Kootenay Farmer is a joint initiative of the Kootenay & Boundary Farm Advisors and the Basin Business Advisors Agriculture Program – two initiatives to grow and support the agriculture sector in the Kootenay & Boundary regions.
Producers gathered on a snowy day in December at Rick Tegart’s Upper Ranch in Radium Hot Springs to discuss strategies for frost seeding and techniques for plant composition with Julie Robinson of the Peace River Forage Association and Bill Wilson of Forage Friendly Enterprises (photo right).
Learn more.
In This Issue
- Headlines: Agriculture Research Symposium, Climate Toolkit, Agri-tourism
- Farmer Profiles: Ravine Creek Organic Vegetable Farm, Winlaw
- Events: Reduced tillage, Soil biology, Succession
- Meet Your Advisors: Dr. Sean Smulkler, UBC
- Local Dirt: Farm work opportunities, Wildfire resources
- Ministry of Agriculture: NEW e-news for farmers, Hazelnut Program
Local Agriculture Research Coming to Creston
March 12, 2020
This one-day symposium is an opportunity to learn about results from field research on irrigation and soil management relevant to Kootenay & Boundary farming conditions. This event is a chance for producers to:
- Discuss your production practices, challenges and interests with researchers, fellow producers and experts; and,
- Learn about new field research studies now taking place in the Kootenay & Boundary region.
View AGENDA and register here
Hosted by the Kootenay & Boundary Farm Advisors, BC Agricultural Climate Adaptation Research Network and Climate Action Initiative.
Agri-tourism Presentations Coming to the Basin
Have you considered diversifying your farms income by incorporating an agritourism component? Join farmer, research chair and author of BC’s first Guide for Farm Diversification through Agri-Tourism, Dr. Nicole Vaugois, to understand the full spectrum of agri-tourism opportunities available to BC farms and to identify useful strategies to diversify farm revenue through agri-tourism.
Revelstoke: February 26 Invermere: February 27 Creston: February 28
Register here.
Learn about insurance considerations related to agri-tourism from BBA’s Agriculture specialist, Tracey Fredrickson.
New Program Provides Farm Benefits
BC Association of Farmers Markets
Through the new BCAFM vendor membership program, member vendors receive preferred pricing with a roster of suppliers and access to a group rate on Commercial General Liability insurance for vendors.
Learn more
How Will Climate Change Impact our Growing Season?
Check out the NEW Climate Source website for a one-stop site for videos, data, maps and more to help you understand climate change and climate impacts and learn how you can prepare for the future. Created by Columbia Basin Trust and the Applied Research and Innovation Centre at Selkirk College.
Ravine Creek Farm, Winlaw
“Every year we do a ruthless evaluation of the last season,” says Alys Ford, who along with partner Eric Struxness manages their mixed vegetable operation Ravine Creek Farm. “We’re not afraid to eliminate a crop or make other changes. But even with the best planning, farmers are like sailors: we set out to sea every year and are ‘gone’ for many months. You can chart your course but in the end it’s about what Nature deals you.” Read more.
Food Business Planning Workshop
Invermere, February 4-5
Geared to farmers looking to develop value-added products and to micro-to-medium sized food processors seeking to improve their operations, this 2-day workshop by the Farm, Food, Drink team covers marketing, financial planning, product development, packaging, production costing, and more.
Learn more
Reduced Tillage Vegetable Farming
(Webinar) February 5
Learn about reduced tillage vegetable production and farmer experiences using these practices from Ryan Maher, extension specialist with the Cornell Small Farms Program.
Learn more
Agricultural Cost of Production Workshop
Creston, February 12 Nelson, February 13
Andrea Gunner, P.Ag. facilitates this workshop designed specifically for vegetable and meat producers in the Columbia Basin. This workshop helps you develop tools and production costing skills to improve the efficiency and profitability of your farm business.
Learn more
Workshop: Soil Biology Identification
Nelson, February 17
This one-day workshop will be a hands-on learning opportunity for commercial producers to identify soil microorganisms and discuss ways to enhance beneficial organisms with teas, compost and other strategies.
Learn more
AGM: Kootenay Livestock Association
Cranbrook, February 15
The theme at this year’s AGM is water. Attend this event for a dinner, dance, keynote speeches and presentations about agricultural water managment. Details and updates posted on the KLA Facebook page
AGM: Kootenay Organic Growers Society (KOGS)
Nelson, February 16
KOGS is a non-profit Kootenay based certifying organization serving organic growers. The AGM is open to the public and this year there will be a presentation on soil life by Jo Tobias of Root Shoot. Details and updates posted on the KOGS Facebook page
Workshop: Succession Planning
Cranbrook, February 20
Planning the transfer of your farm business? This Basin Business Advisor Program’s workshop is designed to help farmers explore options and to answer your questions.
Learn more
Presentation: Farm Diversification Through Agri-tourism
Revelstoke, February 26 Invermere, February 27 Creston, February 28
Join these sessions to understand the full spectrum of agri-tourism opportunities available to BC farms and to identify useful strategies to diversify farm revenue through agri-tourism.
Learn more
Seminar on Soil Health: What's In Your Soil's Bank Account?
Grand Forks, February 26
Norm Dueck of Heartland Soil and Crop Solutions and A&L Canada Laboratories will discuss essential nutrients for optimal crop productivity and how to make sense of your soil tests. We will review and interpret local soil tests at this event along with group discussion.
Learn more
Boundary Country Meat: Marketing in the Time of Climate Change
Rock Creek, February 28
This one-day event welcomes Researchers and the Ministry of Agriculture for presentations and discussion with producers on issues, challenges and opportunities for the beef industry in BC and an overview of climate change and the potential for a New Grass-Fed/Finished Certification for BC.
Learn more (event poster)
MISS AN EVENT? ARCHIVED AND EVENTS HERE
Soil and Watershed Management- Sean Smukler, PhD
Dr. Smukler is an Associate Professor in Applied Biology and Soil Science at UBC. Sean will be part of the team leading the Irrigation and Soil Management Symposium in Creston on March 12th (see Headlines above). Sean brings a host of knowledge helpful to farmers including agroforestry, environmental chemistry, ecological services, sustainable agricultural systems and land-water interactions. He is the lead researcher for vegetable trials currently taking place at four Kootenay farms and is one of our KBFA advisors available to help Kootenay & Boundary producers!
Glade Organics Farm is Hiring for the 2020 Season
Glade Organics is a market garden near Nelson, BC that serves the central and west Kootenays with fresh produce through Farmers’ Market, a CSA and Farm Stand. They are hiring 1- 2 farm hands for the 2020 growing season!
Learn more
Farm and Ranch Wildfire Preparedness Plans
A one-day workshop on wildfire preparedness planning for agricultural producers was recently delivered in the Central Kootenays by the BC Agriculture and Food Climate Action Initiative. Downloadable resources to help producers create an emergency plan and to develop mitigation efforts that will reduce risk of property losses during a wildfire can be found here.
BC Ministry of Agriculture Launches E-News for Farmers and Processors
AgriService BC has added a new way to communicate with agriculture stakeholders. Farmers and processors can sign up to receive email notifications regarding Ministry of Agriculture webinars, workshops, program dates and resources. Emails will be sent out 1-2 times monthly and will provide agricultural stakeholders with information from the Ministry that can further support the development of their agricultural businesses.
Sign Up
Funding Available for New Hazelnut Plantings
The Hazelnut Renewal Program provides funding to incentivize the planting of new blight-resistant hazelnut varieties in British Columbia. Farmers can apply for funding to plant 1-10 acres of trees. Funding can also be used to to remove diseased trees to prevent spread of Eastern Filbert Blight.
Note that funding ends February 7, 2020
