Reducing workload goal of young dairy farmers
CHILLIWACK, B.C. — Gary Baars spends a lot of time on the phone, and this day is no exception as he nods a greeting before finishing his business with the caller. The 30-year-old and his wife, Marie, 24, operate TNT Hay and Cattle, buying and selling hay and up to 3,000 dairy calves a year. […] Read moreStories by Karen Morrison
Sask. barber hopes to preserve past, protect future
A Saskatchewan man is on a mission to preserve the swirled barbershop pole as a symbol of his distinct, albeit dying, trade. Ray Tetreault, a barber in North Battleford, Sask., is indignant that barber poles are being used to market hairdressing salons. “What separates a barber from a hairdresser is the razor,” he said. At […] Read more
Station changed prairie landscape
The Dominion Forest Nursery Station began in 1913 on a stubble field in Sutherland, Sask., without a single tree in sight. Its purpose mirrored that of a similar nursery at Indian Head to the south in supplying burgeoning numbers of prairie farms with free shelter belt trees to block the merciless winds from blowing soil […] Read more
B.C. grower finds niche in healthy berry
Elderberry packed with antioxidants | Berries are widely known in Europe but unique in Western Canada
YARROW, B.C. — A wheelbarrow emerges from the rows of flowering bushes where a couple has been picking the abundant white elderflowers. Miriam Karp and Gordon Glanz say it takes about 25 flower heads to make a gallon of cordial, which is a mix for the vodka they make at their Odd Society distillery in […] Read more
4-H projects provide more than milk and honey
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — Mark Schmidt is taking no chances as he approaches a buzzing bevy of bees. Looking ready to land on the moon in white coveralls and a white screened helmet, he slowly reaches into the hive box to remove the frames lined up like folders in a filing cabinet. “You can never learn […] Read more
Young B.C. farmers in short supply
Farm community | Officials look to attract new farmers with skills training and mentorship
ALDERGROVE, B.C. — British Columbia has the lowest percentage of farmers younger than 35 in Canada and the highest average age of farm operators at 56, according to Statistics Canada’s 2011 Census of Agriculture. A report prepared this year for South Coast Community Futures and the B.C. agriculture ministry made nine recommendations aimed at attracting […] Read more
Tours give visitors a taste of farm living
GLEN VALLEY, B.C. — It started with selling pumpkins on the honour system by placing a sign and a jar at the end of the farm lane in 1988. However, Albert and Dorothy Anderson’s business eventually morphed into Aldor Acres Family Farm, a destination in the Fraser Valley for families, schools and others seeking to […] Read more
Changes to ag land reserve could change farm life in B.C.
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — Proposed changes to the Agricultural Land Reserve could lead to higher farmland prices and make agricultural operations untenable for younger farmers. Farmers in the regions affected by the proposals, which include areas in northern B.C. and the Kootenays, say they need to do more than farm on their land to make a […] Read more
4-H celebrates 100th in B.C.
More than beef and baking | Innovative, non-traditional projects are attracting youth to program
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — B.C. 4-H is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year and enjoying a modest increase in membership at the same time. The rural youth group saw its membership grow by five percent last year, a trend that’s being mirrored across the country. Saskatchewan 4-H is the exception with declining numbers, 4-H Canada’s council, […] Read more4-H puts focus on career path
ABBOTSFORD, B.C. — 4-Hers can sample work experiences through a new program called Investing in Me. Erin Smith, program manager for 4-H Canada, said the placements will allow those aged 18-25 to explore career options, get hands-on experience and develop job skills. “They could work on a farm for a week or for six weeks […] Read more
