u V a e a d ll e y r a L Agricultural Showcase Project
With lush valley bottoms and micro - climates ideal for gardening created by Kootenay Lake... and valley weather patterns, it is no surprise that the history of agriculture in the Lardeau Valley is rich. Historically, the Lardeau Valley saw the rise and fall of a bustling fruit (cherry/apple) economy in the days of the SS Moyie, supported several families in beef and dairy cattle, harboured Roy Lake’s seed potato farm, had a short-lived deer farm to supplement Europe’s demand for venison after the Chernobyl disaster contaminated their usual sources, and even had a tulip farm to supplement crops destroyed in Holland during WW1. In more recent history, the Lardeau Valley boasts pioneers in the organic vegetable movement in the West Kootenay: Tipiland has Kootenay Organic Growers (KOGS) certification number 001 and McIntyre Farm has number 008!
Bon Bio Farm
is in its second year of production with Dick Martin and Brock Snyder, and other community members. The main inspirations of this farm are rooted in self-sustainability and the creation of intentional community. As Dick explains, gardening is a good way of bringing people together, and he invites visitors to come stay a few days, help, and check out what’s going on. Certified Kootenay Mountain Grown, Bon Bio uses organic, bio-intensive methods to bring the most out of the land and produce. At this stage, the main focus is on winter storage vegetables with a smaller amount of earlier produce. Bon Bio vegetables can be bought at the Argenta Fall Fair, the Lardeau Valley Harvest Festivals, farm gate sales, and Meadow Creek Store. Also, the veggies go into the delicious fermented creations of Cultural Revolution, which can be purchased at Sunnyside Naturals and local farmers markets. Contact 778-721-0553, bonbiogarden@protonmail.com 13349 Hwy 31, Meadow Creek, BC
Van Tuyl Farm, photo courtesy of Jim Lawrence
Further, there are community members such as Pius Bueler and Vince McIntyre who have been gardening and farming for so many decades in the Lardeau Valley that they are as much a part of the landscape as the soil they (still) work. The challenge is and has always been getting the incredible food grown in this amazing place to the markets where people can get it. With our culture beginning to return to values such as eating local, ensuring local food security, and supporting the local economy, this is beginning to change. More people than ever are seeking out their local food sources. That is why we want to make sure you know about our incredible agriculture economy in the Lardeau Valley, and where you can access the bounty!!
Owner Michael Silver has loved working and playing with plants since as long as he can remember. Now going into the sixth year of successful operation as a certified organic food producer, Earth Temple Gardens is cultivating 25-30 varieties of plants to grow and sell on approximately 2 acres of land in Argenta and the Lake Head and Beyond farmlands in Meadow Creek. Earth Temple Gardens is committed to producing high quality, nutrient-rich organic vegetables in the most sustainable way possible to nourish our local communities while enriching and supporting the biodiversity of the land. Produce can be bought/eaten widely: at the Meadow Creek Store; in Kaslo at the Kaslo Farmer’s Market, Bluebell Bistro, Taqueria El Corazon, Cornucopia, Front Street Market, Sunnyside Naturals; and in Nelson at the Kootenay Co-op, Ellison’s, Save-on-Foods, Tulsi Conscious Café, All Seasons, Red Light Ramen, Yum Som, Kurama Sushi, Soups in Seasons, and El Taco. Contact: 250-366-4618 https://earthtemplegardens.wordpress.com