Drew Bondar What is On-Farm Demonstration Research? Trialing something new on the farm can feel daunting. Farmers face numerous demands each day, and improving an existing system takes time and resources, and carries potential risks. On-farm demonstration research is a practical tool that allows farmers to evaluate a new practice, product, or technology in a… Keep Reading
How the Rovabarn is Changing the Game Julia Smith Agri-tech gets a lot of airtime these days, but it often seems irrelevant to smaller-scale, organic producers. We picture robotic milking barns, precision spraying drones, and complex greenhouse operations—technologies typically designed for large conventional farms. The scale and investment required for many of these innovations put… Keep Reading
Anna Helmer We’ve had some cow horns stuffed with manure buried at the foot of the garden since Christmas. We dug them up in May to check, but the manure was still pretty sloppy. I expect they are now ready and I intend to dig them up and prepare some BD-500. I am doing that… Keep Reading
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
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
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
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
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
BC Living Lab Sets Sights on Increasing Forage Quality Stacey Santos Nicomen Farm sprawls over 350 acres on Nicomen Island, nestled between the farming community of Deroche, BC and the fertile Fraser River. Ripe for agriculture, this region grows diverse commodities, including Nicomen Farm’s three main streams of revenue: producing grass-fed milk from 120 cows… Keep Reading
The Miracle Place Darcy Smith From one Kalala to another, Karnail Sidhu crossed continents and decades to bring Kalala Organic Estate Winery to life. The winery’s name honours the village in Punjab, India, where he was born. Kalala means “miracle place,” says Karnail. “My birthplace has a little legend about how it got its name.… Keep Reading
