Complete Sept. 30, 2011 issue of West Coast Farmer as it appears in print. For more online, all the time see www.albernivalleynews.com
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Volume 3 • Issue 1 September 2011 Free rural delivery from Port Hardy to Victoria This month in • Distillery shares space with newly dedicated nature reserve south of Campbell River. • Sip back and relax with wines deliciously paired with fall's new television lineup. • Nanaimo realtor branches out with a small-market winery operating in the shadow of Mount Benson. • Allergies sent a Port Alberni farmer on a journey towards a vineyard, and it's paying off. • Young farmers in Sooke approach hard work with fervor as they live their dream. WAWMEESH G. HAMILTON/BLACK PRESS Vaughan Chase of Chase and Warren Wineries clips a bunch of Muscat grapes from his Port Alberni vineyard. Pizza party Oven event a prelude to Cowichan's wine festival. Page 5 GRAPES Chasing Page 4 Grape harvest a matter of balance for Port Alberni vintner Vaughan Chase.
Transcript
Volume 3 • Issue 1 September 2011Free rural delivery from Port Hardy to Victoria
This month in
• Distillery shares space with newly dedicated nature reserve south of Campbell River.
• Sip back and relax with wines deliciously paired with fall's new television lineup.
• Nanaimo realtor branches out with a small-market winery operating in the shadow of Mount Benson.
• Allergies sent a Port Alberni farmer on a journey towards a vineyard, and it's paying off.
• Young farmers in Sooke approach hard work with fervor as they live their dream.
WAWMEESH G. HAMILTON/BLACK PRESS
Vaughan Chase of Chase and Warren Wineries clips a bunch of Muscat grapes from his Port Alberni vineyard.
Pizza partyOven event a prelude to Cowichan's wine festival.
Page 5
GRAPESChasing
Page 4
Grape harvest a matterof balance for Port Albernivintner Vaughan Chase.
2 S E P T E M B E R , 2 011
North Island
Sip back and relax with wine and TV
TORONTO – Wine pairing isn’t just for cheese anymore: savvy sipper Euming Lee serves up tips on which fermentations will add flavour to your fall television line-up.
“We’re always looking to pair a great wine with our meals, but wine is so much more than just an occasion based product,” said Lee.
“Like sinking into a show, enjoying a glass of wine is a simple way to end the day where we can wind down and escape our busy lifestyles.”
Lee pairs a selection of blends with the upcoming season’s most buzzed about shows. To compliment the frankness of The Big Bang Theory, the youth of Glee and the playfulness of Dancing with the Stars, try OPEN Wines Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Cabernet Merlot.
Linden Bay’s Pinot Grigio is classic and stylish like the
new series Pan AM, where Christina Ricci and Margot Robbie explore the energy and excitement of the 1960s Jet Age.
Desperate Housewives and The Good Wife know a thing or two about being naked —physically and emotionally—and should be paired with Naked Grape’s Sauvignon Blanc.
We can always count on Meredith Grey and McDreamy to remind us what really counts in life. Grey’s Anatomy, much like Sawmill Creek’s medium bodied Merlot, takes us to a place where life is simpler.
Trove wines captivate and intrigue its audience by enticing them to seek its hidden treasures in a world of mystery. Cue crime dramas! Trove’s Riesling Moscato and Shiraz Cabernet are best served with a side of Blue Bloods, Castle, Criminal Minds or CSI.
Nature park complementsNorth Island distillery
PAUL RUDANCAMPBELL RIVER MIRROR
Public speaking and endless meetings make farmer Patrick Evans uncomfortable.
He would rather plow fields, repair fences, build sheds – anything that avoids idleness. But Evans’ patience was the key in a landmark deal to create a new park surrounding the Oyster River salmon hatchery and to protect valuable habitat at Shelter Point Farm.
“I don’t like process. I like getting it done,” Evans said when the announcement was made. “(This deal) is good for everybody. There’s not a wrong thing about it. It’s a hell of a good thing.”
During the celebratory announcement at the new Shelter Point Distillery – also located on the farm by the
Oyster River – the entire Evans family was credited for their eco-gift which creates the new 161-acre Bear Creek Nature Park.
“The Comox Valley Regional District is very pleased to have been part of this nature park partnership, and thanks the Evans family for their vision and support in bringing this to completion,” said Edwin Grieve, chair of the regional district.
“In addition to the sustainability benefits of the hatchery, the park provides a benefit to the area in terms of conserving natural features of regional
significance and promoting nature appreciation.”
Back in 2005, conservationists and wildlife supporters nervously awaited news about who would buy the 357-acre farm, as well as the uplands near the hatchery, from the University of British Columbia.
They were concerned the farm land could be turned into a residential development.
However, those concerns were eased when the Evans family, long-time farmers in the Comox Valley, purchased the properties.
They continued farming the land, as well as protecting
critical waterfowl habitat, and looked at options of what to do with the unproductive farm land – mainly forest and wetland – near the hatchery.
“Today’s announcement is the culmination of five years of persistence, meetings and negotiations, with a lot of hard work, patience and generosity thrown in,” said Len Everett of Comox, a director with Ducks Unlimited Canada.
Ducks Unlimited B.C. manager Less Bogdan added,
“We’ve taken an important step to ensuring Shelter Point Farms continues to offer an oasis for wildlife…”
ERIN HALUSCHAK/BLACK PRESS
Yummy trifectaTria Culinary Studio/Nature’s Way Farm/Blue Moon Winery picked up the Yummiest Local
Food Producer in the Comox Valley award, represented above by Kathy Jerritt (left), Marla
Limousin and George Ehrler. Every year, participants in the Comox Valley 30-Day Local Food
Challenge vote on their favourite restaurant and food producer experience. As a result, one
restaurant and one food producer receive the annual Yummy Awards.
PHOTO COURTESY LEE SIMMONS, ISLAND LIFE PHOTOGRAPHICS
Shelter Point Distillery plants winter wheat as a cover crop to preserve soil integrity and
also for the water fowl that visit the area.
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S E P T E M B E R , 2 011 3
Central Island
Shortt long on vino vision TOBY GORMAN
NANAIMO NEWS BULLETIN
Dale Shortt can see it clearly.
A warm summer night, the sun casting its final light over his vineyard. People milling about his property, listening to a band playing, enjoying a picnic, walking through the vineyard or taking a tour of the winery, popping bottles of Millstone Estates wine into their shopping bags to take home.
Mount Benson serving as the backdrop to the west, a bluff rising from the Millstone River to the east.
It’s an idyllic scene that could one day come to fruition, but there is much work for Shortt to do on his five-hectare property.
“I didn’t buy this property 10 years ago with the intention of building a commercial winery,” said Shortt, a Nanaimo real estate agent. “I’d always thought about having a winery, but not necessarily anything on a scale like this.”
Then it just sort of happened.
After clearing the land, Shortt realized his property literally soaked in sunshine – in summertime it often registers several degrees warmer than other parts of the city. He purchased 6,000 grapevines and planted them on 2.5 hectares.
Six years later, the vines are thriving and bottles of Millstone Estates pinot gris, pinot noir and wild blackberry port are for sale. Merlot is in barrels and
almost ready and Shortt hopes to have ortega and guwurztraminer available next year.
Though making wine for two years, the winery only received its licence to sell in June.
“On the first long weekend, just because of the sign out front, I think we did about $1,000 in sales,” said Shortt. “It’s been a lot of hard work and a lot of money, so it’s nice to see it begin to pay for itself.”
The winery is located at 2300 East Wellington Rd.
As the only winery in Nanaimo – there are
several in the Cowichan Valley, Ladysmith and one or two small ones around Parksville – Millstone Estates has excellent potential as a stop for tourists, cruise ship passengers and wine enthusiasts making the rounds on Vancouver Island.
“It seems to me like it will be a good addition to the mix of tourism product that we already have available here in town,” said Mark Drysdale, executive director of Tourism Nanaimo.
“It will be nice to refer people to a winery that’s five minutes away instead of 45 minutes down the
road. Typically, we’re sending people down to the Cowichan area if they’re interested in wine.”
Like the grapes themselves, the winery has room to mature. The heritage house, one of the first homes built in Nanaimo, will one day be renovated, though it has just received a new and expansive country-style veranda for customers to sit and look over the vines as they roll down a gentle hill toward the Millstone River.
Shortt wants to use the front garden as a place for wine tasting, entertainment and a picnic-
like atmosphere, which will require fencing or shrub planting to meet licence regulations.
The winery itself, which also has a music recording studio to whet Shortt’s appetite for guitar, is a post and beam building made of timber cleared from the property and beams recovered from a mill that was torn down. Inside, unique furniture, including the sales counter recovered from the old Johnson’s Hardware store, was restored and fits right in to the vintage-style decor.
“I picture lots of music
Lantzville urban ag issue hit with delay
Nanaimo realtor paints realistic picture of success for his Millstone Estates winery
TOBY GORMAN/BLACK PRESS
Dale Shortt recently began selling wines from his Millstone Estates winery on East Wellington Road, the only winery in
Nanaimo. He envisions it adding to the city’s vibrant mix of tourist attractions.
flowing out of here,” said Shortt. “Maybe weekend jam sessions, some wine tasting.”
Along with real estate agent, guitar player, and host, Shortt is also the estate’s winemaker. Armed with an education in agriculture, experience from growing up on a farm in Saskatchewan, and a lot of questions directed to people already in the business, Shortt feels he has the recipe for success.
“As the farm thing goes, I know what I’m doing. But I’ve been making phone calls to other people in the industry and for the most part they’re very helpful. Some keep their secrets, but most of the time people are willing to share their knowledge.
“This operation doesn’t come without its challenges.”
STAFF WRITERNANAIMO NEWS BULLETIN
The committee tasked with addressing urban agriculture in Lantzville has delayed presenting its recommendations to council to allow time to iron out two issues.
The seven-member committee is still trying to come to an agreement about lot sizes in relation to garden size.
“The committee struggled with that a little,” said Warren Griffey, a Lantzville councillor and member of the committee.
The second issue being debated is whether the hauling of manure on site is acceptable.
Twyla Graff, chief administrative officer, said because the facilitator is out of town this week, the recommendations will most likely be presented at the Oct. 17 council meeting.
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4 S E P T E M B E R , 2 011
Central Island
SUSAN QUINNALBERNI VALLEY NEWS
When Evan McLellan suddenly developed an allergy to hay, it presented a real problem for the Alberni Valley farmer. At the time, he and his wife Angelika kept animals on the farm—and hay was a necessary evil.
Faced with 20 acres of farmland and the prospect of getting rid of their livestock, the McLellans looked for something else they could do with their agricultural land.
Amateur oenophiles that they are, the McLellans turned to vineyards as a possible solution.
“My husband talked to several people in the Lower Mainland that were in the wine industry and they were extremely helpful,” Angelika said.
The couple studied what would and wouldn’t grow in the Alberni Valley and chose several varieties of grapes. And Emerald Coast Vineyards was born.
“As long as you know what you can grow and what you can ripen,
those are the basics,” she said.They started with Schonberger
grapes, followed by Madeline Angevine.
That was back in 1999. It took a decade of care a cultivation before the first crop was ready for harvesting. The vineyard faced drought in the first few years, and because the McLellans don’t irrigate their vines, this was a
problem. They have since added Pinot
Gris, Reichensteiner, Pinot Noir, Dornfelder, Marechal Foch, Siegerrebe and Gamay grapes to the vineyard, as well as some fruit trees.
The McLellans have planted 12 of 20 acres that they own in the north end of Port Alberni, in the rural community of Cherry Creek.
The vines are located a couple of minutes down the road from the winery, which opened in 2009.
Finally, Emerald Coast has begun to produce its own wine.
“The whites are all grown here and we’re supplementing the reds from [grapes from] the Interior because they’re not up to the amount here that we need to have,” says Angelika McLellan.
They bought the property adjacent to Highway 4 a few years ago with the idea of one day building the retail shop.
They have also planted two acres of Gamay and Siegerrebe vines on the same property as the shop,
complying with British Columbia law.
Emerald Coast Winery is very much a family affair, says McLellan. Their daughter Rhonda helps out at the retail shop when necessary, and takes care of the website. One of their sons, Adam, is the winemaker along with Evan, while the other son has his own career.
When it comes time to harvest the grapes, many friends’ hands make light work for the McLellans. They also have two employees at the retail shop, and hire labourers as necessary.
This year the vineyard created several flavours of fruity port, including blackberry, blueberry and summer berry.
“We do a lot of the picking ourselves,” Angelika said. “We bought the blueberries this year from locals.”
Raspberries had to be imported from the Lower Mainland, as this has been a terrible year for the berries on Vancouver Island, she added.
SUSAN QUINN/BLACK PRESS
Rhonda McLellan of Emerald Coast Vineyards in Port Alberni, with some of the family-run winery’s summer selections.
Big things happening for small Alberni winery
As long as you know what you can grow and what you can ripen, those are
the basics.
“
”
WAWMEESH G. HAMILTON/BLACK PRESS
Vaughan Chase examines his grape crops in early September. Birds, bees and bad weather are hampering this year’s harvest.
WAWMEESH G. HAMILTON
ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS
The birds and bees are taking the love out of wine grape growing at the Chase and Warren Estate Wines this year.
Winery owner Vaughan Chase was busy at work preparing to place netting over eight acres of grape vines at his vineyard in Port Alberni on a crisp Friday morning.
“We’ve got to get the netting over the grapes today,” Chase said. “Sometimes the grapes are just covered with them – this year isn’t too bad though.”
The 11-year old vineyard is plush with 35 different varieties of grapes which produce 10 different wines.
Muscat grapes are a thin-skinned variety that is susceptible to wasps and hornets. Chase holds up a grape that resembles a moist, deflated balloon.
“They eat right through the grape skin,” he said.
Bees also feast on the sugary grape pulp and they spread the word to the rest of the hive.
The issue is a catch-22. Chase could hunt down and eliminate the bee hives but bees are needed to pollinate the
vines.The cooler-than-normal July has
wreaked havoc with the growing season. The normal season is from May to October, but cooler temperatures have changed it to June to October this year.
A hot August and early September has helped, but the weather already did its damage.
“It retarded the growth by four weeks and we had to cut down half the crop,” Chase said. “If I knew how to do a sun dance I’d have been out there doing one.”
A long dry autumn would help but the culled green bundles of grapes denote the situation is past wishful thinking.
“Once the grapes are off they’re off – you can’t put them back on,” Chase said.
There have been challenges before – like an early frost last year that caused problems in planting – but it comes with the territory of growing grapes in this region.
Despite the challenges the former teacher still loves growing – and learning – about the wine industry.
“I had to become a student of wines,” Chase said. “I like to learn and I’m still learning.”
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The wine shop currently offers three different white wines and two reds, in addition to the port.
Another aspect of the business is the custom gift baskets, which include gourmet items such as cheese and crackers, jams and jellies,
and whatever else a customer might think of.
With their location right on the highway, Emerald Coast receives a lot of tourist traffic headed to the West Coast, says Angelika.
The winery was also written up in a Lonely Planet travel guide, as well as a B.C.
wine guide.While they are a small
producer, Emerald Coast’s name is slowly getting known off of Vancouver Island, she adds.
“We have so many people come in and say it’s nice to be able to come to a small winery,” she said.
Continued from / p4
Gourmet baskets another winery specialty
James Barber’s legacy still cooking with new oven at Providence Farm
PETER RUSLANDCOWICHAN NEWS
LEADER PICTORIAL
Cowichan chef Bill Jones cranks out pizzas from local ingredients, then fires the discs in Providence Farm’s unique wood-burning oven being dedicated to his late mentor, James Barber.
The September pizza party was an appetizer to the main meal: the seventh-annual Cowichan Wine & Culinary Festival uncorked Sept. 14–18.
Jones was jazzed about the Cowichan Chefs Table hosting one of many winefest events called the James Barber Fundraiser at Providence. The event
saluted Cowichan’s former Urban Peasant, and gift of the oven to the farm, while acknowledging winefest’s pairing of vino with local food, art and music.
“This festival really is a sign
of what the future will be for Cowichan,” Deerholme Farm owner Jones said before tossing circular dough.
“Tourism now has to be about the whole experience and that separates us from everyone else; we’re unique here in Cowichan.”
Winefest ‘11 offered some 15 pro chefs and events at 26 venues.
But it was Barber’s love of Providence that touched Jones most.
“James loved this farm and bridged gaps between food and people.
“One of his goals was to build an oven here and chefs are fulfilling one of his last wishes — James would have loved this oven.”
PETER RUSLAND/BLACK PRESS
Cowichan chef Bill Jones removes a pizza from the new wood-fired oven.
From cork to fork: ‘Cowinechan’ fest growsPETER W. RUSLAND
COWICHAN NEWS LEADER PICTO-
RIAL
It was a bigger and longer Cowichan Wine & Culinary Festival served to corkheads and foodies this September, organizers say.
“It’s the most number of wineries in the festival to date,” 2011 director Mike Hanson said of the seventh-annual plate and pallet event Sept. 14–18 across the Cowichan Valley.
Ten wineries — including fledgling Enrico and Unsworth vineyards — participated along with five eateries.
They were among a total of 28 participating valley businesses and groups, up from some 16 last year, Hanson said.
Events spanned a grape-stomp launch in Duncan’s city square, VIU’s Wine Symposium, a Cowichan Chef ’s table event honouring cook James Barber and a
barrel of other action.Noted wine author John
Schreiber also spoke at various tastings in what could be called ‘Cowinechan’.
“Not all of the valley’s wineries are open during our festival due to inability to accommodate traffic,” said Hanson, “but they’re involved in festival events by making their wines available.”
Commitment to Cowichan’s cork-and-fork festival, seasoned with original arts and music, is no longer a local secret, he proudly explained.
“Our first contact was from Swedish magazine.
“Also, the craveonline website has listed our festival as one of Canada’s top 10 food-and-wine festivals.
“We’re No. 3 behind Niagara and PEI’s festivals.”
That’s why Hanson hoped to attract 10,000 taste travelers, after 7,500 winers and diners visited last year’s event.
Those folks fluff the Warm Land’s B&Bs, hotels, shops and more after pumping what Economic Development Cowichan reckoned was about $750,000 in local spin-offs last year, he said.
“This year we’re pushing destination marketing to get stays.”
Great, said EDC boss Geoff Millar.
“Everyone has a wine festival so you need something linking it with arts and culinary, and we’re moving closer to being the Provence of Western Canada,” Millar said.
That’s why Cowichan’s event boasted stops at O.U.R. Ecovillage, GBS Glassblowing Organic Fair Inc., the Quw’utsun’ Cultural Centre, Providence Farm and even Yellow Point Cranberries.
Millar’s wish list includes more winefest volunteers, getting the wine train back on track, a festival shuttle
and more.And Hanson sees
Cowichan’s grape-and-grub event spanning maybe two weeks in the future.
Meanwhile, Jeff MacLeod of 22 Oaks Winery toasted his vineyard’s festival presence for the second year.
“It’s such great exposure, and this festival has a fantastic response from the public,” he said of 22 Oaks’ five wines for sipping along with goods from local guests Garland Smokehouse, and The Lavender Farm during tunes by Kris Vopnfjord.
MacLeod noted wines from vineyards with northern exposures now complement Cowichan’s southern exposure vinos.
“People can’t believe what’s here in our valley,” he said.
Stone Soup chef Brock Windsor agreed.
“Every weekend for us is a Cowichan Wine & Culinary Festival since we only serve valley food ingredients, and almost all Cowichan wines.”
PETER W. RUSLAND/BLACK PRESS
Cowichan Green Community’s Team Green of Amber Reimer (left), Judy Stafford, Rachel Smith and Kristi Tomlin finished third after squishing 590 grams of juice in the nine-team Grape Stomp at city square.
6 S E P T E M B E R , 2 011
Central IslandLearn more about urban agriculture
TOBY GORMANNANAIMO NEWS BULLETIN
Three information sessions designed to educate people on urban agriculture are being offered by Friends of Urban Agriculture Lantzville (FUAL) as the village continues to wrestle with what is and isn’t acceptable when it comes to growing food on residential property.
Andrew Mostad, spokesman for FUAL, said too much information on acceptable urban farming practices has been skewed since the District of Lantzville served notice to Compassion Farm to cease and desist its farming activities due to a perceived contravention of zoning bylaws.
The quarrel has deeply entrenched parties on both sides of the argument.
Mostad said he hopes the sessions will bring a better understanding of the science behind urban farming to everybody.
“We saw a lot of information being passed around that was either rumour or wasn’t fully informed and we though it was our duty as the Friends of Urban Agriculture Lantzville to try and inform the people as much as we can about this very important issue,” he said. “We’ve seen this issue spread all around Vancouver Island, the Mainland and even as far as the rest of Canada. It has been very interesting.”
Confirmed panelists in the culminating discussion on the district’s proposed bylaw amendment include: Janine De La Salle, planner and food and agriculture systems specialist with HB lanarc; and Louise Negrave, a Lantzville resident, agrologist and former organic farmer. Mostad said he hopes to secure an experienced Island farmer to contribute to the panel.
There will be one final information session at the Lantzville Legion on Oct. 2 from 2-4:30 p.m.
The series kicked off Sept. 18 with a showing of the 80-minute award-winning movie Dirt, based on the book by William Bryant Logan.
Mostad said the sessions are intended provide more accurate insight into urban farming.
“What my hope is is that people who have taken an interest but maybe haven’t taken the time to get to know the issues are the ones who come out and make the most of these information sessions,” said Mostad.
Admission to each session is by donation.
Second generation of Cowichan food map gains popularity
Buy local, buy freshNIOMI PEARSON
LADYSMITH CHRONICLE
The second annual Buy Fresh! Buy Local! Cowichan food map is now ripe for the picking.
The Buy Local, Buy Fresh map is an initiative of the Cowichan Green Community, and features comprehensive information on 72 producing farms from Cedar to Shawnigan Lake.
“We’re featuring everything from fish to people who specialize in value-added products,” said Heather Kaye, Food Security Coordinator for Cowichan Green Community. “We have farms that are doing things like pasta and pickled beets and that kind of thing, and of course farms that offer a wide array of fresh produce. The entire region is so diverse.”
The map’s roots were planted more than two years ago as residents began to pay more attention to what was on their plates.
“We found that people were really waiting for something like this to be produced for this region,” Kaye said. “Once we did it, the response was remarkable. I think people were already eating that way but having a resource where you can open up a map and look in once place where to find everything that you might need, that’s really helped to promote the local food movement.”
The map features 11 farms in the Ladysmith, Yellowpoint, Thetis Island and Cedar area.
“There’s quite a range in terms of what the farms are offering within those 11,” Kaye said. “Everything from turkey to u-pick blueberries, holly and garlic and cranberries. It’s a real variety right in your own area which is neat.”
The map even indicates which farms are certified organic or non-certified organic, to give buyers insight into who they’re buying from. Map readers can also pick out restaurants specializing in fresh, locally grown produce as well.
“Some people only want to support a certain method of production, and so this map really gives them an opportunity to find farms in their area that are growing food the way they’d like it to be grown,” Kaye said.
Betty Benson’s Cedar Valley Poultry farm specializes in fowl play and crop production. She said by providing GPS coordinates, website and contact information, the map will be essential in helping people find the food they need.
“The map is really good for farms that live off the beaten path because people will learn where they’re located,” she said. “It also shows you if you have permission to come on the farm and what
products they have available.”Five years ago, Benson, a
practical nurse graduate, decided she wanted to produce healthy meat. She and her husband George have produced vegetables on their Yellowpoint Road farm for over 15 years although George has been a farmer all his life. She said farming is the ultimate gamble.
“The challenge is marketing your product in a community where people are orientated to go to the grocery store for everything,” she said. “At a farmer’s market you can find everything except toilet paper and detergent.”
According to Benson, people who go to farmer’s markets are concerned about their health, the health of their children, and the health of their globe.
“We want to grow products for them. If you buy something from Wal-Mart you don’t know where it’s traveled from to get to your area, then you have the travel distance time, and the hurt of the environment on that, as well.”
For that reason, many residents turn to the 100 mile diet, which restricts you to eat only foods grown, produced and sold within 100 miles of where you live.
Benson said she and her husband have lived by that principle for about five years, with the odd exception now and then.
“If you can eat the 100 mile diet, you have nutrient base that’s higher, you have a return to the economy in dollar value and you’re getting a better product,” she said. “For every dollar spent at farmer’s markets, three dollars is spent in the community.”
Last year, the Buy Fresh! Buy Local! map project was funded and 10,000 copies were printed. Only one was left over when the new ones arrived last Tuesday (June 7). This year’s map was produced by support from advertisers
and farms and is immediately available at the Cowichan Green Community office in Duncan but will span out to the rest of the region to local farms, farmer’s markets and tourist information centres within the next few weeks.
As the publication grows, the organization will have to think about changing the format of the map as it has already reached its capacity for advertising with more farms wanting to be listed, Kaye said.
“We’d certainly love to have more farms listed on here because the more options people have and the more support the farming community has, the greater the need is to promote it.”
For more info about the map, visit www.cowichan greencommunity.org.
NIOMI PEARSON/BLACK PRESS
Betty Benson of Cedar Valley Poultry farm says the map helps customers find her specialized services.
The map is really good for farms that live off the
beaten path because people will learn where they’re
located.
“
”
S E P T E M B E R , 2 011 7
South Island
PIRJO RAITSSOOKE NEWS MIRROR
Having a dream and actually living it are often miles apart, but for Teresa Willman and Matt Robertson, it is all about living their dream. It’s tough, time consuming and not that profitable but, for them it is about the lifestyle not the style of life.
The couple worked for years as tree planters across the province and Willman always dreamed about owning her own land and growing her own food — being a farmer.
“It was an idealistic dream,” said Willman. “We set a five-year goal to be farming and we found the land in 2004.”
The 10 acres they purchased close to the Malahat Farm was scrub and they spend a lot of time pulling stumps, moving rocks by hand and clearing the land so they could start growing things.
“If we had of known we didn’t have to do all that, we’d have done it differently, but we couldn’t afford to buy an established farm,” she said.
They worked summers tree planting to get their stake together and buy equipment and during the winter they worked on their property. They quickly learned what worked and what didn’t, like the ducks that the minks killed. They made mistakes and likely did many things the hard way. Willman said she would have apprenticed on a farm if she had of
known better when they first began to nurture the idea. In 2007 they finally started reaping some of the rewards and crops. They grow every vegetable they can think of in three large greenhouses and fields on two acres.
“We know about hard work.”
With that kind of start they understood why farmers are so attached to their land. So much effort had gone into the start that they were both tired and exhausted for the first two years. They had walked away from good paying jobs to take on
farming. It’s about passion and the lifestyle it affords the young family. She wants her kids to know where their food comes from and what it takes to grow it.
It’s a hard life and not very glamorous. The couple knows it is not enough to have the lifestyle, it also has to pay for itself. It isn’t easy or inexpensive to find property to farm or to keep it going. All across the country farmers are selling out and farmland is quickly being turned into subdivisions.
“The property value can
outstrip what you can make,” said Robertson in reference to the price of more arable land. “If you strictly buy a piece of land to turn to agriculture, it’s not going to work.”
But it is doable, says Willman, and you can make a living off of it — if you are creative. “The hardest thing is knowing if I can keep doing it,” she said. She has help a couple of days a week from Sonja, a neighbour who comes in to take some of the load off on the farm end, and in the summer they often have a bit of paid help
when it is time to harvest. Sonja trades labour for her weekly veggies.
They sell at the Sooke Country Market on Saturdays, to local chefs and contribute to the box program but have had to stop doing the market in Metchosin because it is just too hard with the the kids, Kaidyn, almost two and Jasmine, three months.
Farming in and around the Sooke region is a tough go in many aspects but those who choose to do so, do it with passion and commitment. There are good, strong
farmers in Sooke and a realgood community of peoplealthough there aren’t manyWillman said.
Robertson wears many haand is skilled in different things but to make it all work, he works out, basicalleaving the farm chores to Willman. When he is homehe has one arm on the kids and the other on the phone or computer, and a set of walkie talkies helps when Willman is out in thegreenhouse.
The couple came to Sookbecause they love the area. Willman grew up in North Vancouver and had never been on a farm in her youthand Robertson grew up in Victoria. Their surfing daysare less frequent, but still at Silver Cloud Farm on Anderson Road they aren’t far from all that is importanto them.
What really galvanized the future for them was when little Kaidyn flopped down onto a bed of kale angrabbed some to snack on and said “kale yummy.”
“Living this lifestyle, we are happy to share our vegetables with people. We’not making as much monebut we are sharing what wehave,” said Willman.
Living the dream in SookeYoung farming couple embraces hard work as they go back to the land in a big way
PIRJO RAITS/BLACK PRESS
Matt Robertson and Teresa Willman bring their children into one of the large greenhouses at Silver Cloud Farm.
We set a five-year goal to be farmingand we found the
land in 2004.
“
”
Saanich nixes turning ALR land into suburbiaKYLE SLAVINSAANICH NEWS
Six years ago Saanich council likely would’ve given the green light to a 16-home subdivision on protected agricultural land. But times — and priorities — certainly have changed.
A request to exclude a 1.64-hectare parcel of land was
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project “repugnant” and “offensive.”“This is borne out of 1980s
development,” said Coun. Dean Murdock of the single-family lots, straight out of suburbia.
“Our regional growth strategy would find this issue repugnant.”
Official community plans adopted last spring set goals for the future of Saanich, including the promotion of high density projects
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Neither of those issues were addressed in the proposal, submitted by the Alberg family, who have owned the land for decades.
“It all hinges on what our values are,” Coun. Susan Brice said. “For us to support the removal of land from the ALR it would have to be such a compelling argument (and be) for the greater good
f h
A dozen neighbours of the property, at 1516 Mount Douglas Cross Rd., spoke against taking the land out of the ALR. Despite the findings of an agrologist, hired by the applicant, who reported that the soil on the site is of poor quality, many speakers were adamant the land still be used for farming.
“It’s been farmed in the past,” said hb “ ’
they couldn’t farm it in the futureNo. You might not be able to planpotatoes, but you can amend the soil. There’s lots of things that canhappen.”
Councillors agreed with neighbours’ sentiments that the agrologist’s findings don’t tell the whole story. “These decisions relyheavily on the science, the historyand the policy surrounding the
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