The Organic BC Podcast

This podcast was funded in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the BC Climate Agri-Solutions Fund delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC.

This episode features two compelling arguments for the use of cover crops in field crop or vegetable production. In the first segment, we’ll learn about a Fraser Valley Dairy Farmer’s experience with planting a relay cover crop once his silage corn is established, and the benefits he’s realized from that effort.

After that, an Agriculture & Agri-food Canada researcher will tell us why it is so very important, if not...

This podcast was funded in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the BC Climate Agri-Solutions Fund delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC.

This episode: the final chapter in our miniseries on rotational grazing in collaboration with BC’s Small Scale Meat Producers Association.

This one features a long-form conversation with rancher Joseph Moilliet of Avely Ranch, a sheep and cattle operation in Vavenby, British Columbia. Management-intensive rotational grazing is a major pillar in Joseph’s approach to sustainable livestock management.

Rotational grazing is the main focus of this conversation, but you’...

This podcast was funded in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the BC Climate Agri-Solutions Fund delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC.

This episode: the next chapter in our miniseries on rotational grazing in collaboration with BC’s Small Scale Meat Producers Association. In the first two episodes, we learned about the fundamental principles of rotational grazing from forage specialist Woody Lane. Woody described the ideal approach to management intensive rotational grazing if we want to get the most out of this system.

But! It’s called ‘management intensive grazing’ for a reason...

This episode, a look at cover-cropping in the vineyard context. My guest this episode is Lisa Wambold.

Lisa has spent a lot of her career in vineyards consulting with farmers on beneficial management practices, including cover cropping. She’s a big believer in the positive role cover crops can play both in both the mid-row and under the vines, and so I asked her to join me to summarize the benefits of cover cropping in the vineyard. We also talk about species selection, the tools required, circumstances where she advises against the use of cover crops, and pl...

This episode, an interview with Sarah Stewart, and a shorter segment from an interview with Jichul Bae. 

The last few years, farmer and videographer Sarah Stewart has been working with Organic BC on some extension work that has involved a pretty big focus on emerging technologies for mechanical weed management. She’s learned a tonne about autonomous weeding robots and the use of lasers and electricity, and the increasing role that artificial intelligence is playing in the age-old battle to keep the weeds at bay. But gathering information was only half the job. The other half was to...

This episode, a return to the topic of robotic weeding technology. This time, I speak with two farmers, each of whom has spent considerable time working using some cutting edge weeding machinery. There has been a lot of hype around robotic- and AI-driven agritech. I invited these two farmers to share their perspectives about the performance of a couple such tools on the farm, in order to get a sense of their strengths and limitations.

First: Gabriel Demarco. Gabe is the head winemaker and viticulturalist at Cave Spring Vineyard in the Niagara region of Ontario. I reached o...

This podcast was funded in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the BC Climate Agri-Solutions Fund delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC.

This episode, part two of our miniseries on rotational grazing in collaboration with BC’s Small Scale Meat Producers Association. The first two episodes will cover the fundamentals of managed rotational grazing in the context of the home farm or ranch. In this episode, part two of my conversation with Dr. Woody Lane, in which we discuss what Woody calls the four principles of managed rotational grazing, and address some of the sk...

This podcast was funded in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the BC Climate Agri-Solutions Fund delivered by the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC.

This episode, we launch a miniseries on rotational grazing in collaboration with BC’s Small Scale Meat Producers Association. The first two episodes will cover the fundamentals of managed rotational grazing in the context of the home farm or ranch. In this episode, we’ll learn about the rationale for managed rotational grazing, also referred to as management intensive grazing, and the main concepts and tools that need to be understood in orde...

The last four episodes of the podcast made up a miniseries about GAP Certification for small and medium-scale farms. The main focus of this miniseries was the work of Okanagan farmer Emily Jubenvil to obtain GAP certification for her carrots and beets in order  to preserve and expand her access to wholesale markets. The series is essentially done, but as I promised last week, I’m back with one more short episode that doesn’t have anything to do with GAP certification.

At one point in my interviews with Emily we went on a bit of a tange...

This is episode three of our miniseries about GAP Certification for small and medium-scale farms. So far, you’ve heard three episodes about Okanagan farmer Emily Jubenvil and her pursuit of GAP certification to preserve and expand her access to wholesale markets. If you’ve already listened, you know that Emily’s experience was largely positive and entirely successful. We thought we might end the series there, but then we decided to seek out a couple more perspectives about GAP certification from small-scale farmers to put listeners in a better position to judge how applicable Emily’s experiences are to other...

This is episode three in a series about whether GAP certification is a viable option for small-scale farmers who want to gain, preserve, or expand access to wholesale marketing channels.

This episode: The GAP Audit & Emily's Final Thoughts

Referenced int his episode: BC's On-farm Food Safety Funding

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This episode is part three of a miniseries about Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), a food safety certification designed for particpants in the fresh fruit & veggie supply chain. Increasingly, food distributors and grocery stores are requiring their suppliers to hold GAP certification.

This...

This is episode two in a series about whether GAP certification is a viable option for small-scale farmers who want to gain, preserve, or expand access to wholesale marketing channels.

This episode: In Pursuit of GAP Certification.

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This episode is part two of a miniseries about Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), a food safety certification designed for particpants in the fresh fruit & veggie supply chain. Increasingly, food distributors and grocery stores are requiring their suppliers to hold GAP certification.

This requirement has concerned many small-scale fruit & veggie growers, who believe that GAP...

This episode kicks off a miniseries about Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), a food safety certification designed for particpants in the fresh fruit & veggie supply chain. Increasingly, food distributors and grocery stores are requiring their suppliers to hold GAP certification.

This requirement has concerned many small-scale fruit & veggie growers, who believe that GAP certification was designed with a bias toward large-scale farming systems. They argue that GAP is too expensive and too inflexible to the alternate ways that diversified, small-scale farms operate. The result, they argue, is that the requirement of GAP certification by retailers and distributors represents...

This episode of the Organic BC Podcast was funded in part by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the BC Climate Agri-Solutions Fund delivered by Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC.

University of Wisconsin-Madison soil scientist Matthew Ruark joins us to talk about some research he co-authored on the use of cover crops to reduce nutrient pollution following a manure application, and how to limit the potential agronomic tradeoffs of this practice.

You can read a summary of the research we discuss here.

This episode: we explore the potential of tools that use electricity to control weeds on the farm. Specifically, you'll learn about the research of our guest, Marcelo Moretti, on an electric weeder produced by a Brazilian Company called Zasso for use in perennial cropping systems.

Marcelo Moretti is a Weed Science Specialist and an Associate Professor with the Department of Horticulture at Oregon State University.

This episode of the Organic BC Podcast was funded through Sustainable Canada Agricultural Partnership, a federal-provincial-territorial initiative. 

Opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the host and gu...

This episode is all about robotic weeding technology for the farm. Jordan interviews Kristen Obeid and Chuck Haggerty about why the time has come to give robotic weeding tools some serious consideration and the strengths and limitations of these tools.

Here's a link for listeners who want to be able to picture these tools as they listen.

Our guests will also summarize some of the options currently being tested by the AgRobotics Working Group, which is an initiative spearheaded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture that brings representatives from government, academia and the farming industry...

This ep: a preview of the 2023 BC Organic Conference---OUR 30TH ANNUAL!!!---from conference coordinator Sarah Stewart.

The conference runs November 7 through the 9th and you can learn more/get tickets at organicbc.org

This ep: a longform conversation with a farmer who was present and active for all the major milestones of BC's modern organic sector. Paddy Doherty talks about communal farming in the BC Interior in the 70s, why organic farming appealed to him from the get-go, the art of growing great carrots, and his thoughts on the evolution of BC's organic sector.

COG's Organic Production Handbooks, where you can try (I failed) to find the book Paddy refers to in our conversation.

Also: Annelise and Tristan shout-out someone they admire in our community. Want to do...

Note: the first release of this episode left off the end of the episode. It's been fixed now...if your version cuts off, re-download! Episode should be 1 hour 9 minutes.

This episode: you can't run a successful rotational grazing system without good fencing! Rancher Tristan Banwell guest hosts to interview fencing expert Axle Boris of Fencefast about the crucial considerations for using electric fencing in a rotaional grazing setup.

A couple of items mentioned in this episode:

Short Tumble Wheel Video referenced in episode

BC Agricultural Fencing Handbook

Also, guest...

This episode I talk to Dru Yates of ES Crop Consult. Getting the right amount of nitrogen to our crops at the right time can be tricky, and if we over-apply it, it doesn't just hurt our bottom line. Nutrient pollution contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and pollutes our water, and so I invited Drew to join me to help us understand how to find the right balance between meeting a crop's nitrogen needs and our collective responsibility to avoid nitrogen pollution of our air and water.

Here's a link to the BC Ministry of Agriculture & Food's de...

This episode, a frank conversation about the sexual politics of organic farming. You'll hear perspectives from two farmers and one academic about a dynamic on many organic farmers that is seldom addressed so bluntly.

Got feedback about this episode? Record a voice memo using the recording app from your phone to farmer@unearthedorganics.ca

This episode: farmer & entrepreneur Jacob Beaton joins guest host Tristan Banwell to discuss the Indigenous relationship with agriculture that has been largely ignored or even suppressed in mainstream discourse about the history and traditions of Canada's First Peoples. Jacob is a member of the Eagle Clan of the Tsimshian Nation. He lives and farms near Gitwangak in Gitxsan territory of Northern BC, where he operates a thriving Indigenous skills training program at Tea Creek Farm.

Some books Jacob recommends in the conversation:

Grizzlies & White Guys

21 Things You May Not Know About The Indian...

This episode: a primer on production practices that can reduce on-farm GH gas emissions via carbon sequestration. Joining us for this episode: Amy Norgaard, Climate Change Extension Specialist for the BC Ministry of Agriculture & Food, and Dieter Geesing, Provincial Soil Specialsit for the BC Ministry of Agriculture & Food.

First up: Amy outlines the problem of farm-based greenhouse gas emissions, defines carbon sequestration, and suggests some practices that can lead to a net reduction in on-farm emissions. After that: Dieter raises his hand to say: not so fast! In our effort to reduce emissions, he says, we have...

This episode: part one of a conversation with the owners of Fresh Valley Farms. Based in Armstrong, BC, owners Steve Meggait & Annelise Grube Cavers produce pasture-raised, organic beef, pork, poultry & eggs on 300+ acres under a rotational grazing system.

This time, we'll learn about cover cropping practices at Fresh Valley Farms, some of the vital tools and equipment in their operation, and Steve & Annelise' thoughts on the arrival of the word 'regenerative' in conversations about sustainable agriculture. You'll also hear their thoughts on where livestock fits in a sustainable food system, and their perspective on running a business...

This episode: part one of a conversation with the owners of Fresh Valley Farms. Based in Armstrong, BC, owners Steve Meggait & Annelise Grube Cavers produce pasture-raised, organic beef, pork, poultry & eggs on 300+ acres under a rotational grazing system. In this episode, Steve & Annelise summarize their business model and describe their core farming values. After that, Steve reviews important considerations in a rotational grazing system, and Annelise explains how they market their meat.

Be sure to catch part two of this focus on Fresh Valley Farms. Next time, Steve & Annelise will talk about how and why the word...

This episode: guest interviewer and orchardist Molly Thurston returns! This time her guest is Tom Forge, a research soil ecologist at the Summerland Research and Development Centre who specializes in nematology and integrated root health management for perennial fruit crops.

Molly interviewed Tom so we can learn about the biology of plant-parasitic nematodes, how they impact tree fruit and other horticultural crops, and how growers can deal with them in organic production systems.

This episode features part two of my conversation with Anna Helmer of Helmer's Organic Farm. This conversation is meant to be a companion to a video that Organic BC produced about Helmer's Organic Farm for its Organic Innovation Series.

This episode, we go into more detail about the five year rotation  that the Helmers use to produce their potatoes, and how this rotation allows them to farm more or less without any off-farm soil inputs. We'll also cover a number of other topics that burn on the mind of a modern organic potato whisperer like Anna. 

T...

This episode: a conversation with Anna Helmer of Helmer's Organic Farm. This conversation is meant to be a companion to a video that Organic BC produced about Helmer's Organic Farm for its Organic Innovation Series. The video will take you on a virtual tour of the Helmer farm and showcase their dedication to low inputs, long rotations, and heavy cover cropping. That video will be released on the world wide web in early March, and a public screening of the video will take place in Pemberton in the third week of March, and Anna and Doug plan to be t...

This episode: a conversation about limiting nutrient pollution in organic cropping systems. Our guest is Sean Smukler, an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems at the University of British Columbia. Sean and his collegues completed research on this topic as a project under the last round of Canada's Organic Science Cluster. In this conversation, Sean talks about that research, and more generally about organic practices that can lead to nutrient pollution of our air and waterways, versus ones that tend to limit such outcomes.

After that, we hear from Alyssa Belter of Plenty...

This episode, a conversation with two biologists from the Summerland Research and Development Centre about how climate change is impacting tree fruit production in BC, and how the breeding work of the research centre can help the industry understand and adapt to these impacts.

The guests in this episode are Jesse MacDonald and Chris Pagliocchini

This episode features part two of my conversation with Manish Raizada, a Professor of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph.

Herein, Manish talks about his lab's efforts to develop a microbe-based biopesticide that could be sprayed on crops like wheat and corn in order to protect those crops against fusarium wilt. Manish also describes research of crop wild relatives as a key to gaining insights for biopesticide development, the potential for plant breeders to factor beneficial microbe relationships into their selection practices, and the regulatory hurdles involved in developing these new techniques.

In this episode, host Jordan Marr interviews Manish Raizada, a Professor of Plant Agriculture at the University of Guelph. They discuss the role that biofertilizers can play in reducing our food system's dependence on synthetic nitrogen and its undesireable impacts on water quality and climate emissions.

Manish, who heads the Raizada Lab at the University of Guelph, describs the evolution of the science behind biofertilizers, which centres on the use of microbes to provide nitrogen to plants, cites examples of successful commercialization of this technology, and describes the current challenges limiting a wider adoption of biofertilizers by...

This episode: an inspiring conversation with Reid Allaway of Ferme Tournesol about his years-long commitment to electrifying various internal-combustion-powered machinery around his co-operative farm. There's a lot of useful information in here for those who want to follow Reid's lead, including the successful transition to an electrified cube van that costs the farm $5 in electricity for every delivery run!

Also: a BC-based farmer responds to a questionnaire about the impacts of climate change on his farm.

Reid mentions:

The DIY Electric Farmer group on Facebook

DIY Electric Car

Reid's...

Originally produced for the 2022 BC Organic Conference

This episode, five BC farmers (and your host) talk about the challenges of 2021's chaotic weather events. With thanks to:

Chris Bodnar

Mike Broersma

Cameron Bell

Hermann Bruns

Molly Thurston

Originally produced for the 2022 BC Organic Conference

This episode is all about the British Columbia Certified Organic Program (BCCOP), the first province-wide organic program that existed in BC, and at present, fairly unique in North America because of its regional focus and its use of the peer-review process. There's so much to say about this program. It represents a through-line from the grassroots of the organic movement to the current regulatory environment. It was the first program in the world to implement a low-risk component. And it comes with built-in flexibility to innovate by creating certifications for...

Originally produced for the 2022 BC Organic Conference

This episode: farmer and verification officer (and BC Organic Conference planning committee member) Jolene Swain talks to host Jordan Marr about the Permitted Substances List for organic operators in Canada (CAN/CGSB-32.311-2020, officially). This conversation is primarily for people who are new to certified organic production, but aims to be helpful for anyone who has struggled to interpret the list or understand how to avoid using restricted inputs in their operation.

Originally produced for the 2022 BC Organic Conference

In this episode, BC Organic Rancher Tristan Banwell describes changes to BC's slaughter regulations that took effect on October 1st, 2020. We begin our conversation with a brief review of how slaughter regulations have evolved in BC over the last two decades, leading up to these newest changes, which Tristan believes will create new opportunities for meat producers in the province, particularly those operating at a small scale. A must-listen for meat producers in BC!

This episode was inspired by concerns raised by Organic BC board member Brody Irvine. Brody is a part-owner of Discovery Organics, a BC-based organic food distributor that has traditionally purchased from farms of all sizes. Brody fears that the most recent updates to Canada's food safety regulations have made it difficult for smaller-sized operations to continue selling into certain wholesale markets, despite those same farms having good food safety practices. Brody is our first guest for this episode.

Then, we're joined by food safety expert Elsie Friesen, who will help us better understand the regulatory landscape around...

Originally produced for the 2022 BC Organic Conference

In this episode, guest interviewer (and our sector's Industry Specialist at the BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Fisheries!) Emma Holmes interviews Dru Yates, a pest & soil specialist with E.S. Cropconsult, based in the lower mainland. This is part two of two. Here, Emma & Dru discuss:

Originally produced for the 2022 BC Organic Conference

In this episode, guest interviewer (and our sector's Industry Specialist at the BC Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Fisheries!) Emma Holmes interviews Dru Yates, a pest & soil specialist with E.S. Cropconsult, based in the lower mainland. This is part one of two. Here, Emma & Dru discuss Dru's experience of the impacts of climate change on pest cycles, mass insect trapping techniques, and the use of robot beets to improve your crop handling.

Emma also reflects on the challenging farming conditions in 2021 and wants farmers to know that there...