May 17, 2012

Century Farming is an old business with a new twist at Grassi Point.

Page 4

Volume 3 • Issue 3

Free rural delivery from Port Hardy to Victoria

May 2012

This month in

• Want to eat organic but you can't afford to buy all your produce from organic sources?

Check out this list on the 'dirty dozen', and some tips on what you can live without.

• Campbell River has made an investment in its agriculture with a landmark plan designed create agrifood job opportunities.

• Coastal Black Estate Winery is ready for the summer foot traffic with regular tours and wine tastings in Black Creek.

• Damali Lavender Farm and Winery has joined a new wine loop tour in the Cowichan Valley.

• Woodwynn Farms continues with its plan for homefulness, despite a setback on housing.

• Saanich Organics know all about dirt and what to put in it.

Now they've written a book about it.

KELLY POIRIER/SPECIAL TO BLACK PRESS

Mackenzie Poirier of Port Alberni checks out the new sprouts she is growing in her family's backyard greenhouse.

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North Island

To eat or not?

The ‘dirty dozen’ list can help you decide AMYAH LABRÈCHE SPECIAL TO BLACK PRESS

E

verywhere now, we hear about eating organic fruits and vegetables, but when we see the higher price of organic produce compared to regular produce, we get a bit in shock. Confused also when we are aware of all the pesticides and other dangerous chemical fertilizers used on regular fruits and veggies.

But there is a rule of thumb that could simplify the situation and lower the grocery bill. What you should buy organic is everything you eat with the peel or with a thin peel like celery, spinach, leafy greens, apples, peaches, strawberries and other berries, potatoes.

Everything with a thick, non-edible peel could be bought non-organic like avocados, bananas, mangoes, papayas, pineapple, melons, non-GMO corn.

This is because chemical fertilizers don’t really permeate the skin, it is so thick.

Some lists put the kiwis in the “buy non-organic” section but I strongly think we should buy them organic as much as we can, as the peel is thin and often eaten with the peel.

Apples are at the top of the list (maybe because more are consumed) when it comes to eating organically.

A study based on the “dirty dozen” organics list by EWG Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides note that more than 40 pesticides have been detected on apples found in grocery stores.

(Pesticides have been detected in non-organic apple juice and applesauce as well.)

Celery, one of the most sprayed veggies, can come with more than 60 different pesticides, the same as strawberries and peaches. In the 50 different pesticides rank you’ll find spinach, sweet bell peppers, blueberries and lettuce. A 45 hit for kale and collard greens, 35 for potatoes and nectarines, 30 for grapes.

Buying local as much as we can from Alberni Valley farmers who might not be certified organic but who don’t use chemicals, is another great way of eating healthy without the high cost of an organic label. But of course, the best is to grow your own, starting with non-Roundup-covered heritage seeds when possible.

Buying organic is great for our health but also for the environment.

Food that is grown organically means no pesticides, herbicides or chemical fertilizers are going up in the air, down into the soil or contaminating aquifers and surface water. Farmers and neighbours are not exposed to harmful fumes and chemical clouds and soil is healthier: rich with good bacteria and more resistance to drought.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), who publishes the “dirty dozen” and the “clean 15” annual lists can be found on the Internet – just Google “dirty dozen” – or get their app if you are on a smart phone. The lists are useful when you’re at the store to check what to buy organic or not.

The EWG estimates that we could

reduce our exposure to chemicals by more than 80 per cent just by following this list. And don’t forget that this also covers non-organic processed, frozen and canned food.

Summer will be here soon and local farmers and markets will offer a wide variety of local and non-sprayed fruits and veggies, raw honey, real freerange eggs, non-irradiated herbs and hormone-free organic meat. So go for it!

Here are two recipes, full of flavour, easy to do and so refreshing on a hot summer day. Enjoy!

Raw and cold cucumber soup

(Refreshing soup for a hot summer day at lunch time) 1 cucumber cut in chunks ¼ of a small onion or ½ French shallot ½ clove of garlic (optional) 1 rib of celery cut in chunks Pinch of salt Dash of cayenne pepper Water to get the desired consistency.

Put everything, following the above order, in a blender. Add water to reach desired consistency. Taste and rectify seasonings Serve immediately or chill for 30 minutes.

Minced fresh mint can be sprinkled on the soup before serving.

Zucchini Hummus

(Different from the chick peas hummus but certainly not less delicious) 2 zucchinis, peeled and cut in chunks Juice of 1 lemon 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1 cup of raw tahini ¼ cup of sesame seeds A big pinch of Celtic or Himalayan sea salt, or to taste Dash of cayenne pepper, or to taste ½ jalapeno pepper, or to taste ½ teaspoon of powdered cumin, or to taste 3 tbs of olive oil (extra-virgin and cold press) Put everything, except the olive oil, in a blender. Blend and add a bit of water to reach a thick but creamy consistency. Taste and see if you want it more spicy, salty or creamy (add more tahini for creamier taste).

Place on a plate, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with parsley or a chiffonnade of fresh herbs of your taste and enjoy with fresh veggie sticks, crackers.

Or spread on a warm pita bread accompanied with a scrumptious green salad.

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North Island

Agriculture plan Campbell River lays the groundwork for investment with landmark plan A plan that will take Campbell River back to its roots was approved by the province.

The city’s Agriculture Plan received the stamp of approval from Don McRae, the Minister of Agriculture, at a signing ceremony in Victoria on Nov. 22, 2011.

“It’s quite an accomplishment for the minister to come back, after seeing the plan, and support it,” said outgoing Mayor Charlie Cornfield. “He was very pleased.”

The city’s Agriculture Steering Committee spent two years working on the plan. Morgan Ostler, a former city councillor and chair of the committee, is thrilled to see something that is close to her heart, come to fruition.

“I want to say how tremendously pleased I am,” Ostler said. “It’s been three years since I brought my proposal forward to city council.”

Ostler, who grew up on a farm outside of Victoria, went to city council because she was concerned with Campbell River’s lack of food security.

“We’re totally dependent, on food consumed here in Campbell River, to be shipped in on a daily basis.

I think Campbell River produces less than one per cent of what we consume – that leaves us vulnerable,” Ostler said.

Growing up, “I had really appreciated the fact our farm made our large family sustainable. It’s in my bones.

It’s a natural for me to be excited as we move forward.”

The plan also opens a window for Campbell River.

Ostler said roughly onethird of property within the city limits is part of the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR), land which is set

“

We’re ’ totally ll dependent, on food consumed here in Campbell River, to be shipped on a daily basis. Campbell River produces less than one per cent of what we consume...

” aside by the provincial government for agriculture as the priority use.

“Our ultimate goal is to turn it into an economic opportunity for the establishment of greenhouses and agri-food businesses,” Ostler said.

A soil specialist studied the soil value of the land and determined that in areas west of Willis Road and west of Storey’s Creek golf club, the soil value is comparable to what’s found in the Fraser Valley, Ostler said.

“We see that as a great opportunity to attract business here, we’re hopeful that with the support of the provincial government and the economic arm, Rivercorp, that we can work towards that goal,” she said.

Pat Bell, minister of jobs, tourism and innovation, said Campbell River’s Agriculture Plan shows great initiative from the city.

“Campbell River’s Agriculture Plan is part of the North Island’s future economic resilience and good news for job creation, business, investment and the broader community as Vancouver Island continues to re-inforce its profile as a strong, regional agricultural hub in the province,” Bell said in a release.

The plan projects the

community as having the capacity to produce 10 per cent of its own food supply by 2031.

The plan also anticipates farming would occur in many different forms, such as value-added, artisan and niche products.

Ostler said the Agriculture Steering Committee’s next move will be to ask the new council to support an Agricultural Advisory Committee, which would be the thirty-sixth in B.C. “I’m hopeful the new council will be as excited as I am about the new opportunities that lay before us.”

The city’s Agriculture Plan can be viewed online at www. sustainable campbellriver.ca What the Agriculture Plan says: • Approximately 5,000 hectares (30,000 acres) of land in the Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) is within the city boundaries • A significant amount of the ALR land has an agricultural capability rating of Class 1, 2 & 3 (considered prime land) • Large areas of the community have climate, soil, elevation and face a direction suitable for growing a wide range of conventional crops such as cranberries, blueberries and grapes as well as less conventional high-value crops such as shitake mushrooms and medicinal herbs • Attractive land costs, which makes it a great start-up location for new agricultural producers • For commodity transport, Campbell River is well-positioned with a deep sea port, airport, and close proximity to the mainland ferry and the Island Highway (Highway 19).

PHOTO COURTESY AMANDA O’BRENNAN PHOTOGRAPHY

Coastal Black uses its own berries and honey to create its award-winning wines and mead.

Mead me in the middle: Coastal Black winery is open for tours and tastings in Black Creek Established in 2009 in the Comox Valley, Coastal Black is a family owned and operated fruit winery and meadery located in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island.

All of Coastal Black’s wines are handcrafted on site by

winemaker Abel O’Brennan with the estate’s own berries and honey.

“Our hope is to excited your palate and revive your body and spirit with our wines that are full of flavour and complexities,” says Amanda O’Brennan.

Coastal Black Estate Winery is open daily for tours at wine tasting from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Coastal Black is located at 2186 Endall Road in Black Creek, midway between Courtenay and Campbell River off of Highway 19A.

We’re here to help you succeed This doesn’t mean we can help you buy a new tractor, expand your farm or build a fence. But it does mean we can provide funding for projects to help BC’s agriculture industry deal with today’s challenges and be ready for tomorrow’s possibilities. And that gives your sector – and you – a fighting chance to succeed.

Is there a new technology or new process being used elsewhere that you would like to test here in BC? Would you like to try out a new solution for managing pests or addressing an ongoing problem or threat facing your region or your sector? Are you willing to share the results of your project with other producers to increase production or reduce production costs?

You know what needs doing!

We might be able to help.

Funding is available through programs like Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada’s Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program.

$1M boost for school fruit and veg program B.C. is providing $1 million to further support school children’s access to fresh B.C.-grown fruit and vegetable snacks in the classroom.

This funding is in addition

to a $3-million expansion announced in May 2011, and will help support the expansion of the BC School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional Program to include more public and

First Nations schools across the province. It is expected that an additional 75 schools will join the program by September 2012, and a further 75 schools will join

by January 2013.

CONTACT US OR VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE! T 250.356.1662 E funding@iafbc.ca www.iafbc.ca

Program Funding Provided by

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North Island

BLACK PRESS

Tom Feely of Grassi Point Farm in Royston subscribes to the 100-mile diet and other leading agri-tourism trends.

On point at Grassi farm Farmhouse may be 100 years old, but business is cutting edge RYAN PARTON FOR BLACK PRESS

Grassi Point Farm may be one of the Comox Valley’s oldest farms, but it’s anything but old news.

The farm, which was founded back in 1889, is on the leading edge of some of the hottest trends in agriculture, including agri-tourism, organic farming and the local food movement.

Though beef has traditionally been Grassi Point Farm’s main product, current owners Tom and Roberta Feely have diversified over the years, adding vegetable crops and constructing the Grassi Point Farm Market.

Originally built as a venue for the Feelys to sell their own produce, the market has since developed into a veritable cornucopia of local fare.

“We try to produce enough product of our own to sell at

“

I’d like to see the farm stay as a farm, because it’s good soil and it’s good producing land.

” the market, but we do get some produce brought in from other local farmers,” says Tom, who at 75 years old still lives in the original farmhouse that his greatgrandfather built on the property more than 100 years ago. “When we do bring stuff in, we make sure it’s B.C.-grown. This 100mile radius thing, it makes sense; it’s good.”

In addition to fresh vegetables from Grassi Point Farm, the market also features Natural

Pastures cheeses, fruit and berries from the Okanagan, an espresso bar brewing locally roasted coffee and all sorts of healthful drinks and snacks. The Feelys also keep the market stocked with fresh beef from their herd of six Charolais cattle, a breed known for its leanness.

“We try to do everything natural and healthy,” says Tom. “The beef is natural grass-fed beef. We don’t use any hormones, medicated feeds, chemical fertilizers or pesticides. It’s just natural, healthy food.

“At the market, we try to stay away from junk stuff,” he adds.

“Except Island Farms ice cream.

It has to be healthy!”

Grassi Point Farm dates back to the days of coal baron Robert Dunsmuir, who traded the land to Tom’s great-grandfather in exchange for a farm on Hornby Island.

In 1995, Grassi Point was

awarded Century Farm status in recognition of 100 years of continuous farming by the same family.

The farm’s future, says Tom, may involve some creative agritourism or even aquaculture innovations to complement its agricultural operations and the eight-site campground that’s already in operation. His main concern, however, is that his son David eventually takes over the family farm.

“I’d like to see the farm stay as a farm, because it’s good soil and it’s good producing land,” he says.

“We hope David will take it over.

He’s the sixth generation worker on the farm, and it would be nice to keep it in the family. That’s my dream anyway.”

The Grassi Point Farm Market is located just south of Royston at 4066 Island Highway South. For more information, call 250-3387546.

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Central Island

Damali joins new wine loop Cowichan lavender farm and winery already bustling with business this spring Spring has finally arrived at Damali Lavender Farm and Winery in the Cowichan Valley and the owners are excited about the coming season. They have joined forces with 14 other Cowichan wineries to create the Cowichan Wine Loop.

The event has a brand new website (http://wines.cowichan. net) and a new brochure which also promotes the wineries’ annual feature event, the Cowichan Wine & Culinary Festival.

A touring brochure can be printed from the website or picked one up from any of the participating wineries or Island Visitor Centres.

Winemaker Dave Stanley has been busy putting the final touches on the new Damali wines for bottling in late April and the partners are feeling pretty good about their wines.

“We took some tank samples to the Wine Islands Vintners Association tasting event held at the Empress Hotel a couple of weeks ago where there were over 300 people in attendance sampling wines from 23 Island wineries,” Damali partner Alison Philp said.

“We got some excellent feedback.

Our ‘Rhube Lavande’ (rhubarb wine with a hint of lavender) was a hit and we’ve had lots of enquiries about it ever since.

“One man rented a car and made a special trip up from Victoria to buy a few bottles for his girlfriend who had just loved it,” Philp said.

Damali has also had a good response to their new ‘Alba’ Pinot Grigio and one man ordered three cases of the Rosea sparkling for his wedding.

Damali will also have ‘Mure Lavande’ (blackberry with lavender) and ‘Mystique’ (fruit

PHOTOS COURTESY DAMALI LAVENDER FARM AND WINERY

Marsha Stanley (inset) and her partners, husband Dave and Alison Philp, have a number of events planned this summer at Damali Lavender Farm and Winery. The farm has recently been added to the new Cowichan Wine Loop.

blend) available.

“People are welcome to stop by for a taste or enjoy a glass in the sunshine on the licensed picnic area overlooking the farm,” Philp said.

Through the summer there will be a series of summer wine concerts featuring local musicians and Damali wine. The first event will be a wine release party on June 1 with two more events on July 13 and Aug. 17.

These will also feature local

food prepared by the Farm’s Gate Caterers. The fourth event in the series will be during the wine and culinary festival when Damali will host a Sangria Party on Sept. 15.

Find out more about these events as well as Lavenderfest on July 28 and the Culinary Treasure Hunt on June 2 on their website at www. damali.ca/pages/events.

Lavender products in retail stores

Damali products are now being carried at the Little Town Market, a

new shop in downtown Chemainus that carries many locally made, high quality products.

Damali partners Marsha Stanley and Philp appear standing in a bloom of lavender on the Tourism BC promotional video for 2012.

It’s posted on the Damali Facebook page www.facebook.com/ damalilavender.

Damali Lavender and Winery is now open for the season daily from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Find them online at www.damali.ca.

Quickfacts ◆ THE NAME ‘DAMALI’ comes from a combination of partners Dave and Marsha Stanley and Alison Philp’s first names. It is also an Arabic name meaning ‘beautiful vision’.

New farm loan helps next generation of producers Young and beginning farmers will find it easier to start and grow their farm businesses with the help of a new $500 million loan program.

Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Farm Credit Canada (FCC) President and CEO Greg Stewart introduced the Young Farmer Loan in mid-April.

“Agriculture is a key driver of jobs and economic growth here in Canada, and young farmers are vital to the long-term prosperity

of the agriculture industry,” said Ritz.

“Encouraging young farmers to invest wisely and contribute to a prosperous, modern sector is not only good for agriculture but good for Canada.”

This new loan offers qualified producers who are under 40 years of age loans of up to $500,000 to purchase or improve farmland and buildings. Producers between the ages of 18 and 39 make up approximately 16 per cent of

Canadian producers, according to the 2006 Census.

The FCC Young Farmer Loan includes features and options that address this demographic, and support their long-term success.

These include: • variable rates at prime plus 0.5 per cent and special fixed rates.

• no loan processing fees.

“We listen to our customers, and we develop products and services to meet their needs,” Stewart said.

“By allowing young producers to

borrow with no fees at affordable rates, the Young Farmer Loan will help them build their businesses and develop a solid credit history.

As a responsible lender, we’re excited to see how they use this product to grow their business and the industry.”

For more information on the FCC Young Farmer Loan, visit www.fcc.ca/youngfarmerloan.

As Canada’s leading agriculture lender, FCC is advancing the business of agriculture. With a

healthy portfolio of more than $22 billion and 19 consecutive years of portfolio growth, FCC is strong and stable - committed to serving the industry through all cycles.

FCC provides financing, insurance, software, learning programs and other business services to producers, agribusinesses and agri-food operations.

For more information, visit www.fcc.ca.

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South Island

Don’t sacrifice your back in garden VANCOUVER — It seems that gardening has become a provincial pastime. Whether on a patio or a rooftop, roadside or community plot, vegetable, herb or flower, gardens are cropping up everywhere, and with them gardeners.

And, while gardening may not look like a hardcore sport where injuries abound, a day mulching a vegetable patch, preparing a lawn for seed, or doing the annual spring cleanup can lead to strained shoulders or sore backs and knees.

“If you like to garden but want to avoid common gardening injuries and sore muscles, it’s best to start and finish your day in the garden with a gentle warmup and some stretching,” says Rebecca Tunnacliffe, CEO of the Physiotherapy Association of BC. “By following our Physio-4 tips you can minimize injury,

posture and body mechanics. When sweeping

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Make sure your tools are sharp to cut down on your physical workload.

alleviate pain and get the most enjoyment out of your day in the garden.”

Physiotherapists have extensive knowledge and experience and can design a safe and effective program to keep gardeners pain and

injury free and moving for life.

Here is their Physio-4 for gardening: • Begin with a warmup.

Start with light tasks such as easy raking or a walk to warm up your muscles.

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Follow this by stretching your back, legs, neck, hands and fingers to help prevent strain or injury.

Your physiotherapist will prescribe the best stretches for gardening specific needs.

• Be aware of your

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or raking, move your feet instead of twisting your trunk or over-reaching with your arms.

When lifting heavy bags or pots, use your legs, keep your back straight, and hold objects close to your body to prevent unnecessary strain on your back.

• Be ergonomically correct. Stay close to the ground to trowel, plant and weed. Wear kneepads to avoid putting too much pressure on your knees.

Ensure your tools are sharp when pruning or sawing to minimize your workload and select tools with long handles to avoid reaching.

• Pace yourself. Take breaks and do some gentle stretching to keep limber.

Try switching up tasks to use different muscles and avoid one group being overworked. Repetitive

actions that use a specific muscle or muscle group can cause pain or injury.

The Physiotherapy Association of BC created the Physio-4 to share the expertise of its members with fellow British Columbians.

“Each month on our website, movingforlife. ca, we provide four tips for a specific activity or health issue relating to that month to help keep British Columbians moving for life,” says Tunnacliffe.

“We want British Columbians to know that if they are injured or in pain, a physiotherapist can help. After all, we are the healthcare professionals physicians recommend most,” she states.

The Physio-4 Tips for gardening provides suggestions to keep gardeners pain and injury free.

Within weeks, Richard Leblanc of Woodwynn Farms will begin recruiting people from Victoria’s homeless community to start a new chapter in their life, working on an organic farm and sleeping in tents on his farm in Central Saanich.

Campsites are a far cry from the housing he hoped to build, but Leblanc calls it an interim step in his Creating Homefulness Society’s vision.

In mid-April, the Agricultural Land Commission rejected the society’s application to build housing for 120 people on the farm on one per cent of the land.

According to its decision, released April 21, the commission does not believe housing needs to be located within the Agricultural Land Reserve, given the proximity of land outside the reserve.

“The commission is approached by similar organizations with varying degrees of agriculture as part of their programming on a regular basis and is very wary of permitting this type of

“

If we’re having far more activity on the land, then I need to shift my attentions... back to Woodwynn.

” institutional use within the ALR,” the decision reads.

In early May, the Creating Homefulness Society board met to regroup.

“This is a major disappointment,” said Leblanc, the society’s executive director.

The board, however, is “undaunted,” he said.

The farm is zoned for approximately 10 campsites.

That means Leblanc can still create a community on the farm – it just won’t be as comfortable.

“We’re going to bring on some Porta-Pottys and a fire pit,” he said.

Eventually, Leblanc plans to resubmit a new application to the commission.

As well as housing, his proposal included repurposing 16 structures on the farm into a processing

plant to make jams and jellies, a café and office rooms.

The society’s goal is to diversify the farms’ products to decrease its dependence on government grants and to teach a variety of skills, including farming, service and administrative.

The board’s change in course also has repercussions for Leblanc himself.

For the past 80 nights, Leblanc has slept in a van downtown as part of his campaign. He’d committed to living this way until 2,012 people wrote letters of support and the same number donated 99 cents a day to the cause.

“It’s forcing me to shift gears,” he said. “If we’re having far more activity on the land, then I need to shift my attentions and energies and time back to Woodwynn.”

While looking forward to returning to a warm, soft bed and a shower, Leblanc said, “I’m disappointed that we didn’t bring it to the end we originally hoped.”

At the same time, he said, dialogue in the community about Woodwynn “went through the roof.”

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South Island

Food gurus dish the dirt on dirt CHRISTINE VAN REEUWYK PENINSULA NEWS REVIEW

Heather Stretch’s latest adventure is a pure blend of her master’s degree in English literature, postsecondaary years spent as a cook and the last dozen years as an organic farmer.

The Central Saanich mother of three is one-third of Saanich Organics along with her friends, business partners, fellow farmers and now co-authors, Rachel Fisher and Robin Tunnicliffe.

“A lot of people visit our farms. We do farm tours,” Stretch said. “We’ve often thought it would take a book to answer all the questions people ask.”

So they wrote All the Dirt, reflections on organic farming.

Kismet brought Stretch to her seven-acre certified organic farm in the Mount Newton Valley. She was working as a cook and was

at the point in her life where she had a list of ideals in a job when her aunt and uncle called. “Want to be a farmer?” they asked.

“They wanted somebody using the land more productively than it had been used,” she said.

With physical and mental stimulation with outdoor work high on her wish list, Stretch chose to farm. With an already green bend to her psyche, she went straight for organics.

“I’ve never grown anything conventionally,” she said.

Not long after, she, Fisher

CHRISTINE VAN REEUWYK/BLACK PRESS

Heather Stretch and her son Levi Leatherman, 4, work in the high tunnel at Northbrook Farm in Central Saanich.

and Tunnicliffe purchased Saanich Organics.

“At the time we bought it, it was just a box program,” she said. Since then the trio has added restaurants to their clientele and increased

the box program.

It was Fisher and Tunnicliffe who instigated the book, calling Stretch up one day while she was away on vacation. “We’re going to write a book,” they told her.

The game plan was to write from November until the spring planting each year, which is why All the Dirt took six years to create.

“It’s not only people who are considering small scale

organic farming who are buying it,” Stretch said.

Backyard growers and those interested in food sustainability are purchasing the tome.

“We see big problems with the food system as it exists right now,” she said. It covers the business – what, when, where and how – and personal experiences such as how kids will change the whole game plan, are told in each of the women’s voices.

“I certainly understand how challenging it is to do [small-scale organic farming] and make a living at it,” Stretch said. “But my job satisfaction and reasons for doing it deepen each year.”

The satisfaction and reasoning come through with vivid photos and the occasional giggle in the 228page book.

Learn more about the box program and the book online at saanichorganics. com.

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