Located in the heart of British Columbia's Okanagan valley, the farm is a small scale producer of wool, lamb and pork. We are the largest registered breeder of Shropshire sheep in Western Canada. Shropshires are a wonderful, but relatively rare, heritage breed that produces abundant wool as well as excellent meat. We are surrounded by orchards and part of the property is comprised of apple orchard where our sheep graze from spring to fall. We strive to reduce food waste whenever possible and source a significant portion of the feed for our hogs from local cull apples, peaches and plums, and vineyard prunings. In the summer we have a large vegetable garden, sweet corn and a berry patch. The farm is in a close knit community with many opportunities to share meals and friendship with our neighbours. You must love dogs, as we share our home with two border collies and look after an enormous but gentle livestock guardian dog who protects our flock from coyotes, bears and cougars. We also have two horses on site. As a producer of excellent pasture raised lamb and pork, we take our food seriously here. We try to eat what is in season and source as locally as possible; much of the meat served is from our own animals. Eggs, chicken, fresh fruits and vegetables come from our neighbours or our own garden. Because meals are generally centred around some meat, if your dietary preference is vegan or vegetarian, the farm would not be a good fit. Although there is plenty of opportunity to learn, the farm is best suited to self starters willing to take on tasks with limited supervision. We do have a few chores that need to be done daily, but I encourage everyone to select tasks that suit their interests and aptitude, whether it is building animal shelters, tending gardens or caring for the livestock. The busiest, but most rewarding time is lambing season in February and March. There are typically young pigs on the property from early summer until September. In your free time, you will find yourself in an area with abundant recreational opportunities. It's just a short walk to some of the best lakes in British Columbia. Bicycle trails are nearby. In the winter you are within an hour of excellent skiing, both cross country and down hill.
Because caring for livestock occasionally involves unexpected emergencies which we need to respond to whenever they may occur, the farm is not suited to persons who regularly consume alcohol to intoxication or regularly use marijuana. The work is sometimes quite physically demanding and one must be able to lift and carry at least a 30kg bale of hay.
Please note, we do sell a significant quantity of meat, livestock and apples and as such we are a commercial farm. Workers coming from overseas should have the appropriate work visa.
Organic methods: Our sheep and pork are raised naturally. We focus on the natural behaviour of all our animals to ensure that their life is as stress free as possible. Sheep are allowed to wean their lambs naturally. Pigs are allowed plenty of room to roam, soil to root in, and a variety of foods to keep life interesting. We use manures and pasture rotation by different animals to naturally rebuild the soil.
Certifications: We are a small operation and certification would not be practical for us.
Current projects: Going into spring there will be about 80 newborn lambs and their mothers to care for. The orchard will require some pruning and irrigation repairs. And we may begin some construction projects including a washing station for the dogs and a sizeable storage building for grain or a chicken coop.
Internet access available
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Learning opportunities
Vegetable farming
Fruit or nut farming
Pig farming
Sheep or goat farming
Meat processing
Vegetable or fruit preservation
Mentoring opportunities
Woman-operated
Host type
Production farm
2
Hectares
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5
Acres
