Sustainable Agriculture

5.8.15Growing a Local Mediterranean Diet
Citrus Fruits, Olives and Pomegranates on Vancouver Island
Scientific studies have long hailed a Mediterranean diet of oranges, olives and subtropical fruits, along with vegetables, nuts, legumes and grains, as one of the healthiest in the world. Until now, however, British Columbia food distributors have had to import […]

5.8.15Growing Mediterranean Fruit on Vancouver Island
A Tour of Fruit Trees and More
Bob Duncan, owner of Fruit Trees and More in North Saanich, BC, takes us on a tour of his demonstration orchard and nursery and shows how to grow Mediterranean fruit on Vancouver Island. By using microclimates, partial shelters, an unheated […]

2.25.15Teafarm Brews up a New Crop for Canada
Cultivating Tea on Vancouver Island
On a sunny slope in the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island, a rare Camellia is growing; rare for Canada but widely sought worldwide for its stimulant qualities. It is Camellia sinensis, better known as tea. Far from the tropical and […]

10.7.14In Search of the Local Bean
Reviving Heritage Bean Varieties on Small Farms in British Columbia
Think of this— a bubbling pot of maple baked beans on a cold, rainy day. It’s Canadian comfort food. After all, Canada is one of the world’s leading producers of pulses: dry beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils. A trip to […]

10.7.1423 Heritage Beans
Unique, Colourful, Flavourful Foods
Heritage bean growers like Rebecca Jehn preserve a wealth of traditions, diversity and flavours not found in today’s mechanized food chain. At her farm at Rebecca’s Garden in Victoria, BC, she grows over 30 unique varieties of beans, chickpeas and […]

12.8.13The Seeds of Sustainability
How Plant Diversity Can Ensure Our Future
On small farms across British Columbia, a handful of growers has taken on a vital task to help save the planet’s food system. They are seed savers who plant and safeguard diverse varieties of food crops, herbs and flowers. By […]

12.8.13Marsha Goldberg: Protecting Heritage Seeds
Or How We Can Live to Be Ripe Old Raisins
Professional seed savers like Marsha Goldberg of Eagleridge Seeds are not only preserving the genetic heritage of our most valuable plants for tomorrow, they are also an invaluable resource for agriculture today. Goldberg’s very active Salt Spring Island farm specializes […]

12.8.13Marsha Goldberg: Purple Calabash Tomatoes
Climate Change and How a Tomato Changed its Colour
Longtime seed savers like Marsha Goldberg of Eagleridge Seeds on Salt Spring Island, have the opportunity to closely observe changes in nature. As climate changes, heritage plants are adapting to new conditions. Here, Marsha Goldberg describes the transformations she’s seen […]

12.8.13Marsha Goldberg: Marshmallow Root
A Food that Might Have Prevented the Irish Potato Famine
One of the benefits of seed saving is a deep knowledge of the plant life of your region. Marsha Goldberg, owner of Eagleridge Seeds on Salt Spring Island, reminds us that even now we only use a small amount of […]

9.30.13Online Farm Map to Vancouver Island Local Foods
A Guide to Farms and Local Foods in Greater Victoria, Vancouver Island and Salt Spring Island
People who want to eat fresh local foods have a new online resource. The Vancouver Island Farms & Food Map is a searchable guide to hundreds of farms in and around Victoria and Vancouver Island. Island farmers currently produce a […]

7.16.13Where Have All the Bees Gone?
Clues to the Disappearance of a Vital Pollinator
The world’s bees are in trouble. In millions of hives around the world, worker bees are suddenly disappearing, causing the colony to die out prematurely. Since 2005, yearly losses in commercial honey beekeeping operations rose from 15 percent of the […]