Breaking New Ground Michael Marrapese Spring is often a time of optimism and renewed expectations. This will be Ariella Falkowski’s first year breaking ground for her new Sweet Acres Farm.She is leasing two acres of land at Lohbrunner Community Farm Cooperative on the outskirts of Langford, BC. She’s still getting to know the land and… Keep Reading
Tanya Brouwer Agricultural activities are often blamed for the demise of the planet’s environmental systems. It is not uncommon to hear about deforestation, drained wetlands, and dying grasslands when referencing agriculture. Yet the Canadian Organic Standard specifically states that “organic agriculture should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plants, animals, humans and the planet… Keep Reading
An Inspector’s View Stuart McMillan This story originally appeared in The Canadian Organic Grower, Spring 2018, with thanks. There are a number of great reasons to be an organic inspector. For myself, the primary one is getting to meet so many fantastic farmers, ranchers, and operators of organic operations across the diverse regions of Canada.… Keep Reading
Seeking Balance, Seizing Passion Michael Marrapese We’re in the East Cascades at the Northern tip of the Sonoran Desert,” Jon Alcock explains. “We’re on the former shores of Lake Penticton, which was a glacial lake 12,000 years ago. It deposited these great mineral soils that are perfect for wine grapes and orchards. We’re in a… Keep Reading
Editor’s Note: What follows is the Certified Organic Association of BC’s submission to the Minister’s Advisory Committee on Revitalizing the ALR (Agricultural Land Reserve) and ALC (Agricultural Land Commission). The Certified Organic Associations of BC appreciates the opportunity provided by the BC Ministry of Agriculture to submit input regarding revitalizing the Agricultural Land Reserve.As the… Keep Reading
Excerpts from The Future of Our Food System: Report on the Southwest BC Bioregion Food System Design Project by the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU). Reprinted with thanks to Kent Mullinix and the Institute for Sustainable Agriculture at KPU Foreword to The Future of Our Food System William Rees Society is… Keep Reading
B.C. Eco Seed Co-operative Meagan Curtis For some, bioregionalism may seem like a practical concept useful for creating ecological dividing lines between regions, but the concept’s meaning extends into social, cultural, and economic realms. One of the foremost ecotheologians of the 20th century saw bioregionalism as critical for the next era of human life on… Keep Reading
Or: How to Never Have to Chase Sheep in Circles Around a Paddock Ever Again! Sara Sutherland Many people believe that sheep are stupid. Even people who have never worked with sheep tend to think that sheep are stupid. Broadly speaking, there are two categories of things that sheep do that make people think they… Keep Reading
Legalizing “Low-Level Presence” of Unapproved GMOs Lucy Sharratt Contamination from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) is a problem for some crop types. For example, most organic grain farmers in the Prairies stopped growing canola after GM contamination of seed became widespread, and Canada’s flax industry is still recovering from GM contamination that closed export markets. Rather… Keep Reading
Bioregionalism: Resilience in a Changing Climate Moss Dance One thing that struck me about this year’s annual COABC conference was the high level of engagement and the cohesiveness of the organic community. This year’s theme was “Bioregionalism: Resilience in a Changing Climate,” and the organic farmers and friends who showed up to learn, share, and… Keep Reading
