Agriculture

Judy Snell has been farming for around 25 years, currently on Thistle Dew Farm in Cowichan Valley, where she raises market sheep with the help of her border collies. She also holds sheepdog competitions. (Sarah Simpson photo)

Born to herd

Border collies are all business when it comes to herding sheep

Judy Snell has been farming for around 25 years, currently on Thistle Dew Farm in Cowichan Valley, where she raises market sheep with the help of her border collies. She also holds sheepdog competitions. (Sarah Simpson photo)
Bob Davison has been farming since his teen years. Now in his 90s, he still works on the farm. His favourite apple is the Aurora. (Photo by Leah Campbell)

The secret to growing the beloved Honeycrisp apple

From 34-acres to 120, Davison Orchards Country Village going strong

Bob Davison has been farming since his teen years. Now in his 90s, he still works on the farm. His favourite apple is the Aurora. (Photo by Leah Campbell)
Denise Marchessault lives in Victoria B.C., and teaches online cooking classes. She’s also the author of two cookbooks. (Photo by Deb Garlick)

Your guide to hosting a simple but memorable dinner party

Denise Marchessault, author of The Artful Pie Project, teaches online cooking classes

Denise Marchessault lives in Victoria B.C., and teaches online cooking classes. She’s also the author of two cookbooks. (Photo by Deb Garlick)
A pair of conchuela stink bugs crawl over an amaranth plant at the front of Kathy Crosbie’s Salmon Arm home. (Lachlan Labere-Salmon Arm Observer)

Meet the little stinker sucking the life out of B.C. Interior farms and gardens

Conchuela stink bugs causing a real stink for fruit and vegetable growers

A pair of conchuela stink bugs crawl over an amaranth plant at the front of Kathy Crosbie’s Salmon Arm home. (Lachlan Labere-Salmon Arm Observer)
Megan Twaits and Jeremy Marotte at Refuge Farm and Foraged Goods in Revelstoke, B.C. (Photo by Josh Piercey/Revelstoke Review)

The seek to the steep: How a Revelstoke couple forages tea for their farming business

Jeremy Marotte and Megan Twaits swapped the nine-to-five for a forest-to-table lifestyle in 2019

Megan Twaits and Jeremy Marotte at Refuge Farm and Foraged Goods in Revelstoke, B.C. (Photo by Josh Piercey/Revelstoke Review)
Sarah Sache owns West River Farm in Rosedale, B.C., with her husband, Gene Sache, and brother-in-law, Grant Sache. She is also vice chair of the board at BC Dairy. (Photo by West River Farm)

A Rosedale dairy farm fights inflation with efficiency

Sarah Sache, the BC Dairy board vice chair, says farms should have a positive impact on the country

Sarah Sache owns West River Farm in Rosedale, B.C., with her husband, Gene Sache, and brother-in-law, Grant Sache. She is also vice chair of the board at BC Dairy. (Photo by West River Farm)
Maan Farms winery manager Gaurav Maan holds a bottle of the 2022 raspberry fruit wine, which recently won an award. (Lauren Collins)

Uncorking a gold medal: B.C.’s Maan Farms wins best fruit wine of the year

In business for over 40 years, the farm has won nearly as many medals as years it’s been in business

Maan Farms winery manager Gaurav Maan holds a bottle of the 2022 raspberry fruit wine, which recently won an award. (Lauren Collins)
Jonathan Knight pulls out two loaves of bread from his hand-built wood fired oven, after harvesting his wheat fields and grinding the wheat on his also hand-built stone ground mill. He runs his farm, WoodGrain Farm, with his partner, Jolene Swain, up in Kispiox Valley, where together they produce vegetables, seeds, flour, lamb and garlic salts. (Photo by WodGrain Farm)

A Red Seal-trained baker heads north to start an organic farm

Jonathan Knight and Jolene Swain run WoodGrain Farm, producing vegetables, lamb and flour

Jonathan Knight pulls out two loaves of bread from his hand-built wood fired oven, after harvesting his wheat fields and grinding the wheat on his also hand-built stone ground mill. He runs his farm, WoodGrain Farm, with his partner, Jolene Swain, up in Kispiox Valley, where together they produce vegetables, seeds, flour, lamb and garlic salts. (Photo by WodGrain Farm)
Shannon and Mike Farrell have been running Shamrock Farm for 30 years. (Shannon Farrell/Contributed to Black Press Media)

Vancouver Island farm creates soaps from goat milk

Shamrock Farm in Comox has been using goat milk to make soaps for almost 20 years

Shannon and Mike Farrell have been running Shamrock Farm for 30 years. (Shannon Farrell/Contributed to Black Press Media)
Vancouver innovator Kevin Kung, pictured, is hoping to give farmers an environmentally friendly alternative to open-air burning and foresters a better way to manage flammable forest residue. That work has also won him an award and $5,000 from Mitacs. (Submitted photo: Kevin Kung)

Vancouver man wins award for work aimed at improving air quality

Kevin Kung, of Takachar, developed system to locally convert crop, forest residues into high-value bioproducts

Vancouver innovator Kevin Kung, pictured, is hoping to give farmers an environmentally friendly alternative to open-air burning and foresters a better way to manage flammable forest residue. That work has also won him an award and $5,000 from Mitacs. (Submitted photo: Kevin Kung)
Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a plenary session of the Russia-Africa Summit and Economic and Humanitarian Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, July 27, 2023. (Pavel Bednyakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)

Putin promises no-cost Russian grain shipments to 6 African countries

Putin spoke at the opening session of a two-day Russia-Africa summit

Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers a speech during a plenary session of the Russia-Africa Summit and Economic and Humanitarian Forum in St. Petersburg, Russia, Thursday, July 27, 2023. (Pavel Bednyakov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)
B.C. rancher Suzanne Fradette’s cattle are driven through a forest in an undated handout photo. Fradette says they are just keeping their heads above water amid skyrocketing hay costs. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Suzanne Fradette

B.C. ranchers struggle as drought sends hay prices soaring

Price of feed up about 30 per cent, ranchers say as they fight to stay afloat

B.C. rancher Suzanne Fradette’s cattle are driven through a forest in an undated handout photo. Fradette says they are just keeping their heads above water amid skyrocketing hay costs. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Suzanne Fradette
Cows grazing at W Diamond Ranch. B.C.’s agriculture minister says the province is working to get hay for farmers and ranchers who need it immediately. (W Diamond Ranch).

B.C. working to source hay, feed for farmers in need immediately

Federal program to also provide advance payments for those facing cash-flow challenges

Cows grazing at W Diamond Ranch. B.C.’s agriculture minister says the province is working to get hay for farmers and ranchers who need it immediately. (W Diamond Ranch).
Little Qualicum Cheeseworks in Parksville, B.C., has Canada’s first milk tap. (Photo by Katie Friess)

Milk on tap dispenser from Vancouver Island believed to be Canada’s first

‘Creamy goodness’: pasteurized, whole milk, farm to your reusable bottle

Little Qualicum Cheeseworks in Parksville, B.C., has Canada’s first milk tap. (Photo by Katie Friess)
Becky Young converted a 23-foot 1999 international Thomas school bus with her husband, Gary Eichenauer. Young is the executive director of Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF). (Photo by Gary Eichenauer)

WWOOF connects travellers with organic farmers in exchange for room, board

Travel the world one organic farm at a time

Becky Young converted a 23-foot 1999 international Thomas school bus with her husband, Gary Eichenauer. Young is the executive director of Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF). (Photo by Gary Eichenauer)
Karnail Singh Sidhu started making wine at Kalala Organic Estate Winery in 2006 before opening the doors to the public in 2008. (Brittany Webster)

From engineer to winemaker, an Okanagan success story

Sidhu moved from India to the Okanagan with his family in 1993

  • Jul 9, 2023
Karnail Singh Sidhu started making wine at Kalala Organic Estate Winery in 2006 before opening the doors to the public in 2008. (Brittany Webster)
An Abbotsford company is seeking almost $2.5 million (CAN) in damages from the insurance company Lloyd’s Underwriters after more than two million pounds of blueberries were lost in 2019 after they thawed in a freezer. (Stock photo from Pixabay)

Abbotsford company seeks almost $2.5M after loss of 2M pounds of blueberries

Valley Select Foods says insurance company should pay after frozen fruit thaws

An Abbotsford company is seeking almost $2.5 million (CAN) in damages from the insurance company Lloyd’s Underwriters after more than two million pounds of blueberries were lost in 2019 after they thawed in a freezer. (Stock photo from Pixabay)
Silvia and Franz Laffer (middle), with their family Selina, Everly and Kyle Staples (L) and Aletta, Minette, Florian and Sebastian Laffer (R). The Laffer’s own Sunshine Ranch in Horsefly, B.C. Their children and grandchildren live nearby. (Kim Kimberlin Photo/Black Press)

From a butcher shop to a wedding venue, Sunshine Ranch in Horsefly diversifies

Silvia and Franz Laffer moved to Horsefly in 1993

Silvia and Franz Laffer (middle), with their family Selina, Everly and Kyle Staples (L) and Aletta, Minette, Florian and Sebastian Laffer (R). The Laffer’s own Sunshine Ranch in Horsefly, B.C. Their children and grandchildren live nearby. (Kim Kimberlin Photo/Black Press)
French Canadian sommelier Marie-Eve Arseneault started Smithereens Mushrooms with her husband, French chef Alexis Galus. (Photo by Smithereens Mushroom)

A sommelier and chef head to northern B.C. to grow mushrooms

Mushroom growers turn personal consumption into commercial operation in Smithers, B.C.

French Canadian sommelier Marie-Eve Arseneault started Smithereens Mushrooms with her husband, French chef Alexis Galus. (Photo by Smithereens Mushroom)
Copper Mountain Lavender is located in Blewett, B.C., a village west of Nelson. (Photo by Rebecca Plaine)

A planting party outside of Nelson turns one lavender plant into 7,000

Rebecca Plaine of Copper Mountain Lavender says there’s no stress when smelling the fields

Copper Mountain Lavender is located in Blewett, B.C., a village west of Nelson. (Photo by Rebecca Plaine)