Market Garden Webinar, Mar 1

"Towards an Economically, Environmentally and Emotionally Sustainable Market Garden Business - The First Five Years"

Webinar
March 1, 2010, 12:00 pm EST

This webinar explores the lessons learned in the first five years of operating a niche agri-tourism business and suggests models and templates from which to grow forward.

For more information visit the CFMBC website.

Agroforestry Planning Tools Available

The University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry is launching an online Chestnut Financial Decision Model and an upgraded Black Walnut Financial Decision Model.

These interactive tools will help those thinking about planting trees make decisions about spacing, fertilizing, buying equipment, harvesting, and other management.

For more information visit: www.centerforagroforestry.org/profit/index.asp#edible

Get Listed in Buy BC Wild directory

Listings for the next edition of the Buy BCwild Directory are due March 15, 2010

Entering its 6th year of production, the Directory showcases the wide variety of products and services that are derived from British Columbia’s natural resources. Producers and service providers are typically small business owners in rural or remote communities whose livelihoods depend on these local resources for employment and income-generation. The Directory, which is free to consumers, is designed to provide small-scale enterprises with a high-profile, no cost opportunity to promote their work and generate commerce. Small businesses and entrepreneurs whose mandates meet the natural, local and sustainable criteria can list their business for free. 30,000 copies of this 48-page consumers’ guide will be distributed through BC farmers’ markets, festivals, conferences, retail outlets, and all Thrifty Foods locations on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland.

Find the application form at: http://buybcwild.com/buy-bcwild-directory

For more informatin contact: bcwild@royalroads.ca or phone 250.391.2600 X 4348

Farmers' Markets Conference, Mar 12-14

BC Association of Farmers' Markets Annual Conference co-presented by the
BC Association of Farmers' Markets • BC AgriTourism Alliance • Small Scale Food Processor Association

"New Partners — New Opportunities"
March 12-14, 2010
Penticton, BC

Attendees will acquire new industry contacts and gain new business skills to help increase awareness among the public of the quality and diversity of farm products and experiences available throughout the Province.

BC Association of Farmers' Markets

The BC Association of Farmers' Markets (BCAFM) represents farmers' markets throughout the Province, our mission is to support, develop, and promote farmers' markets in BC. Farmers' markets are an important part of communities and make shopping for food fun for the entire family! Enjoy local flavours ... familiar faces!

British Columbia AgriTourism Alliance

The British Columbia AgriTourism Alliance will promote a healthy and sustainable agritourism industry by facilitating and supporting: strategic partnerships, quality standards, market and product development, and education and awareness for British Columbia's agriculture and tourism sectors, thereby enabling them to deliver a diversity of quality visitor experiences.

Small Scale Food Processor Association

The vision of the Small Scale Food Processor Association (SSFPA) is to help create regional food sustainability. Our mission is to represent the interests of small-scale food and beverage processors. Our goals are to encourage the creation and development of these businesses and assist with the distribution of their products.

For more information visit: www.bcfarmersmarket.org/conference/index.htm

NTFPs prominent at Olympic 'O Zone'

Canada may not own the Olympic medals podium, but there is still time to grab a share of the tourist dollars flooding Vancouver. Close to 350,000 tourists are expected to descend upon Vancouver, Whistler and Richmond for the 2010 games.

BC Street at Richmond's O Zone, is a replica of a main street showcasing the best from 82 communities from seven regions of the province, and features a comprehensive, interactive tour of BC in one place.

Birch syrup from the Cariboo, bigleaf maple syrup from the Island, Okanagan fruit and hazelnuts from the Fraser Valley are all featured among the unique BC offerings.

BC Street is open daily at the O Zone, from February 12 – 28, 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. weekdays, noon to 9 p.m. weekends

BC increasing short rotation fibre plantations

As reported in the January 2010 Status Update on the Implementation of The Working Roundtable on Forestry’s Recommendations, the BC Ministry of Forests and Range has now established five short-rotation forest plantations in the Vanderhoof, Prince George, Fort St. James, Babine and Okanagan-Shuswap forest districts.

Government scientists are also evaluating the suitability of several broad leaves for short rotation fibre and energy production.

Updated GAP Manuals Available

The Canadian Horticulture Council has updated it's "Small Fruit", and "Tree and Vine Fruit", On-Farm Food Safety (OFFS) Manuals for 2010.

These are available for download at:
www.canadagap.ca/en/tools/offs-manualdownloads.aspx

OFFS Manuals posted on the website can be downloaded free of charge by CHC members. Non-members should contact the CHC National Office at: offs@hortcouncil.ca

Bigleaf maple syrup declared podium worthy

"As Canada celebrated Olympic gold last Sunday, Vancouver Island’s biggest maple garnered its own awards at Duncan’s Bigleaf Maple Syrup Festival."

"The future seems secure for distinctly-flavoured western maple syrup, and for value-added items like maple-cranberry-apple jam, honey maple mustard, maple vinaigrette, caramelized maple popcorn and even maple wine."

Read the full story at the Campbell River Mirror.

A Future Beneath the Trees, Volume 3 - Available

Issue 3 of 'A Future Beneath the Trees', the newsletter of Royal Roads University's Center for Non-timber Resources has been released.

The Winter 2010 issue features articles on mosses, mycosilviculture, collecting balsam poplar buds and the Challenge of Managing Non-Timber Forest Resources.

Download your copy here.

Olympic Podiums Feature Wood from Community Forests and Woodlots

Wood podiums at the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games have been built from one of 18 different wood types, harvested and donated by communities, First Nations, companies and individuals from across British Columbia. Fourteen were built from wood donated by community forests, two from family run woodlots, two from cities, six from businesses, and five from First Nations.

The podiums range from 480cm to 1525 cm in length, 170 to 500 cm in depth and 30 to 60 cm in height. The lightest podium, built of Western Red Cedar, weighs approximately 200 kilograms. Each podium is assembled from more than 200 wooden pieces.

The wood was harvested near communities as small as a few hundred (Cheslatta Carrier Nation) to cities with more than 80,000 residents (Kamloops), as far north as Fort St. James to Clayquot Sound on the west coast of Vancouver Island and from as far south and east as the Ktunaxa Nation near Cranbrook.

British Columbia’s Ministry of Forests and Range sourced the wood and co-ordinated podium production. The rough lumber was converted to panels at Metro Vancouver’s Bayview Millworks, a high-end wood product manufacturer and distributor.

The panels were cut into complex shapes using sophisticated computer controlled machinery at the University of British Columbia's state-of-the-art Centre for Advanced Wood Processing. The University is a world leader in providing high-tech training and assistance to industry, and prepares students through an award-winning B.Sc. Wood Products Processing Program.

The podiums were assembled at Canadian hardware retail leader RONA’s Vancouver 2010 Fabrication Shop, a community-based training centre that teaches carpentry skills to new Canadians and at-risk youth.

The wood podiums highlight the importance of forestry in British Columbia. The province is a global leader in sustainable forest management and the world’s largest exporter of softwood lumber, paper and bio-energy products that help mitigate climate change and provide innovative solutions to green building and energy needs.

Northwest BC Forest Coalition Seeking Industrial Partners

The Northwest BC Forest Coalition, representing forest tenure holders, tribal groups, local communities, and other regional stakeholders has issued a Request For Expressions of Interest for investment into Northwest BC's forest economy. The Coalition’s members are making 2,700,000 cubic metres of presently uncommitted annual timber harvest volume available to support long term wood fibre requirements of forest industry proponents.

For more information visit the Coalition's website.

Good Agricultural and Collection Practices Training

Tuesday, March 9 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm; and,
Wednesday, March 10, from 9:00 to 5:00 pm
Port Alberni, BC

Training will be conducted by Connie Kehler of the Canadian Herb, Spice and Natural Health Products Coalition and is hosted by First Nations Wildcrafters, BC. The Training Sessions will be held at the Tseshaht First Nations Band Office on Highway 4 in Port Alberni.

The session on Tuesday, March 9 will provide a primary focus on wild harvested foods and production and the session on Wednesday March 10 will include the BC On-Farm Food Safety Program that includes agriculture, greenhouse, community garden and other farm food production systems and practices.

Sessions are free and available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

For more information and/or to register please contact Keith Hunter with
First Nations Wildcrafters, BC: FirstNationsWildcrafters@shaw.ca

Bigleaf Maple Syrup Festival draws 2300

The unique flavour of West Coast maple syrup attracted visitors from all over Vancouver Island last week at the Bigleaf Maple Syrup Festival in Duncan.

“The festival was a huge success with over 2,300 visitors in attendance,” says Aimee Greenaway, Program and Collections Coordinator at the BC Forest Discovery Centre. “Visitors participated in tapping and syrup making demonstrations, sampled local maple syrup and enjoyed the festival atmosphere. This year, we expanded to include a Slow Food Canada maple tasting workshop hosted by Mara Jernigan and a variety of delicious maple-flavoured foods provided by the Cowichan Valley Inn.”

The maple syrup contest drew 21 entrants from all over Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland and was judged by Don Genova, Mara Jernigan, and Bill Jones.

“The quality of syrup was impressive this year,” says Gary Backlund, local maple syrup producer. “Sap production was dramatically lower this season, likely due to unseasonably warm temperatures, but the Sapsuckers still managed to create syrup and food products that were better than ever.”

Almost half of the visitors traveled from outside the Cowichan region to attend the festival. “This is truly a Vancouver Island event,” says Greenaway. “The Bigleaf Maple Syrup Festival creates an excellent opportunity to showcase the Cowichan region to Island visitors. We look forward to welcoming new maple tappers and more workshops at next year’s festival.”

Windbreaks can help ease winter impact

"Studies have shown that owners of many rural homes, could save as much as 20 to 40 percent in heating costs with a mature windbreak. Concerns about the costs of installation should be weighed against the benefits of the windbreak, such as operation efficiency around the buildings, lower energy demand and convenience of less snow handling."

Read the full article at the Ogle County News website.

Oregon Farm Forest Products Sales Decline

As reported in the 2009 Oregon County and State Agricultural Estimates, The gross farm sales for farm forest products in the State have declined to $70.9 million from $114.7 million in 2008, and $190 million in 2007 (all figures USD). Wood markets in North America will likely continue to be challenged until a rebound in the US housing market stimulates sales.

Australian Silvopasture Trial Shows Valuable Results

"One of the longest-running agroforestry trials in Australia has delivered some valuable results on running trees and stock together."

"... as an alternative to plantation forestry, agroforestry can have lower establishment costs, greater viability in areas of lower rainfall and more frequent income."

Read the full article at the Weekly Times Now website.

Bigleaf Maple Syrup Competition 2010 Results

The maple syrup competition received 21 entries from the lower mainland and all over Vancouver Island. The results from the February 6, 2010 Bigleaf Maple Syrup Festival are as follows:

Light Syrup
1st place: John Cox
2nd place: Lawrence Lampson from Glenora Farm
3rd place: Cordell Sandquist

Medium Syrup
1st place: Cordell Sandquist
2nd place: Mountain Valley Farm
3rd place: Norm Bumstead

Dark Syrup
1st place: Cordell Sandquist
2nd place: Brian Godkin
3rd place: Harbour House Hote

Best in Show: Cordell Sandquist

Judge’s choice: Mountain Valley Farm

Organic Production Standards now available for free

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Canada Organic Office have announced that the Canadian General Standards Board (CGSB) Organic Standards are now available on the CGSB website free of charge.

Access a digital copy of the standards at:
www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/cgsb/on_the_net/organic/index-e.html

UN policy brief on sustainable use of NTFPs

A new policy brief discusses laws and policies relevant to sustainable and equitable NTFP use. The policy brief is a collaboration between the United Nations University - Institute of Advanced Studies (via the Traditional Knowledge Initiative), Centre for International Forestry Research, People and Plants International, Environmental Evaluation Unit, University of Cape Town and the Insitute for Culture and Ecology. It draws from the book Wild Product Governance: finding policies that work for non-timber forest products to be published by Earthscan in 2010 as part of the “People and Plants” series.

People have long developed and depended upon useful species from diverse ecosystems. Even today, botanical NTFPs provide critical subsistence and trade goods for forest and other communities. In many areas, NTFPs are the main source of cash to pay school fees, buy medicines, purchase equipment and supplies, and even buy food. However, NTFPs have been both overlooked and poorly regulated by governments. Laws tend to be inconsistent and confusing, with little resembling a policy ’framework’ or strategy. Many are opportunistic or drafted in response to perceived threats, and rarely do regulations follow from consultations with stakeholders or careful analysis of the complex factors involved in the sustainability and equity of NTFP management, use and trade.

Despite wide variations in cultural, economic and political conditions, experiences with NTFP law and policy are remarkably similar around the world, and are characterized by common regulatory features. This finding applies to both developed and developing countries, and includes regions that still have strong traditional and subsistence use of NTFPs and those that may have reduced their dependence on NTFPs, but have recently ‘rediscovered’ natural products.

Case studies which contributed to this project include those from Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, Canada, China, Fiji, Finland, India, Mexico, the Philippines, southern Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States. Important lessons for policy makers, NGOs, community groups, and others working with NTFPs include the need for better information, simplification, clarity, and consistency in NTFP policy frameworks.

Pruning Workshop - Feb 12

Pruning Plants—The Basics for New Employees’
February 12, 2010 9:00am—4:00pm

Ramada Hotel & Conference Center
2170 Harvery Ave. Kelowna, BC (Across from Orchard Park Shopping Center)

Instructor: Mario Lanthier

Make sure your employees know how to make that pruning cut. This day-long workshop will review important concepts such as good tree structure, what to cut and where to cut, as well as pruning tools and their maintenance. The participants will realize the importance of pruning as a service by your company and its importance to maintain healthy plants. They will not be master pruners, but they will know "good pruning" from "bad pruning" and will be able to answer simple questions from your customers.

Registration Deadline Monday February 8th, 2010 Refreshments available. Lunch not provided.

Free for those who are eligible. Must be employed within the industry with no formal Horticulture education or a degree of any kind. One time intake forms to be filled out. Visit www.bclna.com/horticulturebasics.htm for eligibility, program & contact information.

Pacific Northwest Direct Farm Marketing Tour, March 11-13

Pacific Northwest Direct Farm Marketing Association’s meeting and tour

Victoria, British Columbia
March 11-13, 2010

Touring thirteen diverse Canadian gardens, farm stores and agri-tourism locations, which span wheat fields to limestone quarries, daffodils to roses, dairy products to kosher honey, and all charging ahead with their unique brands of creative marketing and business savvy. Along with all the new ideas and springs of inspiration you will find in these very special Victoria farms, there will also be plenty of time to enjoy the local attractions in this tourist friendly corner of the world.

For more information visit the Pacific Northwest Direct Farm Marketing Association's website

Value-Chain Training, March 4, 5

Learning Modules from the Canadian Value Chain Network

Module 5: Understanding Category Management
This module will guide participants through developing a fresh food marketing plan to present to retailers.

Participants will learn:
* Category review techniques including product overview and store level analysis
* Category evolution and objectives
* Benchmarking and monitoring performance
* Product packaging, marketing and promotion planning
* Price and margin management

March 4th 2010
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Video Conference Sites: Abbotsford, Nanaimo, Kamloops and Prince George
Registration Fee: $50.00 + GST

Module 6: Product Development-Are you ready?
This module is designed to ensure that people with new ideas and those currently developing or repositioning products or services know the steps to market readiness.

Participants will:
* Evaluate their current position in the overall product development process
* Review product development requirements and market ready checklists
* Understand typical trade requirements of brokers, distributors, retailers and food service suppliers
* Learn success techniques and how to avoid failure in trade relationships
* Learn how to get products on and off the retail shelf
* Review case studies of merchandising strategies, principles and practices
* Learn survival tactics for the fast-moving world of consumer goods

March 5th 2010
Time: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Video Conference Sites: Abbotsford, Nanaimo, Kamloops and Prince George
Registration Fee: $50.00 + GST

Registration available on-line here for March 4th.

Registration available on-line here for March 5th

For more information contact Bill Henderson 250 356-1675 or bhenderson@iafbc.ca

Study Points to Promising Bio-Future for Forest Industry

The 'Future Bio-pathways Project' examined a wide range of options for renewal of the Canadian forest products industry.

“If we follow this new model we will be able to produce power on the scale of nine nuclear reactors, enough to meet the energy needs of 2.5 million homes, or one out of every five homes across Canada” says Avrim Lazar, President and CEO of Forest Products Association of Canada.

On the employment front the research shows that an integrated mill – one that produces wood, pulp or paper as well as bio-energy and bio-materials - provides five times as many jobs as a stand-alone bio-operation. It also shows that the industry’s 270,000 jobs will be best sustained by following this integrated road to recovery.

“Years of intensive research and development have produced technologies that open up a world of possibility for the forest products industry in Canada. We can now rapidly convert wood fibre into a wide variety of high-value products such as bio-fuels to heat homes or power vehicles as well as bio-chemicals to make cosmetics, solvents, food additives and renewable plastics,” says Pierre Lapointe, President and CEO, FPInnovations.

By integrating the production of bio-products into existing forestry operations, they will be subject to the same high and increasingly stringent environmental standards that have made Canada a world leader in sustainable forest management.

Reminder: Bigleaf Maple Syrup Festival, This Saturday

Bigleaf Maple Syrup Festival
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Duncan, BC

The BC Forest Discovery Centre in Duncan and the Vancouver Island Sapsuckers are pleased to host a fun-filled day of tapping, syrup making, syrup tasting, great music and tasty treats.

For more information visit www.forestmuseum.com