MAYNE ISLAND – Hedgerow Farm and Deacon Vale Farm on Mayne Island opened their gates on February 26 to welcome a group of 20 experienced, new and prospective farmers from the outer Gulf Islands for the final field day of a six-week introductory course on soil health hosted by the Gulf Islands Food Co-op in …
Abbotsford flood mitigation options
Abbotsford city staff presented four options to city council on April 4 aimed at mitigating damage from flooding similar to what followed last November’s atmospheric rivers. City staff, alongside consulting engineers Kerr Wood Leidal, developed the options for long-term flood risk reduction and mitigation on Sumas Prairie. Two largely maintain the status quo, with minor …
Ranchers face rangeland losses
Ranchers in areas hit hard by last year’s heat dome, wildfires and drought shouldn’t count on rushing out on their rangeland this summer, cautions a professional agrologist. Chris Wellman, a fence contractor and former range agrologist with the Vernon Forest District, says many herds may need to stick close to home this season pending an …
Apple growers consider marketing commission
Growers will meet in Kelowna on April 12 for another round of discussion to consider the apple marketing commission proposed as a successor organization to the New Tree Fruit Varieties Development Council, which will wind up operations at the end of March 2023. While most of the feedback received from growers to date has been …
Labour shortage has abattoirs hogtied
SALMON ARM – A lack of skilled workers is squeezing meat processing capacity in BC, forcing some small and medium-sized livestock operations to book slaughter dates a year out – and even then, spots aren’t guaranteed. When their processor removed pig slaughter dates from its calendar, first-generation farmers Chelsea and James Keenan of Keenan Family …
Show time!
Growers from across BC will gather this week for the Pacific Agriculture Show, the first time the event has been held in-person since before COVID-19. The province’s biggest farm show kicks off at the Tradex in Abbotsford, March 31, and runs through April 2. Originally scheduled for the end of January, the show – as …