Michelle Tsutsumi Community members who visit local farmers’ markets are increasingly asking food growers very pointed questions such as, “Are you organic?” We hear that at least once every market – and it’s so much simpler to be able to answer with a clear “yes!” Once we decided to engage in the organic certification process,… Keep Reading
Moss Dance Get Your Produce in a Pile! I was lucky to witness the flourishing of the Saanich Organics farming (and marketing!) co-operative when I lived and farmed on southern Vancouver Island. In their book All the Dirt: Reflections on Organic Farming, Saanich Organics farmers Robin Tunnicliffe, Heather Stretch, and Rachel Fisher describe an amusing… Keep Reading
Michelle Tsutsumi, Conference Coordinator Legacy, Inspiration, Rejuvenation This year’s conference was filled with anticipation about our illustrious keynote speaker and the many engaging session topics. There were also undertones of sadness, both from the ongoing ripples from losing Mary Forstbauer in the fall and the more recent passing of Cathleen Kneen—two tenacious and spirited women… Keep Reading
Chris Bodnar If you tell most people that they can succeed in business by cooperating rather than competing, they might laugh you out of the room. Competition is, after all, the basis of our market system. Co-operatives, however, operate within a competitive marketplace, but are based on values and practices of cooperation. And co-operatives have a… Keep Reading
Legacy of an Organic Leader This September, as the summer season started to wind down, the COABC video project team had the honour of spending a few hours with Mary Forstbauer on her farm, interviewing her about her life on the land, and her vision for future generations of farmers. As always, Mary was enthusiastic,… Keep Reading
Chris Quinlan What’s food without a nice glass of BC Pinot to pair with it? The sale and sampling of beer, wine, and spirits at BC Farmers’ Markets brings the market experience one step closer to maturity. In 2014, the Whistler Farmers’ Market became the first to have a liquor producer approved for the sale… Keep Reading
