JUNE 2018 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC
37
Annamarie Klippenstein, above, shows off a “tunnel layer” machine Klippers’ farm uses to cover vegetable crops so they can plant earlier in the year without having to transplant from their greenhouse. Annamarie and Kevin Klippenstein, bottom right, stand in front of organic garlic. SEAN HITREC PHOTOS
Growing opportunity by SEAN HITREC
CAWSTON – An organic farm in Cawston offered a farm tour as part of the Young Agrarians Spring Farm Tours in early May. Klippers’ Organics is steadily expanding in crop variation and size while delivering to high-end clients in the restaurant industry, stores and farmers’ markets. The farm, owned and operated by former BC/Yukon Outstanding Young Farmers Kevin and Annamarie Klippenstein, uses advanced techniques to grow, process and store their produce. Starting with five acres 16
years ago, Klippers’ Organics has grown to approximately 47 acres and grows thousands of varieties of produce. “We do up to 500 varieties of tomatoes, 28 varieties of melons and 35 varieties of peppers every year,” Annamarie says. Two separate coolers in the storage facility work together by venting a vegetable cooler fridge into a second fridge that’s slightly warmer for better quality tomatoes. “So we can just… put the tomatoes at 17 C, where they're happiest, so they’re never in the cooler,” Annamarie says. “If we put them in the [vegetable] cooler, it definitely alters the flavour. Chefs don't like it.” To get rid of weeds, they plant big-leaf crops such as
melons or squash to prevent light from hitting the soil. Annamarie says that as long as there aren’t any weeds nearby, the next year there won’t be any either.
“We’ll go in and do a weed
right before they have their big their big grow and then they’ll shade it out and it just doesn’t get enough light, so it doesn’t come back,” she says.
Wealth Advisors are not created equal... Just ask my clients!
Prudent, Practical, Professional advice for the farming community.
References available.
Investments | Insurance Financial Planning Farm Succession Tax & Estate Planning
(604) 467.5321 1.877.272.2002
#200 - 11980 227th St. Maple Ridge, BC V2X 6J2
patrick.obrien@rbc.com www.patrick-obrien.ca
Dr. Patrick O,Brien, DVM, CIM | Vice President & Wealth Advisor Dominion Securities
RBC Dominion Securities Inc.*and Royal Bank of Canada are separate corporate entities which are affiliated. *Member CIPF ™ Registered trademark of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under License. RBC Dominion Securities is a registered trademark of Royal Bank of Canada. Used under license. © Copyright 2012. All right reserved.
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 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
