Matt Treble From extreme weather events to international tariffs, the last few years have shown that there are plenty of things that fall outside of an agricultural producer’s control that can cause stress, burnout, or other impacts to mental wellness. In addition, mental health is perceived as highly stigmatized in society, meaning that people who… Keep Reading
Small-Scale Growing Big Ailsa McFadyen-Mungall “We have to be a little more particular about our growing. We’re trying to get a lot of food off a small space,” says Shawn Dirksen, owner and operator of Northstar Organics. But “a little more particular” does not do Northstar justice. Farming on a 10-acre plot on the Saanich… Keep Reading
Anna Helmer Gosh, I am having enormous trouble focussing my brain on writing. There are any number of reasons why this is so, but basically, I haven’t made time to get to my computer and once there, commence writing. I get to the machine all right, but my attention is quickly pulled into other areas… Keep Reading
Tristan Banwell What is a regenerative farm? Perhaps it is easiest to contrast the opposite—a degenerative farm; agricultural practices that degrade the land. As we travel around our own province, we can see many farms where the farmer has taken too much without giving anything back. We commonly see farming methods where the whole focus… Keep Reading
Stacey Santos Drought, heatwaves, wildfires, and other climate-related challenges are taking a heavy toll on farmers in BC, including at Blue Sky Ranch in the Nicola Valley. There, farmer Julia Smith is working hard to keep a healthy pasture in the face of climate change by following the principles of rotational grazing: having the right… Keep Reading
Finding Laughter, Balance, and Community On The Farm Kat Roger Nestled in the Okanagan Valley, Lorna and Chris Church operate Grassy Gnome Acres on 65 acres of farmland in Coldstream, BC. At the start, Lorna and Chris never intended to become full-time farmers. In 2008, they were looking for a manageable five acres of forested… Keep Reading
Jessica Chiartas The Organic Science Cluster 4 (OSC4) is a national initiative aimed at advancing organic agriculture and enhancing the sustainability of Canadian agriculture through cutting-edge research and innovation. Funded by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada’s AgriScience Program and contributions from over 80 funding partners, OSC4 leverages public-private partnership to drive collaboration amongst researchers (10 universities… Keep Reading
IFOAM’s Organic World Congress in Taiwan Katie Fettes In early December 2024, I joined hundreds of farmers, researchers, policymakers, and advocates at the 21st IFOAM Organic World Congress (OWC) in Taiwan. It was a week of inspiring conversations, knowledge exchange, and powerful grounding in the transformative potential of organic agriculture to address global challenges. The… Keep Reading
Eva-Lena Lang In the fall of 2024, I had the privilege of accompanying University of British Columbia (UBC) researchers on a two-week field visit to Germany and India. With a focus on agroecology and organic practices, we built relationships with research partners, community organizations, farmers, and farmer communities and gained insights into how farmers can… Keep Reading
David Hanam and Kelly Wang According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, potatoes are the fifth largest primary agriculture crop in Canada. In 2023, approximately 5.8 metric tonnes of potatoes were produced across Canada, with British Columbia contributing to approximately 2%1. Since 1988, E.S. Cropconsult Ltd. has provided monitoring services to various potato growers in BC’s… Keep Reading
