Cranberry Marketing Commission chair Stephanie Nelson stood on the sidewalk and smiled as re ghters arrived. Both commented on it being an interesting way to spend the evening before heading back inside.
38 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCThe official start of summer is June 21, when the summer solstice marks the most hours of daylight in the year and the beginning of shorter daylight hours. Then it’s a countdown to the fall equinox in September, when the hours of dark and daylight are equal. It’s also an excellent month for harvesting fresh herbs from the garden or the produce section of the grocery store or farmers market. For foodies, it’s like striking gold to have all those delicious, fresh herb flavours available to brighten up every dish at this time of year. I don’t even plant dill any more, it just comes up all over the veg garden in the spring, and it’s a delightful herb which does not dry well, so fresh dill season is one to make good use of. I frequently make a little sauce of lemon juice, mayonnaise, yogurt, fresh dill and salt and pepper for barbecued salmon or other fish. But dill is not the only herb that’s at its peak in June. Enjoy aromatic fresh parsley, oregano, thyme leaves, rosemary, lemon balm, mint, tarragon, bay, basil and Harvest some herbs for Dad’s dayGreek dilly lemon rice is a perfect accompaniment to Dad's favourite skewered meat or vegetable. JUDIE STEEVESDAD’S CIOPPINOThis is not quite traditional, as I substituted scallops for the lobster, but it’s close to a traditional Italian sherman’s stew. And, it’s very good. 1/2 lb. (225 g) Salt Spring Island mussels 1/2 lb. (225 g) fresh snapper 1/2 lb. (225 g) prawns 1/4 lb. (112 g) bay scallops 1 onion 1 stalk celery 1 clove garlic 1/2 red pepper drizzle of oil 1 c. (250 ml) chopped tomatoes • Scrub the beard o small mussels and discard any that don’t close when tapped. Slice rocksh or red snapper into bite-sized pieces, and rinse and shell prawns and scallops. Set aside in the fridge. • Chop onion and celery, mince garlic and nely chop red pepper. • Drizzle a little oil into a deep frypan over medium heat and soften the onions. Add garlic, celery and red pepper and stir for a minute or two. Then add the chopped tomatoes. I often use ones from the previous summer garden, that I’ve frozen. • Stir about and add wine and clam juice (or sh stock), minced fresh parsley and dill, oregano, hot pepper sauce, fennel seeds and pepper, to taste. • Bring to bubbling, then reduce to a simmer and leave for about 15 minutes, uncovered, stirring occasionally. • Add sh and mussels and stir about, simmering for a couple of minutes; then add the prawns and scallops, simmering gently for another ve minutes or so, until the shrimp and scallops turn opaque. • Garnish with fresh parsley leaves or dill and serve immediately. Serves 2-4. 1/2 c. (125 ml) dry, white wine 8 oz. (236 ml) clam juice 3 tbsp. (45 ml) fresh parsley 1 tbsp. (15 ml) fresh dill 1 tsp. (5 ml) fresh oregano 1/4 tsp. (1 ml) hot pepper sauce 1/4 tsp. (1 ml) fennel seeds Fresh ground pepper, to taste Fresh parsley or dill to garnish GREEK DILLY LEMON RICEThis is delicious with skewers of BBQ meat or seafood and vegetables – in the Greek style, with lots of lemon and garlic. 1 onion 1 garlic clove 1 tsp. (5 ml) cumin 2 c. (500 ml) fresh spinach 1 c. (125 ml) brown rice • Chop onion and mince garlic. • Drizzle oil in a medium-sized pot over medium heat and soften the onion. Add the garlic and sprinkle both with cumin, stirring it about. • Chop up spinach and add, stirring briey until it’s limp. • Add brown rice and sprinkle with the juice from a sweet lemon (substitute half a regular lemon or a combination of lemon and orange juice) ; then add chicken broth and stir in well. Season with salt and pepper to taste and top with most of the minced fresh dill. Reserve a little to use as a garnish when serving. • Bring to bubbling, then cover the pot tightly and reduce the heat to its lowest. Let cook for 40-45 minutes, without peeking. • When the rice is cooked through and the liquid has been absorbed, sprinkle the remaining fresh dill on top and serve. • Serves 4. 1 Meyer lemon 2 c. (500 ml) chicken broth salt and pepper, to taste 3-4 tbsp. (45-60 ml) fresh dill Jude’s Kitchen JUDIE STEEVESJune is the peak of the year for savoury flavourscilantro, to mention just a few. Lemon and garlic are great with fresh herbs, which is why I’m a real fan of Greek flavours because they focus on fresh herbs, lemon and garlic. To go with this yummy rice side dish, we barbecued a few skewers of prawns which had been marinated in lemon, garlic and dill, but you could also cube some lean pork, beef, chicken or lamb. With the stronger-flavoured meats, you might try fresh rosemary, thyme, oregano and/or parsley, while chicken and tarragon are delicious together. The lemon and garlic are an essential component of such marinades. We love to skewer fresh local peppers, zucchini and onions to serve with this. Skewers are called souvlaki in Greece and often served with a refreshing cucumber and yogurt dip called tzatziki, with pita breads. Yum. I’m sure Dads would love to celebrate Dad’s Day with a Greek feast, but if not, how about a big pot of Italian fish stew or cioppino? Serve it with fresh sourdough bread to dunk when no one’s looking. Whatever you eat, enjoy all the fresh herbs you can harvest at this time of year, and here’s a toast to summer!
COUNTRY LIFE IN BC JUNE 2023 | 39BOOKYOURMarketplace AdTRACTORS/EQUIPMENTREAL ESTATEFOR SALEFOR SALEHAYSERVICESBERRIESIRRIGATIONFor 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, hydroponics, 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 Feeders & 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 Coldstream DON GILOWSKI 250-260-0828 Royal LePage Downtown Realty Ltd BUYING OR SELLING OKANAGAN FARM, RANCH OR ACREAGE? COURTENAY 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.RAVEN HILL MEADOWS: Purebred North Country Cheviot yearly ewes and rams for sale. 250-722-1882. NanaimoLIVESTOCKLIVESTOCKWANTEDREAL ESTATEIt’s the top linethat makes the Bottom LineBC SHORTHORN ASSOCIATION Scott Fraser, President Bob Merkley, BC Director 250-709-4443 604-607-7733DeBOER’S USED TRACTORS & EQUIPMENT GRINDROD, BCJD 830 ROTARY MOCO, 9 FT CUT W/FLAIL CONDITIONER 23,500 JD 1630 W/LDR 15,000 MF 165 DSL W/LDR, CANOPY 9,000 JD 3140 4WD, 95 HP W/CAB, LOW (4,500) HRS 20,000 JD 5500 4WD, DSL, ROLL BAR & CANOPY W/LDR, 5,200 HRS 28,000 JD 6400 W/CAB & LDR 60,000 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 ENDERBYAvailable 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 Pivots, lease your new or used pivot, Hose reels, RM, Idrio, diesel pumps, centrifugal, sub-mersible, freq drives, pump stations, 30 years experience. Talk to Brock! 250 319 3044ZcXjj`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$EQUIPMENT DISPERSAL • LOEWEN 422 vertical mixer wagon, scales, side-shift feed conveyor, good condition, $13,000 • LOEWEN SUBSOILER, 2 shank, 3 pt hitch, $2,500 • LOEWEN BOX SCRAPER, 3 pt, with rubber, like new, $800 • WINPOWER 30/20 kw pto generator on trailer, exc cond. $3,500 • 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 2X3Manure Spreader, JOHN DEERE Model 40T, $3,500; Hay BALE SLED, bunches up approx. 40 bales, $1,500; HAY RAKE, 4 wheels, $1,200; HAY WAGON 16’6” with new deck, $1,500. Call Shawn (604) 615-3646PACIFIC JET OPTICAL SORTER Designed for use with blueberries or cranberries. Ready to place in a production line to reduce labour costs in sorting. Located on Vancouver Island. Asking $19,980. CALL 250-743-9464 or email svanhouwe@outlook.comCall us today for a free consult: 604-835-5155WE PAY CA$H FOR TREES!GOING CONCERN POULTRY FARM or QUOTA I'm interested in purchasing broiler, layer, or egg hatching operation. Must be located in BC. Manny 250-689-4119 HOG EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Concrete slats, SS feeders, plastic walls, feed bins and more. In good condition and reasonable prices. Chilliwack Ard @ 604-819-3678JULY DEADLINE JUNE 24HAY FOR SALE Large quantities of 3x4 hay & 4x4 WRAPPED SILAGE BALES. Located in Salmon Arm. WE DELIVER. 250-804-6081CASE 3850 disc harrow $6,800 MF DISC HARROW $3,850 KUHN FC300G mower cond; needs one cutter bar bearing & new skirting $1,500 KUHN FC350G in good running condition but needs new skirting $2,500 or both mowers for $3,000 ROCK PICKER We removed tons of rocks off our fields with this converted potato harvester that has a very large rock catch box with hydraulic rock dump control $3,500 FARM EQUIPMENTCARL 604-825-9108Have you moved?604.328.3814subscriptions@countrylifeinbc.comOr has Canada Post changed your mailing address?We won’t know unless you tell us.Carrie Nicholson PREC* 250-614-6766 DISCOVER PRINCE GEORGE 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 ROBSON RD 5 bed/4bth custom built home on 11 acres R2744370 $999,900 QUAINT & COZY 3 bed log home on 5 acres R2749969 $450,000 BUCKHORN LK RD House w/garage, workshop on 8.5 acres. R2707052 $690,000 56 CITY ACRES Zoned AF, bring your ideas R2716736 $2,499,900 160 ACRES west of PG, Zoned RU3, R27229 $369,000 PARADISE FOUND updated log home on 42 acres. $749,900 R2691271 COUNTRY GEM 3 bed/1 bath home of 2.2 acres. R2711734 $379,900 DOME CREEK 160 acres with tons of potential. R2702148 $549,900 SALMON VALLEY 370 acres; 3 titles. 150 ac cleared, R2675843 $599,000 STUNNING MTN RESORT on 82.25 acres, 17 chalets, 50 camps. C8040948 $4,850,000 CATTLE RANCH 1,280 acres; 5 bed/3 bath home. Fenced, outbuildings; R2677116 $2,100,000 CONCRETE BUSINESS Robson Valley, C8040939, $759,000 PARADISE IN THE VALLEY 192 acre pri-vate estate, custom home, outbuildings to die for. R2720083 $1,425,000 SAXTON LAKE ROAD: R2610535 R2610527; R2610554 and more lots available in this area. CRANBROOK HILL 77 acres w/dev po-tential minutes from UNBC. R2640598 $1,500,000 HART HWY 54.95 acres. R2640583. $699,900 CLOSE TO THE LAKE 8.3 acres. R2610880 $250,000 74 ACRES w/ 20,000 sq ft bldg., 40 acres cultivated. C8041167 $1,700,000 ESCAPE the city. Two lots in Willow River, 22,500 sq ft. R2591708, $28,900 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 TREED LOT on edge of the Fraser. R2622560 $229,900 80 ACRES/TIMBER VALUE Zoning allows ag, housing, forestry & more. R2665497 $449,900 15 MINUTES TO PG ~58 acres with tim-ber value. Mostly flat lot with lots of po-tential. R2665474, $349,900 HWY FRONTAGE 190 acres w/exc po-tential for subdivision/commercial ven-tures. R2660646 $749,900 WRIGHT CR RD 195 acres undisturbed bare land. R2655719 $649,900 21 ACRES PG in city limits on Hwy 16, R27163337 $595,000 TABOR 7.61 acres short drive from town. R2716743 $129,900 PRINCE GEORGE & AREA SUBDIVISION LOTS: PARADISE ESTATES: R2688574; R2688580; R2688588; R2588581 and more lots available in this subdivision. GLADTIDING ESTATES R2687614; R2687593; R2687125; R2687155 and more lots available in this subdivision. CHIEF LAKE ROAD: R2689813; R2689815; R2689817 and more lots available in this subdivision. PRIME DEVELOPMENT 28 acres at Otway & Foothills Blvd MSL R2774437, $3,900,000 by June 24subscriptions@countrylifeinbc.com
40 | JUNE 2023 COUNTRY LIFE IN BCSTART SPRING WITH SERIOUS VERSATILITY.A do-it-all solution that ts your lifestyle. Providing the strength and versatility of a compact utility tractor and the maneuverability of a garden tractor – you can count on the BX for incomparable reliability.PROUD PARTNER OFAMC010kubota.ca | OLIVER GERARD’S EQUIPMENT LTD 250/498-2524 PRINCE GEORGE HUBER EQUIPMENT 250/560-5431 SMITHERS HUBER EQUIPMENT 250/847-3610 SURREY DOUGLAS LAKE EQUIPMENT 604/576-7506 VERNON AVENUE MACHINERY CORP 250/545-3355 ABBOTSFORD AVENUE MACHINERY CORP 604/864-2665 COURTENAY NORTH ISLAND TRACTOR 250/334-0801 CRESTON KEMLEE EQUIPMENT LTD 250/428-2254 DAWSON CREEK DOUGLAS LAKE EQUIPMENT 250/782-5281 DUNCAN ISLAND TRACTOR & SUPPLY LTD 250/746-1755 KAMLOOPS DOUGLAS LAKE EQUIPMENT 250/851-2044 KELOWNA AVENUE MACHINERY CORP 250/769-8700