Orchard & Vine Summer 2016

Ciao Bella: A Taste of Italy in West Kelowna Today's Farmers Cider Making in the Fraser Valley Helicopter Wine Touring

Summer 2016 $6.95

Display Until July 15, 2016 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40838008 www.orchardandvine.net

BC Wine Grape Council 17th Annual Enology & Viticulture Conference & Trade Show

Monday, July 18 & Tuesday, July 19, 2016 Penticton Trade Show & Convention Centre

Conference Highlights Should We Be Managing for Microbes in Vineyards?

Dr. Miranda Hart, UBCO, Kelowna, BC Cabernet Franc in Appassimento Wines: The Impact of Drying Methods, Botrytis and Yeast Strain Choice Debbie Inglis, Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute, Brock University, St. Catharines ON Spatial Vineyard Sensing and Management Dr. Cain Hickey, Cornell University, Geneva, NY Riding the Waves: Improving Grape Powdery Mildew Management with Inoculum Monitoring Dr. Walt Mahaffee Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR Grape Rootstocks — What’s Known, What’s Assumed and What’s Coming Dr. Andy Walker, University of California, Davis, CA Cabernet Franc in Washington State – Past, Present and Future Colin Morrel Lonesome Spring Ranch, Benton City, WA Understanding Barrel Alternatives- Comparing Their Use to Barrels and a Barrel Program for Wine Jeff McCord, StaVin, Sausalito, CA The Impact of Red Blotch Disease on Grape Composition and Wine Quality Rhonda Smith, University of California Davis, Sonoma, CA

There will also be a Vine Disease Clinic, Workshops, panels on Grape Vine Virus Disease, Research Posters, Tradeshow presentations, and much more.

Visit the Tradeshow - Over 100 exhibitor floor displays Sponsored by

For more information contact Carolyn MacLaren, Conference Coordinator Tel:778 878 6145 email: conference@bcwgc.org or visit: www.bcwgc.org 2

Summer 2016

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Photo by Nasim Bahbahani

Wine tour season has started with a visit by Orchard & Vine's Holly Thompson and friends to Bottleneck Drive. Page 54.

Regulars 6 Publisher's View – Lisa Olson 8 Calendar 9 News & Events 42 Sustainability – Ronald Morrison

47 Girl with a Pen – Ronda Payne 49 Your Wealth – Colette Kuemper 51 Seeds of Growth – Fred Steele 4

Summer 2016

Photo by Lisa Olson

45 Word on Wine – Lindsay Kelm

Beehives at Mission Hill Family Estate, page 10.

Features 22 Winery Built on Italian Tradition 26 Farm Entrepreneurs - Part 2 26 Caldwell Heritage Farm 27 The Homestead 28 Hoofprints Barnyard 29 The Clubhouse Farm 30 Carmelis Goat Cheese Artisan 31 Wise Earth Farm 33 Apple Cider in the Fraser Valley 37 Court Victory in New Brunswick 39 Fighting Strawberry Crown and Root Challenges 54 Wine Tour Season is Here - Bottleneck Drive Cover Photo: Ciao Bella Winery's Fiume family (left to right) Antonio, Roberto, Sharon and Olivia in the vineyard at Kalala Organic Estate Winery with Valhalla Helicopters. Photo by Kim Elsasser mpa, International Award winning photographer.

Photo by Ronda Payne

www.kimsphotography.com

Rachel Bolongaro of Fraser Valley Cider Company with her future apple orchard, page 33.

Summer 2016

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 PUBLISHER’S VIEW | LISA OLSON

The Thrill of Wine Heli-Tours

Vol. 57, No 3 Summer 2016

T

aking off in a helicopter can be an exhilarating experience; there is lots of excitement, power, torque and wind! It's a bit like a business where you launch, take off, and then rise steadily and travel with no road map to your destination.

Established in 1959 Publisher Lisa Olson Graphic Design Stephanie Symons

You can check out our short piece on heli-tours, which can be a great addition to your agritourism business.

Contributors Michael Botner, Kim Elsasser,

It was fun shooting the cover photo for this issue with renowned photographer Kim Elsasser, who not only brings his artistic talents to any shoot, but also brought a party of friends and excitement to the location. This time he brought the helicopter too! Valhalla Helicopters flew onto the vineyard of Kalala Organic Estate Winery to show off another setting to enjoy a wine tour and picnic lunch in the beautiful Okanagan. Memories can be made with this type of experience!

We're also revisiting innovative farmers in the Okanagan as Part Two of our series on agritourism farming entrepreneurs.

Agritourism businesses profiled in this issue range from a farm-based daycare, petting zoo parties, fresh box deliveries, artisinal cheese-making and a heritage farm offering walking tours.

Our wine writer Michael Botner also explains the potential windfall from a court case in New Brunswick, which is expected to open up the prospect of Direct to Consumer wine sales across Canada. Considering DTC has grown to more than $2 billion in the US, that could potentially

Tracey Fredrickson, Lindsay Kelm, Colette Kuemper, Ronald Morrison, Ronda Payne, Fred Steele, Photo by Kim Elsasser mpa

Holly Thompson Sales & Marketing Holly Thompson Circulation info@orchardandvine.net

offer great things for our Canadian wine

Orchard & Vine Magazine Ltd.

industry.

1576 West Kelowna Road

Summer is upon us and there is more excitement and hard work that follows, hopefully taking some time in between to sit back and enjoy the warm weather, fresh fruit and veggies and take in a concert series or event at a local venue. So like a whirlwind helicopter spinning its’ prop around and around I hope you have a great season and rise to your mountaintop.

West Kelowna, B.C., V1Z 3H5 E-mail: info@orchardandvine.net www.orchardandvine.net Phone: 250-769-2123 Fax: 1-866-433-3349 Orchard & Vine Magazine is published six times a year and distributed by addressed

Enjoy the magazine. ■

direct mail to growers, suppliers and wineries in the Okanagan, Kootenays, Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Washington State and throughout Canada.

Orchard & Vine is also available online.

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40838008 Undeliverable copies should be sent to:

Providing Canadian Grapevine Solutions BRITISH COLUMBIA Frank Whitehead p. 250-762-9845 c. 250-878-3656 frank@vinetech.ca

6

Summer 2016

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NOVA SCOTIA Ian Kaye p. 902-740-2493 ian@vinetech.ca

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Summer 2016

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 SUMMER | CALENDAR

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Outsmart Jack Frost with an Orchard-Rite® wind machine.

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OKANAGAN/THOMPSON/SIMILKAMEEN WEB Metal Fabricators Ltd. 3650 Hwy 97 S, Osoyoos, BC Sales: Rob Webster Phone: 250-495-7245 Cell: 250 485 8862 wmetfab@telus.net warm.wind.maker@gmail.com

Naramata Bench Tailgate Party 2015.

Similkameen BBQ King July 5 from 5-9 pm Grist Mill & Gardens Keremeos, BC similkameenwine.com/ Victoria’s Festival of Food and Wine July 14-17 Trade Tasting - July 14 Hotel Grand Pacific, Victoria, BC www.victoriataste.com BC Enology & Viticulture Conference July 18-19 Penticton, BC www.bcwgc.org/conference Wine Bloggers Conference August 11-14 Lodi, CA, USA winebloggersconference.org Feast of Fields Okanagan - August 14 Metro Vancouver - September 11 Vancouver Island – August 28 www.feastoffields.com Naramata Bench Tailgate Party September 10 Red Rooster Winery Penticton, BC www.naramatabench.com Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show September 13 -15 Woodstock, ON www.outdoorfarmshow.com

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Summer 2016

 SUMMER | NEWS & EVENTS

Feast of Fields Celebrates Their 50th Event in BC Feast of Fields is a wandering gourmet harvest festival that highlights the connections between farmers and chefs, field and table, and between farm folks and city folks. With a wine glass and linen napkin in hand, guests stroll across a farmers field, traveling from tent to tent (sometimes through the barn, past the tractor or around the chicken coup) listening to live music, and tasting gourmet creations from BC top chefs, farmers, fishers, ranchers, food artisans, vintners, brewers, distillers and other beverage producers.

Feast of Fields are FarmFolk CityFolk’s annual local food celebrations and fundraiser, held each year on a different farm in the Okanagan Valley, in Metro Vancouver and on Southern Vancouver Island. This year combined, they'll be celebrating our 50th Feast!

Funds raised from these events support FarmFolk CityFolk’s work to cultivate local, sustainable food systems across British Columbia.

Photos Contributed

8th Annual Okanagan Feast of Fields Sunday, August 14 Off The Grid Organic Winery 3623 Glencoe Road West Kelowna, BC

The 19th Annual Vancouver Island Feast of Fields Sunday, August 28 Parry Bay Sheep Farm – Glengarry Farm Location Victoria, BC 22nd Annual Metro Vancouver Feast Of Fields Sunday, September 11 Laurica Farm And Fraser Common Farm (Enter Through The Laurica Farm Main Gate) 25775 12 Avenue, Langley (Aldergrove), BC For more information and tickets: www.feastoffields.com

Summer 2016

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 SUMMER | NEWS & EVENTS

Photos by Holly Thompson

10 Outstanding Reasons to Visit Mission Hill Family Estate Winery

Wine, fine cuisine, and music are all part of the experience at Mission Hill Family Estate Winery. Whether you’re from out of town and visiting the beautiful Okanagan Valley or have lived here all your life you’ll want to make a point of enjoying the Mission Hill experience.

Want to know more? We've compiled a list of features to help you make the most of your visit.

1. Scenic - One of BC’s most popular and scenic wineries located in the Okanagan with an amazing and captivating view.

2. The Wine - With over three decades of creating awardwinning wines you can taste the passion and commitment that went into each and every bottle. Visit the wine tasting bar during your visit to learn and enjoy the whole experience of choosing your wine.

3. Locally Grown - Sustainable and seasonally sourced food served during lunch and dinner in the Terrace Restaurant - their culinary gardens are maintained using the best of the industry sustainable standards.

4. Food and Wine Pairing - In the Terrace Restaurant the wine comes first - the Chef and kitchen staff are as intimately familiar with the wine as the viticulturists.

5. Tours - Wine Tastings - From one to groups of 300, there is something for everyone and knowledgeable staff to help you choose.

6. Bees - Did you know, that Mission Hill also produces honey?

They are in their 3rd year of the honey. This honey is available in the gift shop amongst a wide array of other artisan gift items.

7. Music - A stunning musical line-up of talented performers performs every year in the outdoor Amphitheatre. Start your 10 Summer 2016

YOUR WINE’S GOT

CHARACTER. Photo by Lisa Olson

DRESS IT ACCORDINGLY. night with an exquisite dinner in the Terrace Restaurant or long table dinning to make a night to truly remember.

8. Conservation - Water management is very important to the winery - Mission Hill uses drip irrigation that allows for a 75% reduction in water consumption.

9. Sustainability - Composting & a recycling program including the lighting, refrigeration systems, culinary gardens and more.

10. Culinary Classes - During the off-season winter months locals and visitors can learn from chefs and participate preparing themed food by enrolling in the Culinary Classes.

Photo by Holly Thompson

The best way to show off your character?

Terrace Chef Patrick Gayler serving up rose and rubarb choke cherry juice.

Summer 2016 11

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 SUMMER | NEWS & EVENTS

What's New from the BC Raspberry Growers AGM

By Ronda Payne Significant announcements, including the creation of a new entity and an increase to grower levies, were made at the March 2016 annual general meeting of the Raspberry Industry Development Council and BC Raspberry Growers Association held in Abbotsford.

The council’s chair, Arvin Neger announced the establishment of a new cultivar company.

“The B.C. berry cultivar entity is now set up,” he said at the meeting. “We’re still in the process of finalizing the shareholders agreement.”

The new company is a combined effort of raspberry, strawberry and blueberry grower associations. Any money that comes in from selling cultivars through the company will be invested back into the berry breeding program, according to Neger.

A portion of the money to create the new company came from the council’s operating budget which is funded by levies collected from growers.

“There are significant costs associated in setting this [company] up,” Neger noted when explaining the excess in expenditure over what was budgeted for the cultivar company. “We want to make sure this is set up right, so that it can be selfsufficient.”

While there was a deficit in the 2015 finances, this should not be a problem in the future due to an increase in levies going forward.

“Our plebiscite has been approved. In 2016, growers will be paying a $0.01 levy,” Neger explained.

This is an increase from the half-cent levy growers had previously paid to the council but the money will continue to be collected in the same way.

In addition to the announcement about the new cultivar company and the increase to levies, the 2016 field trial day was discussed which is expected to occur in mid-July. Neger noted growers will be notified of the date when it is set.

The 2015 growing season was challenging for raspberry growers, but there are efforts to continue to advance the industry.

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Summer 2016 13

 SUMMER | NEWS & EVENTS

BC Enology & Viticulture Conference Returns to Penticton The much anticipated, educational, networking conference and tradeshow is coming soon! The 17th Annual BC Enology & Viticulture Conference is once again held in Penticton on July 18 and19 .

Cabernet Franc Varietal Tasting: Wines from BC, Ontario and Washington State.

Winery owners, winemakers, vineyard managers, cellar hands, grape growers, operators, tasting room staff and other staff members have been attending this conference year after year to learn about viticulture and enology at this very well attended conference.

Viticulture and Enology Plenary Sessions include:

Vintage Variation in Cabernet Franc: Taste though the cold, moderate and hot years from each year from 2011-2015.

Sensory Workshops

• Effects of Irrigation Regimes on Grapevine Cold Hardiness • Protecting Young Vines from Winter Cold Damage • Spatial Vineyard Sensing and Management • Another Perspective and New Info on the Biology and Management of Cluster Diseases • Improving Grape Powdery Mildew Management with Inoculum Monitoring • Crown Gall on Grapevines: Mgmt Strategies Based on Current Understanding of Pathogen Biology • Grape Rootstocks What's Known, What's Assumed and What's Coming • Cabernet Franc in Washington State Past, Present and Future • 2 Sessions on grapevine virus diseases • Vineyard Soil Characterization and Irrigation Management • And much more

Always popular and fill up fast, so be sure to pre-register if you want a spot, limited to 40 people.

To register and for more details visit: www.bcwgc.org/conference

There are a wide variety of speakers from UBCO, Summerland Research Station, Brock University, UC Davis, Oregon State, Cornell University, wineries, and industry suppliers who will be sharing their knowledge and research. As well, there will be tradeshow workshops in the tradeshow area.

Annual General Meeting for the BC Wine Grape Council will be held Monday, July 18 at 4 pm.

On Monday at 4:30 pm join in for an informal Wine & Cheese social event with speakers and exhibitors.

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î Ž SUMMER | NEWS & EVENTS

Better Wines Through Better Bottling Techniques

Photo by Kim Lawton www.DogLegMarketing.ca

A group of nearly 65 winemakers and wine cellar team members attended a recent lecture designed to help participants improve the quality of their wines. As the quality of wine starts well before the bottling line, participants learned about the parameters for raising the quality bar through a series of seminars from international presenters.

Laura Cugini first shared about finishing additives and adjuvants and their impact on wine stability, at and after bottling, as well as best practices for final filtration. Participants learned about oxygen at bottling and the effect on wine quality as well as best practices for managing Total Package Oxygen from Hend Letaief.

Thierry Lemaire presented about oxygen through the wine maturation process and how to adjust it according to closures.

Participants also had a chance for a Q&A session with the presenters and they had the opportunity to tour the new BC Wine Information Centre Sensory Lab at Okanagan College in Penticton.

Laura Cugini speaking about finishing additives and adjuvants and their impact on wine stability.

region to help winemakers learn best practices for best results.

The intention is to provide one or two lecture series a year.

These lectures were the first in the new Bottling Excellence Lecture Series, hosted and sponsored by Artus Bottling and Nuance Winery Supplies, with the support of Okanagan College.

The Bottling Excellence Lecture Series will bring leading edge presenters, technology and worldwide best practices to the

To be included on the invitation list for future seminars, please email Norman at norman@artusbottling.com or Thierry at thierry@nuancetrade.com.

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Summer 2016 15

Next Issue . . .

INNOVATION ISSUE Cutting edge • people • places • products

SUBSCRIBE • ADVERTISE Info@orchardandvine.net 16 Summer 2016

 SUMMER | NEWS & EVENTS

An High Flying Experience with Valhalla Helicopters Do you want to take your visitors or clients on an over the top experience? Then look at booking a wine or scenic tour in a helicopter!

Whether you want to plan a proposal, impress a client, sign an important business deal, a ride in a helicopter will make for an impressive and fun memory.

Valhalla offers half-day Heli-Wine Tours (3 hour experience) or full day tours (6 hour experience) with a choice of more than 30 participating wineries offering wine tastings, picnic lunches and/or restaurant services. Scenic heli-tours of the Okanagan Valley can last anywhere from 12 to 55 minutes.

Charters can get you to and from the destination of your choice or, for the

Photo by Kim Elsasser mpa

Valhalla’s main base of operations is located in West Kelowna and has an extensive fleet of helicopters that seat 4 to 14 passengers.

Enjoying a wine tour at Kalala Vineyard in West Kelowna.

outdoor enthusiast, try heli-hiking, helifishing or heli-biking for the ultimate experience!

Valhalla Helicopters can help you plan your ultimate adventure!

Visit them at 1100 Stevens Road, West Kelowna, BC or call 250-769-1486 www.valhallahelicopters.com or email tours@valhallahelicopters.com

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Summer 2016 17

 SUMMER | NEWS & EVENTS

Pears or Apples & Hops - Two New Flavours for Summer Building on the success of the original Broken Ladder apple blend, launched last spring, BC Tree Fruits Cider Co., a division of BC Tree Fruits, has created two new ciders; Pears and Apples & Hops. A successful first year of Broken Ladder Apples for market sales, fruit growers and the cidery onsite tasting bar, led to the creation of the new ciders made with 100% Okanagan fruit.

process,” says Michael Daley, Cidery Manager. “The results are two new varieties of cider, Pears and the unique taste of Apples & Hops. These, in addition to Apples will be available in BC Liquor stores and private retail stores mid-April.”

Shannon Forgues, Cidery Promotions Manager. Hints of honey and melon balance the pear leaving a lingering citrus note on the finish. The smooth and effervescent taste is well balanced with no added flavours.

Pears (4.5% alcohol) and Apples & Hops, true to the core like the original apples blend, with no added sugars or additives.

With the award-winning success of the original Broken Ladder Apples blend, BC Tree Fruits Cider Co wanted to create something a bit drier with complex tastes and aromas.

“Pear cider tastes like biting into a ripe, juicy pear just off the tree,” explains

“It was another labor-intensive recipe

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ON FR

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Apples & Hops (6% alcohol) brings the beer and cider worlds together to appeal to true cider fans and offer something new to the beer drinker. The hops add a dryness to the overall juiciness of the apple, bringing out the citrus notes of grapefruit and lemon on the palate and the nose.

These premium craft ciders are naturally gluten-free, with a traditional full bodied, refreshing taste, plus all the fruit is locally grown in British Columbia’s Okanagan orchards by BC Tree Fruits Cooperative growers.

“Craft cider continues to be one of the fastest growing categories in the beverage sector,” adds Daley. “BC Tree Fruits’ place in this market is a perfect fit. We are an authentic homegrown producer.

Apples and pears are handpicked and crushed right in our own mill, resulting in premium ciders.”

BC Tree Fruits Cooperative is made up of over 500 families, representing over 80% of the tree fruits grown in British Columbia. Cider production expands business for these families and their orchards by creating a perfect value-add for fruit not destined for the fresh market.

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Summer 2016 19

 SUMMER | NEWS & EVENTS

St. Hubertus Tops the 2016 Best of Varietal Wine Awards The original “Winemaker’s Awards” from 1994 consisted of three red and three white wine categories. Today, with 24 different varietal categories and 567 wines entered, fifteen 15 judges narrowed the selection down to 122 finalists.

An exceptional aspect of the judging is that judges are chosen from the trade including renowned sommeliers, restaurateurs and recognized wine media from across Western Canada. It features a unique judging process which allows each panel of judges to evaluate all of the wines in any given category, enabling a direct comparison for selecting the best wines.

“There is so much to be learned about the relationship between varietal, vinification and terroir when you blind taste all the same region’s varietals against each other. We really got to see who was pushing the envelope of winemaking in BC and tasted the full gambit of what was available stylistically,” said Alistair Veen, 2016 BC Sommelier of the Year and Sommelier, Chef, and CoOwner of Tap Restaurant. “It’s always an honour to taste the best of the best in BC, it inspires us to continue sharing these delightful wines with our patrons and guests.”

“We feel that entering in the Best of Varietal Wine Awards allows us to showcase the quality of our wines on a province-wide scale. It provides us an going motivation 20 Summer 2016

Photos by Matt Ferguson Photography.

The contest was open to all licensed British Columbia wineries that use 100% fruit grown in the province.

Wine of the Year honours go to Andy Gebert, (center) the co-owner of St. Hubertus Winery. From left to right Gianfelice Calabrese, Account Manager, Farm Credit Canada, Stephen Ahrendt, Partner, Grant Thornton, Andy and Barbara Gebert (with St. Hubertus Winery), Geoff Barlow, Director, Business Development, ContainerWorld.

to always keep learning and producing award winning wines,” said Sharon Fiume, co-proprietor, Ciao Bella Winery.

The Best of Varietal Wine Awards was held in Penticton, BC under the watchful eye of Marjorie King, who has over 20 years of wine competition experience and featured the following acclaimed wine experts: • James Addington – Food & Beverage Manager, Delta Grand Resort, Kelowna • Shelley Boettcher – freelance writer & editor, Calgary • Dennis Dwernychuk – Senior Product Consultant, BC Liquor Stores, Kelowna • Mark Filatow - Executive Chef and Owner, Waterfront Wines, Kelowna

Wine tasting at the reception following the awards presentation.

• Simon Gillett - Sommelier, Watermark Beach Resort, Osoyoos • Geoff Last – General Manager, Bin 905, Calgary • Martin Lewis – Co-owner, Bad Tattoo Brewing, Penticton • Jim Martin – Senior Product Consultant, Metro

Liquor Group, Kelowna • Samantha Rahn – Sommelier, Araxi, Whistler • Audrey Surrao – Co-owner, Raudz Regional Table, Kelowna • Mark Taylor – owner & Sommelier, Siena Restaurant, Vancouver

• Troy Townsin – author & CBC Radio wine columnist, Victoria • Matt Wentzell – Sommelier, Kelowna • Alistair Veen - Sommelier, Chef, and Co-Owner, Tap Restaurant • Gloria Wheeler – Food & Beverage Manager, Hotel Eldorado, Kelowna The list of winners of the 2016 British Columbia Best of Varietal Wine Awards were released by the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society.

There is one overall clear winner declared THE BEST in each category and new this year is a “Best in Show” wine.

Wine of the Year St. Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery – St. Hubertus Vineyard Riesling 2013 Best Cabernet Franc Tinhorn Creek Vineyards – Cabernet Franc 2013 Best Cabernet Sauvignon Black Sage Vineyard – Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Best Chardonnay CedarCreek Estate Winery – Estate Chardonnay 2014 Best Dessert Style Wine Golden Age Meadery – Hearth and Fire Mead Best Gewürztraminer Wild Goose Vineyards – Mystic River Gewürztraminer 2015 Best Icewine Inniskillin Okanagan – Dark Horse Vineyard Riesling Icewine 2012 Best Merlot Tinhorn Creek Vineyards – Oldfield Series Merlot 2012 Best North American Hybrid Monte Creek Ranch Winery – Frontenac Gris 2015 Best Pinot Blanc Evolve Cellars

– Pinot Blanc 2014 Best Pinot Gris Arrowleaf Cellars – Pinot Gris 2015 Best Pinot Noir Ciao Bella Winery – Pinot Nero 2014 Best Red Meritage Blend Cabernet Dominated Cassini Cellars – MAXIUMUX Collector’s Series 2012 Best Red Meritage Blend Merlot Dominated Quinta Ferreira Estate Winery – Obra Prima 2010 Best Red Blend Bordertown Vineyard & Estate Winery – Living Desert Red 2013 Best Single Red Variety “Other” Sandhill Vineyards Esate Wines – Small Lots Barbera Sandhill Estate Vineyard 2013 Best Single White Variety “Other” Township 7 Vineyards & Winery – Muscat 2015 Best Riesling St. Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery – St. Hubertus Vineyard Riesling 2013

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Summer 2016 21

West Kelowna Winery Built on

The experience of discovering the many wonderful products produced by Okanagan growers is often better when you meet the people who produce them. Ciao Bella Winery, one of the Central Okanagan’s newest wineries, offers just such an experience delivered with authentic Italian flair.

Roberto and Sharon Fiume enjoy some of their family's estate

By Tracey Fredrickson Flashback to 1956: 25-year-old Luigi Fiume took a picture of his future wife, Melina while she was riding her Vespa scooter on a summer’s day in Napoli, in southern Italy. That picture is now the label of Ciao Bella’s 2014 Pinot Rose, one of three wines produced at the winery which the young couple inspired. The label of Ciao Bella’s 2014 Pinot Grigio features Luigi himself cutting a handsome figure in a suit and tie against a backdrop of an Italian vineyard.

22 Summer 2016

It’s been 60 years since Nonno (Grandpa) Luigi and Nonna (Grandma) Melina arrived in Canada. As new immigrants, they settled in Yellowknife in Canada’s north where the family grew a successful pizzeria and European deli business.

Looking for a change, the family moved to Kelowna in 1986 and bought a 10acre parcel of land on the upper bench in West Kelowna.

A pivotal point was when the North American Free Trade Agreement introduced a vine pulling program where

local growers were paid to remove nonviniferous crops and replace them with viniferous vines in the late 1980s. Luigi removed the majority of his vines but kept a few to make “vino” for himself, family and friends; these vines are still growing today.

Having grown up in this environment where determination, hard work and respect for the land were part of everyday life, Luigi and Melina’s son Robert (Roberto) would eventually be drawn to the wine-making business himself. Many

Photo by Kim Elsasser mpa

Italian History and Tradition

wines on the sun drenched patio of the Ciao Bella Winery in West Kelowna.

people know Robert Fiume through his 16-year career in the insurance industry - he is a partner in Capri Insurance, one of the largest independent insurance agencies in British Columbia. Growing up with “agriculture in my blood” led him to specialize in agriculture and winery insurance.

Roberto and his wife Sharon built a house on the family’s acreage across the street from Luigi and Melina. Sharon, who has extensive retail and customer service experience, was also working full

time while the couple raised their two children, Antonio, now 14 and Olivia, 9.

Despite the couple’s busy lives, they no sooner started thinking about starting a winery on the property than three generations of Fiumes went at work to make it happen.

Work began to prepare the vineyard site for replanting in 1998. Roberto, Sharon, Luigi and Melina all worked together putting in posts, rock picking and finally planting the vines that are producing the grapes used in making Ciao Bella’s wine

today. The youngest Fiumes learned to pitch in where they could; Antonio would help put up posts for the new Pinot Grigio plantings and young Olivia would help pick rocks, with both helping to pick the mature fruit at harvest time.

“There were a lot of rocks to deal with and many people said Pinot Noir grapes wouldn’t grow well here but we persevered,” Roberto says. “”Fiume” after all, means ‘river’ in Italian and rivers don’t stop!

Summer 2016 23

Photos by Kim Elsasser mpa

Olivia, Sharon, Roberto and Antonio Fiume.

We’re proud of our Italian Canadian heritage and our tastings are like a celebration.

Roberto Fiume

Above: Roberto and his son Antonio tend the vineyard. Below,

An early discovery was that some of the original vines planted in the Okanagan over 60 years ago were located on the property along with the crudely made posts that supported them. Several of these original vines have been preserved among the new plantings and continue to produce eating grapes. A new wine tasting shop was built along with a patio area for licensed tastings and a picnicking area added as well. The doors officially opened in the summer of 2015 based on the first production of 800 cases.

Even with the family’s grape growing background and the fact they owned the land, there were considerable challenges associated with starting even a small winery. “We still had to operate the vineyard and buy everything from barrels, processing equipment, bottles 24 Summer 2016

and labels,” Roberto says. “Five acres is not a hobby farm – it’s a huge commitment!” Several part time workers are hired to help with vineyard work and Sharon now works in the wine shop five days a week during the busy season.

Most of the wine-making equipment was brought in from Italy through local suppliers; Cellar Tek and Bosa Grape and the wine shop is carefully appointed with authentic Italian products, from food items to espresso makers.

When it comes to the main product, however, local winemaker Jim Faulkner receives major credit. Well known for his work with several other Okanagan wineries, “Jim helped us achieve exactly what we wanted, it was a very successful collaboration.”

For a winemaker, there is nothing bet-

ter than working with someone who really cares about his grapes, says Faulkner.

“Roberto has taken exceptional care of his vineyard; it’s just clean fresh fruit. The average yield was 2.25 tons of grapes per acre which means 100 percent of the energy can go to the plants compared to a more densely planted vineyard.”

The proof is in the sales and two awards already won by this young winery. Its Pinot Rose won a Silver Medal at the 2015 BC Wine Awards and is already two-thirds sold. Only half of the original bottling of Pinot Grigio remains. Most recently, Ciao Bella won Best of Varietal, Pinot Noir at the Okanagan Wine Festival competition for its 2014 Pinot Nero. Word-of-mouth and a rapidly growing Facebook following are the winery’s main forms of marketing.

Ciao Bella is now one of three small estate wineries on Glencoe Road built in recent years including Kalala Organic Winery and Off the Grid Winery.

“Each is somewhat unique and we all have stories to share with one another and our customers,” Roberto says.

Future plans include planting more grapes – an additional acre devoted to Pinot Grigio is already being planted.

Bocce tournaments on the property are a possibility along with outdoor movie nights, a popular Italian pastime. Meanwhile, the venture has added a new dimension to Roberto and Sharon’s relationship as proprietors of Ciao Bella.

, Roberto in the barrel room, and some of Ciao Bella's award medals.

“Roberto has always been the visionary ready to jump in with a new idea,” says Sharon. “I tend to stand back and say what about this and that to provide some balance.”

A little bit of authentic Italy is alive and well at Ciao Bella as a growing number of visitors and locals enjoy the chance to sample the wines and visit with Luigi and Melina, now in their 80s, Roberto and Sharon and their children, and the family’s German Shepherd pup appropriately named 'Bella'.

“We’re proud of our Italian Canadian heritage and our tastings are like a celebration,” Roberto says. “It’s our way of saying, ‘Thank you for coming.’ ” ■

Summer 2016 25

TODAY’S FARM ENTREPRENEURS - Part 2

By Tracey Fredrickson

L

ast issue we brought you the stories of innovative farmers who are changing the game by seeking out new markets, investing in new products, or finding new ways to earn revenue. In the Okanagan farmers are fortunate to get valuable assistance from the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission.

The COEDC offers a variety of valuable information sources and oneon-one assistance for agricultural operations that need access to promotional and marketing opportunities.

Photo Contributed

In 2016 the COEDC will work with 20 farm operations in the Okanagan Valley. In this issue, we talked to six farm families about their experience bringing new innovation to a venerable business.

JAMES & KRISTI CALDWELL Caldwell Heritage Farm www.caldwellheritagefarm.com In 2014 James and Kristi Caldwell packed up their two daughters and life in Vancouver and moved to the family farm in southeast Kelowna where they embarked on an adventurous new lifestyle.

Caldwell Heritage Farm is home to 73 chickens, two cows and a unique collection of antique farm equipment assembled by Kristi’s father, Jake Warkentin over many years. A self-guided walking tour includes a blacksmith shop, tool museum and three sheds housing tractors, trucks and other gems, many with connections to the Okanagan farm and business heritage. The rambling gardens, rustic stone pathways and rich green pastures also provide a romantic setting for wedding ceremonies.

We are proud to be farmers because it provides us with an opportunity to share incredible learning experiences with our two young daughters every single day. To see their proud smiles and sense of accomplishment when collecting eggs or harvesting veggies makes all the hard work more than worth it.

26 Summer 2016

A good “day at the office” includes planting a new crop, seeing that all of the animals are happy and healthy or meeting with a couple interested in holding their wedding ceremony at our farm. A “really” good day at the office would involve a full 12 hours without a piece of equipment breaking down!

A hard day at the office includes losing one of our beloved laying hens. We often joke that we’re not so sure we’re cut out to be farmers… we all end up with broken hearts each time we have to say goodbye to an animal. It’s probably the most difficult part of what we do, but it’s also an important learning opportunity for our children.

Our greatest inspiration comes from our (Kristi’s) parents, who unknowingly, started us on this path over 25 years ago. They worked incredibly hard to create the beautiful farm we’re now so honored to call home. Preserving their legacy for the grandchildren they never had the opportunity to meet, and for the larger community, is what keeps us going on those tough days.

Our advice to others looking to operate a farm business today is to start small, but dream big. Know where you want to go, but expect more than a few bumps in the road. Seek out education and guidance as much as humanly possible. Never be afraid to ask for help.

We’ve been extremely fortunate to find a handful of amazing mentors during the first part of our journey, and it has truly made all the difference.

I am proud to be a farmer today because of the ever-increasing body of evidence linking healthy soil, healthy plants and healthy people. I spend a considerable amount of time and resources trying to foster microbial life in my soil, and I think my crops are healthier for it.

Photo Contributed

A good day at the office includes getting the harvest in and deliveries out on time, then shooting the breeze with my customers. I sell to a number of restaurants in the region and I really enjoy visiting the kitchens. It’s cool talking with people who are as passionate about cooking good food as I am about growing it.

A hard day at the office includes busted irrigation lines, too many beds to plant, and tools that go missing without a trace.

My greatest inspiration comes from witnessing my practices (and crops) improve each year with experience. I spend a good chunk of the winter on crop planning and research and it’s slowly making me a better farmer.

The Homestead www.thehomesteadorganicfarm.ca Following a season-long bicycle-tour of farms in Oregon, California and Eastern Canada, and two years at Ragley Farm on Vancouver Island, Jordan Marr and his then fiancé (now wife) Vanessa Samur moved to the Okanagan to start their organic farming business in 2011. Vegetables, herbs and some fruit are grown and sold mainly through a home delivery program, with some products sold at farmers’ markets, selected grocery stores and to Okanagan chefs.

Photo by Ian Stewart

My advice to others looking to start a farm business today is don’t bite off too much at once. Focus on one or two crops instead of trying to master too much too soon. Some new farmers decide to be veggie growers and beekeepers and raise poultry all at once. It’s a quick way to burnout.

JORDAN MARR

Summer 2016 27

I am proud to be a farmer today because with today’s technology many people are disconnected from nature. I provide families with an opportunity to intimately interact with a variety of farm animals and escape the day-to-day stresses of their busy lives.

A good day at the office includes seeing people smile, laugh and make wonderful memories. They’re spending wholesome, quality time with their loves ones in a peaceful setting.

Photos by Lisa Olson

A hard day at the office includes …

Well, every day includes a lot of work maintaining the property and caring for the animals. On the rare occasion one of our critters is under the weather and not feeling well, it can be stressful. They are all like my children and their well-being is of the utmost importance to me.

KRISTIN ENG Hoof Prints Barnyard www.hoofprintsbarnyard.com Kristin Eng opened Hoof Prints Barnyard in 2015, a unique petting zoo located on eight acres near Kelowna International Airport.

Starting the business fulfilled her long-time goal of promoting learning and interaction with nature among children while they enjoy a fun party experience. Facilities include a party room, pony rides, indoor restroom, barbeque, fire pit, covered outdoor eating area and exclusive use of the property.

28 Summer 2016

My greatest inspiration comes from hearing our guests express pure gratitude for the opportunity to bring friends and family to the farm. It makes all the hard work well worth it.

My advice to others looking to operate a farm business today is make sure you have a clear understanding of the time, energy and budget needed to commit to farming. There are no days off and you have to be willing to make this your lifestyle. It’s definitely not a “typical day job” and there are sacrifices that must be made.

AUDREY HYSTAD, MSc. The Clubhouse Farm www.clubhousechildcare.com This farm-and-nature based play space and outdoor classroom was created in 2012 based on two major principles for resilient communities. The first is that children need to play outside more often.

They need to get dirty, pick up bugs, explore, and relax in and close to nature. They need to see where food comes from and be a part of helping in the gardens and picking the fresh berries off the bushes and the apples off the trees. The second is that supporting local food production is imperative for a sustainable community, and as a small scale farm, diversifying production and sources of income is pivotal to ensuring the farm can stay in business.

A good â&#x20AC;&#x153;day at the officeâ&#x20AC;? includes our daycare, preschool or school age children playing outside and exploring the insects, plants, trees and wildlife that offer so many opportunities for incidental learning.

A hard day at the office results when children or staff are not dressed for the weather. Thank goodness for our muddy buddies and stockpile of extra socks, rubber boots, mitts and sweaters.

Our greatest inspiration comes from watching the children enjoy their time here and grow. They quickly learn where certain plants like to be planted, how bugs are helpful to our ecology and why it is so important to compost. Through gardening, mud play, exploring and helping out, we see children begin to understand the basics of physics, earth sciences and agriculture, develop their risk and observation skills, and improve their fine and gross motor skills. These experiences will stay with them for the rest of their lives.

Photos Contributed

Our advice to others looking to operate a farm business today is collaborate with like-minded people and organizations. Join local agricultural interest groups. Have a good team and write down your strategic vision. Preparation: everything from dressing for the weather to setting up irrigation first! It is hard work, but the benefits are more than worth it.

Summer 2016 29

THOMAS & AMANDA BURNS Carmelis Goat Cheese Artisan www.carmelisgoatcheese.com Carmelis is a small scale boutique dairy located near Okanagan Mountain Park in Kelowna. It produces rich, complex and refined cheeses that render full justice to the quality of the milk and the art of cheese making. The cheeses are produced using traditional techniques and from 100% goat milk that comes from the farm’s own goats and an organic goat farmer in Grand Forks. A visit to the farm includes tours and tastings of Carmelis’ gelato as well as the broad range of cheeses.

I am proud to be a farmer today because I have always loved great food and learning about where it was produced. I take great pride in being able to produce something from start to finish on the farm and seeing the smiles on our customers’ faces as they give it a try.

A good day at the office includes a bunch of happy and healthy goats and excited customers coming to see us. It’s also a good day when we can keep to some kind of a schedule.

Photo Contributed

A hard day at the office is when an issue comes up and it throws my day two or three hours sideways. As the proprietor of a farm and food manufacturing business, I tend to operate by the minute rather than the hour and I usually have a general plan when I wake up in the morning for what I want to do. That said, when you are dealing with livestock and food production no two days are ever the same and I really enjoy that as well.

30 Summer 2016

My advice to others looking to operate a farm business today is be prepared to work very hard. Most the time you work long hours to get everything done you set out to accomplish. It is important to have family that will support you in your farm project, or find a good team that shares your passion for what you’re doing.

Photo Contributed

We are proud to be farmers today because it’s exciting to be part of the trend of the local food movement and knowing farmers are becoming recognized for their value to society. We enjoy providing a service for our community that is both healthy and sustainable.

A good day at the office includes having a good team and accomplishing our goals. We have a productive, caring team that shares our passion for quality healthy food. We love to have local chefs come to the farm, seeing them become super excited about our produce and planning their menus around our products.

A hard day at the office includes dealing with unpredictable weather such as the hail storm that hit our farm in 2013 and destroyed tens of thousands of dollars’ worth of vegetables in a matter of minutes. Farming can feel really hard when your back hurts, the weather is awful, you have crop failures, some strange insect infestation and you have unforeseen expenditures.

Our greatest inspiration comes from people such as John Jevons and Elliot Coleman. Our inspiration to start farming came from reading John Jevons’

JOHN HOFER & BRENDA PATERSON Wise Earth Farm • www.wiseearthfarm.ca

Wise Earth Farm is a small-scale sustainable farm in Kelowna specializing in organic and biologically intensive cropping practices. By emphasizing intelligent farm design, appropriate technologies and harnessing the power of soil biology, the farm is able to produce over 40,000 lbs. of vegetables per year on 1.5 acres. These are sold through the farm’s CSA program, at farmers’ market and to Okanagan restaurants and wineries. book, How to Grow More Vegetables than you Ever Thought Possible and we realized we could farm on a small scale.

Our advice to others looking to operate a farm business today is do your research and learn from what others have done. Find out who your customers are (restaurants, farmers markets, CSA box programs, wholesale), make a yearly plan, keep records of everything, diversify, and grow organically.

Summer 2016 31

FARM LOCATIONS

The Clubhouse Farm 4490 Anderson Road

The Homestead Organic Farm

Hoof Prints Barnyard 5850 Anderson Road

West Kelowna

Kelowna

Wise Earth Farm 2071 Fisher Road

Carmelis Goat Cheese 170 Timberline Road

Our featured farms are some of the twenty farm operations in the Okanagan Valley working with the COEDC. The Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission, a function of the Regional District of Central Okanagan provides programs and services to Central Okanagan businesses in all sectors including agriculture. In 2016, the Commission will conduct 20 in-depth site visits

Caldwell Heritage Farm 4275 Goodison Road

with Central Okanagan farm operators in order to gather information about the challenges they face, provide one-one assistance, promote agriculture in the region and enhance connections among agriculture-related businesses.

Tracey Fredrickson is Business Enhancement Officer with the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission whose first career was as a journalist.

Since 2011 she has interviewed numerous agriculture-related businesses in the Region and developed and delivered an agri-tourism business planning program.

■ For more information contact: Tracey at tfredrickson@investkelowna. com www.investkelowna.com

• Fertilizers • Pest Controls • Soil & Plant Treatments Kelowna 250.765.0290 • Abbotsford 604.850.9500 • Victoria 250.381.2281 Toll-Free 800.663.2552 32 Summer 2016

Apple Cider in the Fraser Valley

By Ronda Payne

Delicious, sweet apples grow beautifully in the Okanagan, but a few hours’ drive to the west in the Lower Mainland?

The general assumption has been that the coastal region doesn’t have what it takes to create a decent apple.

Photo by Murza Keech

Turns out there’s a 12-acre plot in Langley that’s perfect for apples – though not the kind you want to eat – the kind for apple cider.

The Bolongaro's at the opening of their cidery.

Summer 2016 33

Photos by Murza Keech

Rachel Bolongaro and her husband came to Canada from the United Kingdom 17 years ago. Both engineers, it was around 2012 when Bolongaro realized she needed a change of scenery, at least part of the time.

“I was thinking, ‘I like engineering, but I don’t like the environment I have to do engineering in,” she says.

The mother of two set off to figure out what she would be when she grew up.

“I’ve always wanted a plot of land,” notes Bolongaro. “And I have always made my own cider.”

Running a cidery is a far cry from whipping up a batch at home to share with friends, so Bolongaro found the Principles and Practices of Cider course in Mount Vernon, Washington. There’s always a wait list for the week-long program because of the growing interest in cider in North America, but Bolongaro got in.

The program ended in the summer of 2013 and the Bolongaros bought their 12-acre property in the following spring.

If anything, the site’s perceived drawbacks were benefits to Fraser Valley Cider. Although it was in rough shape, the property was ultimately a blank slate on a busy road in the middle of Langley’s Campbell Valley wine region.

34 Summer 2016

Come April 2015, the couple hired a contractor to build the cidery that was finished in October 2015.

“The first batches of cider went on in November,” Bolongaro says.

The study of the land’s soil revealed it’s ideal for growing apples, but obviously, the trees she’d planted in 2015 weren’t yet producing, so land leased from a partner farm in the Okanagan was the source of apples for this year’s cider.

Bolongaro feels the apples on the property will be producing enough to take over the second year of production.

“We’ve got about 2,000 trees,” she notes.

Soon, another 1,800 will be planted making a total of six acres and about 30 varieties. When it came to picking those varieties, she pointed to the wealth of information on the internet including Ministry of Agriculture resources.

“We’ve got lots of space,” she says, but time will tell what varieties work best for Bolongaro’s cidery. Obviously, what grows well in the Okanagan isn’t what she’s after.

“I’m not going to grow anything that the Okanagan growers grow better,” she says. “We grow apples that are called spitters.”

Named because of the need to spit them

The Cidery, top left, and the labeling line. Above, Rachel Bol

out after taking a bite, these sour heritage English and French apples make great cider, but the process hasn’t been all sunshine and daisies for Bolongaro.

“Some of the grafting didn’t take,” she notes. “And we lost some [of the trees] over the winter. We hand watered all our trees through the summer. It was just a killer year.”

consistency year to year she’s after, but a good product year after year. She believes her customers will appreciate that.

It comes down to what works well in the cider and grows well in the orchard.

“That’s our goal, is to be consistently good,” she says. “That’s part of the interest in having a locally farmed product.”

The product won’t be cookie-cutter-like in flavour and neither will the process.

This is where Bolongaro’s engineering experience has paid off.

“We’re building a lot of our own equipment,” she notes. “We’re building our own bottling machine.”

She’s not oblivious to the amount of work this kind of endeavor takes. Planting an orchard, building the cidery, establishing the processes, making the first batches, marketing… there is a lot that goes into a start-up business. Bolongaro looks to the future however.

“Nothing will ever be this hard again,” she says.

She knows all the elements to get Fraser Valley Cider up and running and soon she will be able to focus more on production in future years. In time, the plan is to transition into the business full time with a few other changes as well.

“I’ll be saving up for one of the automatic presses,” says Bolongaro.

Currently, the manual press is small, but it does the job. Pressing is done outside on the large concrete pad. Then the juice is stored to ferment.

“You want a long slow fermentation,” she says. “That way you capture more of the aromas.

Racking to leave the lees behind is set for about three to six months after fermentation begins. Bolongaro won’t be filtering her cider and will be striving for a slight fizz of carbonation. Once bottled, the product will be pasteurized to kill the yeast then labelled. About 8,500 liters make up this year’s batches.

“I’ve no idea if that’s going to be too much or not enough,” she says.

Of all the things being experimented with to make great cider, the yeast is one of the most interesting aspects.

“Cider makers are lovely people but none will tell you what yeast they use,” she notes. “It’s kind of a proprietary secret and different yeasts give the ciders a different taste.

The yeast is just one of many things Bolongaro can look forward to experimenting with in the coming years. With an orchard full of thriving apple trees and a new business to introduce to the world, there will be plenty to keep her busy at Fraser Valley Cider. ■

longaro works with her new apple tree saplings.

Fraser Valley Cider opened at the end of May. There is plenty for visitors to choose from. Ice cider – where the apple juice is frozen, similar to ice wine; cyser – a mix of apple juice and honey; and four different types of cider: dry, house cider, honey blend and elderflower cider.

Bolongaro knows each vintage of cider will be different, not unlike how grapes create a different wine each year. It’s not

Summer 2016 35

A.O. Wilson Announces New Enology Product Line by Dal-Cin A.O. Wilson is very excited to announce the arrival of their new enology product line by DAL CIN. DAL CIN offers a full range of fermentation (yeasts, bacteria, enzymes), fining and stabilization products for the food & beverage industry.

Several innovation and patents issued by DAL CIN R&D have been real benchmarks in the history of modern enology. From bentonites to metatartaric acid, from physical activators in alcoholic fermentation to the pre-dispersed filter media.

Their newest development is the unique Minitubes™ technology.

Minitubes™ are a revolutionary production technology that guarantees practical, health and efficiency in winemaking additive use.

When developing Minitubes™ the research goal was to find a technological solution to some of the problems that

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The solution was the Minitubes™ range which compacts the current enological products without compromising quick dispersion during the application process and without generating secondary dust.

The final effect is • Perfect dispersion •M inimum of inert gas microbubble formations •1 00% activity guaranteed at the suggested dosage • No floating particles • No more powders and dust • No collateral effects • No microbiological contamination.

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Court Victory in New Brunswick Opens Door to DTC Wine Sales Finally, some good news for BC producers of wine, beer and spirits. In the Comeau court case reported on in the Spring issue of Orchard & Vine, the New Brunswick judge ruled on April 29 that provincial laws that restrict interprovincial transport of liquor are unconstitutional.

The judgment found that Section 121 of the Canadian Constitution prohibits legislative barriers to free trade of goods – including alcoholic products – within Canada.

“It is currently not binding on other provinces because it is the decision of a NB trial court,” says Mark Hicken, a Vancouver lawyer who publishes WineLaw.ca. “If it is appealed to the Supreme Court as is likely, it may eventually become binding across the country. This is a very significant development for the Canadian wine industry because it may transform their markets from customers in a single province to all of the residents of the entire country.” Could open interprovin-

Photo contributed

By Michael Botner

Wild Goose Vineyards at the Wines of Canada pavilion at the 2016 Prowein International Trade Fair for Wines and Spirits in Dusseldorf.

appear and provide new markets for their wines. One presentation at the 2016 Wine & Liquor Law conference in Vancouver addressed the challenges and benefits of exporting wine to the U.S. “It is 10 times larger than Canada and more people are drinking more expensive wines like Pi-

cial trade be the future or a pipe dream? Even the U.S. now allows Direct To Consumer (DTC) shipment of wine, the result of a similar court challenge known as the Granholm case.

BC wineries are not waiting patiently for interprovincial trade barriers to suddenly dis-

not Noir,“ says Christopher R. Hermann of Stoel Rives LLP in Portland, Oregon.”

The two options according to Hermann are to: Establish and operate a U.S.based wine importer/distributor.

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distributor. “While this has fewer requirements, distributors are not all that interested in smaller producers.”

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“Although highly regulated, the U.S. system offers a more open market and more freedom to find creative ways to sell wine,” he says. “With direct to consumer sales now allowed in 40 states, smaller wineries have proliferated in the U.S. And you can engage the market even if you are other than a U.S. producer.”

For many BC wineries, such as Wild Goose Vineyards, looking to Europe for a potential audience makes a lot of sense.

According to Roland Kruger, GM of Wild Goose Vineyards, selling wine to other provinces is as difficult as, if not more so, than selling wine abroad. He’s not alone.

The reality is that interprovincial barriers negate advantages from familiarity with the home market.

In addition to a recent free trade agreement between Canada and the EU, there is free trade within the EU. As well, several countries, especially those in Northern Europe, boast prosperous, knowledgeable consumers willing to try out good value wines from intriguing, new wine regions like Canada. Some Canadian wineries like Pelee Island Winery in Ontario have been rewarded with substantial success for their marketing efforts.

The Wines of Canada pavilion at the 2016 Prowein International Trade Fair for Wines and Spirits in Dusseldorf in March boasted 22 Canadian wineries from Ontario, BC and Nova Scotia. Participating for the first time, Kruger found the event “remarkable” and an “eye-opener.”

Commenting on the new and improved Canadian booth at the trade show, he pointed out that “the show included nearly 7,000 wineries from around the world and attendance of 60,000 people, mainly buyers. We met agents from Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and the UK and made 20-30 contacts from Europe, including Russia and Eastern Europe. We are focusing on finding niche markets in Europe for smaller quantities of wine,” he adds. ■

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www.facebook.com/ OrchardandVineMagazine 38 Summer 2016

Fighting Strawberry Crown and Root Challenges

By Ronda Payne

A

rmed with a list of 13 crown and root diseases in strawberries, Siva Sabaratnam of the Ministry of Agriculture took the stage at the 2016 Pacific Agriculture Show in Abbotsford to discuss options for management of some of the most likely suspects to damage the berry crop. The information for growers was plentiful, but as is often the case, the old methods of scouting, knowing what’s in the field and following solid management practices are the best course of action.

Photo by Brian Perchtel, Bugwood.org

“I’ve been seeing lots of issues in strawberries,” Sabaratnam said. “There are not enough tools out there to manage all of them.”

Two of the biggest concerns Sabaratnam has seen recently are black root rot and Fusarium Wilt.

Although similar in appearance and behavior to Verticillium Wilt, Fusarium Wilt is a different problem. Verticillium Wilt is generally associated with longer dry weather periods, so is more frequently seen in the interior of B.C. than in the Lower Mainland. Unfortunately, the 2015 berry season was an unusual one with just the kind of weather Verticillium Wilt enjoys. It led to stressed plants that were much more susceptible.

Healthy strawberry plant (left) and strawberry plant infected with verticillium wilt (right)

Verticillium Wilt is not common in the Fraser Valley, but last year there were several cases. It can kill plants very, very quickly.

Siva Sabaratnam

“Verticillium Wilt is not common in the Fraser Valley, but last year there were several cases,” Sabaratnam noted. “It can kill plants very, very quickly.”

The entire plant will die soon after this phase is complete.

Early symptom of both types of wilt are when the older leaves turn brown and die while the inner leaves are stunted.

Unfortunately, there are no solutions for issues like Fusarium and Verticillium Wilt.

Sabaratnam said it comes down to over-

all management practices to prevent certain challenges from cropping up in the first place.

“Soil diseases are really challenging,” he said.

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in the case of black root rot caused primarily by Rhizoctonia fragariae; red stele root rot which can be identified by cutting across the root to see the discolouration; and crown rot which is caused by a number of organisms. Knowing what the issue is allows for the right treatment when one exists.

Photo by S. T. Koike

In order to set plants up for the best possible health, start with the soil before planting, advised Sabaratnam. He noted that pH is very important and recommended well-draining soil with a pH of 5.5 to 6.5. If the soil is infected he suggested a three-year crop rotation using mustard, cole crops or grains and to seek out disease-free cultivars in resistant or tolerant strawberry varieties.

“Also a root dip or furrow application of fungicide or a biological control at planting,” he added.

An example of strawberry plants with Fusarium wilt that will eventually die.

He noted it’s very important for a grower to know what is happening in their field regardless of the issue.

“Confirmation of a pathogen by a reli-

able source is very important for selecting the right management tool,” he said.

This step is of the greatest importance when there is a possible solution such as

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Earliglow is the only variety Sabaratnam noted as resistant to black root due to its wide range of causes.

Post planting management involves scouting for early detection and confirmation of disease, followed by fungicide application.

When the field is patchy with some plants struggling and others not, Sabaratnam feels that this is a case of nematode or drainage issues rather than root rot or other root diseases.

Fumigation and soil treatments were also mentioned including the potential of bio-fumigants from brassicas.

“Only three fumigants can really have an impact on soil pathogens, nematodes and weed seeds,” Sabaratnam said. “Basamid, Telone C-17 and Vapam.”

Sabaratnam also pointed to solarization, stating, “It is one of the good practices that is possible to do with other chemical applications.”

He recommended a .6 mm thick transparent polyethylene from mid-July to midSeptember so soil temperatures reach 33 to 48 degrees Celsius.

Switiching to a different crop is often the best option for growers according to Sabaratnam.

While it is possible to control and stop some strawberry challenges, there is no stopping other issues. Prevention and management remain the key ingredients to a healthy field. ■

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 SUSTAINABLIITY | RONALD MORRISON

Sustainability Reporting - A Primer for Wine Producers with limited time and resources available, it’s simply not at the top of your agenda.

A

ssume that your winery is among the many small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the business and has an interest in sustainability. Perhaps you have already undertaken several related environmental or social initiatives. As a small business owner you know there may be a need to better understand what’s behind all the talk on sustainability, but

Annual corporate reporting with its focus on financial performance has been around for years in the business world. More recently, sustainability reporting on the environmental, social and economic aspects of a business has evolved as an innovation which improves business performance and demonstrates a commitment to sustainability for investors and customers.

Sustainability reporting is about crafting your story on value creation - value in the wine produced, socio-economic value contributing to jobs and local communities, and environmental value in

reducing carbon emissions and conserving resources upon which producing your wine is dependent. The shift in business culture is predicated on resource optimization and cost savings, social and environmental values.

Over the past decade sustainability reporting has been adopted as common practice among larger corporations, but is beginning to gain traction among SMEs. They account for 99 percent of Canada’s businesses and more than half of our gross domestic product. They also represent the majority of companies in our wine industry, are agile and often ready to embrace the innovation, communication and accountability trends

underlying sustainability reporting.

The reporting process enables wineries to enhance their competitiveness by introducing, improving and reporting on sustainability initiatives in their operations. It presents a fascinating business challenge for wineries and an opportunity to frame their operations and wine produced in a light that attracts consumers. Reporting is particularly relevant to wineries that may already be advanced in sustainability, but are looking to up their game in the marketplace.

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can be a straightforward endeavour, the business landscape in the industry is becoming more complex. With strong consumer preference toward social and environmental standards, sustainability reporting lends a considerable competitive advantage. Social media and internet communication have changed the way consumers make choices. Purchasing decisions are becoming more informed and no longer based only on quality and price. Customers are seeking value added from social and environmental interests. They are looking at internet sites for information on how companies operate. They are reading labels in stores and are driving new business practices.

There's no better example than the recent move by the Earlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chain of restaurants to source all of its beef supplies from producers certified in meeting standards for beef raised under humane practices. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s certified humane beef, free range egg production or fair trade coffee supply, the market is dramatically and rapidly changing according to consumer values.

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Certification of sustainable wine in California with more than 70% industry participation in the Sustainable Winegrowing Program is another example. Similarly in Ontario, sustainably certified wineries are becoming popular under the Sustainability Certification Program of Wine Council of Ontario and the Grape Growers of Ontario. Customers are increasingly attracted to the products of companies with sustainability communicated as integral to their business strategy, values and mission.

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Reporting on non-financial values of winery operations is a novel idea. However, it offers an opportunity for thinking about how companies can act not only in their own best interests, but also add value for the growing social and environmental concerns of their customers. Additional benefits are the promotion of innovation and operations efficiency, resource conservation, better financial performance, regulatory compliance, reduced carbon and environmental footprints, company reputation and differentiation.

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In presenting a sustainability profile, reporting enables a business to demonstrate its commitment to operating responsibly with interests that integrate social and environmental values.

As such, it can be a great branding and marketing tool that can help grow the business.

Guidelines, Process and Approach The Sustainability Reporting Guidelines of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) represent the most widely followed sustainability reporting standard in the world. They can be used as a reference to develop your sustainability report and can generate relevant and standardized information on the sustainability impacts and performance of your winery.

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Ready to report? Preparation involves identifying the target audience, who will prepare the report, how it will be prepared, information and resources required, issues to be considered and a timeframe for completion. Collecting input from stakeholders and information assembly are the next steps. The potentially relevant sustainability issues or material aspects in what really matters to your company then define the content.

Assessing impacts, identifying targets, actions and timelines to achieve the targets, writing and publishing the report follow.

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Summer 2016 43

of material indicators on your operation. Small companies may retain outside expertise to support them through and facilitate the process. Gathering and interpreting the relevant information, preparation and publication of the report are the main cost factors. Still, getting started in reporting can be relatively easy and less costly than often thought.

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The style and format of the report can be a small poster, a single page or series of pages on a company website, or a formal printed document. For larger and more advanced companies, there is a variety of software on the market that follow guidelines such as GRI, and can assist in presenting data and managing the reporting process.

Getting Started and Structure In starting out, it is necessary to clearly define the most important issues affecting the sustainability of your company’s business and its future growth, decide what to measure and who will be involved, and how the report will be resourced.

A clearly structured, concise and well-presented report is most likely to generate the greatest return on investment.

The first part of the report describes your company’s vision, mission and values in terms of the business and sustainability. It should outline your overall goals and how they are achieved. It’s about how your company carries out its business, with particular reference to commitment and initiatives in sustainability.

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In the second part of the report, the specific aspects of resource and energy conservation, environmental effects of your operations, waste management and recycling, supply chains and transportation, your workplace and community involvement are described from a baseline created by an assessment or snap shot in time of the business.

At the end of the reporting process, take pride in and broadcast your sustainability message, connect with customers, tell your story and raise your glass to sustainable wine making and a more environmentally friendly business culture. Cheers. ■ Ronald Morrison, MES, MCIP, RPP is President of Sustainability North Inc., a consultancy and advisory practice specializing in corporate sustainability, regulatory affairs and environmental planning. www.sustainabilitynorth.ca

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î Ž THE WORD ON WINE | LINDSAY KELM

2015 British Columbia Wine Grape Crop Report 2015 BC Wine Grape Tonnage* by Variety â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Top 10 2015 Rank

W

ith several 2015 wines now on shelves, we know that the quality is excellent, but how much of it is there to go around? It has been two years since the BC Wine Industry had a crop report, but finally the 2015 BC Wine Grape Crop Report was released mid-May and shows a positive trend for consumers

2013 Rank

1

1

2

2

Variety

Estimated Mainland Tonnage

Merlot Pinot Gris Chardonnay

5,009 3,971

3

3

3,300

4

4

Cabernet Sauvignon

2,274

5

5

Pinot Noir

2,479

6

6

Cabernet Franc

1,645

7

8

Gewurztraminer

1,934

8

7

Syrah/Shiraz

1,317

9

9

10

Sauvignon Blanc

10

Riesling

1,928 1,742

Reported Tonnage by Production Area

Oliver 40.78% Penticton 10.45%

Osoyoos 21.12% Penticton 10.45% Kelowna 7.61%

Osoyoos 21.12%

Westbank 4.79% Summerland/Peachland 3.64% Similkameen Valley

3.35%

Lake Country

2.82%

OK Falls

2.55%

Other 1.23% Oliver 40.78%

Fraser Valley

.90%

Salmon Arm

.51%

Kootenays .27%

*Tonnage reported in short tons. Note, participation in this survey is voluntary; therefore the tonnages reported here may differ from actual industry tonnages.

Summer 2016 45

wanting more BC wines, especially our vibrant whites.

Although the overall increase hasn’t been significant, the estimated total tonnage grew nearly 1% from 2013, from 31,383 to 31,640. Both 2013 and 2015 were notably warm vintages with ’13 reporting just over 1,600 growing degree days (GDD) and ’15 being just shy of 1,800 degree days in Osoyoos.

The GDD on Vancouver Island were also higher-than-average, with 1,135 reported in 2015 and just over 1,300 in 2015.

Despite not having a significant change in overall estimated tonnage, there was a big difference in the total estimated tons harvested between the red and white varieties. The total white estimated tonnage went up 10.5%, while the red estimated tonnage went down 8.5%. The major contributors to this change were significant swings in estimated tonnages of Pinot Gris (up 23%), Sauvignon Blanc (up 18%), Riesling (up 27%) and Merlot (down 19%).

Manfred Freese of the BC Grapegrowers’ Association noted that the substantial increases in Pinot Gris and Riesling are in line with industry expectations based on increased acreage in Kelowna and Lake Country. He also remarked that frost damage was likely the main culprit behind the decrease in red tonnage.

Merlot in particular was hit hard in parts of the valley. There was also a slight decrease in Merlot acreage, dropping 2% from 2011 to 2014. ■ To keep up-to-date on the harvest, follow @WineBCdotcom, #BCHarvest2015 and #Icewine on Twitter.

Lindsay Kelm is the Industry Communications Manager at the British Columbia Wine Institute www.winebc.org

Be Our Next Business of the Day Ask us How!

info@orchardandvine.net 46 Summer 2016

 GIRL WITH A PEN | RONDA PAYNE

Better Marketing by Telling Your Story How to Build Your Site

ers for help and think about who your customers are.

For most growers, website creation is the biggest hurdle. Growers grow – they don’t tend to be technology wizards. Good thing there are lots of people and companies willing to help create a professional looking site.

You can ask your kids, friends or neighbours, or check out some easy templates from Wordpress or GoDaddy. Many entrepreneurial designers love and specialize in building websites

Why a Website?

T

here is more distance between most Canadians and the source of their food than ever before.

People live in urban centres, shop in mega-groceries and are three, four, or more generations away from farming.

While there is a consumer movement to get to know farmers better and understand where food comes from, farmers have a role to play in this education and it comes in the form of their own marketing – specifically a website.

Marketing. Social Media. Creating a website. These can seem like scary, overwhelming tasks for people who already have too much to do. But, it can be manageable. Take it in bite-sized pieces, look to oth-

Consider how people shop, research and learn about their food. Most everything is done online. Having a website is essential and it must be mobilefriendly, meaning, it can be viewed on a cell phone.

Imagine a family attending a baseball tournament in another city. They’ve heard about the organic berry grower there, but can’t remember where it is. What will they do? Pull out a phone and look it up.

No matter what option is selected, ensure the site can be updated easily.

A grower’s site can be quite basic; just a few pages can deliver all the information needed if done correctly. Growers who have their products distributed will speak to their distributors (or potential distributors) differently than to consumers.

Remember, It’s that old 80/20 rule in that 80% of the people viewing a grower’s site will be consumers, so it should be built for them. A single page or section on the contact page can start the dialogue with distributors.

Home Page – The first page people see. Use good photos and write it for your customers. Let them know they can get what they need, give them a sense of trust and

Websites also give the grower complete control of what goes on the site and provide a hub for all online activity.

Your Product Page – A page dedicated to you products where to buy them, pricing and other details. People love pictures, so try to include photos.

About Page – All about the grower (you) and your business. Include your story, how you got started and why you do what you do. This is the stuff most growers think is boring is exactly what people want to know.

Contact Page – Phone number, address, email and any other ways to connect. Include some personality here.

Throw in appreciation for the customer’s interest in the site, products and farm or orchard.

Language Counts A great website uses the customer’s language. Not the language they speak, but the various words they use when thinking about a problem or issue.

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Summer 2016 47

Consider the anecdote where the young stove salesperson told the female shopper that the inside of the oven was 6.1 cubic feet. She looks at him blankly until a more experienced salesperson tells her the stove is big enough to fit a turkey on the top rack leaving the bottom rack in for parsnips and warming the pie.

Know how a customer speaks and use that language with them. If this is a challenge, consider hiring a professional

writer. Ask a friend or professional to do a final spell check for you.

What Customers Care About Chances are, customers looking to find out more about a grower have some of the same interests as that grower. Generally, these people value homegrown, good food, the environment, serving the best food for their family, local, nutrition and honesty.

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Understand why these things are important and speaking to them becomes much easier.

What’s Up with Social Media?

There are options galore when it comes to social media. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, Instagram what the heck does it all mean? It comes down to finding out where customers are and using the right tools to engage and possibly take them to the website for more information.

Twitter and Facebook are the most wellknown. Others may be interesting, but ultimately, it comes down to doing what works for the customer and continuing to use it on a regular basis. Start with just one or two. Don’t take on too much and ensure there are buttons to “follow” or “connect” through those tools on the website.

Farmers and Growers Matter People who are interested in buying food from their local growers want to know what drives those growers. For the grower, telling their story is the most important thing they can do to appeal to customers. Growers and farmers who share what they are passionate about with the rest of the world will help both the local food system and their own business. ■ In addition to being a regular contributor to Orchard & Vine Magazine, Ronda Payne occasionally speaks about marketing to farmers and other groups. Before becoming a freelance writer, Ronda spent more than 15 years as a marketing expert in various industries. Contact her at ronda@eybenconnected.com or visit http://girlwithapen.ca/

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 YOUR WEALTH | COLETTE KUEMPER

Win the Game of Life, and Be a Millionaire Our idea of being a millionaire is not just about landing on Millionaire Estates. It’s the idea that somehow life is easier when you are wealthy.

Trouble-free even. To some, being a millionaire is having that mansion on the hill, the fast Italian sports car, a private jet, a beachfront vacation home, expensive clothes and designer bags. We all know how it works; we have seen it on TV, right?

versity, you would instantly need to borrow $40,000 in bank loans for the tuition.

H

ave you ever played the board game called Life? For me growing up, it was my number two game – number one being Monopoly, of course.

The Game of Life simulates a person’s travels through life.

On your first turn, you must decide whether you want to go to university or start a career. If you chose a career, you would draw a career card and a salary card. If you chose uni-

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In this game, as in real life, you have to keep moving forward. And just as in real life, you can’t go back in time. The path you choose and the decisions you make are crucial to where you end up. Where you end up in this game is what matters – just like in real life.

I loved playing this game growing up, and in fact I still do. It was always my goal to retire at Millionaire Estates.

I was focused. I knew what I had to do and I was determined. Being a millionaire was in my future and, let’s face it, being a millionaire is what many of us want, in the game and in real life.

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But is that accurate? For a few, yes, it is. But when it comes to most millionaires, you might be surprised. Many clients I work with everyday could be considered millionaires. In fact, some are millionaires a few times over, but you would not know it just by looking at them. They are

not wearing designer clothes and screeching up to you at a red light in their fancy sports car. More than likely, they are waiting in line at the grocery store with the rest of us.

How did they make their millions? A glamourous job?

Solving global problems?

Nope. Not one of my clients has been on the cover of Vanity Fair, and most are self-employed.

They are builders, locksmiths and car salespeople. They take care of your pest control. A few are self-employed doctors and accountants. They amassed their wealth by spending less than they earn and thinking long and hard before purchasing big ticket items, never buying a brand new car but instead one that has been

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Summer 2016 49

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“broken in” for a couple of years.

The millionaires I know are very busy people. They are passionate about their work and their families. They strive for balance in their life, working long hours and still managing to take in their children’s hockey games.

They are obviously savers, and many of my clients are meticulous budgeters.

They are not about to put their money just anywhere.

They do their homework. They take the time to research financial decisions. They talk to friends and ultimately put their hard-earned savings where they will work for them, with people they trust.

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When I played the Game of Life, I would change things up a bit each time. One game I would choose to go to university; another I would hop right into a career. I didn’t always get the highest-paying career, but I always did the best I could to get to Millionaire Estates, where the living was easy.

I didn’t reach that goal every time, though I came close. But in the Game of Life, unlike real life, I could always start over with just a spin of the wheel and maybe land on a better space. In real life, we know it’s much harder to start over, and starting over isn’t something my clients are interested in doing. They want to continue to move forward, building their wealth and enjoying their lives, and they know how important it is to have someone like me, someone they trust, to give them the right advice. After all, the road to financial security is full of distractions, and it’s my job to make sure they stay the course and reach their financial goals.

One more thing: if you see a shiny Italian sports car zooming past you, chances are the driver is a millionaire. But chances are that the person pumping gas into their 2008 Pontiac is, too. ■

LTD.

50 Summer 2016

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Colette Kuemper is an Associate Portfolio Manager and Investment Advisor at Odlum Brown Limited.

Colette offers discretionary portfolio management and personal investment advisory services for busy professionals, families, and small businesses. She can be reached toll-free at 1-800-788-5677.

 SEEDS OF GROWTH | FRED STEELE

The New (Agriculture) Deal

T

hirteen years ago was the start of the first of the five-year federalprovincial deals on agriculture. The new approach to secure five-year deals has yielded benefits and has proven resilient - so long as there remains the flexibility to engage agriculture in consultations on the next generation of programming.

Income Stabilization Program (known widely as CAIS) which has since matured into the AgriStability Program we know today. The National Income Stabilization Account (NISA) of that early era, at one time cancelled, came back as AgriStability. Other elements were Production Insurance, Advance Payments, and Environmental Farm Plans and Food Safety Programs.

Up to the time of the first Agriculture Policy Framework (APF), there had been several tries at financial stabilization programs to ease and, the feds hoped, eliminate the calls for help when disaster struck. The provinces were also often asked to weigh in with financial help, with things like the Whole Farm Insurance Program. There was no consistency between provinces, so the two sides (actually many sides - the feds and 10 provinces, and later the territories) got together to try a new approach.

Over time, the ‘suite’ of programs was rounded out by the inclusion of matching funding for research, or “Research Clusters”, export market enhancement, and the much-maligned AgriRecovery Program.

That first five-year plan was the Agriculture Policy Framework (APF). It introduced the Canadian Agricultural

The next two five-year deals

were Growing Forward and Growing Forward 2. The AgriPrograms were developed from earlier attempts to stabilize programs. Now, everyone is thinking about the next deal - farm organizations have put forth suggestions for improvement.

Governments have indicated some willingness to be flexible but are signaling, as expected, that “there will be no new money” for the next five year deal. But there will be a five-year deal.

The five-year deals provide more certainty in programming, as both grower and government live within the parameters of the APF for the five-year term. Agriculture

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Ministers no longer have to appeal to the treasury every time disaster strikes (although reduced AgriStability coverage could leave producers at risk and generate new calls for ad hoc funding). Also, there is an inconsistent and ad hoc feeling to AgriRecovery. Some of the programs have annual allotments, but programs like AgriStability and AgriInsure are ‘demand driven’, so government puts in whatever is required.

Prior to Growing Forward 2, there was some consultation with agriculture associations, but it is my opinion that the governments had pre-determined the outcome before talking to growers: • AgriStability would reduce its coverage.

• Some of the money saved would be placed into other programs, especially the AgriInnovation Program, which was to assist industry to adapt new practices that in theory would reduce the draw on AgriStability.

• Overall less funding was put into agricultural programs.

The government and industry have been fortunate that there were no nation-wide disasters to increase the draw on AgriStability in the past 2 years. Another contributor to the reduced draw is lower participation, as AgriStability is ‘played out’ in terms of reduced coverage provided to sectors such as beef, which continued a multi-year depression of income, and for which AgriStability benefits evaporated as the years following BSE were followed by unfair US trade sanctions which eroded the ‘base’ upon which program benefits are determined.

Grain returns, important because of their large scale in the agriculture industry, were buoyant since the mid-term of the first Growing Forward, and there was no draw on AgriStability.

Some have supposed that one of the reasons for reducing the coverage in AgriStability was because of the growing margins in grain creating a larger potential payout should grain prices collapse. The program coverage was expanding rapidly as price levels and margins increased. There are two issues for government: Treasuries might be hard-pressed to finance a collapse in grain markets and secondly, the grain growers might not be as financially vulnerable as they were before the string of good years.

What have agriculture associations proposed for the next five-year deal?

Lual Orchards is looking for quality fruit growers for custom packing of stone fruits and apples.

It is a work in progress, as associations consult with their members (shameless promotion: one of the key reasons that all growers band together and be members of associations is that acting collectively gives associations greater clout when proposing improvements to agricultural programs).

Here are some of the ideas being proposed by national agricultural organizations, led by the Canadian Federation of Agriculture: • For AgriStability, change the trigger for payment from ‘a thirty percent drop’ to ‘a fifteen percent drop’, as it once was.

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• For AgriInsure, increase the government contribution from 1.5% to 2%, as it once was.

• Increase coverage for new farmers (those who are in business for less than 5 years as they are more financially vulnerable).

The BCFGA, primarily through the BCAC Interior Horticultural Sector, has proposed that resources be provided for

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• Put more money into EFP so on-farm projects are properly funded.

• A national approach to Integrated Pest Management (and organics) programs. The hugely positive experience with the Pest Management Centre has begun to show the benefits Integrated Pest Management, but this is only the first step to a truly world-leading approach.

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There are many other ideas circulating, such as making AgriStability based on overall industry disasters, rather than individual financial disasters. All associations welcome input of membergrowers on how to improve programs.

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Finally, all agriculture associations are looking forward to a meaningful engagement, with a thorough and meaningful consultation on the next five-year federal provincial agriculture deal.

Extra bonus: buzz words to watch: “Social License” - meaning that in order not to face a tidal wave of regulation, industry must self- regulate. Program funding might be influenced by the concept.

ON GUARD AGAINST VIRUSES

”Public Trust” - see “Social License”.

“Adaptation” - seen by government as an alternative to stabilization. Government sees the balance between adaptation programs and financial stabilization programs as a ‘zero sum’ game - an increase in one means less of the other. Producer associations do not agree with ‘zero sum’, as they note a general reduction in program benefits, both due to better returns (recently) and reduced participation as the joy for growers participating in the programs is diminished.■

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Summer 2016 53

Wine Tour Season is Here

Experience Bottleneck Drive

There’s no better way to celebrate the changing of seasons than by getting out and enjoying all the amazing wineries and cideries that the Bottleneck Drive in Summerland, BC has to offer. There is no shortage of stunning views on the 'Drive'.

The gorgeous rolling mountains and lake view from Thornhaven to the lush apple orchard setting at Summerland Heritage Cider Company, the canyon and vineyard landscape at Dirty Laundry and, last but not least, the absolutely breathtaking view from Evolve Cellars, just to name a few.

Photo by Nasim Bahbahani

By Holly Thompson

View from Evolve Cellars (top). Wine tour on the patio at Heaven's Gate Estate Winery (above).

Sip, savour and enjoy! ■ 54 Summer 2016

Photos by Holly Thompson

The weather and the venues were excellent! There was a theme amongst most of the places visited, all equipped with a tasting room, on-site retail, amazing patio space for picnic lunches and even the option to bring your own lunch, which has been well received. The venues were packed with no shortage of people in sight. There truly isn’t anything better than picturesque views, awesome music, amazing local wine, food and time well spent with family & friends. Really, it doesn’t get much better than that!

Dirty Laundry Vineyard - the Okanagan’s dirty little secret.

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