This time on the podcast: my conversation with Robin Hunt of Big Rock Ranch.

Back in 2016, Robin moved from Squamish up to their grandparent’s property near 100 Mile House to start a market garden business and live the truly rural life they’d been craving for years. There was a steep learning curve for Robin and their business partner Johan, but in short order the two established themselves as a fixture at the local farmers market, and the business expanded quickly to include restaurant sales, a CSA program, and eventually, wholesaling. Robin joined me last week to talk about that trajectory and the burnout that followed, leading to a decision to pause farming operations for the foreseeable future.

Mentioned in this episode:

The Cover Cropping Field Day Advertised at the Head of this Episode

Head to https://organicbc.org/events/ to register for the field day at Lakeland Farms on October 2nd. Here's a summary: On Friday, October 2nd, join Organic BC and Ecocert at Lakeland Farms in Salmon Arm for a hands-on day exploring cover cropping, soil health, and drought resilience. Tour Lakeland Farms and learn more about their business model and where cover cropping fits in, along with the economics of cover cropping, the tools used to manage hundreds of acres of cover crops, and how they’re integrating cattle grazing into their cover crops. You’ll also hear from agrologist Tanya Brouwers on using cover crops to build soil organic matter, retain moisture, and strengthen farm resilience, and will have the opportunity to take part in simple, practical soil assessments you can use on your own farm. Refreshments and snacks will be generously provided by Askew’s Foods. This event is free and open to anyone interested, but registration is required. Learn more and save your spot at: eventbrite.ca/e/cover-cropping-drought-resilience-soil-assessment-lakeland-farms-tickets-1998671910487 Funding for this project has been provided by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada through the Agricultural Climate Solutions (ACS) – On-Farm Climate Action Fund (OFCAF).