COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • SEPTEMBER 2019


Sheep farmers have high hopes


for cooperative Sheep farm and abattoir was the right move for novice farmers


by TOM WALKER KELOWNA—Okanagan-area


Young Agrarians joined hosts Cecilia Hogan and Kevin Morin for a farm tour at Kelowna Free Graze Lamb in late July. Located at the bottom of the southeast Kelowna bench and surrounded by orchards, the 36-acre property has been a sheep farm since 1993. More recently, vineyards and monster houses have appeared as neighbours. In 2017, farm owner Sue Haley wished the farm to continue in perpetuity and she began the process of donating the land to the Foodlands Cooperative of BC in trust.


Hogan and Morin are the first to farm the property with others expected to join them in the next two years. They are one of the three founding members of the Ceres Circle Farm Cooperative, a community service cooperative that has been incorporated to manage the land. Other members who share the land are the Mission Creek Country Inn and the Okanagan Fruit Tree Project. “We actually bought some sheep before we closed on the property,” says Morin. “I wouldn’t recommend that, but it worked for us.” Morin says Haley’s work


makes continuing to farm sheep the right move. “You don’t need a lot of infrastructure for sheep,” he notes. “Sue crossfenced the property, which makes it suitable for rotational grazing, there is a lambing barn and the on-site Class A abattoir allows us to process our own animals as well as earn a substantial extra income.”


Breed your replacements The farm keeps 40 ewes to


breed, which should give them a full flock next year. They have brought in extra lambs in past years while building their own stock. “If you have the pasture, buying lambs can be a good way to make extra money,” says Morin. “We had some disease issues with the second batch we bought last year. It’s still best if you breed your own.” The lambs are grass- finished on pasture with hay being bought to over-winter the ewes. They decided


against organic certification in order to keep costs down. “Organic feed is expensive,”


notes Morin. “Most of our customers are happy with the price and the pasture-raising.” Morin aims to keep the flock on one patch for one or two days before moving them on. Grazing time is a function of forage quality and stocking density. “The bigger the animals,


the more feed they need,” he says. “If you crowd the sheep,


See PASTURE on next page o Cecilia Hogan, right, shows a sheepskin that has been tanned by hand. TOM WALKER PHOTO


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OBSOLETE COLLECTION CAMPAIGN OCTOBER 16–18, 2019


BC and Alberta Peace River Region: Got unwanted pesticides or livestock/ equine medications?


Farmers: safely dispose of unwanted or obsolete agricultural pesticides and livestock/equine medications – no charge! Take them to the following locations on the dates noted between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.


DAWSON CREEK October 17 Richardson Pioneer 250-782-9264


FALHER October 17 St. Isidore Coop 780-837-2205


FORT ST. JOHN October 16 Nutrien Ag Solutions 250-785-3445


GRANDE PRAIRIE October 18 UFA 780-532-1281


RYCROFT October 18 Cargill 780-765-3771


ST. ISIDORE October 16 St. Isidore Coop 780-624-3121


Cleanfarms collection events will return to Vancouver Island and Fraser Valley Region in fall 2020 and to the Okanagan, Kootenay, and Interior Regions in fall 2021.


For more information: 1-877-622-4460 cleanfarms.ca PARTNERS


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