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.
10 Events – 50 Farmers – 32 Farm Visits
10 communities hosted Drop-in Coffee Talk for Farmers this spring, bringing producers together in Rock Creek, Golden, Meadow Creek and more! 32 farms were visited by the KBFA Team and expert advisors to make connections, learn about production issues, provide resources and facilitate on-farm research.
Revelstoke Farmers talk shop over coffee!
In This Issue
Headlines: NEW Ag Research in Kootenay & Boundary
Events: Rejuvenating Soil Life, Onion Production, Commercial Seed Production
Farm Profile: Terra Firma – Revelstoke
Meet Your Advisors: Linda Gilkeson, Pest Management and Diagnostics
Opportunity for Farm Income Diversification - Commercial Vegetable Seed Production
Mobile Seed Cleaner Coming to the Region!!
Demand for organic seed is increasing across North America and seed production can bring additional revenue to your farm. Growing seed is one thing but marketing and selling it is another. Join instructors Patrick Steiner and Chris Thoreau from FarmFolk CityFolk for an in-depth workshop on contract seed growing, seed enterprise budgets and the BC Eco Seed Co-op as a means of marketing your seed crops. The hands-on portion will include seed cleaning demos with a mobile seed-cleaning unit. Creston, July 10.
On-Farm Research Projects Starting in the Kootenay & Boundary
Will mulching cherry orchards conserve water? Can soil water infiltration be improved by planting annual tillage radish with dryland forage? Does planting multiple varieties of alfalfa yield more than a single variety? A grant from the Climate Action Initiative’s Farm Adaptation Innovator Program (FAIP) is supporting three farms to try and answer these questions by designing on-farm research templates for soil, water and yield. Read More.
Four vegetable farms will participate in an FAIP project of the University of British Columbia that will commence this fall: “Too Much Water or Too Little: Climate Resilient Vegetable Farming.”
Local Farms Participate in National Project to Evaluate Soil Carbon Storage
A National project led by the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association will shows how forage and grassland owners can use management to boost yields and store carbon. Eight farms in the Kootenay & Boundary are participating is this study thanks to the support of the The BC Forage Council who are developing on-site trials to explore best management practices for pasture rejuvenation that minimize soil disturbance and boost soil organic carbon.
Terra Firma Helps put Agriculture on the Map in Revelstoke
With steady growth over the last nine-years, Terra Firma Farms is now one of the largest farms in the Columbia River Valley. With five acres dedicated to ground crops and 5 acres to livestock, their customers include a steadily growing 60+ member CSA program, a loyal following at the Revelstoke Farmer’s Market and local restaurants and grocers. With 98% of Revelstoke’s food being imported, this farm is demonstrating what an agricultural business can look like in a recreation and forestry town! Read more
Terra and Rob of Terra Firma Farm. Their farm was recognized as Business of the Year by Kootenay Business magazine in 2017.
Creston Farm to Deliver to 100 Families this Year
Excerpt from the Creston Valley Advance
This year, Laura and Nigel Francis of Cartwheel Farm expect to deliver fresh produce to 100 families from Canyon to Riondel in their community-supported agriculture (CSA) program. Congratulations Nigel and Laura on your achievements and and goals to feed your community!
Cartwheel Farm is a certified organic vegetable Farm in Erickson, BC
RE-SCHEDULED: Rejuvenating Soil Life
Greenwood: last week September
Unleash the power of your soil!! Join world-renowned agro-ecologist Nicole Masters to dive deep into regenerative agriculture to enhance your farms resilience and productivity.
Learn more
Young Agrarians: Tool School & Potluck Social
Krestova: June 16
Join the Young Agrarians at Linden Lane Farms in Krestova, Central Kootenay, for a tool demonstration with Kootenay Local Agricultural Society, farm tour & potluck social!
Learn more
AGM: Kettle Valley Food Co-op
Grand Forks: June 19
Learn how the Co-op supports farmers and strengthens your local food system. Provide input about the NEW online ordering platform. Seeking new board members!
Learn more
Field Day: Onion Production & Storage
Grand Forks: June 24
Kettle River Organic Farm grows approximately 20,000 lb of certified organic onions each year. We will learn about their approach to commercial onion production including over-winter storage.
Learn more
Workshop: Commercial Organic Vegetable Seed Production
Creston: July 10
One-day seed production workshop and field day at College of the Rockies in Creston. Mobile seed cleaner will be present!!
Learn more
AGM & Provincial Field Day: BC Forage Council
Vernon: August 8 & 9
Field Day will include sessions on alternative cropping, methods for corn, cover cropping demonstration, carbon sequestration and more!!
Learn more
Save the date: Multi-Farm Tour in Creston
Creston: August 18
Join Young Agrarians on Sunday, August 18th, for a multi-farm tour. You can sign up to the YA newsletter or join the regional YA group to receive updates when they become available.
Save the date: 2019 Basin Food & Buyers Expo + Ag Forum
Rossland: August 24 & 25
Don’t miss this annual gathering of producers, buyers and food processors. This year the Expo + Ag Forum + Young Agrarian’s Kootenay Mixer are combined into one event!
Learn more
MISS AN EVENT? ARCHIVED AND EVENTS HERE
Linda Gilkeson, PhD
Integrated Pest Management
- Online diagnostic support
- Managing insects, weeds & diseases
- Basic entomology and beneficial insects
Based on Salt Spring Island, Linda brings over 30 years of experience with integrated pest management to provide producers with one-on-one support. Linda’s quick response time and depth of knowledge have made her online diagnostic support services used extensively by producers in the Kootenay and Boundary. If you have a question about a plant pest or disease, get in in touch with KBFA and we can connect you!
Linda holds a Ph.D. in Entomology from McGill University. She has has served as President of the Entomological Society of Canada, the Professional Pest Management Association of BC, and the Entomological Society of BC. Linda’s comprehensive gardening book, Backyard Bounty: The Complete Guide to year-Round Organic Gardening in the Pacific Northwest, became a BC best seller. She continues to self-publish books for local gardeners, most recently Resilient Gardens: Pollinator Gardens, Garlic Diseases, Pest Update. Linda now devotes her time to writing, teaching and consulting. Read more.
On-Farm Food Safety Grants
This 5-year program provides up to $10,000 in funding to on-farm businesses such as food farmers, producers, packers, and ranchers in BC who want to earn food safety certifications and implement food safety improvement activities. Learn more.
Agricultural Land Commission regulatory change identifies all forms of cannabis production as "farm use"
Effective February 22, 2019 changes to Agricultural Land Reserve regulations clarifies that all forms of cannabis production are now seen as a ‘farm use’. For complete details of this change the ALC has published Information Bulletin #4 – Cannabis Production in the ALR. Read more.
