FARMS, MARKETS & FOOD BOXES • CHICKENS • PANDEMIC GARDENS • TROPICAL TRIUMPH
Home Grown Home Grown Local food and agriculture in Powell River
Local food and agriculture in Powell River
Powell River, let’s
Celebrate! You doubled local farms in a decade
2020 FREE 100% Locally Owned & Locally Grown
2020 FREE 100% Locally Owned & Locally Grown
Powell River Farmers’ Agricultural Institute What do we do?
PRFAI provides connection, education and social activities. For example, the following are some of our projects: Fall Fair Farmer’s Market Bulk buying Seedy Saturday Scholarship Seed Bank Paradise Exhibition Grounds Quonset Hut Meet Your Farmer Dinner in March New website at prfarmers.ca Seminars (Goat & sheep seminar coming this fall)
Who are we? 2020 DIRECTORS President: Alan Rebane Vice President: Juhli Jobi Treasurer: Ros Sherrard 2019 directors at large: Donna Anaka Lisa Daniels Greg Rebane Kathy Hodgins Kathy Rebane
Supporting farmers, farming & agricultural education, and food systems in our region.
prfarmers.ca
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Tree Hazard Checklist
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Are there large, dead branches in the tree? Are there detached branches hanging in the tree? Does the tree have cavities or rotten wood along the trunk or in major branches? Are mushrooms present at the base of the tree? Are there cracks or splits in the trunk or where branches are attached? Have any branches fallen from the tree? Have adjacent trees fallen over or died? Has the trunk developed a strong lean? Do many of the major branches arise from one point on the trunk? Have the roots been broken off, injured, or damaged by lowering the soil level, installing pavement, repairing sidewalks or digging trenches? Has the site recently been changed by construction, raising the soil level or installing lawns? Have the leaves prematurely developed an unusual colour or size? Have trees in adjacent wooded areas been removed? Has the tree been topped or otherwise heavily pruned?
If you have any questions about the safety of your trees, call a professional who can properly assess problems.
Mike Pirozek Contracting 604 483-8473 (phone or text) mpirozek@yahoo.com mikepirozekcontracting.com Certified Faller and Certified Danger Tree Assessor
Fully Insured • Free Estimates HOME GROWN 2020 • 3
PROUD TO BE A LOCALLY-GROWN COMPANY
So much to celebrate By Pieta Woolley | pieta@prliving.ca
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was worried when Jenna Brownlee sent in her gorgeous cover photo. Though I thought that I’d explained that Home Grown is all about local food, I didn’t think all that food pictured was from here. No one here makes cheese, right? I dropped Jenna a message. I was wrong! And so glad to be wrong. Absolutely every food item on the cover is made or grown right here in Powell River, and available right now. The cheese is vegan, from 7 Sprouts. The rest of the exquisite products pictured on the cover come from Ironhill Farms, Gathered Farm, Raincoast Kombucha, The Teal Barn, Just Soul Food, Hearth & Grain, Myrtle Point Heritage Farm, Sassy Mack’s Ice Cream, Powell River Bee Supply & Apiaries and The
Mushroom Forager, plus tableware from Wildwood Pottery and Ora Leather Goods. For this issue of Home Grown, all of us working on it have been blown away by how vigorously local farms are meeting Powell River’s food sustainability challenges. Long before anyone had heard of COVID-19 or witnessed an empty shelf, several new CSAs, veggie boxes and farm bonds were in the works (see Page 15), helping to fill our fridges with produce grown in local dirt. The Tuckers were experimenting and succeeding at growing avocados, guava and more tropical fruit in Cranberry (see Page 6). And so many of us non-farmers have been tending little flocks of chickens and ducks in our yards (see Page 12), reframing, little by little, our relationship to the animals on which we depend. This agricultural revival didn’t happen overnight, or spontaneously. It took our governments, farmers markets and grocery stores, bakers and cooks, the Powell River Farmers’ Agricultural Institute, and of course, individual farmers and the locals, like you, who shop mindfully for food.
You did it: doubled local food farms in a decade By City of Powell River Mayor, Dave Formosa here’s nothing l i k e s et t i n g a go a l , w or k i n g hard towards it, and then seeing it materialize before your eyes. I am so thrilled that in the decade since Home Grown began, the number of farms listed as producing local food for Powell River has more than doubled, from 21 in 2010 to over 50 this year. In the first edition of Home Grown, Powell River Regional Economic Development Society president Jay Yule wrote, “With an increased focus on reducing our carbon footprint it makes sense to produce as much food as possible locally.” He pointed out that Powell River’s Myrtle Grove Goat Ranch was once Canada’s largest goat dairy and nearly every yard was filled
with chickens, a vegetable garden and an orchard. It was PRREDS’ goal to return to that earlier vision: more farms, and more people growing at home. And here it is, manifesting. Walk through most of our local grocery stores, and you can buy berries, greens and other products grown right here in Powell River. Stroll through every neighbourhood, and you’ll again hear chickens clucking and see raised beds overflowing with green shoots. Head to the farmers’ markets, and buy ethically and sustainably-raised meat and colourful, fragrant produce. The City of Powell River can’t take credit for all that, of course. Our role has been supportive and administrative, rather than getting our hands dirty or taking the big risks, as we ask our food producers to do each day. Agriculture is a tough business, and no one has been more vigorously
pursuing a thriving local food scene as the folks involved with the Powell River Farmers’ Agricultural Institute, plus many other individuals and agencies such as the farmers’ markets, local grocery stores, farm suppliers, commercial fishers, aquaculture businesses, wild harvesters, fishing and hunting outfitters, and many others. Now, with the uncertainty that has come with the COVID-19 pandemic, we are especially grateful to local food producers who have sown the seeds for a sustainable, dependable local food system as Powell River enjoyed in the early days. We’re also gratified that so many locals are growing, hunting, harvesting, catching, processing and preserving their own food in this uniquely fertile region. Congratulations to everyone who has been involved in this renaissance. Truly, you are the critical leaders of the 21st century.
ON THE COVER: Produce from various Powell River farms (see Editor’s Message), photographed by Jenna Brownlee of Ironhill Farms and Brownlee Photography.
We gratefully acknowledge the support of the City of Powell River for helping make this publication possible.
ISSN 1718-8601
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A publication of Powell River Living
Publisher & Managing Editor • Isabelle Southcott Editor • Pieta Woolley Associate Publisher & Sales Manager • Sean Percy Sales & Marketing • Suzi Wiebe
Southcott Communications 7053E Glacier St, Powell River BC V8A 5J7 isabelle@prliving.ca • tel 604 485 0003 No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior written consent of the publisher. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, the publisher cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions that may occur. © 2020 Southcott Communications. We reserve the right to refuse any submission or advertisement.
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HOME GROWN 2020 • 5
Carly and Benjamin Tucker grow tropical citrus and more in this chilly, grey temperate rainforest – without depending on environmentallydamaging energy sources to recreate a hot n’ steamy climate.
hot It’s getting
in here
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A publication of Powell River Living
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ince 2012, Carly and Benjamin Tucker have grown the seemingly-ungrowable at Ohm Kitchen & Garden in Cranberry. Benjamin has had a long career in Industrial Scaffolding (Temporary Elevated Safe Work Platforms and Environmental Containment). He takes this trade design from heavy industry and transforms it into Ohm’s open floor greenhousing. The greenhouses are temporary structures, incredibly strong, quickly assembled and require minimal energy input. “He has been modifying and improving this concept for years,” says Carly, who manages the Seasider Bistro, “and has rebuilt our greenhouses more times than I can count.”
What are you growing? We focus on making soil and growing tropical and subtropical trees, plants, and seeds (some rare and endangered). Our family’s trees range from mature Citrus, Avocado, Olive, Lemongrass, Oleifera Moringa, Chilean Guava and Passion Fruit to rare Madagascar Palms, Boswellia Neglecta, Argania Spinosa, Dragons Blood and many other beneficial tree species. We collect compostable waste from a few local businesses to create our custom potting soils and fertilizers. This completes an essential feedback loop. One where local compostable waste stays in town to create healthy living soil which grows nutrient dense food that stays in town and it doesn’t rely on costly industrial operations. We are looking to collect larger volumes next year. It is necessary for the continuous growth of our community that we contribute to a food system that protects us and our isolated
paradise.
How did you get started? Ohm Kitchen & Garden has grown naturally over the last eight years. It started as hobby turning our 9x13 greenhouse into a mini tropical oasis. Now our family has three greenhouses and growing. We process everything we harvest and share the surplus with our friends and family. Every year we are yielding more and more. Juicing fresh Meyer Lemons in January is pure sunshine. We share/sell trees and plants as we go and are continuously bringing in and propagating more varieties so we can offer more. The goal is to build an indoor botanical garden, herbarium and nursery to share with the community 12 months a year.
Any challenges? Like anyone with a greenhouse has experienced... It gets too hot in the summer, too cold in the winter, you have to control the pests and it’s expensive to artificially heat/cool. Our hydro bill was astronomical our first winter. Once we stopped looking at our greenhouse as an isolated growing space but as its own balanced ecosystem everything got better. We use little energy in the greenhouses now because we are constantly adding new natural and low-energy heat sources. For summer we remove the walls of the greenhouses and leave the roof on. This gives great air flow; no overheating and we still control the irrigation from the rain. The pollinating insects and hummingbirds especially love the citrus blossoms.
MEYER OH MEYER: Opposite, meyer lemons grow in the steamy greenhouse. Top, Benjamin and Carly Tucker with the two children they are growing. Above, immature valencia oranges; a passion flower, and the greenhouse in winter. Below, calamondin oranges; avocado; Chilean guava; lemongrass and meyer lemons, all grown in Cranberry.
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V By Mark Merlino
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efore the Second World War, Powell River wasn’t a town of dedicated gardeners, but necessity changed that. By 1943, virtually every home in Powell River had set up a Victory Garden with the aim of being able to feed their own families with the vegetables they grew in their own yards.
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The war disrupted the supply chains throughout the world and this led to price gauging and shortages of food staples, especially meat, and imported goods like chocolate and car tires. The Canadian government responded by implementing price freezes on food products and then rationing food staples like butter and sugar. By growing their own vegetables and keeping laying hens, Powell Riv-
erites were able to relieve some of the pressure on the supply chains, while improving their nutrition with this satisfying pastime. One of the most surprising things is that the Victory Gardens outlived the war by two years, as it took considerable time for domestic and international food suppliers to restore the services that had been disrupted.
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ictory Gardens
Kept Powell River fed through WWII The renewed interest in food gardening inspired the Library’s adult services coordinator, Mark Merlino, to make a video about WWII’s local gardening efforts. Find it at prpl.ca.
THE PRODUCERS: Far left, a Powell River resident tends his Victory Garden in May, 1944. Above, Lester Price in 1947. Left, Brooks Home Ec room supervisor R.C. Marlatt makes jam for Britain in 1942. Photos courtesy of the Powell River Historical Museum and Archives Society
Pandemic Gardens Can do the same through COVID-19 By Pieta Woolley | pieta@prliving.ca
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ou’re not imagining it. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, far more of us Coasters have planted food gardens in our yards. Just as our elders did during the Second World War. Thanks to local expertise and a thriving retail scene, there’s lots of help getting started. On Zilinsky Road, Eternal Seed owner Ellen de Casmaker said “the demand for seeds is at least five times that of last year - and its pretty much all in vegetable and herb seeds. Hardly any inter-
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“We can simply wait for things to fall back into place, for so-called ‘normal’ to return, or we can get busy building the kind of community and world that we would rather live in. Re-creating our local food system is a good place to start.” - Ron Berezan est in flowers except the edibles.” Many of her customers are firsttime food gardeners. “We always tell them, grow what you like to eat,”said Ellen. “Very few vegetables are too difficult to grow with attention, water and food. You are more likely to pay attention to vegetables you are looking forward to eating.” Just around the corner at Family Farm B&B, Ginny Kuboniwa and her family sell fertilized eggs, chicks and hens, plus other poultry, to locals who want to produce their own eggs at home. Now that most of Powell River allows for up to three laying hens on city lots, and COVID-19 has heightened the sense that local food is a smart strategy, the farm is being slammed with new demand. “My sexed chickies are booking into July or possibly August as the hens slow down to moult,” said Ginny. “There has been a tremendous demand for sexed chicks this year, so much that I’m considering investing in another incubator…. Droves of people want to be self-sufficient and keep poultry now.” From hatching, chickens take about six months to start laying eggs, so it takes a while for that self-sufficiency to kick in. Supplying new chickenowners on top of supplying existing chicken-owners is a challenge, Ginny explained.
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MUCH MORE THAN BLUEBERRIES: Above and right, members and volunteers help Blueberry Commons boost their food production. Local permaculture expert Ron Berezan notes that Powell River gardeners are smart to ramp up production, as he is at Blueberry Commons (see image). “Clearly this is driven by concerns for local food security in light of the pandemic, and this is well founded. The global food system that brings food to our big box food stores depends on supply chains with many fragile links. We have seen just a whisper of this fragility in the past two months. Add in a couple of climactic events resulting in crop failures in California and Mexico and the shortages would become very alarming.” What should locals know about the realities of growing your own food supply? Ron says that, like any other skill, it takes time to develop highly proficient food growing abilities. “But it is not rocket science and our ancestors have been doing this for aeons so why should we be any different? Yes, it takes effort, consistency and time to successfully grow food but the rewards are well worth it.” Ellen said that you can’t possibly do it all, so the trick is to just do what you can, raise it well, and trade with neighbours. “Learn to can or preserve in some other way – so that when you do have extra you can still enjoy your produce
in the winter. Learn to grow fall and winter vegetables and sprouts so you can always have greens.” Saving seeds, Ellen argues, is a key to food independence. The majority of our seed supply does not come from Canada – that is a risk. All large seed companies in Canada buy their seeds from Israel and the USA; none of them grow their own.” Local growers including Ellen, Ron, and Ginny are a wealth of knowledge, of course. But if you need a quick online primer, Ellen recommends growveg.com. Alongside skills, mindframe is important when tackling COVIDinspired gardening, according to Ron. It’s truly a unique time to revolutionize our food. “With this crisis comes a big opportunity to reconsider how we want to go about meeting our needs,” says Ron. “We can simply wait for things to fall back into place, for so called “normal” to return, or we can get busy building the kind of community and world that we would rather live in. “Re-creating our local food system is a good place to start. A healthy local food system builds community and strengthens the real economy. “Food is culture. Food is nature. Food is the ultimate connector.”
Blueberry Commons hustles to produce for the pandemic By Isabelle Southcott isabelle@prliving.ca
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n intentional community for people interested in growing food and raising livestock is coming into its own in Wildwood. Blueberry Commons is a collective of 24 people including families with small children to elders in their eighties, said Ron Berezan spokesperson. Blueberry Commons is not a commune. While still in the early stages, the property, known locally as the old Clancy farm, boasts 16 acres of land
Ron and his wife Laura currently live on the property which is classified as an urban farm. “We’re working with the city on getting the zoning changed,” he said noting that the property is within the city limits. Cohousing is growing in Canada. In BC, 20 communities including Roberts Creek, Denman Island and Sooke, have embraced cohousing. In this model, everyone has their own unit and there’s a common building used for community functions such as weekly potlucks. Individual units are small, about 900 to 1,200 square
at raising animals. “When we all come together we have a complete system,” said Ron. During an interview in March, Ron said it was important to increase local food capacity before a crisis hit. “People are more aware that we need to be growing our own food and how important the local food system is. From growing, preserving, consuming and distributing food to the individuals, businesses and local governments, we all play a part.” With the arrival of the COVID-19 global pandemic, growing food at Blueberry Commons has become more
“When we all eat together, gathering around a table with the food we have produced and share it with others, we reconnect with planet earth and what it means to be human.” - Rob Southcott that could grow a significant amount of food. “We’re looking at increasing our numbers,” said Ron noting that everyone at Blueberry Commons who wants to can be involved in farming on a daily basis. When the farm was owned by the Clancy family, it produced berries, eggs, vegetable and animals. “There’s a legacy here that we want to continue,” he said. “It has a good connection with James Thomson school and we want to be connected to the community.” Plans for this year include growing vegetables, fruit, nuts, berries, animals, eggs and bees for honey. “We just put ten hives on the property.”
feet and in the case of Blueberry Commons, a farm is attached. Plans for Blueberr y Commons include holding more work bees and workshops where people can learn new skills that have to do with growing food. “We expect Blueberry Commons to be a regenerative farm focussed on biodiversity. We’re reinforcing why a community approach is important to becoming community sufficient by bringing people with different skills and experiences together,” said Ron. For instance, one member of Blueberr y Commons might love beekeeping while another might love gardening and another might be good
urgent. “We are adding an additional two acres of vegetable production this year in light of the current threat to local food security,” Ron observed. City Councillor Rob Southcott, also a member of Blueberry Commons, said strengthening the local food system is all part of the City’s Strategic Plan for food security. Those, combined with the garden city design philosophy, are just a few examples of how we can live closely together while reconnecting with the land. “When we all eat together, gathering around a table with the food we have produced and share it with others, we reconnect with planet earth and what it means to be human,” said Rob.
HOME GROWN 2020 • 11
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Backyard buddies
Much more than just sources of eggs and meat, poultry are a rich fount of entertainment, education, and love.
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1. This is my daughter Aurelia and her pet chicken, Ghost. Sadly Ghost was recently killed by a bear and we had to tell Aurelia that the Mommy and Daddy chicken came to pick her up and take her home. She was a very loving chicken and Aurelia was the only one who could easily catch her. We have had chickens since last year and we are still learning the ins and outs of chickenhood. Brittany Stainton, Townsite 2. Here’s my pet gander ‘Goosifer,’ who follows me two inches from my face. And my Muscovy duck Jury’s new ducklings. I make crocheted nests for PROWLS and mail them internationally to other wildlife rescues. Jackie Griffiths, Gillies Bay 3. Here is Kevin the hen on bug patrol. She was my neighbour’s chicken. She broke out of her yard and ended up in my yard where I caught her and kept her for the day in a cage till we found the owner. I named her Kevin after a friend in Kentucky. Since then I have been best friends with the neighbor and her chickens. She kept the name Kevin, and Kevin became a very friendly popular chicken in our neighborhood. Kevin answered to her name and said hello to me every day. She enjoyed sitting on laps while her human mom read books. She was a great chicken. Bee Gibson, Westview 4. My journey with chickens began two years ago when I rescued a therapy rooster at an elderly home from the freezer. Now chicken math has taken over and I’m obsessed. Love my girls and their rainbow eggs! I never knew chickens came in so many varieties and laid rainbow eggs! I have names for them all: Cruella Deville, Lucky Clucky (whom I raised with my children from one
4 day old - see the picture of Kameryn, above) Penelope, and Priscilla. The chickens are very therapeutic for me and most of them graciously accept my cuddles, some merely tolerate me and I know they would eat me if they were in their former raptor glory. They are smart, social, sometimes savage creatures who bring me a lot of joy. In turn they live a care free life with dirt under their toes and sunshine on their feathers. Corinea Woloschuk, Wildwood 5. Here is a picture of my four year old niece Lilly-Rose with our hen Cocotte. She really loves our chickens and always talks about them to the rest of her family. That morning, she had been trying to catch them unsuccessfully when I told her that they didn’t like to be forced and that sometimes they don’t want to be pet or picked up. We gave them some treats and one of them squatted down into the submission position so I showed her how to gently pet and pick up a hen (with the wings tucked in). Later that day, to everyone’s surprise, she was in the chicken pen, sweet talking with Cocotte, cool as a cucumber in her arms. She’s definitely going to become a crazy chicken lady. Sarah Wilson 6. We have Isa Browns, leghorns, Americaunas, black copper Marans, Araucanas, sapphires, Easter Eggers, olive eggers and other barnyards mixes, with many heritage breeds as well. Our farm name is The Valdi Homestead. We are on 33 acres south of town. We are BC Egg inspected and certified, currently working on getting our environmental farm plan certificate. Alex and Vanessa Valderrabano, South of town
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Farmers’ Markets Powell River Farmers’ Market
When • Every Saturday from 10:30 am - 12:30 pm and Sunday from 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm Where • 4365 McLeod Road Contact • Juhli Jobi 604-414-5076, powellriverfarmersmarket@gmail.com powellriverfarmersmarket.blogspot.ca
Uptown Midweek Market
Farmers’ Market goes online www.localline.ca/prfarmersmarket Place orders by noon Thursday for weekend pickup.
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long with an expanding variety of fresh produce and baking, June will see the launch of a new online ordering system for the Farmers’ Market. Do you sometimes arrive at the market and find that eggs or bread are sold out, that your favourite greens are gone or that the one flavour of sausages your whole family loves is sold out? Well, now you can order ahead online and make sure the special items you enjoy will be waiting for you when you arrive. The BC Ministry of Agriculture along with the BC Association of Farmers’ Markets have provided an online ordering platform for markets around BC; 75 markets were chosen and Powell River was one of them. Partnering with Local Line out of Ontario, the farmers’ market will be able to provide online sales with options for market pick-up, local farmgate pickup and more. Our first group of vendors is setup and ready to serve you anytime. More vendors will be added as the season progresses. We are operating under a strict set of
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guidelines set out by the BC Centre for Disease Control, you will find farmers, bakers and pre-packaged food vendors onsite. Some of your other favourite vendors can be found online. There is a limit of 50 people allowed into the grounds at a time, we have hand sanitizer, a hand-wash station and free shopping bags. You can bring reusable bags but we ask that you keep them over your arm and off surfaces. The season has started out with exceptional support from the community. Thank you Powell River for shopping local and supporting local farmers and food producers. If you haven’t joined us yet, we welcome you every weekend: Saturdays from 10:30 - 12:30 and Sunday from 12:30 - 2:30. You don’t have to order online to enjoy local produce and baking, but it can help with cash-less transactions and quick pick-up. Remember, you can always add to your order while at the market. For any feedback or questions, please contact powellriverfarmersmarket@ gmail.com or call 604-414-5076. - Juhli Jobi, Manager, Powell River Farmers’ Market
When • Wednesdays 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Where • Outside the Community Resource Centre Contact person • Rose Fleury 604-483-4748
Texada Island Farmers’ Market When • Sundays 12:00 to 1:00 pm from June 7 until end of September. Where • Ball field in Gillies Bay. Contact person • Dawn Hughes, Market Coordinator. 604-486-7529.
Savary Island Farmers’ Market When • Tuesdays in July and August 11 am-1 pm. Please check closer to the opening date for full details. Where • The Hacienda on Brian’s Way and Vancouver Boulevard across from the Church. Contact person • Mitzi Jones 604-578-8884 mitzenjones@gmail.com
Farmer John’s Pop Up Veggie Market When • Saturdays, 10:30-11:30 am, or until everything is sold Where • Wildwood Pub. Also, many local farms offer farm gate sales. See the map on Pages 16 to 21 for more. Did we miss you on these pages or on the map? Let us know and we’ll get you in next year!
Terra Nostra CSA Frequency • Weekly Cost • A prepaid subscription: $39 a week for 20 weeks. Free delivery in Westview. What’s in it • Terra Nostra Farm specializes in a diverse mix of organic vegetables. We still have a few spaces open for our Veg Box. We will include 8-10 different vegetables each week. At the start it will be heavier on spring greens, but quickly moving to summer favorites like carrots, tomatoes, cukes, onions, lettuce, beans, corn, cabbage, and many more. We grow over 50 different vegetables and will ensure you get a useful mix, designed for a family of three of four, or a couple who loves their vegetables! Contact • TerraNostraFarm.com
CSAs, Bonds & Boxes
The Good Food Box (by Lift Community Services and Tla’amin Nation)
Townsite Fruit and Veg Food Box Program Frequency • Daily delivery & pick-up Cost • $45 for the Veggie Box, $25 for La Petite Veggie Box, and $60 for the organic Veggie Box. What’s in it • A well-rounded fruits and veggie box. You can add on to your order or make your own box from Townsite Fruit and Veg’s online grocery listing and from other Townsite Market stores. Contact • townsitefruitnveg.ecwid.com
Paradise Valley Produce CSA Frequency • Weekly or bi-weekly for 22 weeks Cost • $660 weekly or $360 biweekly. $150 for the fall extension. Add-ons include eggs and a snack pack. What’s in it • Adequate produce for a household for one week. Depending on eating habits a share could provide for a household of 1 to 4 people. The snack pack is a small add on of ready to eat foods like: carrots, peas, sweet peppers, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and other crops. Contact • paradisevalleyproduce.ca
cheese products from GoldenEars Cheesecrafters. In the fall watch for our famous garlic bulbs, local honey, summer sweet corn and field grown dry farmed tomatoes. Contact • Sign up for the Sunday newsletter and Wednesday delivery by clicking the link at @gatheredfarm Instagram or Facebook or email gatheredfarm@gmail.com.
Blueberry Commons Farm Bonds Frequency • Ongoing as harvests occur Cost • $20 per bond, for about $22 worth of product What can I order • Beets, kiwi, onion, dried beans, melons, peas and much more. Plus, bond-holders get recipes and food preserving ideas, farm tour days (in accordance with public health requirements) and special offers and produce promotions. Contact • blueberrycommons.ca
Gathered Farm Harvest Box Frequency • Weekly Cost • $50 for the current boxes and we will be offering a heat-of-thesummer box which will be $30 and only our farm’s veggies. What’s in it • Foraged products from nettles and spruce tips to sea asparagus and wild mushrooms, eggs from the Valdi Homestead, rainbow oyster mushrooms from The Mushroom Hunters and other local products including freshly milled organic BC flours from True Grain and
Frequency • Twice a month Cost • $25. Financial assistance may be available through community programs. What’s in it • A box of top quality fresh fruit & vegetables sourced as local as seasonably possible. Note • The box allows people on low and fixed incomes to plan for times of scarcity when cash is low and fresh food is needed. It functions like a buying group, but there is no membership or long-term commitment; buy a box ahead of time and pick up later at a neighborhood depot. Contact • To order or to donate toward subsidies, visit food.liftcommunityservices.org If you are a Tla’amin Nation citizen, contact brandi.marriott@tn-bc.ca. * New Tla’amin name coming soon!
Wild Spirit Apothecary CSH (Community Supported Herbalism) Frequency • Monthly Cost: $250 for five months What’s in it • Each monthly basket contains four herbal products and a write up about the plants featured in the basket. The program is designed to provide plant medicine. Herbal products might include tinctures, elixirs, syrups, oxymels, salves, natural beauty products and various tea blends. Wild Spirit works with a mix of locally wildcrafted herbs and herbs from other regions. Contact • solarinfusedbeauty.wordpress.com
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Lund 1. Okeover Oysters Oyster shore and net leases dot Okeover Inlet, some owned by independent individual operators and others by large corporations. However, because of shellfish food safety regulations, nearly all their product is sold through distributors outside of Powell River. 2. Hardpan Farm 2795 D’Angio Road Erin Innes and Simon Nattrass 604-414-0972 Produce, eggs, pork, chicken and turkey. Serving the Savary Island Market. Also available at the Farmer’s Gate (see #4) or by special order. 3. Little Wing Farm 2192 Highway 101 Yves Perreault and Ria Curtis 604-414-0383 littlewingfarm@gmail.com Savary Island Farmers’ Market; no farm gate. Heritage breed chickens, eggs, greens, organic-fed pork. 4. Andtbaka Farm & Farmer’s Gate 2440 Highway 101 Pat Hanson 604-483-9890 Find Andtbaka products at Powell River Farmers’ Market and at the farm gate. On-site store featuring locally produced farm products and a cut and wrap facility specializing in artisan sausage making.
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5. Bushmans Farm 8556A Plummer Creek Road 604-483-3700 Fresh produce. Hothouse tomatoes, cucumber, lettuce, broccoli and much more. 6. Barndance Farm 8136A Old Mine Road Paul Keays 604-483-3102 Produce, including salad greens, fry mixes, and herbs. Sea salt. Find it at the Farmers markets in Powell River and Savary. Call ahead for farm gate sales. 7. Atrevida Acres 3700 Atrevida Road Kathleen Gullette 604-578-8013 fb.com/atrevidaacres Alpaca hobby farm now breeding and growing a herd for eventual wool sales. 8. Glade Farm 6834 Smarge Ave Wendy Devlin 604-483-9268 wenmex@shaw.ca Interested in raising fresh eggs, meat, milk, vegetable, fruits, seeds and herbs? Wendy offers gardening, animal husbandry, and food classes for individuals and groups.
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9. Windfall Farm 5760 Taku Street Lisa & Mike Daniels 604-414-9879 windfallfarm@shaw.ca windfallfarm.ca Contact us for farm gate sales. Certified organic: Garlic and poultry. Range reared: beef and pork. Pumpkin Patch in the fall. 10. Hatch-a-Bird Farm 6603 McMahon Avenue Helena & Peter Bird 604-483-9546 bird483@telus.net Farm gate. Vegetables, eggs and limited meat products. 11. Morrison’s Farm / Farmer John Farms 6619 Sutherland Avenue John Young & Mel Edgar 604-223-7302 youngjohn07@gmail.com John & Mel farm the Morrison property in Wildwood. Wide variety of produce. Specializing in carrots, heirloom tomatoes and other fruits and vegetables. Available at a Saturday stand at Wildwood Public House. 12. K&A Acres 6638 Sutherland Avenue Megan Hourde k.a.acres@hotmail.com Babydoll sheep, Nigerian dwarf goats, hatching eggs, chicks, pullets.
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Powell Lake
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13. Powell River Bee Supply 5962 Fraser Street 604-208-BEES In season we sell raw natural honey, honey candies, as well as natural bees wax products like soaps salves, creams and balms. Also beekeeping tools, clothing and wooden ware. Live bees when available. Mentorship program to assist new and seasoned beekeepers. Bee removals and swarm catching. 14. Blueberry Commons 6619 King Avenue info@blueberrycommons.ca Rhubarb, cherries, blueberries, apples, kiwis and other fruits. Vegetables. U-pick available. 15. Routes to Roots Edibles 6483 King Avenue Julia Adam and Rob Hughes 604-483-1143 Produce and gardening services. 16. All The Mushrooms 6254 Sycamore Street Jason Leane 604-781-8391 allthemushrooms.com Mushroom kits, sawdust and grain spawn, pre-sterilized materials for growing, mushroom cultures, and mushrooms for local restaurants and grocers. Classes and consulting.
17. Cranberry Farm 6650 Cranberry Street Carol Battaglio 604-578-1199 carol.battaglio@gmail.com Free range eggs. Fruits and vegetables. Hops for Townsite Brewing. 18. Wildwood Queens 6630 Cranberry Street 604-344-0622 @wildwoodqueens donna.moseanko@gmail.com Canadian-raised honey bees, nucleus hives (nucs) and queen bees to beekeepers throughout the province. Workshops, onsite apiary services, and pollination of crops. Hive components, pollen sub, tools, honey, votive candles, raw pollen, propolis tincture, and beeswax food wraps. 19. Ava’s Acre 5647 Manson Avenue Kimberley & Bruce Young 604-414-4460 fb.com/avasacre avasacrepr@gmail.com Powell River’s first licensed urban farm. Seasonal fruit and vegetables. By appointment only.
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Texada Island Farms 1. Blacktail Farm 6268 Shelter Point Road Debbie Shapter and Richard Gilbert 604 486-6911 Eggs, asparagus, garlic, lavender and other produce. 2. Woodhead Farm Brad & Dawn Hughes 604 486-7529
At 103, one of BC’s oldest generational farms. Beef, meat chickens, Christmas turkeys, eggs, walnuts, carrots, basil, squash, corn, tomatoes, zucchini, beets, peas, potatoes, onions, lettuce, beans, raspberries, blueberries, figs and heritage apples. Available by private order or at the Texada Market.
3. Woodlot Mushrooms John Whitehead 604 483-1680 whiteheadwoodlot@gmail.com Shiitake mushrooms, fresh and dried available at the Texada Farmers Market.
4. Welcome Harvest Farm 2001 Crescent Bay Road Dave, Branka & Jillian Murphy 604-486-7137 bbm@xplornet.com Organic vegetables and blueberries; organic (pork cuts, sausages, ham and bacon); breeder of Morgan horses. Manufactures all natural and organic fertilizers; welcomes farm stays. Products available at the farm gate, and PR and Texada markets.
HOME GROWN 2020 • 17
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20. Marigold Lane 5499 Manson Avenue Elaine Steiger 604-483-9733 mountain-ash-farms@shaw.ca fb.com/elainethebasketcase Veggies and fruits, mostly grown in Elaine’s large garden, preserved in small batches – pickles, relishes, jams, jellies and more. Available at The Nutcracker Market on Marine and Andtbaka Farm. 21. Merry Berry Blueberries 5060 Manson Avenue Linda Robichaud 604-389-8892 lindaannrobichaud@hotmail.com Small blueberry orchard with close to 100 plants. Open for U-Pick in mid-July. 22. Powell River Garden & More Claridge Road Larry Best lbestbc@yahoo.ca fb.com/groups/915923441808029 Veggie seedling starters, heritage vegetable starters, spring and winter crops. One of Powell River’s most popular gardening advice Facebook pages.
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23. Do Little Farm 4347 Padgett Road Rosie Temple & Greg Rebane 604-485-6961 fb.com/dolittlefarmpowellriver Whole chicken, hams, lamb and pork sausages. Eggs. 24. Creekside Farm 7812 Valley Road Alan and Kathy Rebane 604-485-7737 Offering free range eggs, broilers, Berkshire pork, beef and some produce. 25. Mayana Adar Family Farm 7873 Valley Road The de Villiers family 604-489-0046 ingriddevilliers@telus.net Organic fed, free range, soy free eggs and chicken. Grass-fed lamb and beef.
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26. Hodgins Farm 7819 Valley Road Roger and Kathy Hodgins 604-485-7025 holidayfarm@telus.net @HodginsFarm Horse and cattle hay; pasture-raised beef. 27. Paradise Valley Produce 3959B Padgett Road Rachael and Dane Sherstad paradisevalleyproduce.ca info.paradisevalleyproduce@gmail.com Certified organic mixed vegetables. Community Shared Agriculture (CSA). Available at local grocers and cafes. 28. Hammer Valley Ranch 3734 Padgett Road Mark & Bronwyn Gisborne 604-485-2935 Pork and honey.
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Palm Beach
Get started at these nurseries:
Donkersley Beach
Black Point
29. Hammil Hill Farm 3674 Padgett Road Ros Sherrard and Claude Marquis 604-485-7784 fireweedjazz@gmail.com Free-range eggs, flowers, garlic, seasonal vegetables, berries and fruits, including asian pears. Squash and pumpkins. Hay. 30. One Tree Farm 3527 Padgett Road Wilma and Matt Duggan 604-485-3956 theduggans5@gmail.com Organic fed free range eggs, pastured organic fed broiler chickens, and blueberries. 31. Glade Gardens Farm 3320 Padgett Road Carla & Thomas Gray fb.com/gladegardens gladegardens@grayagritech.com Chickens, ducks, eggs. Market garden. Farm gate sales. 32. The Hometown Farm 8150 Verkerk Road Gordon Wilson/Judi Tyabji Mutton and lamb products. Sausages and meat available.
A. A. Springtime Garden Centre 5300 Yukon Avenue springtimegc.ca 604-483-3681 A zen-like garden centre with free roaming chickens and peacocks, offering plants, seeds, trees, berry bushes, herbs and vegetable starters. Manure, fertilizer and gardening accessories. B. Mother Nature 7050 Duncan Street mother-nature.ca 604.485.9878 A fully-stocked, year-round gardening store, with a large greenhouse filled with everything from asparagus plants to zucchini seeds. Huge selection of seeds and seed starter kits, including microgreens. A wide selection of starter plants, soils and fertilizers, equipment, plus trees and berries. C. Eternal Seed Garden Centre 2309 Zilinsky Road eternalseed.ca 604-487-1304 Greenhouse nursery offers annuals, perennials, fruit bushes and ornamental garden products in addition to plant starts from locally grown heirloom seed.
33. Pacific Ambition Seafoods 3128 Padgett Road Doug and Christine Mavin 604-485-3522 pacificambition.com Commercial fisherman Doug Mavin serves up freshly caught halibut, lingcod, snapper, sockeye, crab & prawns. 34. Terra Nostra Farm 3250 Byron Road Aaron Mazurek 604-414-8699 aaronmmazurek@gmail.com Farm gate store from May 1st into autumn. Vegetables: tomatoes, cukes, lettuce, corn, carrots, beans, peas, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, turnips, squash, fennel and more. 35. Straight Up Greens 3220 Byron Road Nola & Aaron Morgan 604-414-3377 @straightupgreenspr Hydroponic herb towers and live microgreens.
36. The Mushroom Hunters 8447 Highway101 Ross & Cathie Hunter 250-609-6057 Producing mushrooms and mushroom kits. Oyster, shiitake and lion’s mane. 37. Myrtle Point Heritage Farm 8679 Gaudet Road Ezra & Gosia Kopania 604-487-0501 @Berkshirepork myrtlepointfarm@gmail.com Free-range, heritage livestock, including Berkshire pork, old-fashioned smoked ham, sausage and bacon. Pastured heritage chickens, turkeys, chicks and eggs. Seasonal produce. Dairy goats. Handmade goat milk soap, creams, and raw honey. 38. Three Chicken Farm 2198 McLean Road Pat & Jenn Kinahan 604-578-0157 threechickenfarm@gmail.com Free-range eggs, chicks, pullets,and pasture-raised broiler chickens.
HOME GROWN 2020 • 19
Hot n’ Saucy by the Powell River Brain Injury Society
Healthy • Helping Hella Good Mango Pineapple Hot Pepper Sauce
Hot Pepper Honey Infusion
Hot Pepper Jam
Tequila Fire Hot Pepper Sauce
Tequila Fire Hot Pepper Sauce
Blueberry Blast Hot Pepper Sauce
hotnsaucy.ca Order online for pick-up or shipping
We give a duck about local food producers. So should you. Local food has never been more important. Support local growers & harvesters.
Aaron Reid, CPB, Proprietor (Proud to be locally grown!) 877-677-4566 info@bankingonit.com Operating at 7085 Tahsis, and in the cloud, so we can be wherever you need us.
We handle the details – so you can handle your business.
The Boardwalk Restaurant • Lund Local casual food! All local seafood all summer!
85% of our menu is now grown and harvested here! “Why local? It's all about the flavour!” – Chef Roy Blackwell
Mon-Fri 4-8 pm Sat, Sun, & Holidays noon-8 pm Courtesy wheelchair available
604 483-2201
Blueberries
U-Pick or We Pick hothouse tomatoes • cucumbers cherry tomatoes • bell peppers hot peppers • lettuce • squash broccoli • beans • zucchini kohlarobi • kale • carrots onions cauliflower • cabbage • spinach swiss chard • pickling cucumbers sugar snap peas ...and much more!
5 & 10-lb boxes available to order
Bushmans Farm Mike & Denise Nicholson
Get Bushmans products at the Farmer’s Market, or come visit the Farm!
Call 604-740-7215 or follow us on Facebook for updates
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A publication of Powell River Living
resources to grow, forage, and preserve our way to a more food secure community. Home of the Skookum Gleaners fruit tree sharing project, the Skookum Cider Press, and so much more!
SKOOKUM
Organically-grown Fresh Produce
8556A Plummer Creek Road 604-483-3700
LOCAL LOCAL FOOD FOOD IS SKOOKUM IS Sharing skills, equipment, and
2575 Maywood Road *Physical Distancing Rules Apply*
Open early July - Sept
Join today!
www.skookumfood.ca Join Today! www.skookumfood.ca
39. Black Point Nursery 9472 Highway 101 Calum Malcolm 604-414-7961 @Blacktailnursery9472 Apples in season. Apple trees available in winter and spring. Apple press fresh juice in season. Custom grafting. Future cidery. 40. The Valdi Homestead 9958 Serendipity Road Vanessa Adams & Alex Valderrabano 604-578-8416 thevaldihomestead.ca fb.com/thevaldihomestead Eggs, poultry, hatching, custom milling. By appointment only. 41. Gathered Farm 2802 Zilinsky Road Alexander McNaughton & Mackenzie Alsager @gatheredfarm Peas, garlic, potatoes, beans, cauliflower, broccoli. Flowers. Find them at the Chopping Block and Farmers’ Market. 42. Ironhill Farms 2789 Zilinsky Road Jenna & Ben Brownlee ironhillfarms@hotmail.com 236-329-0011 fb.com/ironhillfarms.ca Registered Nigerian Dwarf dairy goats. Registered Kunekune pigs. Farm fresh chicken and duck eggs daily. Future beekeeper and apiary. Farmers garden and compostables. 43. Coast Berry Farm 10084 Nassichuk Road 604-487-9788 coastberrycompany.com Growing strawberries and blueberries. Stop by the country store for coffee and baked goods in season. 44. Family Farm B&B 2590 Oxford Road Jessie and Eric Peterson 604-487-0544 familyfarmbnb.com Available at the farm gate, Top Shelf Feed, PR Farmers Market. Eggs year round at the farm, hatching eggs, chicks and ducklings, Bed and breakfast.
45. DC Harvest 2782 Wilcox Road Jeff Dela Cruz 604-414-8780 dcharvest@gmail.com Jeff started his farm in 2018 and now sells salad greens and vegetables, starter plants, and eggs around the neighbourhood and at the Saturday Farmers’ Market. 46. Red Well Farm 2816 Maywood Road Amy and Adam Watson redwellfarm.wixsite.com @redwellfarm Chicken, turkey, duck eggs, chicken eggs. 47. Rusty Gate Berry Farm 2575 Maywood Road Mike & Denise Nicholson 604-740-7215 rustygateberryfarm@gmail.com U-Pick or buy fresh blueberries July to September. 48. Sunny Acres 10067 Highway 101 South Don & Sandra Macklem 604-487-0433 donsandra@shaw.ca Eggs and chickens. 49. Bay Leaf Blessings 10929B Hwy 101 Deb Maitland 604-414-4096 bayleaves@shaw.ca Mitchell Bros, Chopping Block, Pacific Point and Safeway. Also sells fresh on the branch directly and a product for gardeners that deters sow beetles 50. The Teal Barn Angela Lowenberger 2288D Lang Bay Road Lowenberger@hotmail.com fb.com/thetealbarn Raising chickens , ducks, quail, Nigerian dwarf goats, and vegetables. Selling eggs from the farm.
51. Ed’s U-pick Blueberries 11106 Morton Road Brenda and Ed Audet 604-487-4235 U-pick blueberries since 1999, boasting about 1,200 bushes with varieties including Blue Crop, Patriot, Toros, Chandler, Reka, Northland, Nelson and Spartan. Open late June til August. Call for updates. 52. Lois Lake Steelhead 11060 Morton Road 604-487-9200 agrimarine.com Locally raised and OceanWise™ recommended, Lois Lake Steelhead is a favourite menu item in many high-end national chain restaurants. You can enjoy Lois Lake Steelhead from local grocers and at many local restaurants such as: Coastal Cookery, Base Camp and Laughing Oyster. 53. Silver Wood Acres 11233 Tiller Road Tia and Keith Wood 250-808-6906 silverwoodacres@gmail.com Chicken eggs, ducks, honey. Find Silver Wood Acres eggs at 4865 Bowness. 54. Little Waters Family Farm 2514 Dixon Road Renée & Casey Bullock 604-223-2025 littlewatersfamilyfarm.ca littlewatersfamilyfarm@gmail.com Farm tours, hayrides and party on the old retired Orca Bus! Little Waters raises and sells Nigerian Dwarf Goats. Farm fresh freerange eggs. 55. Stillwater Farm 12188 Highway 101 Carlos Williams 604-487-0704 carlosdubya@hotmail.com Wool and seasonal organics (non certified). 56. Maude Bay Ranch & Retreat 12724 Scotch Fir Point Road Jackie McRae 604-487-1098 info@maudebayretreat.com www.maudebayretreat.com Third generation farm established in 1888. Sells cattle, sides of beef and ground beef. Hay when available.
HOME GROWN 2020 • 21
FARM MOMS UNITE
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his trio of local female farmers have decided that you can truly have it all. Jenna Brownlee (Ironhill Farms), Angela Lowenberger (The Teal Barn), and Ginevra Kuboniwa (Family Farm B&B) are all in, for their families, and the country farm lifestyle. Not only that, but they are always willing to lend a helping hand and answer questions about farming. Whether you’re new to owning livestock or learning the ropes of homesteading in general – chances are, you’ve bumped into these ladies, online if not in person. The phrase “it takes a village” is so true when it comes to any farming operation, especially when you are also raising young children. It takes some juggling… but it can be done with a thick skin, determination, and an outrageous work ethic. The ladies all take their roles very seriously, but they also don’t hesitate to call on each other to lend a helping
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A publication of Powell River Living
“This lifestyle builds character and helps kids achieve a sense of pride and confidence.” - Jenna Brownlee hand when in need. Sometimes you need help, and with a sense of community like this – you are never alone. With the global changes, challenges, and the impact on our community from COVID-19, a lot of people have become interested in homesteading or starting up a small-scale farming operation. Home Grown asked Jenna Brownlee what her advice would be to a new farm-mom and here’s what she had to say: “Honestly, I say go for it. If this is something you’re passionate about, follow that drive! My biggest piece of advice for anyone new to things is to find a mentor. I think finding some-
one to connect with and learn from is paramount in any pursuit, but this one especially. If you’re getting into livestock of any kind, research before you buy. Invest in your animals. Quality will cost less in the long run as you’ll have less issues. Don’t get overwhelmed by the amount of projects you’re going to want to take on. The to-do list isn’t going anywhere, you can chip away at it over time. It’s not a race. You will learn better ways of doing things over time as you experience it – so don’t get stuck on details. “As a farm-mom, enjoy the time with your littles and teaching them the values that come along with growing up in this environment. I have a toddler of my own, and I couldn’t imagine raising him anywhere else. He is learning independence, routine, animal safety, and work ethic all before turning three years old. “This lifestyle builds character and helps kids achieve a sense of pride and confidence that is so important.”
local
growers & producers Blueberry tip: Keep blueberries handy in the freezer for a quick and healthy smoothie. Visit saveonfoods.com for a recipe.
Save-On-Foods is proud to support over 2,000 local growers from Western Canadian communities, bringing you the freshest ingredients found on Vancouver Island and right here in your own backyard including: Coast Berry Farm Paradise Valley Produce 7100 Alberni Street - Town Centre Mall saveonfoods.com • 604 485-4823 OPEN EVERY DAY • 7 AM – 9 PM
If you’re growing food, Top Shelf is the place to go! ers NOW Taking ord es! for beef sid Poultry, Pork & Grass-fed Angus Beef
Butcher Shop Creekside offers custom cut and wrap for all your processing needs including vacuum packaging and cooler services.
Our beef is locally raised on pasture. Our pork is locally raised on GMO-free grain. Our animals are not given antibiotics or hormones. Our animals are raised in a stress free environment.
Call for more info, to book cutting, or to order your side of beef or pork
604.485.7737 7812 VALLEY ROAD facebook.com/CreeksideFarm
• Plants & seeds • Shovels and other garden and farm tools • HealthiStraw for your garden – perfect for strawberries and potatoes • Organic fertilizers including bone and blood meal, worm castings and more • Fencing and gates • Cattle panels – great for keeping in livestock, or for growing cucumbers and squash • and much more...
Big or small, we feed them all!
PET • FEED • GARDEN • FARM 4480 Manson Ave
604-485-2244
topshelffeeds.ca
HOME GROWN 2020 • 23
OUT ON A LIMB FORESTRY INC. Ask us about wildfire hazard mitigation. We can help reduce the risk. Certified Faller Tree Care Services Danger Tree Risk Assessor Fully insured & ISA Certified Limbing, Pruning & Removal Wildfire Hazard Mitigation Windfirming Chipper & Clean-up Services Wood Chip & Mulch Sales Free Estimates Serving Powell River for more than 20 years
Zhenya Lewis (604) 487-0796
Find Coast Berry Company berries at Quality Foods, Save-On Foods, Townsite Fruit & Veg, the Farmer’s Market, and at the farm! While out at the farm to get your fresh berries, stay for ice cream and a berry treat! Our Country Farm Market serves a variety of specialty coffees, teas, smoothies and baked goods. Country Farm Market opens in early July
10084 Nassichuk Road • 604-487-9788 facebook.com/coastberrycompany
www.coastberrycompany.com
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Equestrian centre opening soon
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owell River’s Trevor Kosloski will open Paradise Valley Equestrian Centre this summer. Located on Padgett Road, the 25acre centre is part of the old Lambert Farm. It backs onto West Lake and Hammil Hill and some of the area’s finest riding trails. There are two fields: a large summer field that was planted with timothy last year and a winter field, as well as individual turnouts and run-ins for boarders. When Home Grown caught up with Trevor, he said he owned three horses and had another on the way. “It’s a heavy horse that was used as a coach horse in Victoria,” he explained, “but due to COVID-19 it had no work and needed a new home.” Trevor plans to pair it with Isaac, his 10-year-old heavy horse who loves to work. He’ll use the pair for logging and for hay rides. Plans for the equestrian centre call for heated wash stalls for horses and indoors heated washrooms for people. The indoor arena, which is under construction, will be available for drop-in use. People will be able to book via the website (which is under construction). There will also be an indoor heated viewing area attached to the arena. Semi-board is being offered, for the most part, at the centre. “You rent a run-in that has its own paddock and a 12x12x16-foot hay storage area
and access to a heated tack room,” he explained. Trevor left Powell River when he was 19 and went into law enforcement. After being injured, he needed to find a new career. Connecting his love of horses with equine therapy led him to explore FEEL (Facilitated Equine Experiential Learning) and he is currently getting certified as a FEEL Practitioner. “Basically, it’s letting people make the connection with the horse. It is not me doing the counselling, it’s letting the animals do it. Horses are really intuitive, they respond to people.” Trevor grew up around horses. He rides Western and when he worked for the Conservation Officer Service they used horses on patrol. Plans for the centre include a petting zoo, hay rides, workshops and retreats, campsites and cabins in the back for bed and bale. There will also be a permanent trail course and he’s cleared a spot for a big pumpkin patch. “I plan to grow over 3,000 pumpkins this year.” He’s also been in talks with BC Rodeo and they’re looking at holding a competition here during the summer of 2021. For more information about Powell River’s newest equestrian centre visit their Facebook page or call 604 5788870.
Top Ten Reasons To Wear A Pollen Sweater 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.
No pop bottles were hurt making Pollen Sweaters. You’ll be helping sheep stay cool in summer. The pure wool stays warm, even when wet. Non-itchy, and soft enough to wear next to sensitive skin. Machine washable and dryer safe at moderate temperature. We put the label on the inside where it belongs. Designed to layer smoothly under or over other garments. No offshore sweatshops. Ours is here at home. If it ever wears out compost it. Makes you 50 to 90% more handsome. (results may vary) Gluten free!
Feed tubs, water buckets, manure forks and fencing supplies! Vitamins and minerals for dogs, cats, horses and their people including Purica RECOVERY products
604-483-4401
PollenSweatersInc. Made in Lund, BC, Canada since 1986
pollensweaters.com carla @pollensweaters.com Open in Lund above Nancy’s Bakery 11-4 daily (9-5 daily June-September)
Reap what we sew!
Open Monday to Saturday, 10 am to 5:30 pm Find us on Facebook @jumpinjodphurs
Farm Store Open Providing just-in-time inventory supports local businesses in our water-locked community.
daily 10 am – 6 pm GRO W N IN POWELL RIVER e. 2 0 16
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Fresh organic produce also local produce available by weekly subscription
TerraNostraFarm.com 3244 Byron Road
HOME GROWN 2020 • 25
Community raises farm from ashes By Sean Percy | sean@prliving.ca
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fter fire ravaged Hatch-A-Bird farm, Peter and Helena Bird decided to retire from farming. The generosity of the community changed their minds. The hard work of rebuilding the farm continues today, but sprawling fields and greenhouses sprouting with new growth reflect the outpouring of support the family received following the January 25 tragedy. The fire destroyed 5,000 square feet of buildings, melted the fronts of huge greenhouses, scorched newly planted seedlings and winter broccoli, killed 100 chickens, and burned freezers full of product, a baler, a potato planter, rototillers, and more. Perhaps most difficult to replace is the miscellaneous loss – 60 years worth of accumulated farm tools and pieces, ranging from tomato cages to garden hoses.
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Topsoil Bark Mulch Garden Blend Salt & Pepper Limestone Ready-Mix Concrete Pumping
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adamsconcrete.ca INDUSTRIAL • COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL
OPEN Monday to Friday 7095 Duncan St • 604 485-6888
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A publication of Powell River Living
BURNED OUT: Debris from the fire still needs to be removed, but signs of life are flourishing at Hatch-A-Bird farm. Helena watched the barn and chicken coop burn live on FaceTime from Victoria, where they were about to depart for a family vacation in Mexico. Peter immediately headed for home. “I stayed because there was a family vacation with 18 of us. It was bad enough grandpa didn’t go, but if grandma wasn’t there…. The family was so excited to be there, and I was thinking about the farm. It was hard. My life changed in a helluva hurry,” she said. But while Peter and Helena tried to figure out their future, the person on the other end of the FaceTime connection, who had alerted firefighters to the blaze, had sprung into action. Taylor Carr, and her partner Jack Cox, who work on the farm, launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise the money needed to re-start the farm. The campaign hit an initial goal of $30,000 within 72 hours. It would eventually raise just over $46,000. “It was very emotional,” said Helena, who watched from the hotel room as the GoFundMe rapidly climbed. When she returned home, she saw the personal touches, too, as people would walk down the driveway with an individual donation or an offer of assistance. The community did more than bring money. As rebuilding began, volunteer workers showed up, and lunches for the workers were often donated. Local contractors and suppliers put the farm at the top of their list, often donating
time and supplies. Fellow farmers and gardeners showed up with miscellaneous pieces. A farmer from the Lower Mainland, where son Andy lives, donated a used potato planter. A walk-in cooler appeared. “I guess they like us and they want the products. Our customer base is phenomenal – it’s big and dedicated,” said Helena. “We are so grateful. We couldn’t have – wouldn’t have – done it without the help of the community.” It will be years before things get back to “normal.” Peter is used to fixing pretty much anything around the farm, but now often finds himself without the pieces he needs. “I went to fix a fence and didn’t have a big drill for the holes. I didn’t have fencing pliers, or a box of fencing staples. I go to do something, and I don’t have that box of different-sized hose clamps.” “A five-minute job is a day job because we don’t have a system in place,” said Helena. “There’s no bucket or bins when you need them.” Despite the challenges, the cows, pigs, goats and chickens are still growing, and the plants in the greenhouse and fields are getting bigger. And customers leave the farm, or local stores that carry Hatch-A-Bird products, with fresh chicken, salad greens, spinach, lettuce and an appreciation for the sense of community a local farm engenders. “From the ashes of this disaster we now, more than ever, cherish our job within the community,” said Helena.
HOME GROWN BRIEFS Pumpkin Patches Windfall Farm will be planting their pumpkin patch (in addition to their great garlic) again this year. Lisa Daniels, who owns the farm with her husband Mike, said they will also hold a pumpkin patch party. Dates will be the weekend of Oct. 3 and 4 from noon to 4 pm. “We are dreaming up some fun pumpkiny activities and photo op ideas,” she said. There will be a range of pumpkin sizes and colours (with lots of spooky white ones!) As well as pumpkins for carving, Windfall Farm will also have pie and seed varieties. Paradise Valley Equestrian Centre plans to grow 3,000 pumpkins this year. Located on Padgett Road, the soon-to-open farm will also be offering hay rides and a petting zoo.
Meet Your Farmer/ Raise the Roof Dinner The Powell River Farmers’ Agricultural Institute (PRFAI), held its second annual Meet Your Farmer/ Raise the Roof dinner on March 4 at Brooks Great Hall. Chef Avi Sternberg, Dining Room Manager and Instructional Assistant Marielle Benson and their team of student chefs prepared a delicious menu from food donated by six farmers and seven individual producers. Thanks to their generosity, the variety of food ranged from frozen chickens, vegetables, fruit and berries, pickles and relishes, canned apple sauce, fresh pasta, eggs, pumpkins, leeks, mushrooms and pea shoots – indicators of what can be stored over the winter to create a “farm to plate” meal. Guest speaker Powell River Living publisher Isabelle Southcott spoke about the roots of Home Grown, the local food and agricultural magazine, a valuable tool to finding sources of locally grown food. Sara Dent spoke about her local work with Young Agrarians, our future farmers.
PRFAI is raising money to replace an aging quonset hut at the Exhibition Grounds on McLeod Road, adjacent to the Open Air Farmers’ Market. The annual dinner is also an opportunity for the community to meet local farmers who grow or raise your food. In preparation for the 2021 dinner, the institute asks growers to throw a few more seeds in the soil so you may have something to donate to the next dinner. “It doesn’t have to be a lot, if we all grow something we can create a feast,” said organizer Ros Sherrard. Contact Ros at fireweedjazz@gmail.com for more information.
Chicken bylaw clucks along Powell River City Council is looking at amending a bylaw that would allow more chickens in residential neighbourhoods. At the May 14 council meeting, staff was asked to report to Council with an amendment to the animal control bylaw that would increase the number of chickens allowed in some of the city’s urban areas. The bylaw for poultry also includes duck, goose, turkey, etc.
Simple, great food.
certified organic: Garlic • Poultry range reared: Beef & Pork Fall Pumpkin Patch Lisa & Mike Daniels Wildwood 604 414-9879 windfallfarm@shaw.ca windfallfarm.ca Certified Organic PACS #16-290
Nutritious, Delicious Prepared Meals MADE IN POWELL RIVER
How to grow pumpkins In the fall, when people are cutting back perennials and digging out their annuals, many create a mound of decaying wood debris and plant material. Hugelkultur is a horticultural technique where a mound is constructed and then left to rest for several months before planting. This pile is basically a raised bed created out of garden scraps. Ideally the woodier plant material is layered on the bottom of the pile and the less woody material is layered on the top. In the spring, many people add a layer of compost on the top and plant pumpkins and squash into this pile. Voila, you have a lovely spot to grow the perfect pumpkin.
OPEN Mon-Fri 10-5 Sat 12-5 for pick up at our kitchen in Townsite or call to order at 604-483-9944 FREE DELIVERY (on orders over $60) every Friday
Individual meals, new choices every week • 5 for $55 with free delivery on Wednesdays to seniors and folks with disabilities or mobility issues.
convenientchef.ca
HOME GROWN 2020 • 27
Garden Friends help students grow food School program transforms kids’ views of gardens and kitchens By Vanessa Sparrow
School Food Literacy Coordinator School District 47
S
ince September, School District 47 has been bringing garden-based learning to elementary students as part of the Food Literacy Program. The centrepiece of this program is Landed Learning@School, which partners multigenerational community volunteers (known as Garden Friends) with small groups of Grade 4/5 students, to learn all about how to grow and prepare their own food. Over the course of a full school year, students and Garden Friends get together 10 times to learn about different aspects of food gardening – soil and compost, seeds and pollinators, tending and harvesting – either in the school garden or at a local farm. It’s not just about growing, but also about cooking and eating together – half of every visit takes place in the kitchen, trying out new ingredients and preparing tasty treats from food grown by students or sourced locally (which sometimes get shared with other classes, if they’re lucky!) This year the full program is being conducted with a class at Westview Elementary, with a series of similar, seasonallybased workshops taking place at other elementary schools. Next year, two more schools will experience the full LL@ School program, with others continuing to receive gardenbased learning workshops. The feedback from students, teachers and volunteers has been very positive; in the words of one Garden Friend: “The look of wonder and amazement on the students’ faces is priceless; I can’t say enough about the transformative effect on them of being hands on in the garden.” Luckily, staff have been able to continue to support students’ food literacy education at home during this challenging time, with the School District providing funding, and volunteers donating materials, for more than two hundred seed starting kits to be sent home to families of K-7 students. These contained soil, pots, seeds and instructions, and have been very popular, along with the recipe cards and easy, “growing at home” activities offered on the program’s website. Similarly, the Westview Elementary Landed Learning class has been able to continue their garden journey, by starting seed potatoes in burlap sacks, thanks to generous donations from Mother Nature, River City Coffee, 32 Lakes and Landed Learning volunteers. Now is a great time to be teaching our kids how to grow and prepare food.
828• •A Apublication publication ofof Powell Powell River River Living Living
TRANSPLANTING AND HARVESTING: Christo Alex and teacher Caroline Hoekstra transplant a kale plant and harvest salad greens at Westview Elementary School garden. Below, students are inspired by Garden Friends in growing, making fruit leather, and harvesting.
Get involved!
Contact Program Coordinator, Vanessa Sparrow at vanessa.sparrow@sd.47.bc.ca if you have questions or ideas, or are interested in becoming a Garden Friend volunteer (it’s fun!). For lots of home gardening and cooking resources visit the Food Literacy Program website: sd47foodliteracy.com and follow the local Landed Learning Facebook page @SD47FoodLiteracyProgram
Rainforest Pharmacy By Todd Caldecott | Todd is a medical herbalist and Ayurveda practitioner who lives in Wildwood.
T
he Powell River region lies within the Coastal Western Hemlock (CWH) biogeoclimatic zone, exhibiting a Mediterranean climate with warm, dry summers and typically mild winters with lots of rain. The forests are
dominated by a few major species including Douglas-fir, western red cedar, western hemlock, and white pine, and at higher elevations, is interspersed with other conifers such as amabilis fir and yellow cedar. This is a brief review of three common and important medicinal plants native to this region.
Western Red Cedar Antioxidant, antifungal
Oregon Grape Antibiotic Sometimes mistaken for holly, Oregon Grape is more of a bush or shrub rather than a tree. The flowers are borne in yellow clusters that give rise to tart, blue-colored berries that can be made into a syrup or jam. While all parts of the plant are medicinal, mostly we use the root bark, which contains the highest levels of a yellow-staining alkaloid called berberine that is a potent antibiotic. Recent research has shown that this activity is complemented by otherwise innocuous phytochemicals such as 5-methoxy hydnocarpin that enhances the potency of berberine when tested against antibiotic resistant bacteria. Apart from its use in infection, Oregon Grape root bark is used as an important remedy to treat liver, digestive, and skin disorders. In the traditional system of medicine called Ayurveda, the root bark is slowly decocted in water until it becomes a solid extract called “rasanjana” that can be used topically and internally as an anti-infective agent.
Western Red Cedar contains high levels of an essential oil that gives the tree its characteristic odour, and is largely responsible for its rot-resistant properties. Medical research has shown that Western Red Cedar has antimicrobial, immunostimulating, antioxidant, and antitumour properties. In clinical practice, western red cedar is used for problems such as cough, fever, and lymphatic congestion, and is used in the treatment of genitourinary disorders including prostatitis and vaginal discharge, as well as in the treatment of warts. It is also an effective antifungal remedy, useful in the treatment of athlete’s foot and other fungal disorders. While it is an effective remedy, the essential oil is a little toxic, however, and some people may have allergic reactions to it, and thus this herb shouldn’t be used without proper supervision.
Devil’s Club Antimicrobial Devil’s club is a member of the Ginseng family and displays many of the same anti-stress effects as its more famous cousin, with research also demonstrating antimicrobial and antitumour properties. Devil’s Club is “probably the most important spiritual and medicinal plant to most indigenous peoples who live within its range,” according to a review published in HerbalGram, co-authored by Dr. Nancy Turner. “Different parts of this plant are used by over 38 linguistic groups [from Alaska to California] for over 34 categories of physical ailment, as well as many spiritual applications.” The most commonly used portion of the plant is the inner bark, used topically and internally to treat fever, cough, colds, digestive problems, arthritis, diabetes, and cancer. It is a warming, stimulating medicine that makes it useful to overcome the inertia of chronic disease, resolving respiratory congestion, promoting circulation, and overcoming metabolic dysregulation.
HOME GROWN 2020 • 29
Ducks: better than chickens Well, they’re both quite good, really.
GOOD NIGHT, DUCK: Starfire got attacked by a dog, so she slept in Tobin Tom-Leblanc’s bed for the night. Below, twins Riel and Rowan give Daisy and Quack a bath. Photos by Trista Tom-Leblanc
Poop!
By Wendy Devlin
D
id you know ducks are included in Powell River’s poultry bylaw? If you think some day you might want to keep three hens, consider the duck! I have enjoyed raising chickens for 40 years and ducks nearly as long, but if I had to chose just one breed of bird, ducks might come out ahead. Why? My first five reasons. Chickens might peck or eat the occasional slug. Ducks live to hunt slugs! When I let my flock of ducks out on the dew-laden grass in the morning, they immediately set forth to ‘shovel’ the grass, hunting slugs. Or sow bugs, snails, beetles, crane flies – actually most anything that moves. The ducks also snatch at low grass for a quick breakfast. Although later in the morning, they do get a measured amount of feed from the store, what they really want most of the day is to look for more insects.
plant. Ducks waddle around on feet that resemble snow-shoes. Plants bow under their weight but rarely break. Not that ducks or chickens are allowed total free range in the vegetable gardens. In the spring, I limit access to seedlings as the birds relish tender growth as much as people. I either fence them out of growing areas or cover plants with wire or other barriers. For much of the year, however, they get access to my large gardens and the damage is usually minimal. If your garden areas are small then ducks would need their own pens so they don’t overeat your plants.
Webbed-feet!
Eggs!
Slug-eaters!
Chickens scratch earth to find seeds. However if they scratch near young seedlings or even mature flowers, quite often they will expose roots which die, and eventually so does the
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Like chickens, female ducks usually start laying before a year old. Big eggs with thick yolks and whites. Whipped egg whites make the highest meringues as many bakers will attest.
Ducks fertilize the ground as they go through their day. Being water birds, they like to eat their food and drink at the same time. That makes their poop watery and easily absorbed into the ground. However, if they have limited space to roam, their pens can become stinky fast so best give them a couple of smaller pens so they can be alternated, or put down lots of litter like sawdust, leaves, straw etc. on the floors and then compost the litter or use as mulch. Remember, a clean duck is a healthy duck.
Comedy!
There is just something about how ducks look. Maybe it’s the webbed feet that remind me of clown shoes. Or those funny shaped bills that softly nibble the food out of your fingers. My ducks are Muscovies and the male makes a low huffing sound and the females a kind of coo. If raising ducks in the city, you want quiet breeds as some neighbours might find loud quacking as annoying as roosters crowing. Ducks are friendly company and in my experience, make good pets. The main downside to keeping ducks might be their appeal to predators: bears, raccoons, eagles, dogs, etc. So, if keeping ducks, remember to lock up your duckdom before night.
Food Box Delivery Program $25 La Petite Veggie Box $45 Townsite Veggie Box $60 Organic Veggie Box Add items from other Townsite Market merchants! See Web site for details. Delivery or pick-up.
Affordable • Ethical • Delicious Open til 7pm daily • Townsite Public Market, lower floor
Two customers allowed in the store at a time
Grow your own food! We grow most of our own veggie starts, so you’ll know what you’re putting in your garden is fresh.
springtimepowellriver.com Facebook @SpringtimeGCPR 604-483-3681 5300 Yukon Avenue Open 7 days a week • 9 am - 5 pm
The best thing at Springtime is free: expert advice. Check our Facebook page and Website for articles we’ve written, or ask us in person. We want to make your growing experience as smooth and successful as possible.
townsitefruitnveg.ecwid.com
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HOME GROWN 2020 • 31
For the healthiest food, grown year round, we can help. Gardening and growing expertise Lawn maintenance expertise Composting expertise Seed starter kits Fertilizer Plants Seeds
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