Karnail Sidhu, owner of Kalala Organic Estate Winery in West Kelowna, is the recipient of the BC Grapegrowers Association’s inaugural viticulturist of the year award. BCGA president by John Bayley presented the award to Sidhu at a small ceremony at Kalala on June 19. Bayley says the award was established, “to commend those in our …
Woodjam Ranch honoured
The Seelhof family of Woodjam Ranch in Horsefly is the recipient of the 2020 Ranch Sustainability Award from the BC Cattlemen’s Association, presented July 7 via an online ceremony. “Receiving this award means a lot to us,” says Chad Seelhof, noting the importance of the ranching community supporting one another. “It’s nice to know that …
Ranchers troubled by inconsistencies in well licensing
BEAVERDELL – An analysis of nearly 500 groundwater licences the province has issued under the Water Sustainability Act reveals sharp inconsistencies in what’s being required of owners. Sandra Ryan and partner Bill Di Pasquale are small-scale forage producers in Beaverdell. They registered their well and this past March received a conditional groundwater licence for a …
Province expands slaughter licences
PORT ALBERNI – The BC Ministry of Agriculture has announced the opening of three new regions for class D on-farm slaughter licences. Farmers within the Regional District of Alberni-Clayoquot, as well as electoral area D in Central Kootenay and electoral area H in Fraser-Fort George Regional District, will now be eligible to apply for class …
Small on-farm dairy processors raise concerns about systemic inequities
KAMLOOPS – Two small dairies are hoping there’s room in supply management for an alternative way of doing business that will keep on-farm processors viable into the future. Laura Hunter of Blackwell Dairy in Kamloops and Erin Harris of Kootenay Meadows Farm in the Creston Valley reached out on Facebook recently seeking support for ideas …
Cidermakers give fresh purpose to island orchards
PENDER ISLAND – Katie Selbee and Matthew Vasilev of Twin Island Cider on Pender Island have a business as unique and authentic as the cider they produce, taking apples from century-old orchards on the Gulf Islands and fermenting them traditionally with naturally occurring yeasts in their farm-based cidery. They started just four years ago after …