Orchard & Vine Spring 2021

Crown & Thieves New 'Providence' Cider Apple

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Display Until May 15, 2021 Publication Mail Agreement No. 40838008 www.orchardandvine.net

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Spring 2021

3

Your Okanagan Farm Sales Team

Your Listing Here GEEN + BYRNE SOLD 15 FARMS IN THE LAST YEAR

Looking to sell your Okanagan farm?

There has never been a better time!

Why List Your Farm With Geen + Byrne?

• Decades of Agricultural Experience • Negotiating Excellence • Unparalleled Marketing • Extensive Contact List • Agricultural Expertise • Respected and well known as authorities on agricultural real estate in the Okanagan and Similkameen.

Farm sales are highly complex and full of potential liabilities. There’s no surprises with Geen + Byrne. We have you covered!

Want to save commission and sell yourself? We urge you to think again…

Geen + Byrne Offers Sellers: • Top Dollar Sale Prices - Proven Results • Listing with Geen + Byrne has proven time after time they net Sellers more money, even after commissions than they would have been able to achieve with a private sale, not to mention all of the reasons above.

• In order to achieve maximum sale price, maximum exposure and representation is required. Once that happens you’ll need the experts to navigate the complex process of competing interest. Without sufficient competition the chances of generating the highest offer are slim.

• With record numbers of Buyers coming from outside the valley it is more essential than ever to list with a professional team that can not only reach other markets but also respond to their demands.

• Geen + Byrne has the marketing and skills you need with over 34 years combined experience at your fingertips, as well as our experienced, full-time assistant, Hedy Walker.

OkanaganFarms.com 4

Spring 2021

Sales@GeenByrne.com

Introducing Shaun Everest, MBA Jerry Geen and Elya Byrne are pleased to welcome their new team member Shaun Everest to the Geen + Byrne Real Estate Team. Shaun has joined them in the important role of Real Estate Purchasing Specialist. His market expertise is of great benefit to buyers looking for top notch service and professional advice in their search for an Okanagan farm property!

With a short stop in Vancouver to complete his Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Shaun got lucky when his employer transferred him to Kelowna in 1991. A good deal of his time was working in the wine industry. Shaun was involved in upper level management at Tinhorn Creek Winery for nearly two decades! He has lived in several communities in the Okanagan valley for over 24 years and believes it is second-to-none as a place to live and grow. He raised his family here and has no regrets about relocating from Ontario in 1987. Shaun always had a strong interest in real estate and obtained his BC Real Estate licence in 2019.

Shaun’s words “I love what I do! I get invested in my clients’ dreams and I don’t rest until they are met. Nothing makes me happier.” Shaun’s business sense and agricultural background make him well-suited as a committed member of the Geen + Byrne Real Estate Team.

OkanaganFarms.com After having worked closely together for several years prior, Jerry and Elya launched their partnership in 2015, the Geen + Byrne Real Estate Team and they haven’t looked back!

Jerry and Elya were honoured with the RE/MAX Diamond Team award in 2018, which was the highest level team award for RE/ MAX internationally. Their knowledge of the community and agricultural land are unparalleled in the industry.

Jerry began his career at RE/MAX Kelowna in 2003, at the time partnering with his father, former BCFGA president Gerald Geen P.Ag. In 1904 Jerry’s great grandparents moved to the Ellison district of Kelowna, and the family has been continuously farming in the central Okanagan ever since! Jerry is strongly committed to continuing on in the Geen family farm real estate legacy. Jerry’s dedication and panache are thoroughly evidenced through his many individual accomplishments, but most importantly the rave reviews he receives from happy clientele. He has proven that his honest and genuine way of doing business is very much appreciated by his clients. His knowledge of the community and agricultural land are unparalleled in the industry.

Elya is a third generation Lake Country (Winfield) resident and enjoys her small acreage and cherry orchard with her family there today. Although she started her career with RE/MAX with a brief stint on Vancouver Island, it didn’t take long before her roots and the warm summers called her back home, and she has since been working for the central Okanagan’s leading brokerage RE/ MAX Kelowna ever since. With family roots in real estate and orcharding, Elya offers a thorough knowledge of the nuances of farm sales. She helps many clients at different life stages with a variety of transactions, whether it’s a small hobby farm or a large scale farm, and we are confident that our comprehensive care gives clients more support during these important transactions. Our clients quickly feel at ease while making one of the largest financial investments of their lives.

Call or text 250-878-6545 to get in touch. We are here to ensure you get the highest quality guidance and price for your property.

Your local experts in farm, residential, and estate properties

250-878-6545

KELOWNA 250-717-5000

Independently owned and operated 5 Spring 2021 100-1553 Harvey Ave. Kelowna V1Y 6G1

Photo by BCFGA

62

CONTENTS

Housing for season agricultural workers in BC. To find out more about the new COVID-19 rules and regulations see page 62.

8 Publisher's View – Lisa Olson 10 Calendar 11 News & Events 25 The Story Behind Crown & Thieves Photo by Ronda Payne

31 Buyer's Guide

53 31

Photo by © Valmedia Creatives | Dreamstime.com

Jason Smith, blueberry farmer from Matsqui, BC.

50 'Providence' The New Cider Apple 53 4th Generation Farm – Next Generation Tech 55 Cool Climate Viticulture in BC 57 The Benefits of Cover Crops 61 The Word on Wine – Carie Jones 62 Seeds Of Growth – Glen Lucas 65 Legal Libations – Denese Espeut-Post 67 Marketing Mix – Leeann Froese

6

31 Spring 2021

69 Environment – Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship 70 Canadian Winemaker Series – Alison Moyes Cover photo of Jason Parkes at Crown & Thieves Winery in West Kelowna.

Photo by Gary Symons

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Spring 2021

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 PUBLISHER’S VIEW | LISA OLSON

Tail Wagging Spring!

Vol. 62, No 2 Spring 2021

Who has had a morning lately where you wake up feeling like a new puppy wagging it’s tail, ready to greet the day with so much excitement? This spring, we are in our second season of dealing with a different way of doing business, or living life, so I hope you can squeeze in some joyful moments.

Established in 1959 Publisher Lisa Olson Editor Gary Symons Graphic Design

Do you ever wonder how a successful winery gets started? Was it for the love of wine, or did they start with a vineyard and then evolve into making wine and then build a tasting room, or were there elaborate plans for a large-scale building with plenty of room for tour buses and overnight stays? Each winery has it’s own unique story of how it came to be. In this issue we bring you the story of how Jason Parkes launched three wineries and a cidery, most recently with the new Crown & Thieves Winery, already popular while still under construction!

Writers

Photo by Kimberly Brooke Photography

Wineries, Cideries and fruit farming need good soil, plants, able-bodied staff and quality equipment to do the job well.

While you are reading through the magazine take particular note of the suppliers and service providers inside the magazine. They are here to provide expert advice and the ability to recommend the latest quality products and equipment to help you produce the best products.

Stephanie Symons

ing new red-fleshed cider apple on the horizon, developed by the University of Guelph.

In this issue Glen Lucas shares where we’re at this year with farm labour. Find out more about the importance and value of human rights in the workplace in the Legal Libations column.

With spring arriving and the buds getting ready to blossom, I know many in our industry are looking forward to a post-COVID era with new excitement and hope for the future. After a year of struggle, let’s hope that in amongst our obstacles and daily struggles we have some days this spring as joyful as a puppy experiencing a new day!

Speaking of cideries, there’s a fascinat-

Enjoy the magazine!

Adewale Ajayi, Denese Espeut-Post, Leeann Froese, Carie Jones, Glen Lucas, Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship, Ronda Payne, Gary Symons, Tom Walker Contact lisa@orchardandvine.net Orchard & Vine Magazine Ltd. Mailing Address 22-2475 Dobbin Road Suite #578 West Kelowna, BC V4T 2E9 www.orchardandvine.net Phone: 778-754-7078 Fax: 1-866-433-3349 Orchard & Vine Magazine is published six times a year and distributed by addressed mail to growers, suppliers and wineries in the Okanagan, Kootenays, Fraser Valley, Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Washington State and across Canada. Orchard & Vine is also available online.

Publications Mail Agreement No. 40838008 Undeliverable copies should be sent to: 22-2475 Dobbin Road Suite #578 West Kelowna, BC V4T 2E9

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Spring 2021

Professional Representation of Buyers and Sellers for horticultural, farm, acreage and estate properties throughout the Okanagan

1448 Latta Road, Kelowna 3309 McCulloch Road, Kelowna 20.9 acre medium density apple Caralyn Vineyards. Largest orchard. $7,000+ per month in table grape grower in rental revenue. 2 homes + Okanagan. +/- 11.56 acres w/ worker accommodations.

3980 sq.ft. executive home.

Listed at $3,600,000 Listed at $3,400,000

1271 McKenzie Road, Kelowna 23.01 acre lot with 14 acres of irrigation rights. Multiple building sites and great views.

Sold ABOVE asking.

Listed at $1,700,000

16070 Carrs Landing Road, Lake Country 5.9 acre lakeshore estate property with 2 homes.

Unparalleled privacy. $15,000,000

2834 Belgo Road, Kelowna 17+ acres w/ 7000+ sq.ft home & 12.5 acres irrigation rights.

Former garden nursery. Land suitable for orchard.

Listed at $2,995,000

4675 June Springs Road 11 bedroom, 11 bathroom lodge on 12+ acres w/ equestrian facilities. Two separate businesses included. $3,350,000

3502 East Kelowna Road 12.78 acre apple and cherry orchard w/ well maintained home. Duplex for farm help. 2 separate outbuildings.

Listed at $2,600,000

Remainder NE1/4 Oyama Lake Road, Lake Country 50.7 acres of rurally zoned land, ready to be subdivided with great views. $1,795,000

Lot B Cemetery Road, Lake Country 6.9 acres of rurally zoned land with immediate subdivision potential. Great lake views. $794,000

2672 Woodland Crescent Kelowna 10.8 acres not in the ALR in Central Kelowna. 3600+ sq.ft. home. Excellent potential. $1,849,999

Thoughts leading into 2021

6022 Oyama Lake Road 2465 Brentwood Road, Kelowna Lake Country 13.919 acres w/ water rights.

2019-built walk-out rancher on 3500 sq.ft. home w/ 2/3 bed 12 acres of land. Tons of suite. Detached garage w/ suite. parking and great views.

Modular home. Great rental rev. $1,399,000 $2,599,000

488 Bailey Road, Vernon 4.07 acres w/ pond frontage, large outbuilding, multiple building sites. Excellent hobby farm property. $819,000

16051 Barkley Road Lake Country 11 acres of rurally zoned land in Carrs Landing w/ home, quonset, subdivision potential. $1,070,000

The farm, acreage, estate and unique property market continues to show promising activity as we start off the new year. Accurately priced product continues to sell in a prompt manner.

Low inventory continues to drive healthy purchase prices throughout the Okanagan valley. Tree fruits in particular are in very high demand; Bare land and under-utilized parcels continue to see strong activity as orchardists look towards converting the land use to tree fruits. 2021 is shaping up to be a great year for these property categories.

5 Generations of Family Farming Experience in the Okanagan!

Great Great Grandfather Thorlakur Thorlakson harvesting grain on the Commonage near Predator Ridge in Vernon.

Great Grandfather Lewis Marshall living in a tent on his first orchard in the Glenmore area of Kelowna.

Grandfather Rexford Marshall next to a newly planted orchard in the Carrs Landing area of Lake Country.

Ÿ Born and raised in the

Central Okanagan! Ÿ 4-year B.Comm Degree in Real Estate/Finance from Canada’s #1 Ranked Business School Ÿ Proven and aggressive farmfocused marketing plan!

Professional and knowledgeable representation of both Buyers and Sellers of Farm Properties in the Okanagan Valley!

REALTOR® / Associate-Broker KELOWNA

Father Lance next to nursery stock in the Carrs Landing area of Lake Country.

Scott training young cherry trees in the Black Mountain area of Kelowna.

I’ve represented Buyers and Sellers in over 1500 acres of farmland purchases and sales in the last year!

I am uniquely qualified to effectively assist with the purchase and sale of horticultural, farm, acreage and estate properties. To take advantage of generations of valued agricultural experience in the Okanagan, call Scott Marshall for your farm property needs!

Scott Marshall 250-470-2388

PREC*

www.ScottMarshallHomes.com www.KelownaFarms.ca Scott@ScottMarshallHomes.com E & OE: Information is deemed correct but not guaranteed. *Personal Real Estate Corporation. Sales include MLS & private sales.

Photo by Aliaksandr Mazurkevich | Dreamstime.com

 SPRING | EVENTS

Wine & Tai Chi Demonstrations • April 24, Off the Grid Organic Winery • May 12, Grizzli Estate Winery • June 19, Ciao Bella Winery • July 14, Rollingdale Organic Winery • Aug. 29, Kalala Organic Estate Winery • Sept. 19, Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery http://winecountrytaichi.ca Ontario Craft Wineries Virtual Conference May 11 & 12 Www.Ontariocraftwineconference.Ca BC Enology & Viticulture Conference Dates to be announced www.bcwgc.org

EVERY WINE HAS A STORY...

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Wine Marketing & Tourism Conference August 3-5 Eugene, Oregon ww.winemediaconference.org Wine Media Conference August 5-7 Eugene, Oregon ww.winemediaconference.org Canada’s Digital Farm Show September 14 - 16 www.outdoorfarmshow.com/ International Conferences on Wine Tourism September 23-24 https://waset.org Fortify Virtual Conference November 16 https://fortifyconference.ca/

 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

19 Bistro Opens this Spring at Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards A new winery restaurant will open in BC this spring in a partnership between 19 Okanagan Grill + Bar and Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards. The new eatery will be named 19 Bistro @ Fitz, and is scheduled to open on May 1st.

Culinary offerings will focus on fresh pizzas prepared in a brick wood-fired oven, and dishes that showcase the ingredients grown and created by local farmers and producers, all crafted to pair perfectly with Fitzpatrick wines.

Photo contributed

“I am very excited to join the effervescent team at Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards,” said Neil Martens, the restaurant’s owner/manager. “19 Bistro @ Fitz will open our amazing patio on May 1, 2021 with the goal of providing an approachable, yet sophisticated wine country experience for all of our guests.”

Gordon Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards and Neil Martens, owner of 19 Okanagan Grill + Bar.

Scott Labs Welcomes New Penticton Warehouse Manager!

Scott Labs is excited to introduce Steven Zeiler as their new Penticton Warehouse Manager. Scott Labs Canada has been meeting the needs of the Canadian beverage industry since 1969 with innovative solutions and products including fermentation goods, filtration media, equipment, packaging products and laboratory services.

Zeiler joins Scott Labs after eight years with Growers Supply Company, working out of their Penticton location. Zeiler will replace Ken Karpuk who is off to retirement after helping Scott Labs get their new Penticton facility off the ground in early 2020.

Photo contributed

The Scott Labs Penticton warehouse stocks a full assortment of fermentation and filtration supplies for West Coast cideries, wineries and breweries. These include products from Lallemand, Erbsloeh, IOC, Pall, 2B Ferm, Arobois and Scott’s full range of private label products.

Steven Zeiler, Scott's new warehouse manager.

Steven can be reached at szeiler@scottlabsltd.com or by calling the Penticton facility at 250-493-6860, or alternatively, for technical production inquiries, Alan Marks is also available to support operations.

SIGNATURE LTD.

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Phone: 250.488.8497 Email: p.madevon@shaw.ca

Spring 2021

11

 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Canadian Blueberries Ruled No Threat to US Producers Canada has won a critical ruling at the US International Trade Commission, which concluded the import of Canadian blueberries does not pose a threat to US blueberry producers.

Photo by Marlene Degrood dreamstime.com

The BC Blueberry Council says it’s pleased with the ruling, with BC Blueberry Council Board chair Jack Bates saying, “Now our members can focus on the growing year ahead, instead of being concerned with trade penalties.”

John Tentomas, President and CEO of Nature’s Touch, one of BC’s largest exporters, said the US is an important market for the BC blueberry industry, with approximately 100 million pounds exported annually.

“Blueberries, both cultivated and wild, are very important industries that are fulfilling health and wellness needs of consumers in both the USA and Canada,” Tentomas says. “We face the same opportunities and challenges and have managed them together, as true industry and government peers. We are thankful that this decision continues to reflect on this partnership.”

Westberry Farms president Parm Bains agreed, saying, “Getting a confirmation from the authorities proves the position we have always stood by. We look forward to continuing to strengthen business ties and work closely with the United States High Bush Blueberry Council

(USHBC) and blueberry buyers and brokers in promoting blueberries in North America.”

The United States Trade Representative requested last year a Section 201 ‘global safeguard investigation’ to see if exports caused “serious injury or threat thereof” to US blueberry growers. The commission ruled unanimously that Canadian exports caused no injury to the US industry.

“This is great news!” said Jason Smith, BC Blueberry Council Finance Committee chair and co-founder/crop advisor at Pier Consulting. “The BC industry has been working with the US industry for many years. This ruling shows the importance and recognition of our long history of

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working together for the betterment of both of our industries.”

The US industry, however, was disappointed with the ruling.

“We disagree with the outcome of the Commissioner’s investigation,” said the American Blueberry Growers Alliance (ABGA).

“Throughout this case, blueberry growers across the United States provided the ITC with extensive data and personal experiences about the significant harm caused by surging imports on the supply and pricing of blueberries in the US market, especially during our critical growing and harvest seasons.”

 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Canada's Farm Incomes On Track For A Record Year

Over 35,000

SOLD

Worldwide!

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada has completed an analysis of farm income for 2020 and 2021, and the results show that Canadian farm income and the value of farms is expected to be at an alltime high.

The agriculture sector is expected to see significant growth in key financial areas for 2020 and 2021, according to MarieClaude Bibeau, the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

Net cash income (NCI) is forecast to have grown by 21.8 per cent in 2020, from $13.5 billion in 2019 to $16.5 billion in 2020. Farm-level income is also forecast to have increased in 2020, with average net operating income (NOI) per farm increasing by 25.4 per cent, from just under $76,000 in 2019 to approximately $95,000 in 2020. Average farm family income is forecast to have increased by 8.6 per cent to just over $194,000 in 2020.

Bibeau says there continues to be uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, but based on the expectation that normal market conditions return, NCI is forecast to further grow in 2021 by 6.8 per cent to $17.6 billion. Average farm-level NOI is forecast to increase 8.5 per cent to approximately $103,000 per farm, and average farm family income is forecast to grow 7.2 per cent to just under $208,000.

Net worth is forecast to reach $3.5 million per farm, up 2.9 per cent from 2020 levels.

The sector also had a strong export showing in 2020, reaching nearly $74 billion, up from $67 billion in 2019. This brings the government close to achieving its target of $75 billion in agri-food and seafood exports by 2025. The sector has shown resilience in posting a record performance for agriculture and agrifood exports, despite COVID-19 and its challenges. The agricultural sector is an engine of growth, helping to restart the Canadian economy.

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Spring 2021

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 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

BC Farmers' Market Awards Names Recipients at Virtual Conference The BC Association of Farmers’ Markets (BCAFM) celebrated the best of BC at the eighth annual BC Farmers’ Market Awards at its first ever virtual conference.

Adding a new category of Farmers’ Market Champion, to recognize an outstanding advocate for farmers’ markets, the awards ceremony celebrated individuals and organizations that made exceptional contributions to the BC farmers’ market sector in 2020.

• Farmers’ Market Champion: Columbia Valley Community Economic Development Team (Ryan Watmough) • Farmers’ Market of the Year (Large, 61+ vendors): Esquimalt Farmers Market • Farmers’ Market of the Year (Medium, 21-60 vendors): Main St. Station Farmers’ Market (Vancouver Farmers’ Markets) • Farmers’ Market of the Year (Small, up to 20 vendors): Nicola Valley Farmers’ Market

For a complete list of winners visit https://bcfarmersmarket.org

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To say new Merivon® fungicide offers more is a bit of an understatement.

It helps berries thrive with a long list of advantages, including protection against a range of diseases, two modes of action, extended residual and unique plant health benefits. It all adds up to getting more where it counts most – in yield potential. Visit agsolutions.ca/horticulture to discover more.

Always read and follow label directions.

AgSolutions and MERIVON are registered trade-marks of BASF, used under license by BASF Canada Inc. © 2021 BASF Canada Inc.

14 Spring 2021

 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

New Board Members Elected at the BCFGA The BC Fruit Growers’ Association elected four of its eight-member Board of Directors on February 25, 2021.

Vernon's Jeet Dukhia has been elected as vice-president of the BC Fruit Growers Association Joginder Dhand and Mani Gill were named North Region directors.

Ravinder Gill was elected as South Region director.

Pinder Dhaliwal remains as president of the organization.

Outgoing incumbents in the election include Vice President Peter Simonsen and director David Dobernigg, who were thanked for their service to the industry.

Retiring director Sukdev Goraya was also thanked for his service on the Board.

The BCFGA represents 350 commercial tree fruit growers in BC.

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Spring 2021

15

 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

New Certification Program Adopted for Virus-free Vines

On March 8 the Canadian Grapevine Certification Network (CGCN-RCCV) released amendments to their Certification Standards. These amendments include the development of an entirely new set of standards called “Certification Program, Option 2 Protocols,” and minor changes to their original Certification program that has now been renamed “Certification Program, Option 1 Protocols.”

The “Option 2” protocol was developed to address the immediate need for certified grapevine propagating material by allowing certification of already existing vineyard blocks through the use of HighThroughput Sequencing (HTS) testing technology currently performed by the Brock University Cool Climate Oenology

and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI).

“The CGCN-RCCV was created because a healthy wine industry in Canada depends on healthy Canadian-produced virus-free vines,” says Bob Prange, CGCN-RCCV’s Secretary and Chair of the Certification Committee. “The CGCN-RCCV hopes that offering a new “Option 2” source of ‘Certified’ vines will better serve the current needs of our growers.”

Photo by Chiyacat dreamstime.com

The Canadian Grapevine Certification Network is changing the landscape of grapevine certification as we know it.

Hans Buchler, Chair of the CGCN-RCCV explains that establishing “Option 1” propagating blocks can take up to seven years before sufficient material becomes available for nurseries.

“Option 2” will speed up this process to generally less than one year. Material propagated under the “Option 2” protocol will be labelled and deemed ‘Certified,’ while material propagated under

New standards have been developed for virus-free vines.

the “Option 1” protocol will be labelled and deemed ‘Certified Plus.’

BC Tree Fruits Cooperative has Turned Over a New Leaf erties, we have made capital investments in equipment to improve efficiencies, and we are relentless in our pursuit to reduce costs.

As local tree fruit growers finish winter pruning their trees, the Board of Directors and management of BC Tree Fruits Cooperative are putting in place multiple changes to the organization, turning over a new leaf and setting the Cooperative on a new path to modernize its business model.

Significant changes have been made to modernize the way the Cooperative works, including how the business is governed by its Board and membership. “In the last 18 months we have taken significant steps to turn over a new leaf,”

says Warren Sarafinchan, CEO of BC Tree Fruits Cooperative. “We have accelerated the process of right sizing the Cooperative assets by selling under-utilized prop-

The fruit industry in the Okanagan Valley is plagued with low grower returns – not enough money is getting back to the growers for their fruit. “As an industry, ultimately we need to improve grower profitability. If we don’t, there simply won’t be local fruit to buy in the future”, says Sarafinchan. “Our first installment of apple payments back to the growers saw a significant increase over last year.”

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16 Spring 2021

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 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

$16.9 million For Worker Safety and Food Supply Chain in BC The federal government has earmarked $16.9 million to support food processors in BC through the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has brought on many challenges for the food processing industry,” said Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

“We are here to support our essential food workers, who continue to provide Canadians access to a secure food supply.

Through the Emergency Processing Fund, we are giving businesses the support

they need to keep their employees safe and our food systems running strong.”

Bibeau says Canadian food producers and processors have stepped up to deliver quality food for Canadians throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, so government has to do its part as well. The $16.9 million in additional funding was allocated through the Emergency Processing Fund for 117 food processing companies in British Columbia.

With this funding, recipients are adopting measures to help keep employees safe. This includes making adjustments to enable social distancing, purchasing reuseable personal protective equipment (PPE), increasing cleaning, improving air circulation within their facilities and developing employee training. These improvements help producers and processors supply Canadians with the food they need during this unprecedented time.

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Spring 2021

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 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Finding an Innovative Way to Keep Business Going Through Covid-19 The events industry has worked hard to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic, and one event, the BC Wine, Cider & Spirits Festival has succeeding in keeping their mission statement at the forefront of their new direction.

“Our mission has always been to support all things British Columbian, in a fun and unique way,” says general manager Katherine Bramall. “thebcbasket.com has given us the ability not only to bring a tasting event right into peoples homes, but also feature numerous British Columbian products each month.”

The company began shipping their subscription baskets in November of 2020 and have already featured more than 45 locally owned and operated businesses.

Photo contributed

thebcbasket.com is a new company offering monthly subscription baskets made up of 1 red wine, 1 white wine, 1 sparkling wine, 1 craft beer, 1 craft cider, 1 craft liquor as well as numerous other British Columbian produced products. These baskets are delivered to the client’s home, and feature a tasting card so you can learn as you sample. thebcbasket.com lets you taste your way through BC craft wine,cider, spirits and beer monthly.

Wine & Tai Chi – 108 Ways to Good Health & Wine in the Okanagan

By Charlene Waines Wiltink The Wine Country Tai Chi Society is launching the world’s first ‘Wine & Chi’ series on International Tai Chi Day, April 24, in BC’s Okanagan Valley. Experts will demonstrate the mesmerizing 108 Tai Chi moves against a spectacular backdrop of local wineries and vineyards. At some events the group will pull out their swords for an even more dramatic display.

Photo by C. Waines.

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese form of movements and exercise.

Each move has a unique name and character, just like wine, like “Grasp Birds Tail,” “Carry Tiger to Mountain,” or “Ward Off Monkeys.”

Events will take place April 24 at Off the Grid, May 12 at Grizzli Estate, June 19 at Ciao Bella, July 14 at Rollingdale, Aug. 29 at Kalala, and Sept. 19 at Mt. Boucherie.

Yvonne and Doug Waines practising Thai Chi.

http://winecountrytaichi.ca

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18 Spring 2021

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 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

Dandurand adds TIME Family of Wines to Portfolio The TIME Family of Wines has named Dandurand as their new distribution partner, adding Canadian brands TIME Wines, McWatters Collection, and Evolve Cellars to the agency’s stellar portfolio.

Dandurand now represents TIME and its family of wines in western Canada and will drive the company’s efforts to distribute wines on a national level.

As the largest family-run wine importation and spirits business in Canada, Dandurand’s expertise and country-wide reach are key factors for this appointment.

Dandurand is known for choosing a carefully and strategically selected portfolio of producers from around the globe, but TIME is their first wine producer from Canada.

“The addition of these excellent VQA wines to our portfolio will allow us to access the customer and consumer marketplace in a deeper way, providing an even more full-service portfolio with a local offering,” said Hugues Gauthier, President of Dandurand.

With more than 130 employees and 50 years of experience, Dandurand is the largest family-run wine and spirit importation business in Canada.

Christa-Lee McWatters, general manager at TIME Family of Wines says she’s excited to work with the Dandurand team.

“With heartfelt thanks for the work of our previous distribution partners, we are ready to embark on a new journey with Dandurand, with the objective of strengthening our position as a top-quality and widely available VQA producer, in western Canada and beyond,” she said.

“We are excited to take on this new challenge to grow our brands’ presence throughout Canada. This is a plan that has been in the making for some time and we are confident Dandurand will help us achieve positive results.”

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Spring 2021

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 SPRING | NEWS & EVENTS

OUR ROOTS ARE IN AGRICULTURE

The Corkscrew Inn Wine Museum

THAT’S WHY WE UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU DO IS A WAY OF LIFE. We have a team of agribusiness experts here to support you every step of the way, helping to choose the right solutions for your unique needs.

Photo contributed

WHAT MAKES US UNIQUE? — OUR ROOTS ARE IN FISHING, FARMING AND AGRICULTURE. Our credit union was founded by the farming community. Over the last several decades, our cooperative has grown to $14 billion in assets, and counting.

— WE ACT LOCAL. Not only is our team of experts geographically dispersed to serve you where you are; decisions are made locally across the table, not across the country.

— WE HELP OUR MEMBERS AND COMMUNITIES THRIVE. As a financial cooperative, a portion of our profits go back to our members and communities. Like you, we live and work here, so investing in our communities is at the cornerstone of who we are.

We can’t wait to learn more about your business.

Contact your local Agriculture Advisor today: Amrik Gill | Agriculture Advisor Serving the Lower Mainland 604-309-6513 | amgill@envisionfinancial.ca

Toby Frisk | Director, Agribusiness Serving the Thompson, Okanagan, Enderby and Similkameen regions 778-212-3415 | tfrisk@firstwestcu.ca

Cash Reumkens | Agriculture Advisor Serving Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island 250-701-3426 | creumkens@islandsavings.ca

Divisions of First West Credit Union

20 Spring 2021

Contents of the wine museum are for sale online.

If wineries in BC are looking for antique decorations for their tasting rooms, Wayne Meadows may have what you’re looking for.

After 20 years the Corkscrew Inn B&B has closed, and Meadows is disposing of its contents. The museum contains unique items including many corkscrews, antique bar corkscrews and assorted wine, vineyard, coopering tools, and related items.

The Corkscrew Inn website is still alive at https://www.corkscrewinn.com/home. Click on “museum” to see what’s available.

Anyone interested in purchasing items or want specific photographs, can contact Wayne Meadows at wmeadows@telus.net

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Spring 2021

21

 SPRING | PRODUCT PROFILE

New Book on Chemical Analysis of Grapes and Wine by Patrick Iland A new book by renowned author and wine testing expert Patrick Iland is now available for order through Bosa Grape.

Iland’s past books have been used by many wineries as an excellent reference guide in their labs. It teaches winemakers how to perform tests they normally need to do on their grapes and wine.

‘Techniques and methods for chemical, physical and sensory analyses and tests of grapes and wine’ has been completely revised and updated.

The book is a 142 page, plastic-coated, full-colour manual on "how to perform the analyses and tests.” This book is ideally suited for day-to-day use in the wine laboratory, as a training resource and as a student text in wine courses. The authors include academics, winemakers and industry personnel with many years of experience in teaching, research and industry practice.

The book is available via Bosa Grape’s online catalogue: ecom.bosagrape.com

Chemical Analysis of Grapes and Wine.

Sophisticated Burgundy Wine Bottles from Ardagh Group Ardagh Group, Glass – North America, a business unit of Ardagh Group and the largest producer of glass wine bottles made 100% in North America, offers a wide selection of premium wine bottles in a variety of colors, sizes, styles and finishes.

Ardagh’s premium wine bottles help signify a brand’s reputation for quality and sustainability. Brands looking for sophisticated bottles for their brands turn to Ardagh’s Grace, Retro and Cheyanne burgundy wine bottles. Designed in high-quality glass, Ardagh’s Grace, Retro and Cheyanne burgundy wine bottles deliver great shelf appeal in a premium, sustainable package.

From bottle options to flexibility in ordering, we’ll work with you to accommodate the unique needs of your winery. With Antique Green, Dead Leaf Green, Champagne Green and Flint furnaces running year-round and a large range of bottle weights and finishes, we’re able to offer tremendous choice to our customers.

To view Ardagh’s extensive wine bottle stock portfolio, which are all made in the U.S., visit ardaghgroup.com/wine2021.

Call Ardagh today to learn more about our extensive bottle portfolio and the exceptional quality and service you can expect from your local glass manufacturer.

Wineries can contact Ardagh at 707-200-9350 (West) or 317-558-1585 (Central/East) or marketing.glass.na@ardaghgroup.com.

Wineries, Distilleries and Cideries Ingredients, Laboratory Products,Supplies and Equipment Shop online at: ecom.bosagrape.com orders@bosagrape.com

6908 Palm Ave Burnaby BC - Phone 604-473-9463 - Toll Free 1-866-554-7273 - Web ecom.bosagrape.com 22 Spring 2021

 SPRING | PRODUCT PROFILE

Farmer's Hive Sensor Tech Helping the Grape Growing Industry The Vancouver-based agritech company Farmer’s Hive has released a new ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) technology that allows growers to remotely monitor the weather and environment on the farm.

Wine grapes are considered among the most delicate and nuanced forms of agricultural produce, and around the world experienced producers have experimented with adaptations to monitor changes in weather and climate. From droughts, to hotter summers, to warmer winters, to the unexpected catastrophic weather

event, knowing what’s happening to the crop is all important, the company says.

To stay constantly on top of changes in weather and conditions, Farmer’s Hive has introduced remote monitoring of the micro-climates in real-time as a plugand-play solution. The system is wireless, and requires no computer, no third party network, and no installers are needed for set up.

Farmer’s Hive simply sends the IoT device to the farmer. It is then connected to a standard electrical outlet or battery pack

and begins sending a live stream of environmental data. Information is available from anywhere through the Farmer’s Hive cloud-based platform. “This means, there is an understanding of what is happening in the environment from anywhere in real-time to improve plant health,” the company says.

Farmer’s Hive delivers the latest in sensor technology using Internet of Things to remotely communicate your agricultural environment in real-time.

26.82 ACRES BLACK MOUNTAIN With 3 legal titles that envelope The Belgo Pond, one of the largest wetlands in Kelowna! Approx 10 acres of vineyard planted around the pond. One Title has 2 homes. 2 Titles have no dwellings & can be built on. Close to Rutland town centre & only 10 minutes from Orchard Park Mall.

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11.52 ACRES S.E. KELOWNA Panoramic lake & valley views! Luxury 8,200 sq ft contemporary home, 7 Bdrms, triple garage + 11,200 sq ft heated workshop, 2nd 4 BR home. Equestrian set up with indoor & outdoor riding arenas. Suitable for a wide variety of agricultural uses. Perfect spot for a vineyard & winery. $6,995,000 MLS®10218937

10 ACRES RUTLAND NORTH With luxury custom built home with bright open concept, 20’ ceilings, 3 BRs + den, 3,437 sq ft + unfinished basement. 2 car garage + 2 car detached garage. This flat parcel of land is suitable for a wide variety of agricultural uses or run a few horses. Close to shopping, schools & UBCO. $2,595,000 MLS®10209818

18 ACRES S.E. KELOWNA Private setting with approx 1,500 feet of frontage on Mission Creek! Bi-level home with 3,000 sqft, 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 fireplaces, covered sundeck, 1 carport. This property also has 1 duplex with 2 rental units + a single rental unit + a farm worker cottage generating good income. $2,395,000 MLSr10225874

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Spring 2021

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24 Spring 2021

The Story Behind Crown & Thieves

By Gary Symons

Photo by Gary Symons

Anyone who has opened a winery, guided it through the painful early years, and turned it into a lasting success will tell you there’s a lot more to creating a popular winery than just making great wine. That’s especially true in British Columbia, where the vast majority of businesses are smaller estate wineries that rely on farmgate purchases for most of their revenue.

Spring 2021

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Jason Parkes at the new Crown & Thieves winery in West Kelowna.

With that in mind, we spoke to Jason Parkes, a wine maker who came to the business with absolutely nothing, and now runs three wineries, a cidery, and is planning the opening of a micro-brewery.

All of it is hard to imagine, given Parkes’ history as a completely broke rock musician whose van broke down on the side of the road in the Okanagan Valley.

“We were playing in bands and chasing dreams, and there’s a cost to that,” Parkes says philosophically today. “That was not an easy life to say the least.

“Getting into wine, what happened was our bus broke down and I had to make some money to keep it going, so I went to a little winery in Peachland (Hainle), and incredibly, they hired me. It was supposed to be a part-time thing, just in and

out, but at that point my wife was getting pretty sick of me being a broke rock and roll wannabe, out there chasing the dream.

“But, these people, I owe them the world, because they turned me into a winemaker in a very, very short time.”

Parkes was not formally educated, and in fact, describes himself as a “Grade 10 dropout who never read a book,” but it turned out he was not only a natural winemaker, but also brilliant at the business of running a winery.

Through his company Jason Parkes Customs, Parkes has almost become a wine trail in his own right, and he did so by following the most unconventional path one can imagine. Today, JPC owns The Hatch, The Black Swift, the Truck 59 Cidery, the Screaming Frenzy wine brand, View from the partially constructed Crown & Thieves winery.

26 Spring 2021

the Crown & Thieves, and plans on building a micro-brewery.

After working primarily as a wine consultant with various other businesses, Parkes launched The Hatch in West Kelowna, and did it in his usual unconventional fashion.

“At that point I wasn’t the owner, I was just consulting and part of the whole thing,” Parkes recalls. “It was supposed to be a big, Quail’s Gate kind of thing on that Hatch property, which is of course a beautiful building, but we couldn’t do it because we needed road permits that we didn’t have.

“So, I said, can we take the old sheds down there, give me a budget to renovate them, and we’ll just do that until we get the road improvements?”

The sheds were basically old ruins, half falling over, but incredibly, Parkes and his wine crew got it done, starting with the front door. “First we got it stable, then we went to Vancouver and we found this old door that gave us the color palate for the whole thing.” A buddy took over much of the design work, turning the main shed into a rustic, funky building filled with fascinating antiques … and when that front door opened, business boomed.

“That little garage that cost $500,000 for that whole thing, the first month it was open it cleared $300,000,” he said.

“So, anyone out there wanting to do a

winery, the thing I would say is, it’s not always what you spend. It’s putting the thought into it, and not being scared to be unique and different.”

In a sense, The Hatch and now the Crown & Thieves are the ‘anti-winery’. They’re spaces where guests can come and hang out, like old jeans that look a bit worn but comfortable, filled with interesting bits of history, and the wine is there as part of the experience.

Parkes believes many people find wine daunting, and a big part of his story telling is designed to demystify the product, and make it okay to like whatever you want.

“Wine is a very intelligent topic, for sure, and because no one can really know everything there is to know about wine, it can be a bit intimidating too,” Parkes says. “My whole thing is to create places that give comfort to people, to really downplay it, and get people comfortable with the wine experience.

“I’ve got this stupid saying, that’s right on the box there, saying, ‘Wine is just yeast poop’, and often I will call it rotten grape juice. Ideally I want people to come off the ledge so they’re open to trying things, and there’s no advance expectation of what their own wine experience should be.”

But the Hatch did more than just act as a business; it also became the incubator for subsequent ventures.

The tasting bar is a cross between French bistro and British pub, with a dose of notoriety thrown in.

Spring 2021

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Y’know, you may have the ideas, but ideas are pretty easy. It’s execution that’s hard, and it’s all about seeing it through and having the people there who can be part of it with you.

Jason Parkes “So yeah, the concept was that this place is going to grow brands and grow products,” Parkes explains. “You saw that Black Swift started there, and it got stable, it got known, it got traction, and then it was built as a new winery. Same with Crown & Thieves. It was incubated at The Hatch, it got traction and it got built.”

One of the surprising things about the JPC wineries is how different each one is.

The Hatch is rustic and funky, the Black Swift more elegant and modern, and Crown & Thieves is just downright eccentric, a transplant of aging European charm dropped directly into the Okanagan Valley.

JPC’s most recent venture is Crown & Thieves just outside the West Kelowna downtown district, and next door to the Truck 59 cidery they also own. If there’s a winery that reflects Parkes’ irreverent, punk rock attitude toward the wine business, it’s Crown & Thieves.

Not yet fully constructed, the building looks like the battered ruin of an ancient building you might see in a French medieval village, the masonry designed to look like it’s crumbling into history. The inside is even more unusual. The tasting room is a cross between British pub and French bistro, with every corner stuffed with unusual antiques, portraits of gangsters lining the walls, a wildly exuberant mural on the ceiling, and downstairs a rough looking ‘Speakeasy’ with a stage where Parkes and his punk band Proper Man regularly play for their fans.

It definitely doesn’t look like a winery … and yet, it all works. The winery is regularly packed to its COVID-19 capacity, the wine club is selling out quickly, and the wine is in high demand.

“It started with the bottle,” Parkes says.

“I wanted to do something that was very classically French, but unique with our own punk rock spirit in it, so the label happened first and that led to everything else.”

That everything else turned into a global jumble sale. Parkes hired Kimberly Fuller as architect from Lake Monster Studios and Chris Bronag from Bronag Contracting as the builder, and then went on the hunt for unique pieces in salvage yards,

antique shops and even from neighbours.

A gigantic wooden confessional from Ireland came from a friend. Another piece came from another winery that wanted some help on their latest vintage and was willing to trade. Another antique came from an old speakeasy in San Francisco, a lamp appeared from New York, and other items showed up from ancient hotels in England and Wales.

The interior design at the Crown & Theives Winery has to be seen in person. Step inside the winery and be transported out of West Kelowna to another place and time.

28 Spring 2021

“I was a complete pain in the a- -,” Parkes admits. “Everything was constantly changing. Colors are changing, moving this, put this there, buying something that’s going to be a bar but then it turns

into a door, and then the door turns into something on the ceiling. I just bought all these crazy pieces and played Tetris, and because I was with such great people that respected me enough to follow my lead, it was painful, but it was beautiful, a beautiful experience for everyone to watch it being put together.”

Through some miracle, that haphazard yet organic approach to design really works for Crown & Thieves, but Parkes says design or even the quality of wine are not the most important thing when it comes to building a successful wine business. Rather, it’s the people you have

around you, and how you interact with others in the industry.

years down the road, to have a focus and a purpose.”

“The biggest part of any business is the people, so putting the time into our crew, building up the energy and getting our people to the point we can support this growth is the priority, even before putting up the buildings,” Parkes says.

“Y’know, you may have the ideas, but ideas are pretty easy. It’s execution that’s hard, and it’s all about seeing it through and having the people there who can be part of it with you. You can’t think about where you’re going to be tomorrow; you have to think about where you’ll be

Parkes also says karma plays a big part in business success. Just as the Hainle Vineyard gave him a hand up, Parkes says helping others will also help you when you hit a rough patch.

“If you want to build your business, then be there to help other people in that same business,” he argues. “That’s what I did, and the path took care of me, because once I started helping other people, well, other people started helping me.” ■ Spring 2021

29

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30 Spring 2021

2021 BUYER'S GUIDE

■ Aerial Surveying & Mapping

■ Farm Market Products

■ Real Estate

■ Agencies Media

■ Fencing

■ Restoration Services

■ Animal, Bird and Pest Control

■ Fertilizer

■ Safety

■ Associations

■ Financial

■ Soil & Compost

■ Bottles

■ Fuel

■ Spreaders

■ Canning Services

■ Gaskets & Seals

■ Steel Buildings

■ Cider Supplies

■ Insurance

■ Storage

■ Concrete Resurfacing

■ Irrigation

■ Tax & Consulting

■ Consultants

■ Labels & Labelling Equipment

■ Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

■ Cooperage, Tanks & Containers

■ Legal

■ Vineyard Equipment

■ Corks, Capsules & Closures

■ Management Consultants

■ Viticulture

■ Crop Protection

■ Nurseries

■ Warehousing & Distribution

■ Electrical & Solar Services

■ Orchard Supplies

■ Winery Consultants

■ Employment Agencies

■ Packaging Containers & Boxes

■ Winery Equipment

■ Fabricating

■ Packing House Equipment

■ Winery Supplies

■ Farm Equipment

■ Pest Control

■ Farm Management

■ Pesticides

Spring 2021

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Aerial Surveying & Mapping

Phone: 250-575-5953 info@swiftaerialsurveys.ca www.swiftaerialsurveys.ca Swift Aerial Surveys delivers agriculture intelligence by providing aerial imaging, remote sensing and precision agriculture mapping & surveying services using highly specialized drone enabled technologies. * Vineyard Design & Layout * Construction Surveying * Crop Vigour Mapping * Digital Terrain Modeling * Thermal Imaging * GIS Web Map Services

Agencies Media

Animal, Bird & Pest Control

Princeton Wood Preservers American Nettings & Fabric Inc 2684 Delta Ring Road Ferndale, WA 98248 USA Toll Free: 1.800.811.7444 sales@americannettings.com www.americannettings.com American Nettings & Fabric Inc. is one of the leading suppliers of nettings and fabrics in North America. The company has been family owned and operated for over 35 years. We are a forerunner in the manufacturing of fabrics and nettings for the entire gardening/growing industry, enabling sustainable produce and flowering plants with low maintenance and high yields.

Animal, Bird & Pest Control

12033 Loomer Road Summerland, BC V0H 1Z8 Phone: 250-488-2374 Fax: 250-494-0338 info@farmsolutions.net www.farmsolutions.net

Town Hall Brands

2021 Buyer's Guide

237 East 4th Avenue; Suite 317 Vancouver, BC V5T 4R4 Phone: 604-321-3295 info@townhallbrands.com www.townhallbrands.com With more than 24 years’ experience working with lifestyle brands, Town Hall Brands is your partner for strategy, branding, graphic design, marketing, PR, and events. With the wide range of projects completed in BC in food and beverage alcohol, we have the skills to make sure your brand’s identity is defined, and story told.

32 Spring 2021

Animal, Bird & Pest Control

FarmSolutions is a supplier of high quality agricultural fabric, including drape-over bird netting, side-netting, wind-break fabrics, hail fabrics, a range of reflective ground covers, and shade cloth. The company also builds structures for shade, hail and rain protection.

www.pwppost.com PARKSVILLE Fenceline Products 250-248-3122 fence@telus.net ONTARIO Ardiel Acres 705-443-7613 greg@ardielacres.ca ALL OTHER AREAS Bill Everitt 877-797-7678 beveritt@xplornet.ca PWP is an industry leader in CCA pressure treated wood post and rail products for farm, orchard, vineyard and berry trellising meeting CSA080 standards. Guaranteed life expectancy of 25 years if not damaged or altered before or after installation.

Animal, Bird & Pest Control

Redden Net & Rope Ltd. #27-12491 #2 Rd. Richmond, BC V7E 2G3 Phone: 604-274-1422 Toll Free: 866-233-1422 Cell: 604-506-5043 mark@redden-net.com https://www.redden-rope.com/ vineyard-netting Distributor of Most Economical Vineyard netting

Associations

Bottles

Bottles

TricorBraun WinePak

880 Vaughan Avenue Kelowna, BC V1Y 7E4 Phone: 250-762-5226 Toll Free: 1-800-619-9022 Fax: 250-861-9089 info@bcfga.com www.bcfga.com Representing the tree fruit industry since 1889 in matters of government laws, regulations, programs and taxes.

Promoting and developing industry strategies that improve growing practices, packing, marketing, and the consumption of fresh and processed tree fruits and reputation of tree fruits grown in British Columbia.

Professional ingredients, supplies, including yeasts, laboratory products, bottles and equipment for the commercial winemaker, cidermaker, distiller, brewer and hobbyist. Also, products for fruit processors, vinegar makers, kombucha, seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages.

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Bottles

Bottles

Ardagh Group

Interior Beverages & Food Services

10194 Crosspoint Blvd.

Suite 410 Indianapolis, IN 46256 Phone: 707-200-9350 Marketing.Glass.NA@ardaghgroup.com ardaghgroup.com

1989 Harvey Avenue Kelowna, BC, V1Y 6G5 Phone: 1-250-491-9266 Toll Free: 1-888-703-6505 info@interiorbeverages.com www.interiorbeverages.com

As the largest producer of glass wine bottles made 100% in North America, Ardagh Group has the resources to meet your unique needs with flexibility, responsiveness and ease.

Our experienced sales teams and manufacturing facilities are ready to serve you — right from the heart of the major North American wine regions. Call us today to learn more about our extensive bottle portfolio and the exceptional quality and service you can expect from your local glass manufacturer.

TricorBraun WinePak is a premier packaging distributor in North America supplying a broad variety of packaging components. We provide access to the highest quality glass, as well as Amcor Stelvin® capsules and closures. We also offer private and stock molds, full decorating services, repacking capabilities, enhanced design and engineering services and the strongest sales and customer service support in the industry.

Providing packaging, bottling, corks, screwcaps, capsules & closures for wineries and u-vins.

• Wine Bottles • Rigid Packaging • Amorim Neutrocork Corks • Aluminum Screwcaps • PolyLam Capsules • Closures Interior Beverages Ltd. Proudly announces that Mark Gonczy is our new sales rep for the Okanagan Valley, Saxco Products Manager markg@ibev.ca | 250-300-6733

Canning Services

Vessel Packaging Co 8250 Borden St Vancouver, BC Toll Free: 877-959-2267 info@vesselpackaging.com www.vesselpackaging.com Vessel Packaging Co is a full service can supplier and mobile canning service provider. Vessel provides a full stack offering, from consulting, artwork design and material sourcing through sleeve and label application and filling of your product at your site or a licenced copacking facility.

Vessel operates across Canada, and has solutions for any beverage industry including wine and cider.

2021 Buyer's Guide

BCFGA Serving members since 1889

6908 Palm Avenue Burnaby, BC V5J 4M3 Phone: 604-473-9463 Toll Free: 1-866-55GRAPE Fax: 604-433-2810 info@bosagrape.com www.bosagrape.com

Unit # 500 1650 Brigantine Drive Coquitlam, BC V3K 7B5 Phone: 604-649-5623 Toll free: 877-495-7924 Fax number: 604-529-7977 www.tricorbraunwinepak.com

Proudly locally owned & operated.

Spring 2021

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Cider Supplies

Concrete Resurfacing

Cooperages, Tanks & Containers

cellar•tek west 6908 Palm Avenue Burnaby, BC V5J 4M3 Phone: 604-473-9463 Toll Free: 1-866-55GRAPE Fax: 604-433-2810 info@bosagrape.com www.bosagrape.com Professional ingredients, supplies, including yeasts, laboratory products, bottles and equipment for the commercial winemaker, cidermaker, distiller, brewer and hobbyist. Also, products for fruit processors, vinegar makers, kombucha, seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages.

Shop our online catalog and have your order shipped.

Visit our fully stocked warehouse in Burnaby and pick up your items immediately. Our product selection can’t be beat.

Cider Supplies

Marvelous Ideas Contracting Ltd. Unit #6 – 2543 Juliann Road West Kelowna, BC V1Z 2M3 BC Interior: 250-258-8728 Lower Mainland: 250-454-6969 Toll Free: 1-866-227-5165 don@marvelousideas.com www.marvelousideas.com An innovative, specialty trades wall and flooring system applicator (since 1991) engaged primarily in concrete preparation, restoration, resurfacing and protective finishes. We use only hybrid, proven-performance products (urethanes, epoxies, mortars, lithium sealers and joint sealants), technologies and equipment that can enhance chemical, corrosion, thermal and slip resistance. Many of these products are also LEED certified, VOC Compliant, anti-microbial and CFIA approved.

1043 Richter St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 2K4 Phone: 250-868-3186 Toll Free: 1-877-460-9463

cellar•tek east #530 – 380 Vansickle Road St. Catharines, ON, L2S 0B5 Phone: 905-246-8316 info@cellartek.com www.cellartek.com CellarTek is at the forefront of the Commercial Food & Beverage Industry, based in Canada and serving all of North America. CellarTek offers quality equipment, supplies and ingredients ranging from fruit reception and stainless tanks, to packaging and all points of processing and service needs between. We are continually searching our global network for the finest quality equipment, products and supplies for the beverage production industry and we encourage you to browse our website for your winery, brewery, cider making or distilling needs.

Consultants

Cooperages, Tanks & Containers

Rising Tide Consultants

32351 Huntingdon Road Abbotsford, BC Phone: 866.255.8265 Toll free: 866.255.8265 info@clariontanks.ca www.clariontanks.ca

cellar•tek west 1043 Richter St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 2K4 Phone: 250-868-3186 Toll Free: 1-877-460-9463

2021 Buyer's Guide

cellar•tek east #530 – 380 Vansickle Road St. Catharines, ON, L2S 0B5 Phone: 905-246-8316 info@cellartek.com www.cellartek.com CellarTek is at the forefront of the Commercial Food & Beverage Industry, based in Canada and serving all of North America. CellarTek offers quality equipment, supplies and ingredients ranging from fruit reception and stainless tanks, to packaging and all points of processing and service needs between. We are continually searching our global network for the finest quality equipment, products and supplies for the beverage production industry and we encourage you to browse our website for your winery, brewery, cider making or distilling needs.

34 Spring 2021

Clarion Tanks Ltd. 1620 – 1130 West Pender Street Vancouver, BC V6E 4A4 Phone: 604-669-2928 info@risingtideconsultants.ca risingtideconsultants.ca Experience Counts! With over 30 years of liquor license consulting experience, we understand local and provincial regulations and policies.

We address complex issues and give you expert guidance tailored to your winery business – including license applications, lounges, restaurant applications, picnic areas, tasting areas, retail stores and ALR issues.

Contact us for a free consultation.

Clarion Tanks is a family owned and operated business that has been creating custom liquid management systems since 1985. Offering capacities between 50-litre and 9.5-million litre capacities, Clarion has a solution for your project. Applications include potable water, chemical or fertilizer storage; food processing, waste water treatment, and more.

Corks, Capsules & Closures

Nuance Winery Supplies Inc.

A.O. Wilson Ltd

261 Martindale Rd, St Catharines, ON L2W 1A1 Phone: 289-929-1671 contact@nuancetrade.com www.nuancetrade.com

9597 Sideroad 17 Erin, ON N0B 1T0 aowilson.ca

Established at the crossroad of the three largest wine volume producing countries in the world, Nuance is at the forefront of the industry’s latest developments. Rigorously trained by our suppliers in the state-of-theart, and paying close attention to our customers’ input and feedback, we propose a comprehensive set of technical solutions, from grape receiving, through wine preparation for bottling.

Corks, Capsules & Closures

Western Canada 1.833.269.4576 (AOWILSON) bccustomerservice@aowilson.ca Eastern Canada 1.855.857.1511 customerservice@aowilson.ca Proud supplier for 75 years!

Everything you need from the vineyard to the bottling line. Offering reliable products, advice and technical sales support for all your processing and packaging needs at honest prices.

The largest stocking distributor in Canada of premium corks, capsules and closures. Enology products, equipment, filters, filter media and cleaning supplies for your winery. We invite you to visit one of our offices or simply visit our online shop at your convenience.

Corks, Capsules & Closures

Quebec 2301 Route 112 St-Cesaire, Quebec, J0L 1T0 Phone: 450-469-0777 info.capsules@amcor.com www.amcor.com/stelvin Amcor Capsules is a global leader in the manufacture and marketing of aluminum closures and capsules for the wine, sparkling wine & spirits industry. This year, Amcor introduces ShapeArt, an innovative way for brands to set themselves apart with a system for developing closures with unique shapes and textures.

cellar•tek west 1043 Richter St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 2K4 Phone: 250-868-3186 Toll Free: 1-877-460-9463

cellar•tek east #530 – 380 Vansickle Road St. Catharines, ON, L2S 0B5 Phone: 905-246-8316 info@cellartek.com www.cellartek.com CellarTek is at the forefront of the Commercial Food & Beverage Industry, based in Canada and serving all of North America. CellarTek offers quality equipment, supplies and ingredients ranging from fruit reception and stainless tanks, to packaging and all points of processing and service needs between. We are continually searching our global network for the finest quality equipment, products and supplies for the beverage production industry and we encourage you to browse our website for your winery, brewery, cider making or distilling needs.

Corks, Capsules & Closures

Interior Beverages & Food Services

Amcor Capsules California 5425 Broadway Street American Canyon CA 94503 Phone: 877-STELVIN (877-783-5846)

Corks, Capsules & Closures

6908 Palm Avenue Burnaby, BC V5J 4M3 Phone: 604-473-9463 Toll Free: 1-866-55GRAPE Fax: 604-433-2810 info@bosagrape.com www.bosagrape.com Professional ingredients, supplies, including yeasts, laboratory products, bottles and equipment for the commercial winemaker, cidermaker, distiller, brewer and hobbyist. Also, products for fruit processors, vinegar makers, kombucha, seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages.

Shop our online catalog and have your order shipped.

Visit our fully stocked warehouse in Burnaby and pick up your items immediately. Our product selection can’t be beat.

1989 Harvey Avenue Kelowna, BC, V1Y 6G5 Phone: 1-250-491-9266 Toll Free: 1-888-703-6505 info@interiorbeverages.com www.interiorbeverages.com Providing packaging, bottling, corks, screwcaps, capsules & closures for wineries and u-vins.

• Wine Bottles • Rigid Packaging • Amorim Neutrocork Corks • Aluminum Screwcaps • PolyLam Capsules • Closures

2021 Buyer's Guide

Cooperages, Tanks & Containers

Interior Beverages Ltd. Proudly announces that Mark Gonczy is our new sales rep for the Okanagan Valley, Saxco Products Manager markg@ibev.ca | 250-300-6733 Proudly locally owned & operated.

Spring 2021

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Corks, Capsules & Closures

Crop Protection

Electrical & Solar Services

Nufarm Agriculture Inc.

Argon Electrical & Solar Services

Nuance Winery Supplies Inc. 261 Martindale Rd, St Catharines, ON L2W 1A1 Phone: 289-929-1671 contact@nuancetrade.com www.nuancetrade.com Established at the crossroad of the three largest wine volume producing countries in the world, Nuance is at the forefront of the industry’s latest developments. Rigorously trained by our suppliers in the state-of-theart, and paying close attention to our customers’ input and feedback, we propose a comprehensive set of technical solutions, from grape receiving, through wine preparation for bottling.

Crop Protection

104 Cooper Dr. Unit 3 Guelph, ON. N1C 0A4 Phone: 519-826-7878 Toll free: 866-613-3336 Fax: 519-826-7675 info@belchim.com www.belchimcanada.com

2021 Buyer's Guide

Belchim Crop Protection Canada develops, registers and markets protection, nutritional and management products for field, orchard, vineyard, and greenhouse crops across Canada.

Belchim Crop Protection Canada works closely with end users and suppliers to evaluate market needs, conduct research, and provide cost effective products that offer superior performance.

36 Spring 2021

Alicia Sebastian Horticulture Sales Specialist Phone: 226-820-6223 alicia.sebastian@nufarm.com Nufarm.ca | @NufarmHortCA We know you put your best work into growing high value crops in the orchard, on the vine and in the field.

Nufarm can help with proven chemistries and practical solutions.

You can count on us for a broad portfolio of horticulture crop protection products and the people with the knowledge.

For 2021, we are excited to offer new products including Excalia® fungicide for apples, Danitol® insecticide for managing spotted wing drosophila and Goal™ 2XL broadleaf weed herbicide

338A Co-op Ave, Oliver BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-4506 sales@argonsolar.ca Argon Electrical & Solar Services has been providing quality commercial, industrial and residential electrical work in the South Okanagan for 20 years. Servicing many local wineries, farms and businesses. From service calls to renovations, major overhauls and new construction. They handle it all, including EV Charging Stations and 24hr emergency electrical service!

Argon has been installing Solar PV Systems for the last 7 years and has grown into one of the biggest and busiest installers around. Solar is a good investment and can help your business save money and attract customers. Ask us how!

Crop Protection

Employment – Immigration

Syngenta Canada Inc

Rangel Immigration Services

140 Reseach Lane Guelph , ON N1G 4Z3 Phone: 250-469-0483 Toll Free: 1-877-964-3682 Hank.Markgraf@syngenta.com www.syngenta.ca

1631 Dickson Avenue Landmark, Suite 1100 Kelowna, BC Phone: 778-484-8209 lolita@yourlaboursolution.com www.yourlaboursolution.com

We pride ourselves in offering innovative products, expert agronomic advice, and supporting best management practices designed to help Canadian growers produce their best crops. The Canadian team is over 300 people strong, supporting products and services that span the country’s major horticultural crops.

Contact your local Syngenta Rep, Hank Markgraf for your horticultural needs.

We are a private immigration firm based in BC, that specializes in the Agricultural Industry. We value working closely with our clients to produce Labour Solution Plans that are specifically tailored to meet the unique demands placed on each business owner. The LSPs are crafted after having meet with our clients and determining exactly what are their business’ current and long term goals. Having the proper immigration streams in place is the key to stress free growth in your operation for the next 2 to 4 years and beyond.

Fabricating

Farm Equipment

Farm Equipment

Munckhof Manufacturing Clarion Tanks Ltd.

Clarion Tanks is a family owned and operated business that has been creating custom liquid management systems since 1985. Offering capacities between 50-litre and 9.5-million litre capacities, Clarion has a solution for your project. Applications include potable water, chemical or fertilizer storage; food processing, waste water treatment, and more.

Farm Equipment

Gerard’s Equipment 5592 Hwy 97 Oliver, BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-2524 Fax: 250-498-3288 www.gerardsequipment.com Proudly serving the Okanagan since 1973. We provide high quality farm equipment; vineyard and trellising supplies; and outdoor yard and garden products. We also provide repair service and replacement parts to most makes and models. In addition to our mainlines of KUBOTA Tractors and STIHL garden implements we carry a large variety of tractor attachments; short line implements; pruning tools; bird scaring, trellising, and harvesting supplies.

Farm Equipment

Clarion Tanks Ltd.

• Specialty viticultural and orchard implements.

• Fruit and vegetable sorting and hydro cooling equipment.

• Custom work – repairs or custom designed machinery for Orchard, Vineyard & Packing Houses.

Farm Equipment

Provide Agro Corporation

32351 Huntingdon Road Abbotsford, BC Phone: 866.255.8265 Toll free: 866.255.8265 info@clariontanks.ca www.clariontanks.ca Clarion Tanks is a family owned and operated business that has been creating custom liquid management systems since 1985. Offering capacities between 50-litre and 9.5-million litre capacities, Clarion has a solution for your project. Applications include potable water, chemical or fertilizer storage; food processing, waste water treatment, and more.

Munckhof Mfg are specialists in viticultural / tree fruit equipment and systems that work for small and large operations alike. They design and manufacture a full line in house at their facility in Oliver B.C. and have been one of the only producers of their kind in Canada since 1979.

Matsqui Ag Repair Ltd. 34856 Harris Rd. Abbotsford, BC V3G 1R7 Phone: 604-826-3281 Fax: 604-826-0705 dave.matsquiagrepair@shaw.ca www.matsquiagrepair.com Authorized Sales, Service and Parts for Deutz-Fahr, McCormick, Kioti, Kuhn and McHale equipment. New and used equipment sales. Servicing the Okanagan and Fraser Valley since 1989.

4825 Union Rd. Beamsville, ON L0R 1B4 Phone: 905-563-8261 Toll free: 1-800-263-1287 info@provideag.ca www.provideag.ca Provide Agro is an N.M. Bartlett Inc. company that was formed to focus our horticulture equipment and technological innovation lines. Lines offered to Western growers include; FA.MA. Hedgers and HSS sprayers, Orsi Platforms, Darwin blossom thinners, Bartlett custom packhouse equipment.

Spring 2021

2021 Buyer's Guide

32351 Huntingdon Road Abbotsford, BC Phone: 866.255.8265 Toll free: 866.255.8265 info@clariontanks.ca www.clariontanks.ca

5943 Hemlock St. Oliver, BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-4426 Fax: 250-498-4460 office@munckhof.com www.munckhof.com

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Farm Equipment

Farm Management

Fencing

FenceFast Ltd. Rollins Machinery (formerly Farmco Sales Ltd.)

201 - 150 Campion Street Kelowna, B.C. V1X 7S8 Phone: 250-765-8266 Toll Free: 1-877-461-7933 info@rollinsmachinery.ca www.rollinsmachinery.com Kelowna 1-877-461-7933 Chilliwack 1-800 -242-9737, 604-792-1301 Chemainus 604-246-1203 The New Holland ag and construction dealer for over 30 years. Serving the Okanagan, Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island. Also Dealers for Perfect Van Wamel, Cub Cadet and now S.A.E supplying Porter Bin Lifts and Turbmatic Sprayers from Italy.

Farm Equipment

Canadian Association of Farm Advisors (CAFA) Inc. CAFA is the nationally recognized organization for professional farm advisors. CAFA advisors maintain high standards while continually increasing farm advisory skills and knowledge intended to provide measurable value to their farm clients.

Advisors for your business needs from BC through to PEI. www.cafanet.ca info@cafanet.ca Elizabeth Robertson Box 270 Seven Sisters Falls, Manitoba R0E 1Y0 Phone: 1-204-348-3578 Toll free: 1-877-474-2871

Farm Market Products

Canadawide Toll Free: 877-383-3623 fencefast.ca FenceFast Ltd is your source for fencing product solutions with over 20 years experience. Leading manufactures such as STOCKade power fence stapling systems, Gripple Agricultural wire, Fastener and anchor products, EZG Manufacturing Wire Fence Installation attachments, AUTOGuide PostMaster Post driver, Redi Drive gas drivers, Gallagher Animal Management Systems and many others. Our product lines represent quality products that will get a superior result in the most economical way.

Fertilizer

Nutrien Solutions Evergro Division South Okanagan Equipment

2021 Buyer's Guide

5679 Sawmill Rd Oliver, BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-5145 Fax: 250-498-5135 sokequip@hotmail.com Sales and service of new and quality used farm equipment. Specializing in Edwards Equipment, Turbo-Mist, Rankin/Northstar, Braun, TG Schmeiser, Kult Fingerweeder, S&A spreaders, Rabaud, Aerway, , Gearmore Sprayers, Erskine attachments, Farm-king and Verminator Products.

Mobile Juice Factory 3361 Glencoe Road West Kelowna, BC Phone: 250-307-4122 info@mobilejuicefactory.com www.mobilejuicefactory.com The Mobile Juice Factory travels directly to the organic and non-organic orchards to press fruit into delicious juice. This avoids the fruit going through an additional transportation phase. In less than an hour, the Mobile Juice Factory can turn 1,760 pounds of apples into 500 litres of fresh, flavourful juice into different size packages.

It’s good for you, good for the earth and good for the community.

38 Spring 2021

260D Campion Street Kelowna, BC V1X 7S8 Phone: 250-765-0290 Toll Free: 866-765-0290 Evergro@Nutrien.com www.NutrienAgSolutions.ca/specialty Supplier of nutrients & fertilizers in granular, liquid, organic and watersoluble forms. Controls for insects, weeds and diseases as well as pruning supplies and grass seed ground covers.

Fertilizer

Fertilizer

Financial

RBC Royal Bank RBC has 4 agricultural and agri-business specialists in the Okanagan

Pacific Calcium, Inc. 32117 Highway 97 Tonasket, WA 98855 Phone: 1-509-486-1201 Fax: 1-509-486-1701 info@naturesintent.com www.naturesintent.com Whether it’s soil imbalance or low levels of nutrients, Pacific Calcium provides a full line of fertilizers and soil amendments to fit your conventional or organic farming needs. We offer custom grinding, granulating and mixing of calcium carbonate, dolomitic lime, fish bonemeal, granulated feathermeal, 7-2-4, and gypsum. We have dealers across the west coast, so look for Pacific Calcium.

Fertilizer

464 Riverside Road Abbotsford, BC Toll Free: 1-800-661-4559 Fax: 604-864-8418 sales@tlhort.com www.tlhort.com / www.biofert.ca TerraLink Horticulture Inc., together with its subsidiaries and brands, provides a wide range of fertilizers, seeds, crop protection products, growing media and hard goods.

BioFert: Organic subsidiary of TerraLink. EcoCert approved crop inputs. Learn more at www.biofert.ca Earthlink: Organic-based products from a synergy of organic and conventional ingredients.

Richardson Seeds: Seed for forage, turf and reclamation.

Financial

Tyler Chick South Okanagan/Similkameen 250-490-4404 tyler.chick@rbc.com Jason Michiel Penticton / South Okanagan 250-490-4420 jason.michiel@rbc.com Thomas Vicars North Okanagan 250-833-3670 thomas.vicars@rbc.com Ian Jones Kelowna / Central Okanagan 250-868-4181 ian.jones@rbc.com www.rbcroyalbank.com/agriculture

Financial

RSG Revenue Services Group Inc.

1700 Carmi Avenue Penticton, BC V2A 8V5 Phone: 250-493-5410 superiorpeat@telus.net www.superiorpeat.com

fcc.ca | 1-888-332-3301

RSG Revenue Services Group is among Western Canada’s largest and fastest growing SR&ED-focused services provider. Our SR&ED teams include experts with advanced degrees and extensive experience in product development, finance, tax and SR&ED claim development. We are committed to assisting wineries and vineyards in maximizing funding opportunities and to supporting innovation in the Wine & Beverage Industry in British Columbia.

OMRI Listed supplier of organic soil amendments and composts used when planting orchards, vineyards and berry farms. We also carry a large selection of bark mulches and composts for ground cover. Visit us online at www.superiorpeat.com for more information.

300-550 Robson Street Vancouver, BC V6B 2B7 Phone: 604-800-4112 info@revenueservices.ca revenueservices.ca

Spring 2021

2021 Buyer's Guide

Superior Peat Inc.

Partner with the only lender 100% invested in Canadian agriculture and food.

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Financial

Financial

Gaskets & Seals

®

Scotiabank Agriculture 488 Bernard Ave Kelowna, BC For 185 years, Scotiabank has been helping farmers and agri-businesses grow and prosper. Our integrated banking solutions can assist in the dayto-day management of your business for now and in the future.

For a complete suite of services, contact one of our specialists or visit scotiabank.com/agriculturalservices Lee Gogal, BBA Director & Group Lead, BC Agriculture Phone: 604.308.1657 lee.gogal@scotiabank.com Meagan Beattie, BASc Agriculture Market Lead, Okanagan Phone: 250-212-0555 meagan.beattie@scotiabank.com Amanda McCardell, Agriculture Specialist, Okanagan Phone: 250-808-5647 amanda.mccardell@scotiabank.com

Financial

Valley First, a division of First West Credit Union Toby Frisk Director, Agribusiness Serving the Thompson, Okanagan, Enderby and Similkameen regions Phone: 778-212-3415 tfrisk@firstwestcu.ca valleyfirst.com/agribusiness Our credit union was founded by the farming community. It’s why we remain committed to supporting farmers and agriculture businesses today, helping to find the right solutions for their unique needs.

We can’t wait to learn more about your business. Contact your local Agribusiness Advisor today.

Fuel

GMIGaskets®

GMI Inc.® 4822 East 355th Street Willoughby, Ohio 44094-4634 USA Phone: 440-953-881 Fax: 440-953-9631 gmiinc@msn.com www.gmigaskets.com GMI® manufactures DieCut NonMetallic and Thin Gauge Foil Parts, Extruded Rubber Profiles, Extruded Rubber Cord, Molded Rubber Gaskets, Seals, O-Rings and Variable Capacity Tank Seals.

Insurance

Daniel Tassoni TD Pacific Agriculture Services Jeremy Siddall, District Vice President Pacific Agriculture Services 1633 Ellis Street, Unit 310 Kelowna, BC V1Y 2A8 Phone: 250-681-4656 Fax: 250-712-5470 Jeremy.Siddall@td.com www.tdcanadatrust.com/agriculture

2021 Buyer's Guide

Serving British Columbia.

We are dedicated to helping you achieve your business goals and create a flexible and customized banking solution that is right for your farming operation.

40 Spring 2021

Castle Fuels (2008) Inc. 1639 Trans Canada Hwy E Kamloops, BC Phone: 1-250-372-5035 Toll free: 1-877-372-5035 info@castlefuels.ca www.castlefuels.ca Castle Fuels (2008) Inc. is proud to serve you Petro-Canada fuel and lubricants throughout the Southern Interior of BC. Whether you need your products delivered to your door, or access to 24/7 cardlock locations throughout BC and Alberta, we have what you are looking for!

Now offering bulk and on-island DEF, Castle Fuels (2008) Inc. is your one-stop shop to keep your vehicles running smoothly. Visit our website to find a location near you!

Toll Free 1-800-670-1877 Ext. 6082 dtassoni@capricmw.ca CapriCMW provides the highest quality insurance products and innovative risk-related solutions to Vintners and Wine Distributors. With offices throughout the heart of BC’s wine region, our expert advisors truly understand the unique insurance needs of the wine industry.

Our competitively priced programs include coverage for: • Direct losses to property, stock & equipment • Lost income • Food-borne illness • Product recall • Liability protection from customer incidents We also support non-insurable areas such as contract review, risk control for safety of premises and reviews of employee safety.

Westland Insurance Group Ltd.

Hortau

#109‑4800 Anderson Way Vernon, BC Phone: 778‑943‑0024 mpetreny@westlandinsurance.ca www.westlandinsurance.ca

966 chemin Olivier, Suite #450 Lévis, Quebec Phone: 604-763-3712 Toll free: 1-888-5-HORTAU memond@hortau.com www.hortau.com

Established in 1980 to meet the insurance needs of individuals, businesses and non‑profit organizations. Today we are one of Western Canada’s leading independent insurance brokers, providing personalized insurance services in more than 160 locations and across Canada.

Visit www.westlandinsurance.ca to find a location near you.

Hortau helps BC growers to optimize their daily irrigation management.

We offer reliable soil moisture sensors, weather stations, and automation services.

Our Mobile App makes it easy to consult field data in real-time and to make better decisions.

Irrigation

Head office - Langley, BC Branch offices in William’s Lake, BC and Lynden, WA Call Toll Free 1-888-675-7999 www.watertecna.com Watertec is a leading supplier and designer of Agricultural Irrigation Systems . We are also one of Western Canada’s Largest Importer of Sprayers, Nozzles & Spraying Accessories.

Watertec’s Staff is dedicated to solving all the customers Irrigation and spraying needs.

By irrigating at the right time with the right amount, growers can expect yield increase, plant quality and avoid leaching. Please contact Michel Emond for more info.

Irrigation

Irrigation

Labels & Labelling Equipment

Delta Water Products

Southern Irrigation

AstroNova Product Identification

444 Chilcotin Road Kamloops, BC V2H 1G3 Phone: 1-250-372-9424 Info@deltairrigation.ca 1524 Byland Road, West Kelowna, BC V1Z 1A8 Phone: 1-250-769-1300 kelownasales@deltairrigation.ca www.deltairrigation.ca Delta Water Products is BC’s largest Rivulis and Rondo dealer, a full line Yardney dealer, and complete line of ranch and turf irrigation. We are also BC’s largest supplier of Franklin pumps, HDPE pipe, comprehensive water works products and detailed water treatment for wineries, communities and agriculture.

Give us a call, we will do a complimentary site visit and work with you to get the best possible solution for your needs. We look forward to working with you.

Irrigation

44160 Yale Road West Chilliwack, BC V2R 3Z9 Phone: 604-792-0041 5830 Sawmill Road Oliver, BC V0H 1T9 Phone: 250-485-0246 sales@southernirrigation.com www.southernirrigation.com Southern Irrigation is a family owned and operated business that has been supplying quality irrigation products and solutions for the last 30 years.

We are committed to provide outstanding customer service while adhering to the highest ethical conduct.

Our head office is located in Chilliwack, BC, and we have locations in Oliver, Kamloops and Williams Lake, BC and Lethbridge and Red Deer, AB.

600 East Greenwich Ave West Warwick, Rhode Island USA Phone: 401-828-4000 Toll Free: 877-757-7978 info@astronovaproductid.com www.astronovaproductid.com AstroNova provides products & services that improve our customers’ ability to brand, market, and customize their products effectively.

Our three brands, QuickLabel, TrojanLabel, and GetLabels, offer a complete labeling solution for all size print runs. Whether it’s industryleading tabletop label printers, innovative high-volume label presses, or the widest variety of label materials designed to make your product pop, we provide the solution for all your wine and bottle labeling needs.

Spring 2021

2021 Buyer's Guide

Insurance

41

Legal

Management Consultants

Nurseries

Every Vine Tested Since 2014

ON GUARD AGAINST VIRUSES

Avery Law Office 107, 13615 Victoria Rd. North, Summerland, BC V0H 1Z0 Phone: 778-516-2675 Toll Free: 1-877-516-2675 Fax: 778-516-2676 info@AveryLawOffice.ca averylawoffice.ca Avery Law Office has offices in Summerland and Princeton. We work with orchard and farm owners throughout BC. AREAS OF PRACTICE • Contracts • Business • Trademarks • Real estate • Wills & Estate Planning

Management Consultants

Knights Grapevine Nursery

Pascal Madevon Signature Ltd. 701 Nelson Avenue, Penticton, BC V2A 2L6 Phone: 1-250-488-8497 p.madevon@shaw.ca www.pascalmadevon.ca Pascal Madevon Signature is a vineyard and winery consultancy company based in the Okanagan Valley. Classically trained expert viticulturist and oenologist Pascal Madevon offers professional advice on vineyard management, wine production, and marketing of white, rosé, red and late harvest wines to Canadian wineries of all sizes.

Nurseries

2021 Buyer's Guide

GAGW Solutions was established in 2012, it is owned and operated by European winemaking consultant Michal Mosny. Specializing in sustainable, organic and biodynamic approach to vineyard and wine.

Winemaking Consulting • Vinification of all types of wine • Barrel program • Winemaking services • Preparing wine for Bottling • Bulk Wine appraisal • Winemaking Equipment • Budgeting and Cost analysis Viticulture Consulting • Vineyard Establishment • Vineyard Operations • Vineyard appraisal

42 Spring 2021

Knights Grapevine Nursery is a nursery focused on guarding against viruses and diseases that threaten our industry. Since 2014 they have implemented an ‘every vine tested’ protocol, working with only tested and approved material. With Eckhard and Benjamin Kaesekamp’s reputation for high quality vines, strong commitment to customer service and years of experience, as well as its isolated Northern California location, Knights Grapevine Nursery is your best choice for the strongest, cleanest plants!

Nurseries

Wonderful Nurseries

GAGW Solutions Phone: 778-931-0577 gagwsolutions@gmail.com www.gagwsolutions.com

Eckhard Kaesekamp 3792 Feather River Blvd. Suite C Olivehurst, CA. 95961 Phone: 707-350-1148 eckhard@knightsgrapevinenursery.com knightsgrapevinenursery.com

Inland Desert Nursery 32508 W. Kelly Rd Benton City, WA USA 99320 Phone: 509-588-6615 Fax: 509-588-4526 sales@inlanddesert.com www.idnursery.com Serving commercial vineyards across North America, Inland Desert Nursery is dedicated to customizing clean, healthy, field-grown and greenhousegrown vines sourced from our diverse collection of Washington certified and virus tested mother blocks.

27920 McCombs Road Wasco, CA 93280 Phone: 661-758-4777 dustin.hooper@wonderful.com wonderfulnurseries.com Wonderful Nurseries is one of North America’s largest producers of dormant field-grown benchgrafts.

They also produce greenhouse-grown benchgrafts, rootstock rootings, own-rooted vines, and cuttings, and currently offer a wide selection of popular varieties, new table grape releases, other table and raisin grape varieties, almonds and pistachios.

Gerard’s Equipment 5592 Hwy 97 Oliver, BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-2524 Fax: 250-498-3288 www.gerardsequipment.com Proudly serving the Okanagan since 1973. We provide high quality farm equipment; vineyard and trellising supplies; and outdoor yard and garden products. We also provide repair service and replacement parts to most makes and models. In addition to our mainlines of KUBOTA Tractors and STIHL garden implements we carry a large variety of tractor attachments; short line implements; pruning tools; bird scaring, trellising, and harvesting supplies.

Orchard Supplies

Princeton Wood Preservers www.pwppost.com PARKSVILLE Fenceline Products 250-248-3122 fence@telus.net ONTARIO Ardiel Acres 705-443-7613 greg@ardielacres.ca ALL OTHER AREAS Bill Everitt 877-797-7678 beveritt@xplornet.ca PWP is an industry leader in CCA pressure treated wood post and rail products for farm, orchard, vineyard and berry trellising meeting CSA080 standards. Guaranteed life expectancy of 25 years if not damaged or altered before or after installation.

Packaging, Containers & Boxes

Packaging, Containers & Boxes

Astrapouch

Thunderbird Plastics Ltd.

1155 West Ave Middlesex, NY Phone: 585-259-9202 info@astrapouch.com astrapouch.com

6969 Shirley Avenue Burnaby, BC V5J 4R4 Phone: 604-433-5624 Toll free:1-888-778-2473 Fax: 604-433-6231 info@thunderbirdplastics.com www.thunderbirdplastics.com

Astrapouch® proudly sells a wide range of eco-friendly flexible packaging and related filling technologies including pouches, bag-in-box, dispense systems, filling equipment, co-packing, and storage solutions. Astrapouch® offers a durable, convenient and eco-friendly way to bring beverages to the consumer market. Never before has there been beverage packaging so sleek, so marketable, so efficient and so profitable. Easy open, quick chilling, stay fresh, light weight packaging from Astrapouch®.

Canadian manufacturers of PREMIUM PLASTIC HANDHELD CONTAINERS since 1970. Harvest, process, store and transport all small fruits and berries. Affordable, durable, reusable, recyclable, food-grade, freezer-safe, UV-resistant. Strong focus on sharp pricing, delivery times, customer service. Custom products available for high volumes.

Packaging, Containers & Boxes

Packinghouse Equipment

Great Little Box Company / Ideon Packaging

Fruittek, LLC (USA):

11300 Twigg Place, Richmond, BC Phone: 604-301-3700 Toll free: 1-800-661-3377 Fax: 604-301-3745 Info@glbc.com • www.glbc.com Other Locations: 3502 Spectrum Court, Kelowna, BC Phone: 250-765-6988 748 Market St. Victoria, BC Phone: 250-384-3382 100-1500 Industry St. Everett, WA Phone: 425-349-4522 Your local source for label and packaging solutions, specializing in corrugated boxes, custom displays, digital print and packaging, labels, flexible packaging, folding cartons, protective packaging, and the distribution of shipping supplies.

With over 38 years of packaging experience serving Western Canada and recognized for its excellence in customer service, GLBC provides businesses with an efficient, one source packaging solution.

Ph: (360)201-7162

Fruittek Canada: Ph: 604-855-8062 Toll free (Can or U.S.): 877-826-3427 info@fruittek.com www.fruittek.com Affordable electronic sorter/sizers for apple, pear and cherry packers that emphasize sorting precision, and gentle handling.

• Multiscan cherry pre-sorters, sizer/ sorters and complete lines.

• Van Wamel Perfect apple, pear & round/oblong vegetable sizer/ sorters and complete lines.

2021 Buyer's Guide

Orchard Supplies

• Sorting modules Include color, dimension, weight and external defects (& softness on cherries).

• UL/CSA Compliant.

• Local service and support.

Spring 2021

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Pest Control

Pesticides

Real Estate

OKANAGANFARMS.COM Hawk Kite Sales 9800 Giants Head Road Summerland, BC V0H 1Z7 Phone: 250-404-0318 sales@hawkkite.ca www.peregrinehawkkites.ca Silent effective Hawk Kites scare starlings, seagulls, pigeons, cowbirds, sparrows and most small birds from orchards, vineyards, berry and vegetable gardens, cereal crops, parks, beaches, landfills, feed lots and buildings. Can cover up to 5 acres depending on crop and bird type.

Pesticides

Secure-Rite Mobile Storage 123 Penno Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6S1 Phone: 250.861.3955 Toll Free: 1.888.861.3955 Fax: 250.861.3165 Storage@Secure-Rite.com www.Secure-Rite.com

RE/MAX Kelowna 250-878-6545 100 – 1553 Harvey Ave Kelowna, BC V1Y 6G1 Jerry Geen, PREC* & Elya Byrne, PREC* Listing Specialists Shaun Everest, MBA, Purchasing Specialist Sales@GeenByrne.com

Secure-Rite Mobile Storage is changing the way the world views and uses shipping containers. We bring people and portable space together in meaningful and creative ways. We offer mobile storage, office containers, accommodation units (The ComfortCube™), pesticide and refrigerated containers, and a variety of smart accessories that are available for purchase, lease or rental at competitive prices, with exceptional service!

Selling property requires knowledge of land use, values, current market conditions, financing and that intangible ability of a good REALTOR® to “connect” with people. With our professional demeanour, sharp analytical skills, industry contacts and extensive experience with farms & acreages, this is the REALTOR® team you need working on your behalf!

Real Estate

Restoration Services

Call Geen + Byrne today!

N.M. Bartlett Inc. 4509 Bartlett Rd. Beamsville, ON L0R1B1 Phone: 905-563-8261 Toll free: 1-800-263-1287 info@bartlett.ca www.bartlett.ca

2021 Buyer's Guide

Bartlett’s are a crop protection distributor in Canada specializing in specialty horticulture products.

Family owned and operated now in its fourth generation with over 100 years of experience in the Canadian hort segment.

44 Spring 2021

ABK Restoration Services BC Farm & Ranch Realty Corp.

2014 Whatcom Road Abbotsford, BC Phone: 604-852-1180 Toll Free: 1-888-852-AGRI (2474) Fax: 604-852-1191 info@bcfarmandranch.com www.bcfarmandranch.com BC Farm & Ranch Realty Corp. is BC’s first and only Real Estate office 100% dedicated to Agriculture & Acreage properties. Visit our website to browse through our vast selection of properties from house and acreage to dairy, poultry, equestrian, winery/ vineyards, nursery operations, berry farms, bare land developments and much more.

Phone: 250-493-6633 Toll Free: 1-800-463-5663 jeffd@myabk.com www.myabk.com Welcome to ABK Restoration Services We Make It Right Again Whether you’ve experienced fire, water, wind or other damage, your home or business isn’t the same, and your life has been turned upside down. You want everything to get back the way it was before this disaster happened.

Serving the Southern BC Interior for over 30 years

Safety

Soil & Soil Testing

Steel Buildings

Norsteel Building Systems Ltd.

AgSafe is the non-profit health and safety association for agricultural producers in British Columbia. AgSafe provides site-specific safety education, consultation and materials, as well as online workplace safety resources.

AgSafe is also the COR Certifying Partner for BC’s agricultural-associated industries and offers a Certificate of Recognition (COR) program for large and small employers.

Soil & Compost

Hanna Instruments Canada Inc. 3156 Industriel Laval, QC H7L 4P7 Phone: 450-629-1444 Toll free: 800-842-6629 Fax number: 450-629-3335 sales@hannacan.com www.hannacan.com We supply instrumentation for all the growers and winemakers’ needs whether pocket type, portable or bench type. We offer meters for the analysis of pH, conductivity, sulfur dioxide, total titratable acidity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, residual sugar and many other parameters.

Spreaders

Whatcom Manufacturing Inc. Superior Peat Inc. 1700 Carmi Avenue Penticton, BC V2A 8V5 Phone: 250-493-5410 superiorpeat@telus.net www.superiorpeat.com OMRI Listed supplier of organic soil amendments and composts used when planting orchards, vineyards and berry farms. We also carry a large selection of bark mulches and composts for ground cover. Visit us online at www.superiorpeat.com for more information.

405 Birch Bay Lynden Rd. Lynden, WA USA 98264 Phone: 360-354-3094 Fax: 360-354-5434 info@whatcommfg.com www.whatcommfg.com Custom Built Row Mulch Spreaders for Vineyards and Orchards.

Extra narrow models, QuickChange discharges, available in multiple sizes with numerous options and features built to accommodate all applications.

For use with compost, sawdust, shavings,manure or wood chips.

1295 Stevens Road West Kelowna, B.C. Phone: 250-769-3846 Toll free: 1-800-932-9131 brandon@norsteel.build www.norsteelbuildingsystems.com We custom design pre-engineered Steel Buildings for: • Production Buildings • Tasting Rooms • Storage Buildings • And Beyond!

All or part of your building can be designed in steel, taking advantage of its low maintenance, energy efficiencies and long-term durability.

We build across B.C. and have been building for wineries, fruit producers, cideries and more since 1992.

Storage

Secure-Rite Mobile Storage 123 Penno Road Kelowna, BC V1X 6S1 Phone: 250.861.3955 Toll Free: 1.888.861.3955 Fax: 250.861.3165 Storage@Secure-Rite.com www.Secure-Rite.com Secure-Rite Mobile Storage is changing the way the world views and uses shipping containers. We bring people and portable space together in meaningful and creative ways. We offer mobile storage, office containers, accommodation units (The ComfortCube™), pesticide and refrigerated containers, and a variety of smart accessories that are available for purchase, lease or rental at competitive prices, with exceptional service!

Spring 2021

2021 Buyer's Guide

Suite 311, 9440 202 Street, Langley, BC V1M 4A6 Toll Free: 1-877-533-1789 contact@agsafebc.ca www.agsafebc.ca

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Tax & Consulting

MNP.ca Okanagan Office 6th Floor Landmark 4 Kelowna, B.C. 250.979.2574 geoff.mcintyre@mnp.ca Whether you operate a winery, a cidery, or are a grape grower, fruit grower, fruit producer, or a supplier in B.C.’s dynamic and growing food & beverage industry, you have great opportunity. Based in Kelowna and with 20 offices across B.C, our food and beverage industry specialists provide expertise and scalable solutions for all your accounting, taxation, and risk management needs.

Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

Avenue Machinery Corp.

1521 Sumas Way Abbotsford, BC Abbotsford Phone: 604-864-2665 Fax: 604-864-9568 Toll Free: 1-888-283-3276 Kelowna Phone: 250-769-8700 Fax: 250-769-8755 Vernon Phone: 250-545-3355 Fax: 250-545-4255 Rock Creek Phone: 250-446-2311 Toll Free: 1-888-283-3276 reception@avenuemachinery.ca www.avenuemachinery.ca Agricultural and light construction supply and service equipment.

Featuring Kubota, Fendt, Massey Ferguson, Landpride, Florida, Rankin, Maschio.

Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

Gerard’s Equipment 5592 Hwy 97 Oliver, BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-2524 Fax: 250-498-3288 www.gerardsequipment.com Proudly serving the Okanagan since 1973. We provide high quality farm equipment; vineyard and trellising supplies; and outdoor yard and garden products. We also provide repair service and replacement parts to most makes and models. In addition to our mainlines of KUBOTA Tractors and STIHL garden implements we carry a large variety of tractor attachments; short line implements; pruning tools; bird scaring, trellising, and harvesting supplies.

Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

Handlers Equipment Clarion Tanks Ltd. Distribution Importation Jean Gagnon Inc Antonio Carraro 179 St Laurent West Maskinonge, PQ Phone: 819-626-0166 Fax: 819-626-0146 info@antoniocarraro.ca www.antoniocarraro.ca

2021 Buyer's Guide

Service & Parts Osoyoos BC. Bowtie Tech Corp.

15210 Hwy 97N, Osoyoos. BC Phone 250-495-6459 Antonio Carraro is a Specialty tractors for Orchard, vineyard application from 31 to 100 Hp. 4x4, articulated frame or steering direction drive, with or less cabine.

Also the RGS system option (Reversible Guide System), With gear or Hydrostatic transmission.

46 Spring 2021

32351 Huntingdon Road Abbotsford, BC Phone: 866.255.8265 Toll free: 866.255.8265 info@clariontanks.ca www.clariontanks.ca Clarion Tanks is a family owned and operated business that has been creating custom liquid management systems since 1985. Offering capacities between 50-litre and 9.5-million litre capacities, Clarion has a solution for your project. Applications include potable water, chemical or fertilizer storage; food processing, waste water treatment, and more.

339 Sumas Way Abbotsford, BC V2S 8E5 Phone: 604-850-3601 www.handlersequipment.com @handlersequipment Handlers Equipment specializes in providing top quality agriculture & construction equipment.

Handlers only stocks top-of-the-line new equipment and well-maintained used equipment. They are proud dealers of Hyundai Construction Equipment, Mahindra tractors and utility vehicles, Morooka tracked dumpers, and other short lines. In addition, Handlers stocks multiple lines of agriculture implements.

Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

Vineyard Equipment

Warehousing & Distribution

Commercial Logistics Inc.

Gerard’s Equipment

Matsqui Ag Repair Ltd. 34856 Harris Rd. Abbotsford, BC V3G 1R7 Phone: 604-826-3281 Fax: 604-826-0705 dave.matsquiagrepair@shaw.ca www.matsquiagrepair.com Authorized Sales, Service and Parts for Deutz-Fahr, McCormick, Kioti, Kuhn and McHale equipment. New and used equipment sales. Servicing the Okanagan and Fraser Valley since 1989.

Tractors, Sprayers & Machinery

5592 Hwy 97 Oliver, BC V0H 1T0 Phone: 250-498-2524 Fax: 250-498-3288 www.gerardsequipment.com Proudly serving the Okanagan since 1973. We provide high quality farm equipment; vineyard and trellising supplies; and outdoor yard and garden products. We also provide repair service and replacement parts to most makes and models. In addition to our mainlines of KUBOTA Tractors and STIHL garden implements we carry a large variety of tractor attachments; short line implements; pruning tools; bird scaring, trellising, and harvesting supplies.

Viticulture

333 Penno Road Kelowna, BC V1X 7W5 Phone: 250-491-9316 Fax: 250-491-9317 cli_kelowna@containerworld.com www.commercial-logistics.com Through our Kelowna, 93,000 square foot safe, secure and temperaturecontrolled facility we offer a logistics gateway to your customers and suppliers both in the Okanagan and around the world. From direct to store delivery of one case, to forwarding pallets and full truckloads our competitive pricing, technology and industry & product knowledge, will exceed your logistics expectations.

Winery Consultants

ECOVIN CONSULTING

Slimline Manufacturing

Providing Canadian Grapevine Solutions

559 Okanagan Avenue East Penticton, BC V2A 3K4 Phone: 250-493-6145 Toll Free: 1-800-495-6145 agsales@slimlinemfg.com www.Turbomist.com

ONTARIO Wes Wiens/Tina Wall Phone: 905-984-4324 sales@vinetech.ca

Turbo-Mist Sprayers are engineered to increase yield, eliminate drift, reduce operating costs and decrease ecological footprint.

Turbo-Mist Sprayers: patented airblast technology, portable, durable, and customizable!

Our dealer network representing the best in class sprayers and towers also provides maintenance services and Turbo-Mist OEM factory parts to the industry.

Phone: 250 510-1558 3897 Cobble Hill Rd Cobble Hill, BC johnkelly@ecovin.ca www.ecovin.ca

BRITISH COLUMBIA Nathan Phillips Phone: 250-809-6040 bcsales@vinetech.ca

• Winery licensing & establishment.

QUEBEC qcsales@vinetech.ca

• Natural & conventional grape & fruit wine production.

NOVA SCOTIA nssales@vinetech.ca

• Organic/Sustainable & conventional vineyard establishment & management.

Producers of Canadian grafted and own rooted Grapevines. Importers of Certified Grapevines from Europe and the United States for sale across Canada. We also offer custom grafting, potted grapevines, trellising material and planting.

• Site evaluation, equipment selection.

2021 Buyer's Guide

Slimline Manufacturing is North America’s premier manufacturer of Agricultural Sprayer Technology.

ECOVIN CONSULTING

Spring 2021

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Winery Equipment

A.O. Wilson Ltd 9597 Sideroad 17 Erin, ON N0B 1T0 aowilson.ca Western Canada 1.833.269.4576 (AOWILSON) bccustomerservice@aowilson.ca Eastern Canada 1.855.857.1511 customerservice@aowilson.ca Proud supplier for 75 years!

Everything you need from the vineyard to the bottling line. Offering reliable products, advice and technical sales support for all your processing and packaging needs at honest prices.

The largest stocking distributor in Canada of premium corks, capsules and closures. Enology products, equipment, filters, filter media and cleaning supplies for your winery. We invite you to visit one of our offices or simply visit our online shop at your convenience.

Winery Equipment

Winery Equipment

cellar•tek west 1043 Richter St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 2K4 Phone: 250-868-3186 Toll Free: 1-877-460-9463

cellar•tek east

2021 Buyer's Guide

Professional ingredients, supplies, including yeasts, laboratory products, bottles and equipment for the commercial winemaker, cidermaker, distiller, brewer and hobbyist. Also, products for fruit processors, vinegar makers, kombucha, seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages.

Shop our online catalog and have your order shipped.

Visit our fully stocked warehouse in Burnaby and pick up your items immediately. Our product selection can’t be beat.

48 Spring 2021

1446 Industrial Avenue Sebastopol, CA 95472 Winemakers: If your wine needs a little less of this or a little more of that, Winesecrets can help you.

#530 – 380 Vansickle Road St. Catharines, ON, L2S 0B5 Phone: 905-246-8316 info@cellartek.com www.cellartek.com CellarTek is at the forefront of the Commercial Food & Beverage Industry, based in Canada and serving all of North America. CellarTek offers quality equipment, supplies and ingredients ranging from fruit reception and stainless tanks, to packaging and all points of processing and service needs between. We are continually searching our global network for the finest quality equipment, products and supplies for the beverage production industry and we encourage you to browse our website for your winery, brewery, cider making or distilling needs.

What’s new? Winesecrets’ Differential Filtration eliminates detectable smoke taint compounds, free and bound!

Winery Equipment

Winery Supplies

6908 Palm Avenue Burnaby, BC V5J 4M3 Phone: 604-473-9463 Toll Free: 1-866-55GRAPE Fax: 604-433-2810 info@bosagrape.com www.bosagrape.com

Winery Equipment

We are the wine industry experts in specialized liquid separation processes to include reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, ion exchange, distillation, waste water management, and more. Our Test Track service enables you to find the flavor profile you intended with just 1-2 cases of wine.

When no one else has an answer, Winesecrets has probably solved it.

Give us a call: Toll Free: 1-888-656-5553 info@winesecrets.com www.winesecrets.com

Nuance Winery Supplies Inc.

A.O. Wilson Ltd

261 Martindale Rd, St Catharines, ON L2W 1A1 Phone: 289-929-1671 contact@nuancetrade.com www.nuancetrade.com

9597 Sideroad 17 Erin, ON N0B 1T0 aowilson.ca

Established at the crossroad of the three largest wine volume producing countries in the world, Nuance is at the forefront of the industry’s latest developments. Rigorously trained by our suppliers in the state-of-theart, and paying close attention to our customers’ input and feedback, we propose a comprehensive set of technical solutions, from grape receiving, through wine preparation for bottling.

Western Canada 1.833.269.4576 (AOWILSON) bccustomerservice@aowilson.ca Eastern Canada 1.855.857.1511 customerservice@aowilson.ca Proud supplier for 75 years!

Everything you need from the vineyard to the bottling line. Offering reliable products, advice and technical sales support for all your processing and packaging needs at honest prices.

The largest stocking distributor in Canada of premium corks, capsules and closures. Enology products, equipment, filters, filter media and cleaning supplies for your winery. We invite you to visit one of our offices or simply visit our online shop at your convenience.

Winery Supplies

Winery Supplies

Winery Supplies

1446 Industrial Avenue Sebastopol, CA 95472 6908 Palm Avenue Burnaby, BC V5J 4M3 Phone: 604-473-9463 Toll Free: 1-866-55GRAPE Fax: 604-433-2810 info@bosagrape.com www.bosagrape.com Professional ingredients, supplies, including yeasts, laboratory products, bottles and equipment for the commercial winemaker, cidermaker, distiller, brewer and hobbyist. Also, products for fruit processors, vinegar makers, kombucha, seltzers and nonalcoholic beverages.

Shop our online catalog and have your order shipped.

Gusmer Enterprises 81 M Street, Fresno, CA 93721 Phone: 559-485-2692 Toll Free: 866-213-1131 sales@gusmerenterprises.com www.gusmerenterprises.com For over 95 years Gusmer has offered a full line of products and solutions for the wine and cider industries including yeast, bacteria, fermentation nutrients, processing aids, filtration media and equipment, analytical instrumentation and analytical laboratory services – all backed by strong technical support.

For more information, contact Gusmer Enterprises today.

What’s new? Winesecrets’ Differential Filtration eliminates detectable smoke taint compounds, free and bound!

We are the wine industry experts in specialized liquid separation processes to include reverse osmosis, electrodialysis, ion exchange, distillation, waste water management, and more. Our Test Track service enables you to find the flavor profile you intended with just 1-2 cases of wine.

When no one else has an answer, Winesecrets has probably solved it.

Give us a call: Toll Free: 1-888-656-5553 info@winesecrets.com www.winesecrets.com

Visit our fully stocked warehouse in Burnaby and pick up your items immediately. Our product selection can’t be beat.

Winery Supplies

Winemakers: If your wine needs a little less of this or a little more of that, Winesecrets can help you.

Winery Supplies

cellar•tek west 1043 Richter St. Kelowna, BC V1Y 2K4 Phone: 250-868-3186 Toll Free: 1-877-460-9463

Hanna Instruments Canada Inc. 3156 Industriel Laval, QC H7L 4P7 Phone: 450-629-1444 Toll free: 800-842-6629 Fax number: 450-629-3335 sales@hannacan.com www.hannacan.com

If you missed being listed here you can list your company online.

Contact lisa@orchardandvine.net www.orchardandvine.net 778-754-7078

We supply instrumentation for all the growers and winemakers’ needs whether pocket type, portable or bench type. We offer meters for the analysis of pH, conductivity, sulfur dioxide, total titratable acidity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, residual sugar and many other parameters.

2021 Buyer's Guide

cellar•tek east #530 – 380 Vansickle Road St. Catharines, ON, L2S 0B5 Phone: 905-246-8316 info@cellartek.com www.cellartek.com CellarTek is at the forefront of the Commercial Food & Beverage Industry, based in Canada and serving all of North America. CellarTek offers quality equipment, supplies and ingredients ranging from fruit reception and stainless tanks, to packaging and all points of processing and service needs between. We are continually searching our global network for the finest quality equipment, products and supplies for the beverage production industry and we encourage you to browse our website for your winery, brewery, cider making or distilling needs.

Contact the Quality Suppliers and Service Providers inside the magazine.

Spring 2021

49

‘Providence’A New Red-Fleshed Apple

By Gary Symons The University of Guelph has developed and is preparing to release a new apple for the cider industry, with red flesh and the ability to produce a bright red apple cider.

“The apple has several unique features well suited for the apple cider industry and processing industries,” wrote Dr. John Cline, a professor of Pomology and Tree Fruit Physiology at U of G. “The apple as a very crimson red flesh that produced crimson coloured juice for cider, jams and jellies.

Called the ‘Providence’, the new apple was bred and developed by Cline and tested for nearly 20 years at the Simcoe Research Station. The apple originated from an open-pollinated cross-breed conducted in 2000 with the variety ‘Empire’ as the female parent.

One selection designated as B17Crab7 was selected for further evaluation and propagated onto clonal M.26 rootstock, and trees were then planted in 2007.

Since then several trees have been grafted onto dwarfing rootstock and are in production at the Simcoe Research Station, starting in 2015.

Cline says he wasn’t originally working on a red-fleshed apple, but a combination of events led him down that path.

“It was a serendipitous discovery in a sense,” Cline says. “We had this apple that we developed 20 years ago, and it only became more apparent to me when I started working on cider probably about eight years ago when I realized the industry was looking for red-fleshed apples to make red juice to colour the cider. So, it was a bit of a chance thing that we had the apple, and it fit in with what we were hearing from the industry.”

Photo of four-year-old ‘Providence’/M.26 trees

“If you go to the US you’ll see big producers like Angry Orchard already producing a rosé cider, and research done at University of Michigan and Cornell where I 50 Spring 2021

Photos by J.A. Cline

Originally, Cline says, it was observation of what large American cider producers were doing that led the team at Guelph to start working on a specialty red juice apple.

Flowers showing the red colour of spur leaves and developing extension leaves and the shoot apex.

Fruit colour develops relatively early in the growing season.

for the Cider and Processing Industry sort of had my ear to the ground, they’re looking at this too.”

The aptly named Providence apple has a distinct red-purple skin, an ellipsoid shape like a plum, shows bright red flesh through the mesocarp, and typically ranges from 20 to 43 grams when trees are not thinned. The extracted juice is high in acidity with soluble solids at a concentration of around 12 per cent. It is high in polyphenols and has an astringent, bitter flavour.

The trees are also very productive and annual bearing when they are not thinned, with Cline reporting yields up to 100 kilograms per 11-year-old tree. The crop load averaged 16 to 32 fruits per square centimeter of trunk cross sectional area.

Providence would have a number of potential uses, such as producing an apple jam or jelly, but Cline says the most obvious is for cider due to the high acidity and tannins and the colour. The apple is also a very rich source of anti-oxidants, such as flavonoids, flavanols and anthocyanins, so the juice would have enhanced health benefits for humans.

“What makes a good apple for cider is the tannins, which crab apples typically have more of, and that gives you the mouth feel you need for a quality cider,” Cline explains. “Often you’ll see regular apples used in a mix for ciders, but by themselves they don’t give the complexity of flavour that one demands from a true craft cider.”

The Providence provides both complexity of flavour with the look of a rosé cider, and the fruit is already being grown in Canada under license by Warwick Orchards and Nursery, a farm located in Ontario between Sarnia and London.

The newly developed apple comes into play just as rosé cider became popular in the US and Canada. Angry Orchard, MillerCoors, Strongbow, Bold Rock, and many other companies in the US are just a few of the companies looking to capitalize on the trend that first caught the attention of consumers in 2017-2018.

In full bloom in the test plot at the Simcoe Research Station.

Close up of flowers being pollinated at bloom

Angry Orchard’s red cider is made with six different apple varieties, including one red flesh apple that gives the beverage Spring 2021

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Often you’ll see regular apples used in a mix for ciders, but by themselves they don’t give the complexity of flavour that one demands from a true craft cider.

Dr. John Cline

The US Association of Cider Makers also says cideries are looking for new prod-

ucts to continue the upward curve in popularity for craft cider products.

“It’s a common refrain in the wine sector right now that drinkers are looking for a lower alcohol, more refreshing, food friendly product,” said executive director Michelle McGrath in a 2018 report.“Cider meets that criteria, so rose cider is a strategy to woo wine drinkers.”

The USACM notes that cider sales increased rapidly from 2011 to 2016, but the growth rate began slowing through 2018 and beyond. Combining cider with already hot trends like the turn to socalled “Millennial Pink” beverages is seen as one way the industry can continue to attract new customers.

In the meantime, however, Cline says there are more challenges to overcome in the cider industry that would help crab apples become more competitive. While the crab apples are better for cider, they are also very small compared to table apples, and are therefore more difficult to harvest efficiently.

For that reason, he says, research is being done not just on developing better

Photo contributed

a distinctive colour and flavour, but the company also adds hibiscus. Other competing ciders have an apple base, but add other elements like rose petals. Experts in the industry say rosé ciders are growing in popularity because they are more photogenic on Instagram feeds, and because of the growing popularity of rosé wines.

Dr. John Cline, a professor of Pomology and Tree Fruit Physiology at U of Guelph.

apples for cider, but also devising better techniques to harvest them.

“Horticulturally one of the challenges with crab aples is the size is so small, so in order to move this forward in a big way we have to find a way to mechanically harvest them,” Cline says. “To handpick them, it would be like cherries, and you don’t have to keep them in perfect condition because you aren’t marketing them as fresh fruit, so mechanical harvesting makes sense.

“We already have some ideas about that.

For example, you could shake the trees using various technologies and have the fruit automatically placed in the bin, and then off to the press.”

Even so, Cline believes the new apple will be a valuable addition to the industry as it provides excellent juice with what is now a trendy, attractive colour.

Photos by J.A. Cline

The apple yields an impressive 809 litres per tonne of fruit, with a BRIX of 12 per cent and a pH of between 3.0 to 3.5, and Titrable acidity of six to 12 grams per litre.

A photo of freshly pressed juice in a 20L carboy, ready for fermentation into cider, shows the dramatic, crimson coloration of the Providence apple. The juice retains its crimson colour when fermented alone as a single varietal. Fruit are about the size of a European plum when not thinned.

52 Spring 2021

The University of Guelph is currently negotiating licenses with various nurseries.

Anyone interested in acquiring a license can contact Ms. Rattan Gill at the U of G Research Innovation Office by email at rattang@uoguelph.ca. ■

Photo by Ronda Payne

4th Generation Farmer with Next Generation Tech

Jason Smith on his Matsqui farm.

By Ronda Payne Given his family history, it’s no surprise that Jason Smith was born with a keen interest in high bush blueberries. As the saga goes, Smith’s mom went into labour with him in August, right at the peak of berry season. She spent two days in the hospital after giving birth, then returned to help with the harvest. Those berries weren’t about to wait any more than Smith would wait to be born.

Perhaps it was that experience, coupled with the hard work involved in farming a perennial crop, that led his parents to try to sway Smith to another occupation.

“All my life I’ve been doing it,” he says of berry farming. “When I was getting out of high school, I’d been saying I wanted to farm blueberries. My mom said, ‘nope, nope’.”

Smith took a cursory look at a mechanic’s course. “I like to throw wrenches around,” he says, but despite his skills with engines, and his parents’ attempts, his future was cast. His parents gave in to the inevitable and Smith took the Agriculture Technology program at the Uni

The weather station texts me about a day before I need to water, it helps me to manage my irrigation... and better understand why my crop is doing what, when.

Jason Smith versity of the Fraser Valley. It’s certainly more education in agriculture than his great grandfather had in the late 40s or early 50s when he planted what Smith believes is the first blueberry crop in the Matsqui region of Abbotsford.

Reka, Bluecrop and Aurora blueberries under his company Fraser Berry Farms Ltd.

Now, still in Matsqui (about a five-minute drive from his ancestor’s former farm), Smith is a fourth-generation blueberry farmer with his wife Melissa and daughters Sophia and Charlie. He also works as a berry consultant as the co-owner of Pier Management and Consulting (with small-fruit consultant Mike Boot) and serves as a director and the finance committee chair for the BC Blueberry Council along with his involvement in other berry community advisory groups.

One of those leased plots is his dad’s. They keep their operations separate, but do take advantage of certain economies of scale that working with family can bring.

Smith farms about 115 acres of Duke,

“I planted my first field in ’96 and my second one in 2003,” he says. “I’m leasing more land now.”

“He has his own farm, I have my own farm,” he explains. “We’ll buy equipment together. It’s hard to justify the expense for just one.”

This also helps keep costs down when Smith is looking for new forms of technology to make the farm run more efficiently. Seven years ago he invested in Spring 2021

53

a Hortau weather station complete with soil moisture probes after doing a farm management plan. Probes are set to 12 and 18 inches and take the guesswork out of irrigation for Smith.

“It texts me about a day before I need to water,” he says. “It helps me to manage my irrigation better. It helps me to better understand why my crop is doing what, when. It’s all about fine tuning things.”

Photo by Ronda Payne

The system delivers data on soil moisture, wind, rainfall, temperatures, evapotranspiration and other essential details. Because there is a data record, Smith has the information he needs to prove specific events in his field. This is important if there is ever a need for him to access crop recovery insurance as an insurer might only have access to data from a different region in the community.

“We have so many micro climates in the valley,” he explains.

During heavy rainfalls, Smith’s fields that are close to the river experience far more seepage and flooding than those of fields further south.

“Last year was a curse because I’m so close to the river, I get so much seepage,” he says.

As the technology advances and researchers are working towards understanding pest and disease pressures better, Smith hopes there will come a time when a field device will have all the information it needs to help identify times to apply crop protection.

“I’m hoping to get to a point of using the weather station as to whether I need to put on crop protection or not,” he says.

Jason Smith farms Duke, Reka, Bluecrop and Aurora blueberries

The only downfall is that cell service is essential and on one of his leased fields, cell coverage is spotty at best. He’s hoping there will soon be satellite internet available for regions like that going forward.

Another technological advancement Smith has a keen interest in is a robotic weeder from Eleos Robotics. He is an investor in the project which has been slowed somewhat by COVID-19, but the benefits are worth waiting for, in his opinion.

“Weed management costs me quite a bit per year,” he says.

“Just labour for hand weeding, herbicide costs, I’m at $800 plus a year per acre. It adds up. It’s always something where you’re playing catch up.”

He sees the autonomous weeder that microwaves weeds and returns to its home base for charging as a potential cost saver that doesn’t harm the environment. All things being equal, he’s going to lean towards environmentally beneficial methods, but obviously, equal means those solutions can’t be excessively priced and must have the same levels of efficacy.

“I use a lot of organic-based crop protection products too, where I can,” he says.

Machine harvesting has been another time saver and last year about 98 per cent of Smith’s crop was machine harvested before it went to Berryhill Foods for IQF production. The late season Aurora made up the two per cent that was hand-picked for fresh. This year, he hopes to increase that amount.

“Ideally I’d like to do the first pick hand-picked,” he says of the 45 acres of Aurora. “Is it going to go that way? I don’t know.”

As he gazes around this field, which is the acreage he leases from his dad, he contemplates whether his daughters will become fifth generation blueberry farmers in Matsqui.

“At times I try to sell them. I tell them, ‘you could be the only fifth-generation blueberry farmers’,” he says.

At age 12 and 14, his daughters still have plenty of time to decide their future plans and Smith is quick to assure them they don’t have to take on everything he has with farming, consulting and being part of the support associations.

One of the girls has already said she’d like to be a doctor. Or maybe a blueberry farmer. ■

54 Spring 2021

Studies Help Cold Climate Viticulture in BC

By Tom Walker When it is 40’C in an Osoyoos vineyard at the beginning of August, “cool climate viticulture” doesn’t seem to be an accurate description, but the winter temperatures in BC grape regions tell a different story.

The grape bud hardiness index run by Carl Bogdanoff at AAFC Summerland gives grape growers an indication of how a cold spell will affect their vines. Every two weeks, AAFC staff, as well as technicians from Sebastian Farms (Mission Hill) and Arterra Wines collect cane samples of the most popular varieties at select sites across the Okanagan valley.

Grape buds are carefully cut from the canes, placed on temperature monitoring trays and gradually cooled in specialized freezers. As the moisture in the bud freezes, it gives off a spike of energy, and that temperature is recorded as the “lethal temperature exotherm 50” (LTE50), the temperature at which 50% of the buds sampled have frozen. AAFC graphs the results for 17 cultivars from 13 different Okanagan sites and distributes the data to the industry.

“There are a number of reasons why we

Photo by JP Tremblay

When thermometers across the Okanagan dropped below -20C this February, it was the third winter in a row that temperatures were low enough to cause bud damage to grape vines. Luckily, Summerland researchers have your back.

Chantale Gagne of Arterra Wines is busy collecting Chardonnay cuttings at the Thomas Ranch Vineyard in Okanagan Falls, for the grape bud hardiness project.

do this work,” says Bogdanoff. “The index gives growers an indication of the risk of freezing damage that cold temperatures will have on their vines, and that in turn dictates the sort of mitigation they will need to take in their vineyard.”

Growers that have wind machines will know at what temperature to turn them on during a freezing spell, or if they are automatic, what temperature to set them for. “The machines are expensive

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to run, so they need good temperature data,” Bogdanoff points out.

If temperatures at a vineyard site are in the range of those shown on the index, then growers will have an idea how much bud or trunk tissue damage they might expect and adjust their pruning accordingly.

A pruner’s job is to leave just enough buds to produce a balanced crop, and that can depend on knowing how winter

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temperatures might have affected buds.

Troy Osborne, Director of Viticulture West, at Arterra Wines, leads the BC Grapegrowers Association’s annual pruning workshops, and suggests pruning be done as late in the winter as possible.

If it has been cold enough (around -25C, Bogdanoff says) growers also need to check for trunk damage and cut vine trunks back to below the damage, to help vines give out new shoots in the spring.

Grape vines acclimate progressively through the winter starting in October and are usually at their hardiest in the dead of January-February, so the timing of a cold snap is an important factor.

This last October, temperatures dropped to -10’C across the Okanagan, over the Oct. 23-26 weekend. Most of the grape crop was in, and a bit of frost will not usually affect grape quality, but growers were initially worried about vine damage. Bogdanoff says vines gain hardiness very quickly in October and the 24th was late enough that there should not be any long-term effects. “I measured grape bud hardiness throughout the valley that week and the buds were hardy to about

Photo contributed

“You need to be able to inspect your buds for damage, and this will give you an idea of how many to leave,” Osborne says. “If you prune too heavily and there was winter damage, there may not be enough fruiting buds and you will have a light crop. If you leave too many buds, you will be summer pruning to cut back on vigour, or you will have a large crop of lesser quality.” Either way, he says, there is a risk.

Troy Osborne of Inniskillin at the BCGA pruning workshop in 2020.

-16C,” Bogdanoff says.

ness and we started this work.”

But that was not the case at Thanksgiving in 2009, when temperatures of -10C resulted in widespread bud damage across the valley. “October 12 was too early and the vines had not yet had time to acclimatize,” Bogdanoff says.

Given the Okanagan’s differences in micro-climates, Bogdanoff says that it is extremely important for growers to know their own vineyards. “One of the first things I noticed when we really started looking at winter temperatures and grape vine hardiness, was the huge variations in temperature up and down this valley.” he says. If an artic front settles in and there is no wind, Bogdanoff says there can be a 10’C difference between vineyards even half a kilometer apart.

“One vineyard is going to have no winter damage and the one next door is going to be practically wiped out,” he explains.

“You have to know the cold spots on your own site. That’s where you need to check on things.” ■

2008 and 2009 were particularly tough on grape vines in BC, with December and January temperatures dropping to -25’C. “We got off pretty easy in the early 2000’s, and growers had gotten complacent.” Bogdanoff recalls. “But -25 is a big deal.” He says growers had to pull out blocks of dead vines the summer of 2009 and then suffered the Thanksgiving bud damage. “That is when we decided that growers needed to know about hardi-

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56 Spring 2021

Ensuring Soil Stays in Place With Cover Crops

By Ronda Payne Long hailed for their ability to enhance soil health and improve stability, cover crops have often been seen as something specifically for the vegetable-growing set of farmers. But it turns out, that grass alleyway between the rows of perennial plantings has more to offer than just a pretty visage.

While studies are ongoing as to how to make cover crops work harder and better in perennials, some of the benefits seen in annuals do translate to orchard, vineyard and berry fields. Interest in this technique is on the rise.

Tom Forge, applied soil ecology and nematology scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, says there are five significant benefits of cover crops in perennials: Reducing soil erosion (limiting dust and mud), reducing nitrate leaching, moderating temperatures, weed control, and increasing organic matter for enhanced soil biological activity.

Photo contributed

DeLisa Lewis is the co-owner and lead farmer of Green Fire Farm in Duncan and has established perennial forage and clovers within perennial crops. She also happens to be the assistant professor with the Faculty of Land and Food Systems with The University of British Columbia, so has had “a fairly strong focus” in cover cropping, though her research is centered in annuals when not trying out the application in perennials on her farm.

“The benefits with reduced/eliminated tillage in those perennial alleys are reduced/eliminated risk of erosion,” she says of the perennial cover crops.

Tom Forge taking a soil core from a cover crop plot.

This linkage between pollinators and cover crops is something Forge identified as a benefit.

Ensuring soil stays in place is essential for a wide range of reasons, but cover crops can be particularly important for those on the ‘wet coast' because they reduce compaction of the soil.

“Different types of cover crops are often examined for their attractiveness to pollinators and natural enemies of insect pests,” he says.

“In the wet Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, this translates to improved drainage which can be critically important for getting into fields early in the spring,” says Forge.

Cover crops, borders and hedgerows may be considered adornment at consumer-facing farms, but lavender interspersed in a vineyard, fescue grasses between u-pick raspberries, or clover in the alleys of a cidery’s apple orchard, while pretty, are also helpful at all perennial-growing sites.

Cover crops can also add to the beautification of an area, although what may be seen as aesthetic to some, may be seen as food to a pollinator. Lewis hasn’t yet measured the increase in pollinators due to her cover crops.

“Soils benefit from keeping a cover, keeping a living root in the

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ground, it is a basic principle of soil health,” Lewis says.

In cases like Lewis’, the cost of maintaining a perennial cover crop is lower compared to an annual cover crop due to reduced costs for seeding and maintenance. Jason Smith (whose farm is profiled on page 53) also uses perennial cover crops in his blueberries.

“I have a permanent cover crop mix of rye and fescue in the middle of rows,” he says. “I used to do the annual thing. The grass part was cheap, but all the labour to prep for seeding, seed, roll, etcetera, was too expensive with the returns we are getting now.”

Smith focuses on the alley section between berry crop rows and reseeds when seepage and rain damage the field and lead to rutting.

While there is less planting with perennial cover crops, it’s a more complex system says Eric Brennan, research horticulturalist with the USDA Agricultural Research Service.

“It depends on the type of system,” he explains. “The needs for a grape crop are quite different from, say, an orchard system.”

A similarity between annuals and perennials he mentions is that farmers don’t want cover crops to compete with the main crop.

“Most of the benefits of cover crops relate more to their effects on the overall agro-ecosystem than on fruit production, per se,” says Forge.

The overall best choice is turf-type mixtures of perennial grasses which are often marketed as Alleyway Mix and include fescues and/or rye grasses.

“With perennials, growers are limited to planting the cover crops in the alleyways between the crop rows and herbicides are usually used to keep the crop row relatively weed-free,” he says. “This limits the potential to increase organic matter and beneficial biological activity in the crop row.”

He says that it is possible to “mow and blow” clippings to enhance organic matter, but the traditional flail mower needs a side-discharge mechanism to get the clippings into the crop row.

“The planting of cover crops within the crop row, also known as ‘living mulch’, has been the holy grail of cover crop research,” he says. “The idea is to identify a cover crop that can provide the desired benefits directly to the soil in which the target crop is growing, but without competing with the target crop for water or nutrients.”

So far, a cover crop that fits this bill hasn’t been identified.

“Many vineyards in the US and a few in BC experiment with tilling every other alleyway, or perhaps every third alleyway, each year,” he says. “This is an attempt to get a compromise between the benefits of the perennial cover crops while releasing nutrients back into the soil.”

Those considering cover crops for perennial crops need to assess a variety of factors such as soil test data, rain fall and irrigation, production system requirements, pest and disease pressures and crop nutrient needs. Cover crops do benefit perennial plantings so long as costs and benefits are considered prior to planting and a certain amount of the unknown is accepted. ■

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 THE WORD ON WINE | CARIE JONES

Raise a Glass to Celebrate BC Wine Month

With each new year, spring welcomes a new vintage to the vineyards of British Columbia. As the budding vines spring to life, the province’s winemakers and grape growers embrace the rewards and challenges as they envision a brand-new vintage with its own unique story to tell.

As the natural growth cycle begins anew in BC’s vineyards, the province is once again recognizing the dedicated efforts of its wine industry.

On March 18, at the virtual BC Wine Industry Insight Conference, the Honourable Lana Popham, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries once again proclaimed April as the official provincewide wine month, encouraging all British Columbians to enjoy 100 per cent BC wines.

"The BC wine industry represents a complex, value-added food and beverage industry that offers customers a truly unique BC experience. By once again proclaiming April as BC Wine Month we want to celebrate and acknowledge all the individuals that contribute to BC's famous wine industry, from grapegrowers and winemakers to retailers and tourism operators,” says Popham.

Throughout the month of April, Wine Growers British Columbia will celebrate the passionate, hardworking and dedicated winemakers and grapegrowers that craft and produce the pristine Wines of British Columbia and encourage consumers to support the high-quality products produced right in their own communities and province.

“Many of our local wineries and vineyards are family-run businesses that have chosen farming and winemaking as their passion and their profession. This recognition of their hard work and dedica

tion is well deserved,” says Miles Prodan, President and CEO, Wine Growers British Columbia. “It’s also an important recognition of the more than 280 licensed grape wineries and more than 400 independent grapegrowers which enhance the vibrancy and sustainability of BC’s vineyards and agricultural communities which in turn support more than 12,000 jobs and attract more than a million tourists each year.”

With 929 vineyards across the province and more than 80 grape varieties produced, BC’s wine industry has an economic impact of $2.8 billion annually throughout the province, which is reason enough to celebrate this thriving industry, not to mention the creativity and passion that goes into every bottle of BC wine.

“Throughout the pandemic, the BC wine industry has shown resiliency and strength to help pivot sales, welcome local visitors to wineries and serve their customers,” says Popham. “From shifting to online sales, creating seating bubbles and more outdoor seating and offering door to door delivery, the industry has put their customers first to ensure they always felt safe and welcome. I am heartened that so many British Columbians are supporting our local producers by choosing BC wine and I want to personally thank all of our BC grape growers and wine makers for both their resilience and their innovation over the past year.”

Day in the Life, a multi-pronged marketing campaign aimed at building a connection between consumers and winemaking. The campaign is supported by billboards, in-store point-of-sale materials, social media and a consumer contest titled, “Just a Dream Away,” aimed at supporting the local tourism industry by inspiring future wine travel to the province once safe to do so.

“The goal of this campaign is to really form a connection between the consumer and our province’s wine farmers,” says Kim Barnes, Marketing Director, Wine Growers British Columbia. “To put a face to the bottle and show consumers the passion and spirit that goes into a bottle of BC wine, not just during the spring or summer, but all year round. We want to ensure consumers see more than the bottle on the shelf, but also the vineyard it came from and the families who created it.”

BC’s winemakers and grape growers are down-to-earth, with the grit, experience and refinement to make wines that are a lasting expression of the place where they were grown and crafted. This April, we raise a glass to the creativity, pride and passion that goes into every bottle of BC wine. Happy BC Wine Month! Here’s to BC’s hardworking and dedicated winemakers and grape growers. ■ Carie Jones, Communications Manager, Wine Growers British Columbia

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 SEEDS OF GROWTH | GLEN LUCAS

COVID-19 and Labour and Ag Stream Program, the expectation of normalcy was turned upside down by new travel restrictions as well as testing requirements, announced January 29:

Without a doubt, labour has been and continues to be one of the most significant impacts of the pandemic in the farm economy. As recently as January, we had greater confidence that finding and getting labour for farming would be back to normal.

For temporary farm workers (TFWs) coming to help Canadian farms through the Seasonal Agricultural Worker

• Commercial airlines immediately halted flights from Mexico and the Caribbean, forcing a scramble to establish charter flights to get workers to Canada.

• Foreign workers needed to get tested within three days of their departure - the travel logistics for workers in rural areas to get to an urban lab and the ability to pay the tests were issues. Even the availability of the testing was uncertain at the time of the announcement, but seems to have been resolved early on.

• An increase in ‘no shows’,

which can be caused by any of the new COVID-19 changes, has itself caused a lot of rescheduling for MiTierra and the Western Agricultural Labour Initiative. WALI has stepped up its activity to assist in communications with growers of flight arrangements and changes.

ernment quarantine to their already-required 14-day quarantine. In general (there are some exceptions that mainly apply to provinces other than BC), the government has recently clarified that the additional three day federal government quarantine is not required.

• The Canadian Embassies issuing work permits instituted new processes that take longer and initially caused confusion. There is a lack of capacity at the Mexican Ministry of Labour (STPS) to deal with the added work and to ensure worker recruitment systems are working properly.

The Western Agriculture Labour Initiative has been instrumental in coordinating flight schedules, worker arrivals, and minimizing ‘no shows’ by communicating with airlines, individual workers, the Mexican Ministry of Labour and growers.

• There was confusion about whether workers on SAWP and Ag Stream would have to add the three-day gov-

COVID-19 and other changes in government systems and capacities have resulted in frustration for growers wanting to know the status of

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their workers. Are the workers ready to travel? Do the workers have all of the work visas and testing documents required to board the plane?

Tip #1. The employer can assist with the information flow by staying in contact with any returning workers. Most workers use Whatsapp to communicate with family and employers.

There is an overwhelming amount of communications to coordinate COVID-19 requirements and travel, and overload can happen when employers call for information on their workers’ status.

Tip #2. Be patient. MiTierra and WALI are working extremely hard to ensure your workers arrive. Communicate with WALI by email, and indicate in the email header when the expected arrival of the workers is, and the nature of your inquiry (e.g. April 14 original arrival date, no confirmation yet; or April 14 flight paid, no confirmation workers are booked on the flight).

In addition to the changing travel requirements, there is a new registry for all employers. Keep onside of this new requirement, as it is fairly easy and fast to register online at no cost.

Tip #3. Growers should register on the BC TFW Registry prior to or at the time of completing the Labour Market Impact Assessment, the application that is submitted to Service Canada. A COVID-19 inspection of housing is required before the foreign workers arrive.

Tip #4. Contact the regional health district (eg. Interior Health) to get a COVID-19 housing facility inspection.

The federal government provided several programs to assist with the additional costs

of the COVID-19 rules. The $1,500 per worker assistance helped growers pay workers’ wages during the first two weeks of quarantine, and any other costs during quarantine.

Another program assisted with the costs of modifying or adding to housing due to COVID-19 sanitation and spacing requirements. These are not yet in place for 2021, but your agriculture organizations are working hard for renewal of these programs.

Tip #5. Watch for news from your agriculture organizations about any funding announcements for COVID-19 assistance.

A huge benefit to BC producers is the provincially managed 14-day quarantine facilities in Richmond. This added a level of control and safety that helped prevent COVID-19 outbreaks from newly arrived workers and added a level of certainty that farm workers were being kept as safe as possible. The program continues for 2021. TFW vaccination is prioritized.

There are also Canadian workers on BC farms. If these workers stay in tent camps or cabins, a COVID-19 inspection of the accommodation area is required before occupancy. In 2020 there was also an assistance program for providing sanitary and spacing requirements for campsites, although uptake was very poor.

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With a larger cherry crop expected this year, more workers will be required. Foreign worker numbers will need to increase by 30 per cent from last year just to keep up with old levels of production, let alone increased production due to maturing trees and increased acreage. There is an indication of renewed interest from Quebec youth in coming to work on Okanagan farms in the summer of 2021,

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following a drop in numbers last year.

Will the number of Quebec workers recover to previous levels? Unfortunately, we will not know until it is too late to adjust. Last year’s appeals to local unemployed people to come work on the farm did not result in any measurable increase in the number of workers.

Farm success depends on having adequate labour, and the most assured labour is the SAWP and TFW programs, though with COVID-19, even the TFW arrivals have some level of uncertainty.

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Tip #6. Plan ahead and seek an assured supply of TFWs. If your farm is small, partner with a larger farm to transfer workers to your farm, and follow-up with an LMIA application to the SAWP program.

Housing remains a huge hurdle for participating in the SAWP and TFW program. In addition to the Worker Campsite regulations of the Ministry of Health (as implemented by WALI), there are additional worker housing regulations being considered by Service Canada. Fortunately, these will not be in force until 2022 at the earliest. Agricultural organizations

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are asking that any new regulations be reasonable and ‘outcomes based’, rather than prescriptive and arbitrary. Prior to COVID-19, regional governments and the Agricultural Land Commission piled on new bylaws and regulations to existing permitting requirements, making it a lengthy process to construct or install new housing for a growing worker population.

Tip #7. Begin working on regional government housing approvals at least two years in advance of the arrival, expanding or starting on the SAWP or TFW Program.

Throughout this article, we have noted the involvement of WALI, and their staff are owed a debt of gratitude for keeping the arrivals as smooth as possible under the circumstances of cancelled commercial flights and new COVID-19 travel requirements. The BCFGA has assisted in managing the regional government work camps for domestic workers, and the Ministry of Agriculture provided important funding to establish new camps in Summerland and Creston, and funding COVID-19 improvements to the Seacrest Campsite in Oliver.

Grower associations at all levels have expended a huge effort in keeping the TFW rules and regulations as reasonable as possible, while seeking to provide the information and tools that growers need to plan their labour force for the coming season. As difficult as the labour situation is, it would be much much worse without the attention, support and resources of the many agricultural organizations, including: -B C Agriculture Council Labour Committee - Western Agricultural Labour Initiative - J amaican and other Caribbean Liaison Service - Canadian Horticultural Council - Canadian Federation of Agriculture - AgSafeBC Your membership in a commodity association, such as the BC Fruit Growers’ Association, provides resources for this important work to maintain the agricultural labour force.

Tip #8 Support your commodity association by being a member! ■ Glen Lucas, BCFGA

 LEGAL LIBATIONS | DENESE ESPEUT-POST WITH ADEWALE AJAYI

The Legal Importance of Being Courteous

"To deny any person their human rights is to challenge their very humanity" - Nelson Mandela Remember when you walked into the mall, and somebody opened the door for you or when you went to your favourite store and had to wait in line, but someone showed you kindness by giving up their spot for you? Acting that way is a “courtesy,” which is an expression of being kind.

Employers are responsible for the safety of their workers.

Employees are responsible for understanding and following safe work procedures.

are fundamental, and the law seeks to protect them.

Courtesy is an essential word in Canadian vocabulary, and we believe there is an overall presumption that Canadians are courteous people. While that statement is a generalization, there are elements of truth in it. Courtesy is the act of showing politeness in one’s attitude and behaviour towards others. Not showing courtesy to a person can run the spectrum of simply being uncourteous to being an outright breach of another’s human rights.

Uncourteous behaviour such as discrimination and unfair treatment can impact our human rights. An important question to ask is whether you are protected by law if you are treated unfairly or discriminated against, whether as, for example, a person providing or getting service, as an owner of a business or an employee of that business, or as a recipient of basic amenities. The short answer is both yes and no.

Human rights are those naturally given rights to which every individual is entitled.

Not all human rights are absolute, but certain rights like the right to life and the right to dignity of a human person

Both British Columbia and Canadian law have legislation that protects every resident that falls into a specific category from discrimination and unfair treatment. The BC

Human Rights Code seeks to protect every single person from discrimination in their day-to-day activities. There are five main aspects of our lives that the Code aims to protect. These areas are employment, housing, services, membership in unions and associations and publications.

The Code seeks to protect against discrimination based on several personal characteristics that define us as human. For instance, if you tried to rent a piece of equipment and are not allowed to rent it because you are 65 years of age, the Code is there to protect you. As long as the law does not forbid you from renting such equipment, the rental refusal may fall under discrimination under the

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Code, and the person affected may be entitled to compensation.

Similarly, you cannot be refused service at a spa, grocery store or any other place simply because of your color or your ancestry. Whether you descend from aboriginal, Italian, Ghanaian, Jamaican ancestry or any other ancestry, this can not be a basis for the refusal of service.

Other protected personal characteristics include a person’s sex, marital status, gender identity or expression, family status, sexual orientation, place of origin, physical disability, political belief, religion, mental disability, or a prior criminal conviction.

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It is important to note that just because you feel ill-treated or discriminated against in a situation, it does not mean the action resulting in those feelings will amount to a breach according to the Code. The negative treatment must bring a negative effect on someone related to their protected trait and sometimes the connection between a negative effect and the trait discriminated against is not clear. In addition, defences may be available for some discriminatory behaviour.

It is important to seek legal advice to learn more about the Code and how it protects you. ■ Denese Espeut-Post is an Okanaganbased lawyer and owns Avery Law Office. Her primary areas of practice include wine and business law. This article was writer by law student Adewale Ajayi. www.averylawoffice.ca

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 MARKETING MIX | LEEANN FROESE

Seven Tips on Handling A Media Query • Info kit (background on your business and its people and products)

your website, blog, your videos, newsletters, and social media channels. You are in control of the message.

You can be faced by the press or captured on social media at any time, so if it happens, take it as an opportunity. However, sometimes dealing with the media can seem tricky, and some people are more successful than others.

I recently had the pleasure of providing virtual media training to the BC wine industry on behalf of Wine Growers British Columbia, and am happy to provide a recap of the tips here.

What Kind of Media Do You Want Your Message In? 1. “Paid media” consists of articles you pay for. Nothing appears unless it’s paid for by you. Ads anywhere, or paid brand ambassadors. You are in control of the message.

2. “Owned media” includes

• Good photos - here are a few tips:

3. “Earned media” is when people who can help tell others what you are doing, such as PR people; print, online, or broadcast reporters; radio/ podcasts or TV; and mentions online. You are NOT in control of the message.

* No sunglasses or logos on clothing (unless they are your brand). * In focus and in high resolution. This is key – at the bare minimum, at least 2 or 3 MB in size. The bigger the better.

4. Why Would the Media Contact You? (Here is the potential for earned media)

• Bonus points if you have “B Roll” (video without sound or logos that show an overview of your property).

News media will often contact experts for information or to confirm facts such as:

If you have a limited budget, the most important spend you could make is to make sure that you have your information and images on your website in a way that they can be easily accessed, like a downloadable image gallery. Then press can DIY if they need to.

•P rices, SKU numbers, availability • Photos • Comments or quotes • For “expert” opinion • F or reaction, clarification, or an update on facts

5. Before they call – be prepared!

Make sure you have the tools at hand to be responsive.

These include:

• Know your ‘elevator pitch’, which is your story and your key messages.

•P roduct shots •C urrent product information sheets

• Know your stance and how

to deliver it concisely.

•Y ou should be able to deliver your main media message in 30 seconds. Drill down to the core so you can say it over and over.

• I f you are not sure of how to do this, get coached. It is money well spent.

6. When media does reach out – what is the checklist?

First, get the following essential information from the reporter: 1. N ame of reporter, phone number and media outlet 2. Reporter’s deadline 3. F ocus of requested interview 4. O ther interview subjects for the story 5. A mount of time required, location etc THEN, if this is a phone call, tell them you need 15 minutes and then you will call them right back. This will give you time to get organized and your messaging straight.

If it is an email, reply and ask them the above questions,

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Proactive outreach is a different PR tactic altogether, but regardless of if you are reacting or reaching out, the key takeaway in either case is that you need to have your messaging nailed down, and the same tools on hand. ■ Leeann Froese owns Town Hall Brands – a marketing and graphic design agency that specializes in branding and promoting in the areas of agriculture, beverage alcohol, food, and hospitality.

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 STEWARDSHIP | OKANAGAN SIMILKAMEEN STEWARDSHIP

Farming & Stewardship Go Hand in Hand local wildlife and wildlife habitat on your property.

Natural Vegetation Buffers

Farming often gets a bad rap from environmentalists but farming and land stewardship can certainly go hand in hand.

For generations, farmers have lived and worked alongside natural areas to grow food for their communities. Nature can sometimes present challenges but it is possible for farming and conservation to be a mutually beneficial partnership.

Although the advantages of coexisting with wildlife habitat and wildlife are sometimes not immediately obvious, once the effort is made to start working with wildlife instead of against, the benefits can include improved pest control, reduced flood risk, cleaner water, and even increased fruit yields.

The Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship Society (OSS) works directly with local farmers and landowners in order to assist them in caring for important natural areas on their owned and managed properties. Through our Wildlife Habitat Steward program, we currently partner with over 100 landowners in the Okanagan and Similkameen who care for a combined 5,900 acres of wildlife habitat, much of which is habitat in and around orchards and vineyards. Many Stewards conserve the natural habitat on their farms by just letting it be, while others actively work at restoring or improving farm biodiversity.

Recently, OSS has compiled a Farming With Wildlife primer that highlights different ways that working with nature and natural areas can benefit the farm.

In addition to information on how natural spaces can work for you, the primer also includes examples of different conservation-minded practices for farms, water-saving tips, and case studies of local farmers going above and beyond to make space for local wildlife. Here are two simple ways to start coexisting with

There is little to no downside in planting and/or maintaining a native plant buffer, a thick strip of shrubby native plants along waterways, ponds, and wetlands.

Not only do the plant roots maintain the integrity of the banks and help prevent serious erosion, they also act as a filtration system to help remove leachates, excess fertilizer, and other pollutants from water runoff before it reaches and potentially contaminates the larger water system. In addition, a buffer that also incorporates flowering plants and shrubs will attract and provide habitat for many important native pollinators and helpful predatory insects.

Integrated Pest ManagementIn addition to the predatory insects living in your new vegetation buffer, you can improve management of pest insects

For more information on the Wildlife Habitat Stewardship Program, visit www.osstewardship.ca/resources. For a full PDF file or print copy, please contact Okanagan Similkameen Stewardship at info@osstewardship.ca or 250-770-1467.

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Jeremy Siddall

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by inviting their predators to your farm.

Nest boxes and bat boxes are a great way to encourage insect-eating wildlife to hang around. A single pair of tree swallows can feed their chicks over five thousand insects every day. Bats are also voracious insect predators, often eating 600 insects in an hour during the night as well. If rodents and starlings are more the issue, there are also larger nest boxes that can attract small hawks and owls.

Larger birds of prey are often attracted to tall roosting T-posts or nest platforms.

Attracting natural predators can have a huge effect on the number of pests on a farm and can go a long way in reducing pesticide use on the farm. ■

Michelle Curcio

Account Manager Vancouver Island 250-246-0859 michelle.curcio@td.com

Dave Gill Account Manager Abbotsford & Fraser Valley 604-870-2224 baldev.gill@td.com

Ted Hallman

Account Manager BC Interior 250-470-3029 ted.hallman@td.com

Rahan Ahmad Account Manager Abbotsford & Fraser Valley 604-870-3819 rahan.ahmad@td.com

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 CANADIAN WINEMAKERS SERIES | ALISON MOYES

Liquidity Winemaker Alison Moyes O&V - How did you get started in the wine industry?

O&V - Where did you go to school or apprentice?

ALISON MOYES • BSc – Dalhousie University • Sommelier – CAPS Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers • HBSc – Oenology and Viticulture Brock University • I apprenticed at 13th Street winery in Ontario and Osoyoos Larose and Stoneboat Vineyards in BC

Photo by Jon Adrian

ALISON MOYES - While studying Science at Dalhousie University in Halifax I began working at a Winebar, which is where I was first introduced to the industry. It was there that I had an amazing opportunity to explore the world of wine which helped to catalyze a life-long passion. After completing my degree, I became a certified Sommelier and worked in that capacity for several years. The next natural step was to combine my Science background with my love of wine and I ultimately completed a degree in Oenology and Viticulture at Brock University. This past season was my lucky 13th vintage and I couldn’t be happier.

Liquidity Winemaker Alison Moyes

O&V - Have you worked in any other countries?

O&V - What is your favourite varietal to work with?

ALISON MOYES - Cool climate through and through. I’ve explored winemaking in BC and Ontario. While experience in our own climate and the nuances of region is crucial to success, I make a point of including people with more varied experience on our team to bring a different perspective and new ideas.

ALISON MOYES - Pinot Noir. It also happens to be the most labour intensive grape to work with, but the reward for a job well done is oh so delicious.

O&V - What is the best thing about your job?

ALISON MOYES - Every season and indeed everyday is a little (or a lot!) different. This is a job that involves equal parts Science and artistry and we are constantly learning and evolving to take our wines to the next level.

O&V - Is there a particular wine or vintage that you have made that you are most proud of?

Photo by Jon Adrian

ALISON MOYES - Every vintage has something memorable about it that makes it special, while choosing a favourite wine is a bit similar to choosing a favourite child. For me, 2020 was the best vintage in recent history with 2016 being a close second. Look out for our new white wines that will be released in the Spring, specifically our 2020 Rose which is made with 100% Pinot Noir is particularly exceptional this year.

70 Spring 2021

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Top Winery Insurance Claims in BC From tank punctures and faulty bottles to theft and water damage, we review the top winery insurance claims in BC. At harvest season in BC, grape pickers lumber between vines, each hand gripping a 10-gallon pail stuffed with yellowgold or ruby-black grapes. For the grapes, and for the winery operators, they’ve made it against their biggest challenge— Mother Nature—but between harvest and shipping to stores, dozens of other hurdles can arise.

From tank punctures and faulty bottles to theft and water damage, we review the top winery insurance claims in BC. Tank Failures & Punctures Just days or weeks after the sweat and toil of harvest, a bin is tipped into the hopper, the press begins to squeeze the grapes for their sweet juice, the cellar hand closes the lid and leaves the press to continue crushing overnight.

Only, in the middle of the night, the press malfunctions, and in the morning, the winery owner walks into the tank room to find the press has prematurely squeezed out the precious juice. The loss? In one case in BC, almost $15,000.

Tank failures, often caused by hoses not being hooked up properly as wine is pumped from one tank to another, can beset even the most experienced winemakers.

During harvest and spring bottling, tank punctures tend to become more prevalent as smaller teams are stretched and rushing to meet deadlines. In one recent winery insurance claim in BC, the forklift hit a tank and knocked off the valve. The forklift operator and the crew in the area were forced to watch nearly 7,000 litres of wine spill to the ground.

Bottling Errors Among the top winery insurance claims, this could be the most devastating. Three or four years after seeding, countless days of pruning and hundreds of hours of sunlight, the wine is nearly at the end of its journey at your winery: bottling.

Bottling errors tend to happen in one of three ways: Defective glass that can’t

handle the pressure explodes; or the bottling line isn’t calibrating properly; or flecks of glass are found in a bottle and a product recall is launched for all the wine bottled that day.

In one recent case, a bottler misaligned the bottles and screw caps, cutting the glass and leaving shards of glass in the bottles of nearly 3,000 cases of wine.

Each bottle had to be reopened, filtered, and rebottled. In another case, faulty glass couldn’t handle the pressure and hundreds of bottles exploded.

For winemakers, there’s nothing more gut-wrenching than losing an entire season, especially to defective bottles or bottling errors. Both revenue and reputation are at stake.

Theft With so many wineries located in rural areas just off the beaten path enough to grow quiet and dim at night, these estates have become a target for theft and vandalism, especially if the winery is poorly lit or lacks security.Thieves have identified wineries house expensive, mobile equipment, such as compressors and tools that are easily converted to cash at a pawn shop.

While security cameras can’t always prevent theft, they will help to deter somethieves, or at least provide evidence later.

One BC winery had two back-to-back break-ins causing $12,000 in loss of equipment and $5,000 in vandalism to its wine shop.

Water Damage Fortunately, while water damage exposes the facility and/or the grounds, it usually has little or no impact on the wine.

Burst pipes tends to be the cause of water damage to winery building and contents, but in 2017, operators saw damage to outbuildings like pumphouses and to their piers from exceptional seasonal flooding near lakes.

Are you looking for a BC winery insurance broker who truly understands your needs, and will go above and beyond to help protect your investment and reduce your risk to common claims? Reach out to the trusted winery insurance experts at CapriCMW: 250-869-3815.

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