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Originally published:

December 2017
Vol. 103 Issue 12

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Stories In This Edition

Body cams are out

Turkey allocation reviewed

Meet ‘n’ Greet

Producers take concerns to Victoria

Editorial: Double standard

Back Forty: Perception is in the eyes of the beholder

Viewpoint: Trade negotiations creating uncertainty

Cattlemen speak out about groundwater licensing debacle

Sweet reward

WorkSafeBC set to lower most rates

Salmon farm debate raises concern for range tenures

Sidebar: Good relationships on the range

Breweries allowed

FIRB’s quota review is taking too long

Dairy farming under the microscope

Technology key to the fortunes of dairies of all sizes

BC Tree Fruit election may prompt legal action

Disease control worries honey producers

Beekeepers risk dumping charge

Honey in the house

Crop insurnace claims up

Stockmen receive update on wildfire recovery

Property assessments set for major shift after fires

Water access for range cattle

Compensation possible in Island sheep kills

Fall at its finest

Protection program has helped ranchers

Fair boards encouraged to sign up for Premises ID

Meadow Valley meats eyes new slaughterhouse

Potential for termination of Site C cause for hope

Jack Frost nips crops on heels of hot summer

Six-digit cattle attract deep-pocketed ownership teams

Kelowna seeks input on the future of local water management

West Kelowna pursues bylaw for worker housing

Sidebar: Taking the next step

Agri-tourism regulation has little impact on farmers

Privacy, conflict of interest need good protocols

Sidebar: Field media requests with confidence

Vernon orchardists develop award winning orchard

Seed growers find support at gathering

Photo bomb

Cleaner water promises greener greenhouses

4-H BC on the move

Entrepeneurs squeeze a profit from pressed fruit

Research: Heritage turkeys add a touch of nostalgia

4-H Canada’s top scholarship awarded to BC member

Woodshed: Awkward moments abound as date night nears

Langley meadery finds the sweet spot

Entertaining tidbits

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9 hours ago

Farmland Advantage is receiving a $445,000 grant from the federal government. The program, the “brainchild” of Invermere cattle rancher Dave Zehnder, provides compensation to farmers for their conservation efforts to protect BC’s grasslands, riparian areas and wildlife habitat. The funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada under the Species at Risk Partnerships on Agricultural Lands (SARPAL) and Priority Places programs, will be administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. Rewarding farmers for enhancing riparian areas appeared in our March 2022 edition and you can view it at ... See MoreSee Less

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Rewarding farmers for enhancing riparian areas

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INVERMERE – Farmers and ranchers in the Columbia Valley will continue to see rewards for taking action to conserve and enhance important riparian areas on their farms. The Windermere District Farmer...
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5 days ago

A standing-room only crowd of more than 250 people attended a public hearing the Agricultural Land Commission hosted in Langley Monday night regarding a proposal to include 305 acres controlled by the federal government in the Agricultural Land Reserve. More than 76,000 people have signed an online petition asking municipal and provincial governments to protect the land from development, and for the federal government to grant a long-term lease to the Heppells. Read more in this morning's Farm News Update from Country Life in BC. conta.cc/3XYXw6k ... See MoreSee Less

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Your weekly farm news update

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The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915 January 25 2023 Surrey ALR inclusion cheered A standing-room only crowd of more than 250 people attended a public hearing the Agricultural L
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Mike Manion Pitt Meadows City Councillor

2 months ago

Christmas tree growers in BC are seeing strong demand this season and prices remain comparable to last year. But the number of tree farms has decreased dramatically over the past five years and the province will increasingly need to look elsewhere if it wants to meet local demand. More in this week's Farm News Update from Country Life in BC. ... See MoreSee Less

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Christmas trees in demand

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Christmas tree growers in BC are seeing strong demand, with high quality trees making it to market. “The market is good. We’ll probably outdo last year and last year was one of our best years…
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2 months ago

Another four poultry flocks in the Fraser Valley have tested positive for avian influenza over the weekend -- 15 in the last week alone. There are 60 farms currently under quarantine in BC, more than any other province in Canada and three times that of Alberta, which ranks second. Officials maintain the virus is being spread by dust and groundwater and not farm-to-farm transmission. No farms in the Interior have tested positive this fall. ... See MoreSee Less

Another four poultry flocks in the Fraser Valley have tested positive for avian influenza over the weekend -- 15 in the last week alone. There are 60 farms currently under quarantine in BC, more than any other province in Canada and three times that of Alberta, which ranks second. Officials maintain the virus is being spread by dust and groundwater and not farm-to-farm transmission. No farms in the Interior have tested positive this fall.
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Avian influenza virus can be killed by chlorine at no higher a concentration than is present in drinking water, so unless farms are using untreated groundwater in their barns I don't see how it could be a source of transmission. www.researchgate.net/publication/5594208_Chlorine_Inactivation_of_Highly_Pathogenic_Avian_Influen...

2 months ago

In a surprise move, Lana Popham -- hailed at the recent BC Dairy Industry Conference as a key ally of the agriculture sector -- has been replaced by Abbotsford-Mission MLA Pam Alexis as part of a cabinet overhaul today by new BC premier David Eby. Popham will now oversee Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. The two ministers worked closely together following the atmospheric river events last fall. ... See MoreSee Less

In a surprise move, Lana Popham -- hailed at the recent BC Dairy Industry Conference as a key ally of the agriculture sector -- has been replaced by Abbotsford-Mission MLA Pam Alexis as part of a cabinet overhaul today by new BC premier David Eby. Popham will now oversee Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. The two ministers worked closely together following the atmospheric river events last fall.Image attachment
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Goes to show how far-removed our current government is from the agricultural sector. To put someone in this position who has no farming background is a slap in the face to all of our hard-working producers.

Going to be a heck of a learning curve. Helping the agricultural community recover from the biggest natural disasters in history, handling the avian influenza outbreak that is threatening our poultry industry, dealing with a crisis in meat processing, managing ongoing threats from climate change, supporting producers who are facing unprecedented inflation in an industry with very slim margins to begin with..... to name a few of the challenges our new Minister will have to face all with one of the lowest budgets of any ministry. I wish her the best of luck but I hope she's got a lot of support around her.

Best of wishes in your new position

Congrats to Pam, cool to see a Fraser Valley based ag minister but also so sad to see Lana reassigned . I have no doubt she will do an amazing job in her new role.

Will be missed by #meiernation

Bryce Rashleigh

Nooooooo!

Lana did a shit job and now we have a minister with no farming background at all. Aren’t we lucky..

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Entertaining tidbits

December 1, 2017 //  by mike

Whether or not you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah or the solstice in December, there are holidays at this time of year, and company comes.

With the shortest day of the year coming up on December 21 – the winter solstice – it’s worthwhile to celebrate a gradual return to longer days by lighting the candles, turning on the twinkly lights and inviting in family, friends and neighbours.

These short, often cloudy days and long hours of darkness can be mighty depressing otherwise.

So, follow your instinct and brighten your evenings with friendship, and the natural companion: food and drink.

Whether you try some new teas, fancy coffees, a glass of beer or wine, or a punch full of natural juices splashed with sparkly soda, serve it with some tasty snacks or a meal which can be mostly prepared ahead of time.

That way, you can relax as well and enjoy the company of your friends or family.

If it’s a meal you’re preparing, try to keep it as simple as possible, so you can enjoy the company as well, and always remember to do as much preparation as possible ahead of when the doorbell rings, announcing that company’s here.

These healthy appies can be prepared entirely ahead of time, ready to just pop into the oven when your guests arrive. And, much of the main dish can also be prepared ahead of time, giving you time to enjoy your guests before finishing off the sauce.

Whatever your plans for December, do celebrate the beginning of longer hours of daylight by getting together with family and friends.

And, from my home to yours: Merry Christmas.

GREEN BALLS

These spinach, cheese and herb balls make a popular appetizer and would travel well to a (nearby) friend’s party because they don’t have to be served piping hot. I’ve used cheddar cheese instead of the mixture of Swiss and parmesan and it was terrific too. I used fresh parsley, chives and tarragon, but other herbs would also be tasty. Use lots.

  • 10 oz. (300 g) pkg. frozen spinach
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 large garlic clove
  • 1/4 c. (60 ml) fresh herbs
  • 1/4 c. (60 ml) Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 c. (60 ml) Swiss cheese
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 c. (250 ml) crumbs
  • 1 tsp. (5 ml) black pepper
  • 1/2 tsp. (3 ml) salt
  1. Pre-heat oven to 350° F.
  2. Thaw and squeeze liquid from the spinach or steam fresh spinach and do the same.
  3. Mince a small onion, garlic and fresh herbs. Grate cheese.
  4. Beat eggs in a medium-sized bowl and add all other ingredients, mixing together well.
  5. Form into about 30 one-inch balls.
  6. Bake at 350° F for 15-20 minutes or freeze to cook later.

PORK WITH A CREAMY SAUCE

This is a great combination of flavours: the sharpish flavour of a good blue cheese like Gorgonzola or Danish with the sweetness of fresh grapes, drizzled over tender slices of pork. Accompany with brown and wild rice and fresh green beans or your favourite vegetable for a special dinner. Recipe can be doubled. Try pairing this with the 2014 Sandhill Sangiovese, a wine grape you won’t often see in Canada; or with Sandhill’s elegant Howard Soon 2015 Chardonnay: both fabulous wines.

  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2 tsp. (10 ml) jalapeno pepper
  • 1 lb. (454 g) pork tenderloin
  • drizzle of olive oil
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 1/4 c. (60 ml) heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp. (15 ml) good blue cheese
  • a handful of seedless green grapes
  • garnish with minced fresh parsley
  1. Mince fresh garlic with jalapeno pepper. (I keep some jalapenos from the garden in the freezer so it’s easy to chop off a piece and mince it up for any dish I’m making.)
  2. Clean the pork tenderloin of its covering of silverskin as well as you can.
  3. Drizzle the meat with olive oil and sprinkle all over with freshly-ground black pepper and sea salt. Press mixture of garlic and jalapenos into it all over.
  4. Pre-heat oven to 400° F.
  5. In an oven-safe frypan such as a cast iron one, sear the pork over high heat, turning it until all sides are brown.
  6. Place frypan in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes, turning the pork halfway through.
  7. Remove the frypan from the oven, lift out the meat and let it rest on a cutting board.
  8. Put the hot frypan over medium-high heat, add the heavy cream and bleu cheese and reduce it by half or until the sauce is thickened.
  9. Slice grapes in half and add at the last minute, stirring until the cheese is all melted and sauce is creamy.
  10. Slice pork and arrange the slices on a serving dish.
  11. Drizzle the sauce over the pork and garnish with fresh, minced parsley.

Serve immediately.

Serves 2.

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