agricultural guide 2010

Robson Valley Robson Valley Robson Valley Robson Valley Robson Valley Robson Valley

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A2 • Wednesday, September 29, 2010 • Robson Valley Agricultural Producers Guide

� e McBride Farmer’s Institute was formed in 1915. Although the bylaws of the Act as amended in 1983 for a schedule 1 Constitution may not be com-pletely exercised today, I suspect if there was a vote all the members would still be in favor of these “objects of the institute”: “(a) to improve conditions of rural life so that settlement may be permanent and prosperous; (b) to promote the theory and practice of agriculture; (c) to arrange on behalf of its members for the purchase, distribu-tion or sale of commodities, supplies or products; (d) to act generally on behalf of its members in all matters incidental to agricultural pursuits and ru-ral development; (e) to promote home econom-ics, public health, child welfare, education and better schools.”

In the Robson Valley today, a wide range of crops, agricultural commodities and livestock are produced for sale, including: milk, beef, lamb, bison, yak, horses, chickens, eggs, vegetables, raspberries, wool, alpaca � bre, oats, wheat, and barley. Undoubtedly there are more. Of course there are many rules now in place that govern who to, and what you can sell that didn’t exist in 1915. One of the most obvious changes is the restriction of the sale of milk, as it can only be done through the related Commodity Board. If you have questions, check with your local farmer. In addition, there are a wide vari-ety of fruits and other crops that are grown or produced in the Valley on a smaller scale for personal use such as: sun� owers, apples, table grapes, quinoa, amaranth, honey, cherries, and a wide variety of berries.

For more information: monthly meetings are 8:30pm, on the � rst Monday of the month (summers excluded) at the Farmer’s Institute Hall in McBride, corner of 1st Avenue and Queen Street.

Where local farmers meet: the McBride Farmer’s Institute

by Russ Purvis

The Robson ValleyAgricultural Producers Guide

Agriculture is one of the economic pillars of the RobsonValley. A diverse mixture of produce farms/gardens, livestockand hay production, dairies, and grains provide examples of

the range of agricultural activities within the Valley.Provincial marketing groups, coops, and local farmer’s

markets all play a part in moving locally produced food, aswell as agricultural products & services to consumers.

Photo by Jennifer Quam

1012 Commercial Drive, ValemountTel: 250-566-4425 • Fax: 250-566-4528

[email protected]

Robson Valley Agricultural Producers Guide • Wednesday, September 29, 2010 • A 3

BULK FUEL DELIVERIESSANDS BULK SALES LTD.

845 CEDARSIDE RD., VALEMOUNT, BC(250) 566-4818 • www.sandsbulk.ca

The Robson Valley’sFeatured Producers

Black Wood Gardens - Gary and Ann SchwartzTelephone: 250-569-3319Type of goods/services o� ered for sale: Garden Centre: nursery stock & perennials;

garlic & produce in season; Farrier; Pet Boarding & Grooming; Animal Health TechnicianSeason of availability: Garden Centre & Produce: May - September; Services: All Year

Crescent Moon Ranch - Charles MamoAddress: General Delivery, Crescent SpurTelephone: 250-553-6860Type of goods/services o� ered for sale: Horse Hay, square & roundsSeason of availability: Summer/Fall

Dr. Tom VogelAddress: 6213 Brown Road, DunsterTelephone: 250-968-4477Type of goods/services o� ered for sale: VeterinarianSeason of availability: All year

Dreams Reach Farms / Conway Carriage - Adam, Joy and Brad ConwayAddress: 3265 Mount Road, McBrideTelephone: 250-569-8880Email/website: [email protected] of goods/services o� ered for sale: Dexter Beef Cattle; Canadian Horses; Stud

Service Cattle / HorsesSeason of availability: All year

Sian James Photographywww.sianjames.ca • tel: 778.996.7780

Quali� ed commercial photographer specializing in:Tourism - Animal Portraits - Agriculture


Office: 13505thAvenue PrinceGeorge,BC TollFree: 1.866.612.7333 Phone: 250.612.4181

[email protected] www.shirleybondmla.bc.ca

Shirley BOND, MLA PrinceGeorge–Valemount

Eat Healthy, Eat Local!

250-569-0425 • 1032 2nd Avenue, McBride

THE FARM STORE

Weekly Feed & Store Specials Start Friday, September 30th

Store Hours: Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:30 pm

Saturday 10:30 am - 5:30 pm

FEED TACK GIFT

Jesse & Elizabeth TraskAddress: 3057 Eddy Road, McBrideTelephone: 250-569-8831Type of goods/services o� ered for sale: Hay, Horse boardingSeason of availability: All year

Joy Way FarmsAddress: 5173 Mountainview Road, McBrideTelephone: 250-569-3103 *Please no Sunday callsType of goods/services o� ered for sale: Natural government inspected

grass fed Beef; Hay; StrawSeason of availability: All year

Kakwa Ecovillage CooperativeTelephone: 250-553-6882Email/website: [email protected] or www.kakwaecovillage.comType of goods/services o� ered for sale: Alpaca socks, clothing, beddingSeason of availability: All year

Legrand Farm - Harold and Jackie EdwardsAddress: Box 579 McBride, BC V0J 2E0Telephone: 250 569 7100 or 250 569 7101Email/website: h_ [email protected], [email protected] of goods/services o� ered for sale: Grass fed lamb $5.50/lb dressed wt.

Sold by whole or half lamb. Price includes cut and wrap. Preorder for Sept/

Oct. Individual cuts usually available year round at a price appropriate to the cut; Organically (not certi� ed) grown vegetables May-Aug/Sept.

Season of availability: See listing

Mark & Irene FroeseAddress: 955 Sansom, McBrideTelephone: 250-569-2561Type of goods/services o� ered for sale: Bison, Wheat, Oats, Barley, StrawSeason of availability: All year

Sian James Photography



Bulk Petroleum 13 Cardlock Locations:

Fort St. James To Quesnel, Terrace To Valemount,

Fuel Tanks Sales & Rentals

Bulk Fuel Deliveries: Houston: 1-800-848-6347, Vanderhoof Toll Free: 1-888-545-2667,

Prince George: 1-866-309-2667, Quesnel: 250-992-7274

Head Offi ce - Vanderhoof & District Toll Free: 1-877-567-4414.

PETROLEUM

WE EXPEDITE & DELIVER

Pete AmyoonyAddress: 7675 Read Rd, Dunster, BC, V0J 1J0Telephone: 250-968-4334Email/website: [email protected] of goods/services o� ered for sale: Bedding plants in Spring only,

mixed vegetables, potatoes, garlic. Season of availability: From May until October

Robson Valley Growers - Dallas Bullock, CoordinatorAddress: P.O. Box 925 Valemount, BC V0E 2Z0Telephone: 250 566-1450, Email/website: [email protected], www.robsonvalleygrowers.caType of goods/services o� ered for sale: vegetables, bedding plants,

grain, meat and eggs Season of availability: Check with Coordinator

Robson Valley Sheep Company/Theres & Hani GasserAddress: P.O. Box 801, 4110 Eddy Rd., McBride, BC, V0J 2E0Telephone: 250-569-0333 Email/website: www.sheephappens.caType of goods/services o� ered for sale: beef, lamb, Border Collies and

livestock guardian dogs.Season of availability: All year




Under new ownership, come and meet Lori & Allan250-569-2559 • Opening September 30th

McBride Trading Co Ltd & Cafe Junction

Under new ownership, come and meet Lori & AllanUnder new ownership, come and meet Lori & Allan250-569-2559 • Opening September 30th250-569-2559 • Opening September 30th

McBride Trading Co Ltd McBride Trading Co Ltd & Cafe Junction& Cafe Junction

Vitamin Supplements & MineralsBulk Spices From All Over The World

Homeopath HerbsDips

Gourmet Candies/Popcorn

Indian Cuisine mixes, all naturalHomeopath Remedies and Teas

Giftware Organic supplies for baking

And More!

WCB Certi� ed Tree FallerISA Certi� ed ArboristCerti� ed Danger Tree AssessorFully Insured

Brendan [email protected] • 250-566-1119Servicing the Robson Valley

Services Include:Dangerous Tree Removal, Tree Falling, Climbing, Topping, Storm Damage.Structural Pruning, Deadwooding, Ornamental Trees and ShrubsMountain Pine Beetle Assessment, Firewood,Brush Chipping, Wood Mulch.

Roger BeckAddress: Tete Jaune Cache, BCTelephone: 250-566-9794Email/website: [email protected] of goods/services o� ered for sale: Organic Vegetables: In season

vegetables available when supplies permit. Some vegetables available during winter from the root cellar. Sauerkraut and Sauerkraut Plus available all year round.

Season of availability: All year

Simpson’s Farm / Loretta SimpsonAddress: Box 584 Valemount, BC V0E 2Z0Telephone: 250-968--4453Email/website: [email protected] of goods/services o� ered for sale: Beef Cattle, Vegetables —

organically grown garlic, potatoes, pumpkins, winter squashSeason of availability: Fall

The Dun Creek Cottage Co. - Shane and Lorrie BressetteTelephone: 250-968-4491Type of goods/services o� ered for sale: U-Pick Vegetable Garden.

Our intention is to oª er fresh home grown veggies to those who are in need. We ask only for a donation of the goods that you take and if one is short on � nances, then please pick some weeds to help out with the work. Vegetables are available August-September, until we can make an area for winter storage. Farm fresh free range eggs (ungraded) will be available all year, as well for a donation.

Season of availability: All year

The Source Tree Service - Brendan TaylorTelephone : 250-566-4557 or 250-566-1119Email/website: [email protected] of goods/services o� ered for sale: Dangerous Tree Removal,

Tree Falling, Climbing, Topping, Storm Damage. Structural Pruning, Deadwooding, Ornamental Trees and Shrubs, Mountain Pine Beetle Assessment, Firewood, Brush Chipping, Wood Mulch. Servicing the Robson Valley. WCB Certi� ed Tree Faller, ISA Certi� ed Arborist, Certi� ed Danger Tree Assessor, Fully Insured

Season of availability: All Year


Farming by its nature has many uncertainties. Warmth, moisture, insect and wildlife pests and severity of winter all can impact a crop in any given year. Given the complexities, starting a new crop in an area without any history re-quires patience and the willingness to experiment. Kelly Mortensen sees him-self at the beginning of a new 3-5 year cycle. He has 100 new hybrid rootstocks growing o¦ of Mountainview Road, just outside of McBride.

He knows table grapes will grow in the Valley. Wine grapes are slightly more “� nicky” according to Kelly. A few years back he started out with � ve varieties. � ere’s been a bit of a learning curve, with winter die-o¦ being just one of the challenges. Now he feels he’s got two varieties that should thrive.

Of course they have to mature, wine needs to be made and the process of getting licensed is still ahead. What has he learned? Agriculture Canada won’t let him import German or Californian rootstock because of the disease poten-tial. � at means he has to use North American varieties.

Until two years ago he claimed the distinction of the world’s most north-ern vineyard. Now, there is a German vineyard at the same latitude as Prince George. Boutique wineries with small production and a quality product can be � nancially rewarding. But, it’s not an overnight process. We may be in a 3b climatic zone now, but if climate change continues to give us milder seasons we may become 4a, making it easier to grow wine grapes. He acknowledges it’s going to take some marketing savvy to meet his goal of a successful boutique winery. Kelly believes in the value of persistence. I look forward to visiting his tasting room in 2015.

Northern Vineyards

Cultivation of Wild Blueberries

by Russ Purvis

by Russ Purvis

Observing the thriving businesses of others and adapting to � t local condi-tions can be a successful farming strategy. John McGuireª of Valemount’s Green-star Forest Solutionsª believes the wild blueberry cultivation and marketing by growers in Nova Scotia might be duplicated as both a crop and management strategy for local pine forests.

Nova Scotia’s provincial production, according to web sources, is over forty million pounds. � e wild blueberry is the number one fruit crop in acreage ex-port sales, and value to Nova Scotia, where they are exported to the U.S., Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom as well as others.

Blueberries require a highly acidic soil. � ey seem to be a natural companion plant to existing pine forests, because of the acidic soil pines create. As McGuire points out there are pine � ats in and around Valemount. Fire Smart practices for a managed forest dictate periodic thinning and brushing. � is is just the kind of behavior that stimulates blueberry growth. � ey have an extensive root system, which allows them to regenerate quickly, as well as “smother out up to 17 dif-ferent varieties of invasive species” he said. He expects to have seed stock ready in about a year, with a plan to irrigate a test area. Some farms in Nova Scotia are known to harvest 4,400 lbs per acre with a mechanical rake harvest system. If all goes according to plan he could be harvesting 100,000 lbs/season in 5 years. Sounds like another sustainable business in the making.

Photo by Russ Purvis

Photos by Joshua Estabrooks


Canadian Cancer Society300-500 Victoria St. Prince George BC, V2L 2J9

Telephone: 250.564.0885 ext 113Toll Free: 1.800.811.5666 Ext 113

Fax: 250.563.0385www.cancer.ca

Canadian Cancer Society300-500 Victoria St. Prince George BC, V2L 2J9

Telephone: 250.564.0885 ext 113Toll Free: 1.800.811.5666 Ext 113

Fax: 250.563.0385www.cancer.ca

Twin Meadows OrganicsAddress: McBride, BCTelephone: 250-569-7810Email/website: [email protected],

www.twinmeadowsorganics.com, www.organicgarlicbc.comCerti� ed Organic by PACS # 16-362Type of goods/services o� ered for sale: Committed to Heirloom

Seeds & Sustainable Small Family Farming. All Produce is Certi� ed Organic. Seed Garlic (40 Varieties), Gourmet Garlic for Eating, Garlic Bulbils for Propagation, Heritage Grains; Red Fife Wheat, Hull less Barley, Hull less Oats, Hard Red and Hard White Wheat, Fall Rye, Rare Grains for Propagation - Blue Tinje Ethiopian Wheat, Himalayan Hull less Barley, Tibetan Hull less Barley, Sangatsuga Hull less Barley, Purple Hull less Barley, Organic Straw, Potatoes (Fingerling - Banana, Ruby and Golden - Yukon Gold, Cariboo, Reds), Carrots, Parsnips, Petrowski Turnips, Rutabagas, Kale (Black Tuscano, Red Ursa, Red Russian, White Russian), Collard (Georgian Southern, Vates, Morris Heading, Champion). We encourage you to choose organic heirloom produce, to share in preserving these heirloom varieties for their added nutrition, vitamins and minerals, enhanced ¬ avour, bio-diversity and the food security

we each have by saving our own seeds and growing them organically, without GMO seed, chemical sprays, chemical fertilizers or other pollutants which threaten our food safety, quality and environment

Season of availability: Call/email

Ursus Herb Farm - Kim ThornAddress : Box 824, Valemount, B.C., V0E 2Z0Telephone: 250-566-8466Email/website: [email protected] of goods/services o� ered for sale: Medicinal herbs,

tinctures, oils, & teasSeason of availability: Year round availability at In� nity (Valemount),

Whistlestop Gallery (McBride), General Store (Dunster) and Nutter’s (Jasper).

The WoolawayAddress: 6076 Dunster Station Road, DunsterTelephone: 250-968-4347Type of goods/services o� ered for sale: Lamb, Custom wrought

iron workSeason of availability: All year


Agriculture • Lawn & Garden • ConstructionSales • Service • Parts • Rentals

HUBER FARM EQUIPMENT is the largest and most experienced equipment dealer in the central interior of British Columbia.

HUBER FARM EQUIPMENT is an experienced dealership selling quality new and used equipment. We back up our equipment sales with dedicated and knowledgeable

service and parts departments.

Contact us if you are in the market for any size of tractor, RTV, lawn, garden, construction, agricultural or snow removal equipment.

250-560-5502 • 250-560-543114370 Upper Mud River Road

Prince George • V2N 6K6

The Robson Valley’s Featured Producers

agricultural guide 2010

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