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Organic Stories: New Siberia Farms, Stó:lo Territory

in 2023/Climate Change/Crop Production/Grow Organic/Land Stewardship/Organic Community/Organic Stories/Water Management/Winter 2023

By Darcy Smith

When Bill Balakshin’s grandparents planted their first (and only) crop of potatoes in 1925 on a parcel of land in Chilliwack, they could not have imagined what lay ahead for the farm. Ninety-eight years and four generations later, New Siberia Farms is a bridge from the past—and to the future. While the potatoes didn’t quite work out as planned, by the following year the land was home to dairy cows, and later a chicken hatchery. Today, New Siberia Farms covers about 90 acres total, with a handful of leased acres supplementing the home farm, and 55 dairy cows contributing to BC’s organic milk supply.

The founders of New Siberia, Andrew and Mary Balakshin, fled Russia, first landing in China before arriving in Canada in 1925 and getting right to work on the land. By 1926, they were shipping milk, and soon after started the chick hatching business that would be the farm’s bread and butter for the next two decades.

New Siberia weathered the Great Depression, which meant Bill’s father had to find work off the farm. “He sold fish on the side to keep the farm going,” Bill says. Particularly memorable in that decade was the ice storm of 1935—”the power was out for three months, making it difficult to do just about everything.”

During the war years, “there was bigger demand for food. The Depression was over, and there was more need for chickens, eggs, milk.” Then came the flood of 1948: “there was water all around and in the farm in the low areas.” They were told to evacuate, but didn’t know where to go with the chickens. Gambling on the dyke holding despite all signs pointing to disaster, they stayed put, and in the end, so did the dyke.

That same year, Bill’s parents took over the farm and started to increase cow production—luckily, because when the hatching market fell apart in 1962, they closed the hatchery and were set to focus on dairy. The farm has always dug into a sense of community, whether that was hosting workers in Bill’s parents’ house or, as they’ve continued to do, having a big party after field work, with food and beer, of course.

One of the young Balakshins feeding chickens. Credit: New Siberia Farms.

Bill started working full-time for the farm in 1971, and married Janice in 1981. They’ve been operating the dairy ever since. Dairy feels like second nature to Bill and Janice now. “It’s 365 days a year! If you’re not milking, you’ve got to get someone else to do it,” Janice says. “It keeps a regularity to life. Like any type of farming, it’s very time consuming, but rewarding being outside most of time.” Their son Tom, one of three, joined the farm in 2018. He describes his parents as “semi-retired, but of course they work much harder than that. Both of them actively take care of the farm like it is their fourth child and the milk ladies are their kin.”

Despite all the decades that have passed, “the farm is much the same today,” Janice says. They’ve been certified organic for five years, but “we were always interested in the organic approach. We followed all those same guidelines, but 20 years we ago didn’t feel there was access to organic feed.” Now, feed is much less of a “stumbling block,” as Janice describes it. “There is so much support around us. Organic is a much easier prospect than it was twenty years ago for a dairy farm.”

It was a “slow process” to get certified, Bill says. “We couldn’t get into the organic dairy program at first.” Dairy is supply-managed in BC, and “they’ll let in new producers when they can sell more organic milk—when we first applied, they had enough organic supply, but demand kept increasing.” Eventually, New Siberia was given quota.
The farm’s goals “have always been about animal welfare, whether organic or not,” Janice says. Being certified solidified that for them: “there was very little we had to change in our operation. That does give me validation we were doing things correct all the way along.” They use very few inputs, and their cows spend most of their lives outside. “We feel that their overall health is very good, and that goes back to a lot of the organic practices,” Janice says.

Bill is pleased to see that, “as more farmers get into dairy-ing, particularly growing alfalfa and having corn silage,” the overall quality of organic feed is improving. While they don’t feed much alfalfa, they’re always looking for something with just a bit more protein for the wet west coast climate. “Our cows aren’t worked too hard,” Bill says. “That’s the whole idea, they’re not stressed, they get lots of exercise.”

Farm dog out at work in the pasture. Credit: New Siberia Farms.

There are many perks to being a part of BC’s organic community. Apart from how nice it is to have a growing organic community in Chilliwack to lean on, Janice has been on the planning committee for the much-loved annual BC Organic Conference. “We have enjoyed meeting other people who are like-minded. It’s great to see perspectives also from other regions of BC,” she says. “Any opportunity to meet other farmers is good.” Janice appreciates that “under the umbrella of Organic BC, any farmer who is organic is pursuing the same goals as we are.”

As Bill and Janice step away from farm management, they’re able to focus more on stewardship practices. Always an integral part of the farm, riparian zones and wildlife are now taking central stage in daily life. “We live along a slough,” Janice says. “There were a lot of non-natives—blackberries, knotweed, all the nasty things that have been growing in this valley.”

Working with the Fraser Valley Conservancy, they have gradually planted two-thirds of their sloughs in native trees and shrubs. Janice notes that while it can be tempting to rush to convert to native plants, “the conservancies stress that even blackberry can provide a lot of cover for birds. You don’t want to just rip out everything, you want to do it in a structured way.”

Organizations such as the Fraser Valley Conservancy assist landholders with riparian zones and native plantings. When you sign-up to be a steward, you’re committing to look after plants, “but for the first few years, they will provide plants and come out and help. They’re always looking for more people to sign up,” she hints.
Janice is part of a campaign to preserve the sloughs. “Even if they’re running through farms, sloughs are a community source for enjoyment.” In collaboration with the Conservancy and other like-minded groups such as Friends of Hope, Camp River, and Bell Slough, she has assisted with riparian area planting days, bike rides, and more. “A slough is an important resource, and should be valued. Once people value it, they don’t abuse it.”

Improving riparian zones benefits everybody. New Siberia Farm has many plantings of trees and shrubs on the property, and are a frequent eagle landing site. “We’re creating a more varied environment, so it’s not just a monoculture,” Janice says. “You can see a difference already, just with the sloughs.”

The floods last November were “a wake-up call,” according to Janice. “Along the slough just west of our property, where people had planted grass instead of native shrubs, it was devastating how much land was lost from their backyards. People are now talking about the importance of making sure you have a ground cover of something, especially native plants. If this rain happens again, it is a protective boundary.”

The view from the tractor. Credit: New Siberia Farms

Bill appreciates the carbon sink generated by having his fields in grass for so many years. The last few years, they haven’t plowed any fields, choosing instead to overseed. That way “we don’t disturb the ground,” he says. “The microbes in the ground are supposed to be quite beneficial. We don’t want to kill anything in the ground.”

From carbon sinks to riparian zones to happy cows, Bill and Janice are always looking for ways to do good for the ecosystem, right down to recycling the plastic from their round bales. For the past 15 years, they’ve been taking “the equivalent of five pickup loads” of plastic that’s been cleaned, dried, and compacted to Richmond, but more recently, they’ve been able to get the plastic picked up instead. “We feel it’s a farmer’s responsibility to pay the cost of this.” At only $15 per big tote, Janice says “it’s worth it, in that it’s not going to the dump. It would probably cost more to take it to the dump!”

What’s next for New Siberia Farms? Janice is keen to see what the next generation does with the farm. “I can see a future in small processors on farms, maybe specialty products. I think the consumer is looking for things like that. There’s always a possibility where you can branch out in the future, still with dairy and a small farm.”

Most importantly, the future comes back to the history of the land: “All through the generations,” says Janice, “the idea was that the farm exists for whoever is on the farm, to make profit but not to be sold. We’ve passed that on to our kids, ingrained in them that this is on the back of a lot of ancestors.”

It feels like Bill and Janice have been practicing being good ancestors for their whole careers. After all, as Bill puts it, “we’re looking after the land for the next generation.”

New Siberia Farms has moved from chickens to dairy cows as their main focus. Credit: New Siberia Farms.
Historical photos from New Siberia Farms. Clockwise from top left: Determining the sex of chicks; Early infrastructure on the farm; The younger generation curious about chicks; Haying in the summer, with a young Bill Balakshin on top of the pile of hay on the right; Chickens on the range. Hutches are moveable to prevent disease. Credit: New Siberia Farms.

 

More information on riparian zones and sloughs:
fraservalleyconservancy.ca
watershedwatch.ca

Darcy Smith is the editor of the BC Organic Grower, and a huge fan of organic farmers. She also manages the BC Land Matching Program delivered by Young Agrarians.

Featured image: Cows grazing at New Siberia Farms. Credit: New Siberia Farms.

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Your Land, Your Legacy

in 2022/Land Stewardship/Organic Community/Spring 2022

A Farm and Foodlands Owner’s Guide

By Michael Marrapese

The Foodlands Cooperative of BC has a bold vision—to secure farmland for farming for future generations. While the Agricultural Land Reserve offers some protection by restricting the allowable activities on farmland, it has had only a modest effect on the selling price and accessibility of farmland in BC. Our primary activity is to facilitate the acquisition of land by cooperatives, non-profit groups and charities, municipalities, or Indigenous communities.

In the summer of 2021 we published Your Land, Your Legacy: A Farm and Foodlands Owner’s Guide. The Guide is expressly designed for owners of farm and food-provisioning lands who wish to create a legacy by preserving their land for generations to come.

Written by Ava Reeve, the guide is a culmination of a two-year research project made possible by funding from the Law Foundation of BC and the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. It focuses on two particular processes to secure land for agriculture. One is to donate land to a community organization. Another approach is to register a covenant on a property. The guide covers both of these processes in detail.

North of town. Credit: Michael Marrapese.

For many farmers, selling the farm is a major part of their financial and retirement planning. However, selling their property often means it will not be used primarily for farming. In much of BC, farmland is being bought up and converted into recreational acreages, vacation homes, or rural estates—or for future real estate development.

Over the last five years the Foodlands Cooperative of BC has met with dozens of landowners who want to ensure their properties continue to be farmed and used for the benefit of their communities. We found that lawyers and estate planners are often unfamiliar with the unique legal and taxation statutes that apply to these situations, not only because it is unfamiliar but also because the process can be very nuanced and specific to each property and situation.

While many farmers are sympathetic to the plight of aspiring young farmers, transferring land by any other method than direct sale is a daunting process. As Chad Hershler, Executive Director of Deer Crossing the Art Farm observes, “transferring land ownership, legacy planning, formalizing a vision—these are all emotionally fraught, extremely challenging things to do, no matter the context. When it comes to food provisioning (and, in our case, culture-making), this is even harder.”

Cows make great neighbours. Credit: Michael Marrapese.

We engaged a team of legal experts to review existing legislation, and possible approaches to transfer land out of the speculative market, and present it in terms accessible to the layperson. “There is a gravitational pull towards doing what everyone else is doing, doing what comes easiest,” continues Hershler. “Every bit of help to move against this is crucial—and this guide is more than a bit of help. It clearly outlines steps we need to take, people we need to talk to, documents we need to draft. It takes something massive and breaks it down into simple achievable steps.”

The Foodlands Cooperative is exploring several avenues towards returning land to the public commons and out of the speculative market. While registered charities are one kind of qualified donee, the CRA recognizes a number of others. Under the Canadian Income Tax Act, qualified donees can often issue official donation receipts. Qualified donees can include the Crown at federal and provincial levels, municipal governments and other public bodies, and, interestingly, the United Nations. Many Indigenous governing bodies are also now registered as qualified donees.

When we began this project three years ago, there was an obvious need for clarity around the various options, processes, and costs of having land transferred to a land trust, either via donation or through other transfer mechanisms. In creating a plan for their estate and a succession plan for their farm operation, a landowner will want to understand the tax benefits or policies that will apply to their situation. The guide has an extensive section on Canadian tax law that explains the considerations when making a donation of land and the implications of various types of land transfer. It also lays out some practical examples of how tax law might be applied. There is a complete glossary of all the legal and financial terms to help make the material more useful and approachable.

The final section of the Guide lays out very specific steps for due diligence when a landowner is considering donating their property. Some seem quite obvious—engaging professionals such as lawyers and appraisers. Less obvious may be the need to have the property surveyed to confirm boundaries, to document encroachments and Right-of-Ways, and the existence of any environmentally sensitive or protected areas.

We are keen to pass this knowledge on to the general public through our our lawyer-reviewed guide. The guide will undoubtedly help to alleviate many of the challenges of planning farm and foodland trusts, lead to greater community access to foodlands, and to foster sustainable farming.

We see this as a first step in opening up possibilities for landowners to create a lasting legacy with their farmland.

Your Land, Your Legacy, A Farm and Foodland Owner’s Guide is available for free at foodlands.org/a-farm-and-foodland-owners-guide

Michael Marrapese lives and works at Fraser Common Farm Cooperative in the Fraser Valley on the unceded territory of the Kwantlen and Katzie peoples. An avid photographer, writer and musician he loves working on the farm and marvels at the beauty of nature. Though recently retired, he continues to be involved in various interesting projects and seems to be willing to travel at the slightest provocation.

Feature image: Tilling at Sunset. Credit: Michael Marrapese.

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Building Bridges

2023 BC Organic Conference Recap By Stacey Santos Mentorship. Perseverance. Kindness. Relationships. More than words, these ideas were penned and

Organic Conversion

in Marketing/Organic Community/Organic Standards

With a booming $8.138 billion in annual sales, Canada is the sixth largest organic market in the world. Yet, despite double digit production growth, demand continuously outpaces supply in Canada. Two thirds of Canadians purchase organic products weekly, and organic is the fastest growing sector of the Canadian agricultural landscape.

Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) launched the Organic Conversion Support Program in 2019, through the Support Organic Change Fund, to assist producers as they convert their operations to certified organic to meet this global demand. The program is privately funded by sponsors Seeds of Change and Mill Street Brewery.

The program supports producers financially with their incurred transition costs by reimbursing part, or all, of their certification costs as a transition incentive. Since the program’s inception, 94 producers have been supported nationally to convert 8,483 acres.

Since 2019, the program participation numbers have increased steadily by 79%. The number of funded producers by region are: Quebec with 60, BC with 12, the Prairies with 7, the Maritimes with 4, and Ontario with 3. The program covered a staggering 64.18% of the total certification costs for producers across the country.

COTA is thrilled to announce that the program will be continuing into its third year with the proud support of industry sponsors. The Organic Conversion Support Program is accepting applications for the 2021 program which will be accepted until June 30th, 2022.

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis for producers who are in the process of converting, or who become certified in 2021 or 2022. To qualify for the program, farmers must be in their pre-certification phase, or increasing their acreage or livestock on an already certified farm. The program covers organic certification and consultation expenses, up to a maximum reimbursement of $1,000.

Interested in applying? Verify your eligibility, complete an application and return it to info@canada-organic.ca.

Contact cbernard@canada-organic.ca with any questions.

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Pilgrims’ Produce: A 30 Year Legacy

in 2021/Grow Organic/Land Stewardship/Organic Community/Organic Stories/Summer 2021

How the Hettlers Embody Organic Principles (and Are Good at Growing Farmers)

Michelle Tsutsumi

Finding my way to Pilgrims’ Produce in the fall of 2009, when I wanted to learn how to garden, ended up changing my life. It sounds dramatic; however, witnessing and experiencing the ways in which Robert and Kathryn engage with the world impacted me in subtle ways, over time. Over a decade later, and with a more nuanced relationship with organics, I can see more fully how the Hettlers embody organic principles.

Not only have Robert and Kathryn stewarded the land they lived on, and with, for the past 30 years, using a combination of responsibility and innovation, they have done so with future generations in mind. One of the first things I remember Kathryn describing was how important it was to her and Robert to be growing good food for their family, friends, and wider community. The farm has been a special gathering space for the extended Hettler clan, serving as a central meeting point for children and grandchildren who are now dispersed around the world. So many incredible memories and feasts have been celebrated at Pilgrims’ Produce over the years!

A vintage photo of the Hettler Family. Credit: Pilgrims’ Produce.

Their thoughtful appreciation for people showed up in attentive conversations, as in really listening and asking pointed questions, as well as in random moments walking from one section of the farm to another. This caring way of being was reciprocated by many employees who would return to work at Pilgrims’ Produce year after year and, eventually, launch into their own farming with a solid base of learning and mentoring to draw from. Not to mention always feeling welcome to give Rob a call with questions or stop in for a visit that inevitably would include ‘shop talk.’

Employees who went on to create their own farms include Kate Murphy at Lakehead & Beyond Produce Society, Mark Uher at Mara Valley Produce, and Joel Hayhoe and Tessa Wetherill at Our Open Farm. Through the Young Agrarians Business Mentorship Program, Rob mentored Emily Jubenvill at Enderberry Farm. Folks who returned to or joined family farms include Eva-Lena Lang at Cedarstein Farm and me at Golden Ears Farm.

Many of these names are probably familiar to you because they have also engaged in actions that serve the organic community, or agriculture more broadly, through participation in Agriculture Advisory Committees, land matching, certifying body boards and committees, expanding food systems networks, and even in the role of Executive Director of COABC! This community involvement mirrors the years and years of Robert and Kathryn’s contributions and dedication to building the organic movement.

Kathryn and Robert sorting fruit. Credit: Alan Price.

Working at Pilgrims’ Produce was a beautiful mix of hard work, a buzz of activity—particularly in June, when you would see the quad and trailers bringing in the harvest on top of a steady interchange of vehicles belonging to the folks flocking in for u-pick strawberries—and the most amazing staff lunches (thank you, Kathryn!).

Pilgrims’ Produce was also a site for events like Shoots ‘n Blooms, CSA strawberry socials, and inter-farm potlucks. The importance of relationships and creating the time and space to nurture them was affirmed by example and reassuring words: “Take the time you need to visit your family. Not to worry, the weeds will be here when you get back.”

So many markets over the years! Robert at the market stand. Credit: Pilgrims’ Produce.

On March 31st, 2021, a sizeable group of people who have been impacted by Robert and Kathryn gathered over Zoom to share memories and stories of what the farm means to them. It served as both a celebration of Rob and Kathryn’s organic farming and community building and the transfer of the farm to Dan and Kat Saxton 30 years—to the day—after the Hettlers moved in!

Many named the beauty of the land, its healing capacity, and the generous-in-spirit nature of Robert and Kathryn as influencing them. Kate Murphy aptly described how Robert and Kathryn have been growing more than food, they have been growing farmers.

We love you Robert and Kathryn and are so pleased that you have kindred spirits in Dan and Kat to carry on the legacy of Pilgrims’ Produce. A legacy of care, stewardship, good food, and growing farmers!

Michelle Tsutsumi at Pilgrims’ Produce with the team. Credit: Alan Price.

We have the world to live in on the condition that we will take good care of it.

And to take good care of it, we have to know it.

And to know it and to be willing to take care of it, we have to love it.

~ Wendell Berry

pilgrimsproduce.com

Kathryn at market. Credit: Pilgrims’ Produce.

Michelle Tsutsumi grows food on the unceded land of Secwépemcul’ecw and, in doing so, acknowledges the tension inherent in the practice of agriculture and Indigenous-settler relations. As a communicator, she engages in difficult conversations around dominant cultural mindsets and structures so that we can transform them into a more just and equitable way of being.

Feature image: Farm families – Robert and Kathryn Hettler smiling with Dan and Kat Saxton and their children—the next stewards of Pilgrim’s Produce. Credit: Pilgrims’ Produce.

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Ask an Expert: Wealth & Retirement Strategy

in 2020/Ask an Expert/Fall 2020/Marketing/Organic Community/Tools & Techniques

Planning In Your Thirties and Beyond

Karen Fenske

Developing a well-balanced financial strategy at each stage of life promotes peace of mind.  The wealth and retirement planning strategies outlined below are relevant for young farmers, whether you will own property or not. The need for supplemental income component has historically been a reality for many producers, and most likely will continue.

Planning for the future means looking at what you can do now, as well as what you’ll need later, and designing a “bridge” to get you there. As a Financial Coach, I help you work through a planning process to determine what your needs are now, and in the future, and what you’ll have to put in place to meet those needs.

Setting Your Goals

  • First, it’s important to define your goals and priorities. Some areas to explore include:
  • Manage your cash flow: Track your income & spending. With all the apps available today, this can be easy.
  • Build an emergency fund: Know your expenses and “pay yourself first” by automatically putting money into a reserve account that is at arm’s length.
  • Protect your family in case of deaths, disability or critical illness: Insurance is an important risk management component for all family sizes. If one of the adults becomes ill or passes away the family left behind can be cared for financially. In your thirties insurance is fairly cheap and quick to obtain.
  • Make space for travel, vacations, and leisure activities, (travel to see family, skiing, dirt biking, camping, etc.): What, when & how much? If you plan ahead, the tendency to splurge or put it on credit will be reduced. You can manage your expectations and maintain control.
  • Plan for major purchases, such as vehicles, real estate, livestock, etc: What, when & how much? If you plan then you may not splurge and end up in “bad debt”. You can manage your expectations and maintain control.
  • Own your own business: Create a business plan, even a vague one that will highlight income potential and costs.
  • Learn to invest wisely, staying ahead of the cost of living & reducing taxes: You may say I can’t save anything to invest for the future and I always say, “We can find $50 or $100 a month!” to get the habit started. Typically, the saving/investment tool depends on your tax bracket. It often makes sense to save in a TFSA investment where you gain a return on your deposit and the compound earnings grow for your retirement. If you are above a certain income level an RRSP helps reduce your current income tax payable. RRSPs are a “tax deferral program” so a tax refund may be triggered now, but when you go to pull it out later (in retirement) you will pay the tax. Reinvest the refund into the RRSP or TFSA.
  • Plan for your child’s education: If you have children, put aside money into an RESP. You can contribute as little as $25 a month, and the government will also contribute. The investment earns a return and the whole account grows. The funds may be used for trade, college, and university programs. Grandparents can arrange these too. It may not be a lot, but it will help!
  • Stay employable: Continuous learning is part of our culture. We never know when our source of income might change. What skills, courses, and experience will you need?
  • Ensure your money lasts through retirement: Learn about your Retirement Equation: Old Age Security, Canada Pension Plan, etc. Add to your retirement equation via “Supplemental Income.”
  • Preserve your estate: Ensure your loved ones are your beneficiaries in your will, etc.
  • Give to charity: This can satisfy personal values and reduce taxes.
  • Own your farm: What, when & how much?  All of the other pieces can be implemented whether this goal is realized or not. This is a whole other topic which will include succession and estate planning.

Review Reality and Add Peace of Mind

Once you’ve got a sense of your dream, it’s important to review reality—and add peace of mind. To do this, first you need to paint a picture. Review your current situation by pulling together all your financial documents, including bank accounts, insurance, debt, credit card statements, etc. I typically enter all the data into my financial planning software to create a whole financial picture and keep track. Explore your expenses: What does it cost to live? What do you need? Can things be changed, cut out, modified, delayed, achieved in steps, etc.? Also, explore your income sources.

As a farmer, this will likely include both your farm revenue and any supplemental income sources. What can you do off-farm to receive a paycheck, such as working part-time as a teacher, welder, nurse, instructor, snow removal tech, clerk, etc. This kind of employment will also add to your Canada Pension Plan (CPP) amount which pays out as early as 60 years old, and adds to your Employment Insurance (EI), which will help with medical leaves and periods of unemployment. You can arrange to contribute to EI even if you are self-employed. If you find employment with a hospital, school district, regional district, etc.  You may even be entitled to a pension at some point. All these pieces together with your Old Age Security at 65 and your retirement equation may surprise you. I typically provide the potential future value which helps clarify need and strategies.

If working off-farm is not an option, or costs more than you would earn, consider an on-farm opportunity such as doing bookkeeping for others, machine repair, website development, snow removal, breeding dogs or cats, etc. Ensure you are contributing to CPP for your retirement, and maybe EI, too.

Something to keep in mind with these “supplemental income” options is work-life balance. Look at your whole equation. Every situation is going to be a little bit different. Your resources, skills, capacity, energy level, likes, needs, etc. will impact what is optimum for you. It’s easy to stretch yourselves too thin and end up disheartened, cranky, depressed, or divorced because there hasn’t been enough time or energy. Money is important but so is enjoying life and living it together.

It’s also important to look at your on-farm income. Whether you’re running your own farm or working for another farmer will change the picture. If you’re self-employed, your cost of production should account for your time so that you’re paying yourself a wage that supports your lifestyle—and future goals. As an employee, your job title and description determine your role, and can be helpful in figuring out how you’ll be compensated. For example, an Operations Manager and farm hand will have different levels of responsibility, and thus compensation. If you’re working on a farm as part of a succession planning process, whether on the family farm or not, discussions around compensation can get trickier. Using a third-party coach to facilitate this discussion as part of the succession planning process may be helpful. As an employee the owner will contribute to EI & CPP—this isn’t as complicated as it sounds! QuickBooks is cheap and you can get it all done.

Understanding your income and expenses helps you know how much you will have to live on. You can then budget spending and short term and retirement savings, and create a “doable” budget just for you. Build a “zero-based” budget including income from all sources and living expenses, such as gas, groceries, clothing, insurance, and short term and retirement savings. Every situation is different so meet your family’s needs and don’t compare to others.

Evaluate, Adjust, and Enjoy!

Financial planning is an ever-evolving process, and doesn’t stop once you’ve got your budget in place. Evaluate on a monthly basis, at minimum, where your money is going. There are apps and bank programs to help keep track. You can adjust the budget for surprise costs, add extra to your savings, or pay off debt faster.

It is good practice, once or twice a year, to ask your family, “What great things did we do,” “What was new, different or better?”, “Did we have enough or too little?”, “Do we need to make changes & how?”, “What do we want to do this year and next?”

Cast a big picture of realistic potential income and how your family is going to spend it: who needs a bike, clothes, tools, what kind of trips, etc. You can start an envelope for the goal or assign a piece of your savings accounts or TFSA to that goal.

Each of you has your own unique money story that impacts how you save and spend. Choose transparency instead of denial, courage to ask for your needs to be met, respect that you are in this together, and above all, use sound financial planning to help you enjoy life!

Sustainable agriculture is Karen Fenske’s vocation. After providing strategic planning in BC agriculture, and working for COABC & BC4H, Karen transitioned into the financial planning industry to assist with succession and estate planning. Through her business, Fenske Financial Coaching, she facilitates the transition process and provides relevant, useful advice on a fee-for-service basis.

Featured image: Credit Michaela Parks.

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Your Land, Your Legacy

A Farm and Foodlands Owner’s Guide By Michael Marrapese The Foodlands Cooperative of BC has a bold vision—to secure farmland

Ask An Expert: Transitioning to Organic

in 2016/Ask an Expert/Fall 2016/Organic Standards
Kale with Water droplet

Rochelle Eisen, B.Sc.(Agr), P.Ag

We asked farmers transitioning to organic for burning questions they’ve been dying to ask. From paperwork to fence posts, standards junkie Rochelle Eisen has the answers they — and you — have been seeking!

Q: How much detail does my record keeping require for the inspector (crop seeding, planting, rotations, dates, etc…)?
A: The more detail the better as the inspector will try to establish if you had enough seed/transplants for the amount of the crop produced. Also, rotation plans, green manure seeding dates, and input use records are necessary to establish if good organic ag practices are in place. Sales records, crop seeding dates, and harvest dates are helpful with yield estimations, especially if plantings are staggered. Such detailed records help you to become a better farmer, as you have the necessary details at your ngertips to help you plan and identify your successes.

Q: If I need advice with paperwork can I ask my inspector?
A: Verification officers (VOs) cannot assist with paperwork except to explain the requirement/standard, as it would be considered consulting and giving you an advantage over other operators. Some certifiers offer workshops and others have someone who can answer your questions. Otherwise, provincial specialists are sometimes helpful. In the end it might be best to hire a consultant. Certifiers sometimes keep list of available consultants.

Q: Do I have to use all certified organic seed (and what if there is no organic option)?
A: Yes, organic seed is required. When you can’t find the variety you are looking for in the quantity and quality you need, you can use non-organic untreated seed. BUT (there always has to be a but, n’est ce pas?) you can’t play that card year in, year out for the same variety. Most certifiers will expect to you to explain what your plan is to help develop an organic source over the coming years, and this question will be asked annually. And just to round out this answer… as the most logical next question is “what does a commercial availability seed search look like?’ The answer is, most certifiers expect growers to contact three credible organic sources to establish the lack of supply. Such searches are to be repeated annually.

Q: Can I use saved seed, such as the garlic I saved from last year’s harvest?
A: Assuming the operation is organic or even in transition, the answer is an emphatic yes, as the seed was raised organically. This has to be tempered by the question: is it wise? It all depends on if you have clean and true to type seed. For example, garlic is one of those crops prone to seed borne diseases such as white rot. Saving your own seed if there is any level of infection may be your own undoing.

And as mentioned, transitional seed is acceptable too, as it was raised organically—it just comes from land that hasn’t met the 36 months from last prohibit substance requirement and can’t be sold as organic. See SIC Q113 for further insight:

“Does the requirement to use organic seed, tubers etc. (5.3) preclude the use of seed grown on transitional landwithin the same operation? (113) Answer: Seed grown on transitional land is acceptable as it meets the require- ment of 5.3 and as it has not been grown using prohibited substances or techniques.”

Q: I have had much discussion with other farmers, certified organic and those considering certification alike, about use and re-use of treated posts. Is a treated post that is already on your farm allowed to stay on your farm only if it remains in place, or is it acceptable to move and reuse posts within the farm as we change or rebuild fencing?
A: Good news—existing inventories can be used anywhere within your farm (see subclause 5.2.3 b of CAN/ CGSB-32.310). Be sure your certifier is aware of this existing inventory so there are no surprises when the VO does their site visit, or when your certifier reviews your Organic Plan and the VO report.

Q: What’s the difference between green manure, manure and compost?
A: Manure is animal waste. Green manures are plough down cover crops grown purposefully to build soil health. Compost can be made from animal or plant material and any combination thereof. Refer to the ‘compost’ definition (3.15 in CAN/CGSB 32.310) and the ‘compost feedstocks’, ‘compost from off-farm sources’ and the ‘compost produced on the farm’ listings in PSL Table 4.2 for complete details. Manure management requirements are outlined in 5.5 of CAN/CGSB 32.310.

Q: What’s the amount of time required between com- post application and harvest?
A: From a standards perspective, compost can be applied any time of the year, but compost containing animal waste or other risky feedstock that may contain human pathogens has to be effectively composted first. Otherwise, the material must be applied to the land 90 days before harvest when the crop doesn’t touch the soil. That would be the case with tree and cane fruits. 120 days is required pre harvest for any crops that commonly touch the soil (potatoes, lettuce, strawberries, etc…). Think about it this way—120 days is required unless the crop is obviously off the ground.

Q: What is required for mulching materials?
A: Plant materials from organic sources must be used as mulch but if organic sources are not available, then crop materials, such as straw and hay, that haven’t been treated with any prohibited substances for at least 60 days pre-harvest can be used as mulching material.

Q: Can I get animals I already own certified? (i.e. dairy cows)
A: Dairy herds and individual herd animals can be transitioned, but it takes 12 months of organic management before the milk collected can qualify as organic. None of the animals transitioned can ever qualify as organic meat animals. To qualify as organic meat, animals must have been born by an organic dam or the transitioning dam must be under organic management by the onset of the third gestation period.

Q: What’s the most appropriate way to label my transitional organic products?
A: Transitioning farms or “farms in conversion to organic” selling all their products within BC may identify their products as “transitional” or “in conversion to organics” or other similar language on all marketing materials including websites signs and labels. But they cannot refer to their operation or transitional products as “organic”, “organically grown”, “organically raised”, or “organically produced”. For products being shipped out of province the only acceptable phrases are “in transition” or “ transitional” or “in conversion”. The word “organic” cannot be included in any of these claims.

Q: What type of signage may farms in transition use?
A: A farming operation in transition or conversion is not “organic” and must not mislead consumers with false organic claims. For example, a transitioning farm, certified by a COABC regional CB, may not call itself “Joe’s Organic farm” or use the word “organic” “organically grown”, “organically raised”, “organically produced” or similar words, including abbreviations of, symbols for and phonetic renderings of those words, in any signage. The British Columbia Certified Organic Program allows “in transition/conversion to organic” claims on signs, labels, and other marketing tools to be used by transitioning operations. However, for operations shipping out of the province, this phrasing is not acceptable to the Canadian Organic Regime. Transitioning operations may not use either the provincial or national organic logos. Check with your CB if they have a transitional logo you can use.

Q: How should I market transitional organic products?
A: Label your products as transitional or in conversion and be sure to tell your story/journey to your customers. Some of the distributors, especially those who specialize in organics, may also be interested in your product if it fills a gap. Don’t hesitate to approach.

For more Organic Standards FAQs, visit COABC’s Grow Organic Toolkit.

Rochelle Eisen is a standards junkie who has been working in organics for close to 30 years, as well as with other certification systems. Like Einstein, she believes “What is right is not always popular and what is popular is not always right” and that assurance programs are a means to level the ecological playing field.

 

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Passing on the Farm

in 2016/Fall 2016/Organic Community
Claremont Ranch Organics transition planning

Bob McCoubrey

A Succession Planning Story

After more than 35 years of growing tree fruits and vegetables on our small farm in Lake Country, it was time to think about retirement. Our joints were telling us to ease up on the physical work and our son and daughter had moved on to other towns and careers.

The idea of selling the property was a bit scary, as we had become attached to the land and the houses. The main house was just a year or two shy of its 100th birthday, and the “guest house” was one my father had built for a previous owner when my parents first moved to the area to take up farming, back in the late 1940’s. Both houses had heritage value for us.

The land had supported our family well over our time on the farm. Sharon and I had transitioned the land to certified organic status beginning in 1989, and we didn’t want to see new owners abandoning what we had achieved by going back to conventional farming methods. We were reluctant to list the property with a realtor, taking a chance on the intentions that new owners might have.

We didn’t want to see new owners abandoning what we had achieved by going back to conventional farming methods”

Our Okanagan location meant we could benefit from the overheated real estate market. Land prices were high. However, that meant many of the people who might share our values and plans for the land might not be able to afford the in ated prices. After a lifetime of living here, close to family and friends, we wanted to stay in the area, which would mean buying in that same overheated real estate market, leaving us unwilling to sell for a discounted price to encourage like-minded buyers.

As we struggled with what to do, we were fortunate to meet Molly Bannerman and Matt Thurston. Recent graduates in agriculture from the University of Guelph, and fresh from a year of WWOOFing and touring in the United Kingdom, they were about to get married and were thinking of settling down on an organic farm. It seemed like a perfect match. They both found good jobs related to farming, and we began a three to four year “dance” to see if we could put a deal together.

There was a period when they leased the farm and lived in the small house, followed by a few years with us running the farm again, while they moved in to town, only to come back to rent an acre to grow some vegetables. It became clear that we all wanted to make it work for Matt and Molly to acquire the farm.

The farm had all of the basic equipment needed to grow the crops we had been producing, and we had recently built a cold storage facility, which would make it easier for the Thurstons to grow, store, and sell their crops while continuing to work off farm. The biggest challenge was to find a way to finance the sale in a way that the cash flow could handle the debt servicing requirements.

The key turned out to be rethinking how we would invest for the future.”

A paradigm shift needed to happen in our minds about how to manage our needs and our assets. I had always thought we would sell the farm, buy a retirement property, invest the remainder of the proceeds, and live happily ever after. The key turned out to be rethinking how we would invest for the future.

Financial advisors told us to avoid high risk investments as we moved into retirement in an effort to keep our assets safe. That would mean lower but stable returns from nancial products such as term deposits. We wouldn’t be making a lot of money, but we could see that we would have all we needed to enjoy life.

As we looked for a solution, we recalled the help given to us by the seller, when we bought the farm back in 1973. After scraping together a down payment and borrowing the maximum available to us on a first mortgage from Farm Credit Canada, we still needed to find 20% of the purchase price. The seller took a second mortgage on the property, with payments of only the interest for a number of years to keep our cash flow requirements low while we got ourselves established.

The real estate market had changed in the 38 years since we started farming. Interest rates were much lower, but the principal amounts were significantly higher. The financing solution we needed would have to put even more importance on keeping the cash flow required to service the debt as low as possible. In the final agreement, we took 30% of the sale price in cash, financed through a first mortgage by the Thurstons. The remaining 70% was financed through a second mortgage that we hold, with payments of only the interest, at a rate slightly higher than what low risk investments would pay us, but lower than what a second mortgage would cost on the open market. After four years, half of the second mortgage was to be paid out, leaving 35% of the sale price in the second mortgage for the full 10-year term.

All we had to do was to decide to invest in the future of organic farming by trusting and investing in the next generation of organic farmers.”

Some would suggest that we were putting ourselves in a much higher risk position than we would experience by investing in penny stocks on the Vancouver Stock Market; however, we had come to know and trust the Thurstons, and thought the risk was acceptable. Our lawyer did his job well, pointing out all of the things that could go wrong, and suggesting contract wording that would protect everyone’s interests. But, being an organic farmer himself, he understood our desire to believe in our new partners in farming.

So in 2011, we moved our belongings to a quiet property where we enjoy a bit of gardening and watching the weather on the lake. The financing arrangement met all of our needs. We never looked back and have not regretted any of our decisions.

Five years into the agreement, the Thurstons are ahead of schedule with their payments, and the farm is thriving. The transitions — into retirement for us and into farming for Matt and Molly, have been smooth and painless. All we had to do was to decide to invest in the future of organic farming by trusting and investing in the next generation of organic farmers.

Bob McCoubrey is a retired organic orchardist in the Okanagan’s Lake Country. With his wife Sharon, he farmed eight acres for 38 years before turning his efforts to mentorship, writing, volunteering, and community building.

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