• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Country Life In BC Logo

The agricultural news source in British Columbia since 1915

  • Headlines
  • Calendar
  • Subscribe
  • Archives
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Headlines
  • Calendar
  • Subscribe
  • Archives
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Search

Primary Sidebar

Originally published:

June 2017
Vol. 103 Issue 6

Subscribe Now!

Sign up for free weekly FARM NEWS UPDATES

Select list(s) to subscribe to


By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Country Life in BC, 36 Dale Road, Enderby, BC, V0E1V4. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the SafeUnsubscribe® link, found at the bottom of every email. Emails are serviced by Constant Contact
Your information will not be
shared or sold ever

Stories In This Edition

Vancouver tops BC in farm growth

Accident claims safety advocate

In Good Hands

Rain’s a pain, farmers say

Editorial: Fresh start

Back Forty: Census offers reality check

Viewpoint: Ranchers work ‘dam’ hard for public’s benefit

Agriculture council pledges to work with parties

Pork industry optimitic despite lean times

Vegetable commission priotizies trust, integrity

Fairs reach out-of-court settlement

Richmond sets large limit on farmhouse size

Drones promise to scare birds for berry growers

Small farm expo postponed

Ranchers resist expanding public roaming rights

Letter: Seasonal farm workers find

Canada a second home

Letter: Right to roam wrong

A national voice for greenhouse growers

Hothouse growers reduce risk with IPM strategies

Sidebar: Biocontrols cut costs

Training pregps advisors for growing demand

Hop growers hepped up about future

Controlling hop-loving pests necessary evil

YA mark five years of support small-scale ag

Wise Earth tracks numbers to plant savvy, sell smart

A wise approach to leases, labour and local

Garlic co-op pitched as supply, appetite expands

BC’s climate makes hardneck garlic a viable route

Northern athlete dives into beef marketing

Abattoirs target food safety, labour shortage

Volatile beef market raises questions, few answers

BC feedlot sector prepares cattle disease emergency plan

Drones ride a sky-high range in search of cattle

Spring fling connects sponsors with classroom outreach

Better management underpins farm improvement

Small farmers make it work in Alberni Valley

BCYF tour highlights fish and dairy management

4-H members on the quest for a future with food

Program delivery underway

Wannabe – All things big and small

Woodshed: How Henderson came to be at the end of his rope

Jude’s Kitchen: Summer patio treats

More Headlines
Comments Box SVG iconsUsed for the like, share, comment, and reaction icons

Vancouver council has rejected a bid to subdivide some of its only land within the Agricultural Land Reserve. The 8-acre site at 7520 Balaclava Street is home to an unused horse paddock and the former Celtic Shipyards. Vancouver council chose not to forward the application to the Agricultural Land Commission because subdivision would create lots that were too small at a site with multiple environmental and geotechnical issues. The cultural significance of the site to the Musqueam First Nation was also a consideration. ... See MoreSee Less

2 days ago

Vancouver council has rejected a bid to subdivide some of its only land within the Agricultural Land Reserve. The 8-acre site at 7520 Balaclava Street is home to an unused horse paddock and the former Celtic Shipyards. Vancouver council chose not to forward the application to the Agricultural Land Commission because subdivision would create lots that were too small at a site with multiple environmental and geotechnical issues. The cultural significance of the site to the Musqueam First Nation was also a consideration.
View Comments
  • Likes: 8
  • Shares: 2
  • Comments: 1

Comment on Facebook

Let’s hope someone with an Ag vision buys the property..

Seasonal workers continue to benefit from BC’s acclaimed publicly funded quarantine program, which covers the cost of meals and accommodations for incoming foreign workers during their mandatory self-isolation period. To date this year, 14 incoming workers have tested positive for COVID-19, with nine remaining in isolation and five cleared to work on BC farms. "Through this program, we have been able to help preserve our province’s food supply by ensuring local food continues to be grown and harvested throughout the pandemic,” the BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries told Country Life in BC. "The program is regarded as best practice by other jurisdictions and the province is continuing with the self-isolation program for 2021 without significant changes." Subscribe to Country Life in BC at buff.ly/2ReiFur ... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago

Seasonal workers continue to benefit from BC’s acclaimed publicly funded quarantine program, which covers the cost of meals and accommodations for incoming foreign workers during their mandatory self-isolation period. To date this year, 14 incoming workers have tested positive for COVID-19, with nine remaining in isolation and five cleared to work on BC farms. Through this program, we have been able to help preserve our province’s food supply by ensuring local food continues to be grown and harvested throughout the pandemic,” the BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries told Country Life in BC. The program is regarded as best practice by other jurisdictions and the province is continuing with the self-isolation program for 2021 without significant changes. Subscribe to Country Life in BC at buff.ly/2ReiFur
View Comments
  • Likes: 4
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has awarded $6 million to Vancouver-based Enterra Feed Corp. through the federal AgriInnovate program to develop a full-scale commercial facility north of Calgary for the production of insect-based feed ingredients. The new facility handles more than 130 tonnes of food waste per day and feeds it to the larvae of black soldier flies. The larvae are harvested and processed for use in feed products for poultry, pets and wild birds. The first of its kind in Canada, the facility ships products across North America as well as to the EU. Country Life in BC is the agricultural new source for BC's farmers and ranchers. ... See MoreSee Less

6 days ago

Federal agriculture minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has awarded $6 million to Vancouver-based Enterra Feed Corp. through the federal AgriInnovate program to develop a full-scale commercial facility north of Calgary for the production of insect-based feed ingredients. The new facility handles more than 130 tonnes of food waste per day and feeds it to the larvae of black soldier flies. The larvae are harvested and processed for use in feed products for poultry, pets and wild birds. The first of its kind in Canada, the facility ships products across North America as well as to the EU. Country Life in BC is the agricultural new source for BCs farmers and ranchers.
View Comments
  • Likes: 25
  • Shares: 9
  • Comments: 1

Comment on Facebook

Cammy Lockwood, great news for Enterra

CP Rail’s plans for a new logistics facility on 100 acres of farmland in Pitt Meadows is facing opposition from neighbours, who question the impact of the project on their community and local agriculture. Close to 100 residents questioned CP representatives in an online open house this week but received few definitive answers. The project is exempt from Agricultural Land Commission and local government approval. Results of a survey that closes today will be made public in March, with mitigation measures of the project provided this summer. Construction could begin in 2026 if federal authorities approve. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BC's farmers and ranchers. buff.ly/2ReiFur ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago

CP Rail’s plans for a new logistics facility on 100 acres of farmland in Pitt Meadows is facing opposition from neighbours, who question the impact of the project on their community and local agriculture. Close to 100 residents questioned CP representatives in an online open house this week but received few definitive answers. The project is exempt from Agricultural Land Commission and local government approval. Results of a survey that closes today will be made public in March, with mitigation measures of the project provided this summer. Construction could begin in 2026 if federal authorities approve. Country Life in BC is the agricultural news source for BCs farmers and ranchers. buff.ly/2ReiFur
View Comments
  • Likes: 1
  • Shares: 0
  • Comments: 1

Comment on Facebook

www.facebook.com/groups/247315310159788/?ref=share

The BC Ministry of Agriculture has announced a new round of funding this week to support more community projects aimed at protecting the health and habitat of bees. The Bee BC program provides up to $5,000 to fund smaller-scale, community-based projects enhancing bee health throughout the province. Since launching in 2018, Bee BC has contributed almost $280,000 to 62 projects. The last round of 24 approved projects projects ranged from providing education in communities to planting bee-specific forage to using innovation and technology to help protect and ensure bee health in BC. The program is administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation. Check out the program guide for more information: buff.ly/3bCMzSW ... See MoreSee Less

1 week ago

The BC Ministry of Agriculture has announced a new round of funding this week to support more community projects aimed at protecting the health and habitat of bees. The Bee BC program provides up to $5,000 to fund smaller-scale, community-based projects enhancing bee health throughout the province. Since launching in 2018, Bee BC has contributed almost $280,000 to 62 projects. The last round of 24 approved projects projects ranged from providing education in communities to planting bee-specific forage to using innovation and technology to help protect and ensure bee health in BC. The program is administered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation. Check out the program guide for more information: https://buff.ly/3bCMzSW
View Comments
  • Likes: 4
  • Shares: 4
  • Comments: 0

Comment on Facebook

Subscribe | Advertise

Garlic co-op pitched as supply, appetite expands

June 1, 2017 byRonda Payne

LUMBY – Hardneck garlic grows superbly in BC and is different than the softneck varieties grown in hotter climates that grocery stores traditionally carry. Not only do hardneck varieties taste great, they can also be grown here organically while giving consumers a high-quality local alternative.

Speaking at the Pacific Agriculture Show this past winter, Jim Capellini of Rasa Creek Farm in Lumby suggested forming a garlic co-op to introduce locally grown hardneck garlic into mainstream markets.Jim Capellini

The reason local garlic is found primarily at farmers’ markets and not at large grocers comes down to supply and demand, he says.

“They don’t have the time to create relationships with these small growers,” explains Capellini.

The big retailers want to make one call or send one email to a supplier who can guarantee a large enough supply. They won’t reach out to several small growers.

“It became obvious over the years that the demand for high quality hardneck garlic is growing exponentially,” says Capellini.

Capellini’s awareness of the opportunities grew as one BC multi-store produce market requested 500 pounds of local hardneck garlic from him. Demand grew to 5,000 pounds the first year and now sits at 20,000 pounds.

The challenge is to get garlic from numerous small growers to retailers without involving a middleman taking a significant cut, reducing the profit to farmers. Capellini wants to see farmers sell directly.

“I was trying to maximize profits for the person putting blood, sweat and tears into it because I know what it’s like,” he notes. “If the farmers were able to co-ordinate, that could help.”

Capellini put his first bulbs in the ground in 2009 and now supplies seed garlic to growers across BC along with the information they need to succeed. He also knows what it’s like dealing with corporations and co-operatives that aren’t right for garlic growers.

Instead, he looks to one of his workshop participants, Abdul Majid, as an example of how a BC garlic co-op could work. Majid is the founder of BC Garlic Growers Inc., based in Abbotsford.

“All his life, he’s been involved in helping farmers,” Capellini says of Majid.

Despite being a professional architectural model builder, Majid and his family attended one of Capellini’s garlic workshops in 2015. Majid now has approximately 30 rows planted to hardneck garlic varieties, each row running 300 feet.

Majid also acquires garlic from other local growers and works as a reseller to supply retailers through BC Garlic Growers.

“He will sell directly into that level,” Capellini explains.

It isn’t a traditional co-op because Majid buys other growers’ garlic outright, but Capellini nevertheless sees the venture as an exercise in co-operation.

Growers working with Majid share knowledge, skills and other resources like equipment, “a very big price tag for garlic,” Capellini says. Growers may pay a rental fee for using the equipment.

Besides what Majid is doing, Capellini has another idea.

“I have a kind of very loose vision,” he explains. “Last year, I had this idea that there might even be a use of a nation-wide hub. At the highest level, there could be [Garlic.ca] (a URL Capellini holds) … and on garlic.ca there could be listings of local hubs. And there could be somebody like (Majid) … as an independent agent managing that hub.”

This national-level online hub could make things easier for buyers by creating a portal through which they could easily access the regional hub closest to them and instantly tap into a local garlic supply.

Capellini says other growers have been receptive to his ideas about working together, but he’d ultimately like to see others take them on and run with them. His hands are already full with his own business.

“I see a demand that is completely unsatiated for local garlic in Canada,” he says.

While the demand will eventually reach a ceiling, Capellini believes it’s important to prepare by moving sales beyond farmers’ markets and into mainstream grocery and produce providers.

Related Posts

You may be interested in these posts from the same category.

Previous Post: « Delta farmers in growing battle against waterfowl
Next Post: Small farm expo postponed »

Reader Interactions

Footer

Country Life in BC

36 Dale Road, Enderby, BC, Canada V0E 1V4

  • 604-328-3814
  • office@countrylifeinbc.com

Copyright © 2021 Country Life in BC · All Rights Reserved