JUNE 2017 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC


Garlic co-op pitched as supply, appetite expands Hardneck growers target mainstream retailers with new networks


by RONDA PAYNE LUMBY – Hardneck garlic


grows superbly in BC and is different than the softneck varieties grown in hotter climates that grocery stores traditionally carry. Not only do hardneck varieties taste great, they can also be grown here organically while giving consumers a high-quality local alternative. Speaking at the Pacific


Agriculture Show this past winter, Jim Capellini of Rasa Creek Farm in Lumby suggested forming a garlic co-op to introduce locally grown hardneck garlic into mainstream markets. The reason local garlic is


found primarily at farmers’ markets and not at large grocers comes down to supply and demand, he says. “They don’t have the time


to create relationships with these small growers,” explains Capellini. The big retailers want to


make one call or send one email to a supplier who can guarantee a large enough supply. They won’t reach out to several small growers. “It became obvious over


the years that the demand for high quality hardneck garlic is growing exponentially,” says Capellini. Capellini’s awareness of the


opportunities grew as one BC multi-store produce market requested 500 pounds of local hardneck garlic from him. Demand grew to 5,000 pounds the first year and now sits at 20,000 pounds. The challenge is to get


garlic from numerous small growers to retailers without involving a middleman taking a significant cut, reducing the profit to farmers. Capellini wants to see farmers sell


directly. “I was trying to maximize


profits for the person putting blood, sweat and tears into it because I know what it’s like,” he notes. “If the farmers were able to co-ordinate, that could help.” Capellini put his first bulbs


in the ground in 2009 and now supplies seed garlic to growers across BC along with the information they need to succeed. He also knows what it’s like dealing with corporations and co-operatives that aren’t right for garlic growers. Instead, he looks to one of


his workshop participants, Abdul Majid, as an example of how a BC garlic co-op could work. Majid is the founder of BC Garlic Growers Inc., based in Abbotsford. “All his life, he’s been


involved in helping farmers,” Capellini says of Majid. Despite being a


professional architectural model builder, Majid and his family attended one of Capellini’s garlic workshops in 2015. Majid now has approximately 30 rows planted to hardneck garlic varieties, each row running 300 feet. Majid also acquires garlic


from other local growers and works as a reseller to supply retailers through BC Garlic Growers.


“He will sell directly into


that level,” Capellini explains. It isn’t a traditional co-op because Majid buys other growers’ garlic outright, but Capellini nevertheless sees the venture as an exercise in co-operation. Growers working with


Majid share knowledge, skills and other resources like equipment, “a very big price tag for garlic,” Capellini says.


Jim Capellini has a vision that would see small farms profit growing hardneck garlic. RASA CREEK FARM PHOTO


Growers may pay a rental fee for using the equipment. Besides what Majid is


doing, Capellini has another idea.


“I have a kind of very loose


vision,” he explains. “Last year, I had this idea that there might even be a use of a nation-wide hub. At the highest level, there could be [Garlic.ca] (a URL Capellini holds) … and on garlic.ca there could be listings of local hubs. And there could be


somebody like (Majid) … as an independent agent managing that hub.” This national-level online hub could make things easier for buyers by creating a portal through which they could easily access the regional hub closest to them and instantly tap into a local garlic supply. Capellini says other


growers have been receptive to his ideas about working together, but he’d ultimately like to see others take them


on and run with them. His hands are already full with his own business.


“I see a demand that is completely unsatiated for local garlic in Canada,” he says.


While the demand will


eventually reach a ceiling, Capellini believes it’s important to prepare by moving sales beyond farmers’ markets and into mainstream grocery and produce providers.


25


Consistant spreading. Quality forage.


Need help with your well license application?


Avoid the application fee by licensing before December 31, 2017


Questions? Call us! 1-844-585-0802 (Toll Free) wsa@waterlineresources.com


HIT 8.91 Tedder


 Asymmetric tines sweep up all of the crop  Patented MULTITAST system offers unrivalled ground following  Robust DYNATECH Rotors designed for difficult conditions  Even spread thanks to high tine to rotor ratio


Nanaimo, Courtenay, Victoria www.waterlineresources.com


R ROLLINS “Serving British Columbia proudly since 1946”


Machinery Limited


Chilliwack – 1.800.242.9737, 44725 Yale Road W Langley – 1.800.665.9060, 21869, 56th


Avenue


2 YEAR


FACTORY WARRANTY ON ALL EQUIPMENT


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44