search.noResults

search.searching

dataCollection.invalidEmail
note.createNoteMessage

search.noResults

search.searching

orderForm.title

orderForm.productCode
orderForm.description
orderForm.quantity
orderForm.itemPrice
orderForm.price
orderForm.totalPrice
orderForm.deliveryDetails.billingAddress
orderForm.deliveryDetails.deliveryAddress
orderForm.noItems
SEPTEMBER 2019 • COUNTRY LIFE IN BC Maan Farms keeps the focus on family


Berries at the heart of diversified


East Abbotsford


farm by RONDA PAYNE


ABBOTSFORD—It’s a familiar story in Abbotsford: an immigrant family needed to find jobs and became berry growers. Gradually, the next generation got involved, then the next.


While all this is true for


Maan Farms, the way the Maan family is going about growing their business to encourage the next generation to farm is anything but familiar. Kris Maan emigrated from


India with his parents in the early 1970s. He married his wife Devinder in 1982 and the couple had four children: Preena, Gurleen, Amir and Gaurav. His parents’ farm originally grew cole crops, then expanded to include strawberries, raspberries and blueberries. Gradually Kris and Devinder took the business over and began seeing their berry farm as a place for the community to have fun and celebrate farming. “About 2006, my mom had the idea to open up a petting zoo,” says Gurleen Maan, operations manager for the business.


37


Gurleen Maan (centre) oversees operations at Maan Farms where Raghav Merwaha handles sales and her brother Gaurav (left) makes wine with the help of cellarhand Breanne MacKay (right). RONDA PAYNE PHOTOS


Prior to 2006, the farm was


best known for a couple of roadside stands where Maan, her sister and their friends sold berries all summer long. When Mama Maan (as Devinder is better known) started to think about new farm experiences with input from Dorothy Anderson of Aldor Acres, things started to


happen on the family’s 80-acre home farm. First it was a pumpkin patch, corn maze and u-pick berries; then in 2007, a play area and petting zoo. In 2012, a barn was built that housed a kitchen, market and event space. A fruit winery followed a year later.


But in 2014 tragedy struck. “We had this beautiful building and in 2014, it burned down,” says Maan. “It was gone. Arson. In a heartbeat.”


But the family persisted


Mama Maan and daughter Gurleen work to get Mama's culinary delicacies into the hands – and mouths – of customers.


and stayed focused on their berry and family roots. Kris and Devinder wanted their kids to be involved and continue moving the business forward. Their sons came in – Amir working on the berries with his dad and Gaurav managing the fruit winery. The boys had their own ideas and added to the farm, bringing in an adventure play zone. A new building went up and Gurleen could begin to see the vision her parents had. There was a natural progression and a place for everyone to work on the farm.


PIONEER LOG HOME GETAWAY FEATURED PROPERTIES


ATURED PROPERTI 


1.604.363.8483 FARMREALESTATE.COM


$2,300,000 ID#1100870 WILLIAMS LAKE, BC


True trophy property right here! Main home is a truly excep onal 2027 sq  one of a kind high end log home that was included on the TV show Timber Kings for a renova on project. There are a number of very well built and newer outbuildings including a 40x40 workshop with a living quarters lo , a one car  mber garage, a large 26x40 cold storage shop, plus another large barn with full concrete fl oor. The land itself is a mix of alfalfa grass and is nicely treed. There is a special seeded meadow to draw deer and wildlife in with 2 blinds built for good hun ng. MLS®


ID#1100717 WILLIAMS LAKE, BC


This is 1,931 Acres +/- piece of land all in one block! The property boasts total seclusion, with amazing views, lots of trails to enjoy hun ng, quadding, camping or even building a dream home off -grid. There is good grass for running some ca le, an abundance of fi r & natural springs. Consis ng of 5 separate  tles, this could make a great investment opportunity. Located in the 5-2 hun ng range, you can get private access to draws for several game. Endless possibili es - make this a great getaway place, starter ranch or addi on to exis ng.


Maan Farms is now a multi- faceted business with berry growing, berry sales (wholesale, u-pick, farmgate), petting zoo, wine, family activities including a bouncy pillow, zipline, tire-crawl and others. A market with food service, preserves, pies and other prepared food products is thriving. The activities are by admission, with special events having their own pricing.


But the berries remain at


the core of the family business. Heart and soul


“The heart and soul of our business is the berries,” says Maan. “The experience part of our farm activities as well as the fruit accounts for the majority of our revenue.” Twenty acres of the farm is planted to Bluecrop blueberries, Malahat and a numbered raspberry variety as well as everbearing and June-bearing strawberries. “There are always more berries than you can sell,” Mama Maan says, and the winery puts them to good use. Maan Farms produces 12


RANCHING OR RECREATION


kinds of wine, totaling about 24,000 litres a year. In the kitchen, Devinder


focuses on “east-meets-west” flavours, offering butter chicken samosas, butter chicken poutine, chicken fingers, ice cream and a wide range of other Indian and traditional North American items. “We ended up embracing our culture,” says Gurleen. One of her favourite on-site


events is goat yoga, with her biggest session on June 22. Close to 50 goats joined 415 people.


“I attempted to break the


world record; I believe I got it,” she says, though she has yet to receive official word. The previous record, set in


February, saw 84 goats join 355 people.


The farm has also hosted Bunnies and Booze, an adult Easter egg hunt featuring the farm’s wines. “Many people that come


here still remember me from selling the baskets at the stands,” says Gurleen. “That’s the beauty for me. It’s full circle.”


WHISPERING PINES $925,000 ID#1100716 NELSON, BC MLS®


102.65 Acres of some of the most unfe ered land in BC! No zoning and not included in the ALR, dreams can become a reality here. Absolutely gorgeous land with two creeks and an abundance of trees & terrain. The property has two homes & three rus c cabins well-suitable for rentals or a place to house guests. Various sheds, outbuildings, a shop & some corrals complete the infrastructure. This land allows for recrea onal tours, RV lots, campgrounds, hun ng or a perfect place to se le down and call home. Unlimited possibili es!


New SOLD


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  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52