This is the Farmers' Institute first newsletter for quite sometime. Just scroll down for your reading pleasure and follow the links. Below is a handy content list.
We thank Malcolm Bond for being our first farm interview and appreciate the time he took for us, away from his busy farm. Thanks to Scott Simmons for doing the video.

▪ Events, Clubs & Updates
▪ The Compost Pile...................................Jokes for Everyone
▪ Caterpillars, Caterpillars & Caterpillars........100 years ago
▪ Famous Recipes.....................................Coffee Cake
▪ The Apple Core......................................Orchard News
▪ Our Farming Community Remembers...........Alan Gear, Garnet Lee, John Wilcox
▪ Our History..........................................John Craven Jones
▪ Farming & Legislation..............................R.A.R and You
▪ Farm Animals Affectionately Remembered.....Aldo
▪ What's Up at the Farm.............................An Interview with Malcolm Bond

SSIFI Events, Clubs & Updates of Interest

Farmers' Institute

Heritage Day July 22rd, Salt Spring Oldtimers Aug. 4th-5th, Fall Fair Sept. 15th-16th

Bittancourt Museum

The house for the Bittancourt House Museum was donated to the Farmers Institute in the 1980s on the understanding that it would be used as a museum. It was originally one of the Bittancourt family dowry houses in Vesuvius. Artifacts in the museum have been donated by Salt Spring families and represent the lives of the settlers and early farmers.

Among the displays are many photographs of early houses and activities on Salt Spring . Three years ago the Tuesday work group built an annex to the museum to house some of the items for which we had no space, among these are the large model of the HMS Ganges, on loan from the Harvey family and an extensive collection of early medical equipment donated by the Lady Minto Hospital. Our biggest problem with the museum is lack of space, many interesting things have been donated or offered recently, in order to accept most of them we have now created storage space in the attic and are in the process of building a hoist system to get things up to the attic without having to carry them one at a time up a ladder. The Salt Spring Foundation has approved a grant for us to build and install this system.. The IFI Foundation has arranged to have volunteers staff the museum this summer from July 2nd until August 30th from 11am until 4pm. We hope this will encourage more people to visit the museum. Anyone else willing to volunteer for a few hours every two weeks will be most welcome, the more volunteers we have the fewer hours any one person will have to spend on duty. If you can help please contact John Fulker at
250-537-4895 or e-mail jandifulker@gmail.com

Gulf Islands Spinning Mill

The wool spinning mill at the Farmers Institute has been in operation for the past thirteen years. Despite many difficulties with unproductive equipment the mill provides processing services to regional farmers and even receives orders from as far afield as eastern Canada and parts of the US. This summer the mill will be open to visitors on Sundays from July1st until Fall Fair, the open hours are from 11am until 2pm. Come and visit the mill and see how wool is processed from raw fleece to finished yarn and other products.

Children are welcome

Poultry Club

The Poultry Club meetings are held at the Farmer’s Institute (upstairs at the back of the main building) or at members’ farms from 1:00-3:00 pm on the 4th Thursday of each month. Please check the calendar for detailed information on location and topic.
We will plan a quarterly meeting for the junior members. Bonnie, our Junior Coordinator, will arrange this. These may take the form of Saturday workshops at different farms so the youth can have some hands- on learning.
New members are always welcomed and encouraged! An interest in poultry is the only prerequisite.
June 28 meeting, We will be visiting two small local farms. Starting at 1:00p.m. at 770 Walker's Hook Road. Please wear Rubber Boots as we will be cleaning our boots etc. to prevent the possible spread of pathogens.
July 26 meeting, Learn how to prepare a chicken for showing at the Fall Fair, the address where this is going to occur will be listed on our website calendar

August 23 meeting, 1:00 work party at the Farmers' Institute followed by a pot luck dinner.

Sheep Breeders Group

The Sheep Breeders group has once again been meeting regularly. We attempt to have an agenda generated from the interests of those in the group. We have had Dr. Dave Macdonald give us a veterinarian’s perspective of lambing and care of the flock. Sandy Robley shared her practical experience on a wide range of issues pertaining to sheep farming. Recently Margaret Thomson organized to have Mark Hughes join us to explain hay:its growing, harvesting, nutrition ,economics and the effect of farmers’ bringing hay from off island.We have had some very enjoyable round table discussions. Topics have been: the construction of feeders and fencing; marketing of lamb; processing and of course, the long awaited abattoir.Although we have not been getting large numbers out to meetings, those who have come have had the benefit of making contact with others with the same interests. We are a diverse group, with new farmers and experienced; some with just 3 or 4 sheep and some with much larger flocks but we are all eager to gain and share knowledge. Hopefully our group will welcome more sheep farmers in the future. For more information contact Jenny McKee (537-1471) or join us at 7pm 2nd Monday of every month at the Farmers’ Institute.

Salt Spring Island 4H Club Community Club

So far this year, the Club has been involved in several Public Speaking events, the annual Foxglove Farm & Garden Day in April, Ruckle Farm Days on April 29. Current activities include project-related events, including preparations for upcoming summer and fall fairs, including our own Salt Spring Island Fall Fair in September.

The 4H Club will be involved in hosting an upcoming 4H Agri-Tour, in which we are seeking agricultural enterprises interested in participating in “agriculture-related tours” of their premises or facilities which would be of educational benefit for a group of 4H members from our District (Saltspring Island, the Gulf Islands, Saanich and Victoria).

If you are interested in participating in this event to help provide an educational opportunity of your premises, please contact Loretta at ssi4hclub@yahoo.ca or phone 250-537-1527 with contact information. We are seeking responses by July 15, 2012 in order to confirm the date of September 22, 2012.

Meeting Location: Portlock Portable (147 Vesuvius Bay Road – behind PARC office)
Salt Spring Island 4H Community Club is seeking new members and leaders wishing to participate in this terrific opportunity to “learn to do by doing”.

The 4-H Program is a youth-run agricultural club where members between 6 & 21 are offered a variety of opportunities to learn and achieve. Currently, our Community Club has members managing Rabbit, Cavy, Poultry, Cloverbuds, Photography and Self-determined projects. Other opportunities may be available to learn about animals or other agricultural oriented projects, depending on leader availability.

The Cloverbud Project gives children aged 6-8 a chance to explore different projects before they turn 9 years old. Junior members (9-12 yrs) and Seniors (13+) learn skills such as animal husbandry, project management, record keeping, as well as showmanship and leadership. The Communication Program teaches life-long skills like Public Speaking and Judging. Senior members can also achieve Grade 11 and 12 school credits.

Fair outings, field trips, camps and local club events offer many opportunities to have a lot of fun with friends, family and share newly gained knowledge with the Community.

If you are interested in learning more about membership, or you are an adult or former alumni member available to volunteer some of your time and knowledge as a leader, please email ssi4hclub@yahoo.ca or contact Loretta Rithaler at 250-537-1527.

The club’s registration takes place annually in January and the projects run from registration thru October, with the annual banquet in November.

Abattoir Update

With the imminent arrival of the slaughter trailer, built in Coombs, all the major components for the Salt Spring abattoir are now in place. Finishing work will take about another two weeks, at which point the facility will be ready for its final inspections and “test slaughters”, starting with chickens. The location is 1449 Fulford Ganges Rd.

Funding for the $350,000 project was provided through a combination of $200,000 in local donations and a $150,000 provincial government grant. All the funds have been received, with the exception of a $38,000 holdback on the grant, which will be released when the facility receives its licence. Construction costs were on budget except for the permits (approaching $10,000) and the engineering upgrades required to obtain them (over $20,000). The combination of those extra costs, the grant holdback and the need for startup funding means that some more money is needed for the next phase.

The abattoir represents a huge milestone in the production of local food and is unique in many ways. The buildings and equipment are owned by the Salt Spring Island Agricultural Alliance, the umbrella organization for agriculture on Salt Spring. The abattoir and will be operated by the newly formed Salt Spring Abattoir Society as a non-profit facility, processing poultry, beef, pork and lamb. For this to be a successful enterprise it is important to start without any debt, and to make sure that prices cover operating costs. To achieve a debt-free start, your financial support is needed again.

The Livestock Producers, the group who have planned all this, are asking for your help in reaching the next financial goal, which is $50,000. To donate, please go to the Alliance website: www.plantofarm.org and look for Abattoir under Current Projects. Other ways to help are to put your Country Grocer tapes into Box 27, buy your livestock feed at Foxglove (50c/bag donated) or Starbarks (mention the abattoir when you pay). NatureWorks customers can still donate their points. For one weekend only, June 30th and July 1st, Fraser’s Thimble Farms on Arbutus Rd at the North End will donate 10% of all regular priced plant sales. For more information, contact Margaret Thomson 250-537-4669

The Compost Pile

A Texan farmer goes to Australia for a vacation. There he meets an Aussie farmer and gets talking. The Aussie shows off his big wheat field and the Texan says, "Oh! We have wheat fields that are at least twice as large." Then they walk around the ranch a little, and the Aussie shows off his herd of cattle. The Texan immediately says, "We have longhorns that are at least twice as large as your cows." The conversation has, meanwhile, almost died when the Texan sees a herd of kangaroos hopping through the field. He asks, "And what are those?" The Aussie, fed up with the Texan's bragging replies with an incredulous look, "What, don't you have any grasshoppers in Texas?"

Where do baby cows eat ??

in calf-eterias
What did baby corn say to mama corn??

Where's Pop corn
What do you call a rooster who wakes you up in the morning ??

An alarm cluck
What game do cows play at parties??

Moo-sical chairs

Caterpillars, Caterpillars, Caterpillars!

A concern to all “Islanders” are the tent caterpillars this year. Something new, well maybe not . See what they said over 100 years ago

Famous Recipes

Marguerites Coffee Cake Recipe Revealed!

Skillet Coffee Cake.

If you get a call that someone is coming for coffee, you can have this ready to serve before they knock on the door. Warm and nummy!!

Topping:
½ c brown sugar
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 tb flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 c chopped nuts ….stir together and add 3 tb. Melted butter.

Cake:
1 egg well beaten
½ c sugar ………….slowly add
1/2c milk ……………add
1 c. flour …………….
2 tsp baking powder ..
½ tsp salt ……………. Sift dry ingredients & stir into the egg mixture
2 tb. Melted butter….. add

Pour into greased cast iron skillet or oven proof non stick skillet. Crumble the topping over the surface.
Bake 25 min @ 350. Serve warm cut in wedges.

The Apple Core

by Conrad Pilon

The lore of fruit trees on Salt Spring Island has been with us for many generations, with our island climate playing no small part in making the orchards prolific. In 1892, a Department of Agriculture Report on farming in the Beaver Pint area described 30 tons of fruit production! The ‘Salt Spring Island Horticultural and Fruit Growers Association’ was established on Salt Spring in 1895. This is the organization from which our current Farmers’ Institute has evolved, the earliest members also organized the first Fall Fair in 1896, another island tradition.

The great thing about fruit trees is that they can be enjoyed by virtually anyone willing to invest some energy and patience into growing them and they can be enjoyed in so many ways. In this newsletter, I will write about various subjects on fruit cultivation, attempting to follow the seasons and hopefully be of interest to the readers. I invited our members to ask questions, described their own experiences and propose topics on growing fruit.

So it is fitting that we begin with the first season, Spring and early summer are planting and ‘fruit set’ time in the Orchard. Here are two topics that may help fruit growers improve the health of their trees and get a better crop.

Adding bonemeal at planting time.
All-purpose fertilizers contain basic nutrients that plants need to grow, each with a special function: nitrogen (N), for green leaves, healthy foliage; phosphorous (P), for healthy flowers and root growth; and potash (K), for overall vigour and disease resistance. Bonemeal is the oldest form of phosphorous fertilizer and an excellent organic source of calcium. At one time farmers made their own bonemeal by roasting the bones of livestock or soaking and fermenting them in water. Today, animal bones are cooked, ground and packaged, then sold as a slow-release fertilizer that offers a good amount of phosphorous.
As a fertilizer, the N-P-K ratio of bonemeal is generally 4-12-0, though some steamed bonemeals have N-P-Ks of 1-13-0. The phosphorous in bonemeal is released slowly as the soil water dissolves it so it can be taken up by the plant's roots. Phosphorous is critical as a stimulus to root development. Roots branch out and root hairs form profusely in the vicinity of a source of phosphorous. Because of its effect on roots, phosphorous is a major factor in determining early growth of a plant and its vigour throughout the season. Applying bonemeal when planting trees will help them establish a healthy root system faster.
However, sufficient water is needed to make phosphorous available. Trees are usually planted at greater depths than most other plants and must receive adequate water - rain water alone will not supply sufficient moisture for them to develop a sound root structure. A consistent watering schedule is critical to establish new trees in their first season. Phosphorous is important in good root development and good root development is necessary to enable the plant to find and take up water containing phosphorous.

Thinning the fruit
Thinning is especially important in years without frost damage when more (than usual) fruit will set than the fruit tree can support (since a 10% bloom set often will produce a full crop). Along with pollination, fruit thinning is a decisive factor in determining fruit size. It is especially important for sizing up fruit varieties with a genetic predisposition towards small fruit.
Several undesirable things can happen when excessive fruit is left on fruit trees. The weight of extra fruit can cause tree limbs to crack or break. An excessive fruit set will often result in small fruit with poor flavour and, finally, can result in alternate bearing in which a tree will produce little or no fruit in the year following a large fruit crop.
Approximately three to four weeks after bloom or when the largest fruit are as large as a quarter, fruits should be removed by hand so that the remaining fruit are reasonably spaced.. Fruit thinning will allow the remaining fruits to develop optimum size, shape, and colour, and prevent depletion of the tree.

Our Farming Community Remembers

Alan Gear

April 29 1946- April 9, 2012
Alan had many talents and a very diverse working life. He was a farmer, marine master, marine surveyor, realtor, store owner, construction worker and champion trap shooter. But we will remember him most for his contributions to the Salt Spring Island Farmers’ Institute.

He joined the Fall Fair Committee in 1976 when the fair was held at the School Grounds and helped with the livestock sections. In 1977 and 1978 he coordinated the Field Crop Section. The Institute bought the current property for the Fall Fair and Alan became President. Under his leadership the main Exhibition Hall was built entirely with volunteer labour. Contractors and farming families attended every Sunday for work bees until the building was complete. The wives brought packed lunches and the children were helpers. It took 2 years to complete so the first fair held on the grounds was in 1982.

Alan always joked that the cost of labour for the building was 45 cases of beer! He remained a director until 1984.

Thank you, Alan, for a legacy that our whole community enjoys

Garnet Lee

April 28th, 1951 - April 25th, 2012
April 25th, marked a very sad day for the Farmers’ Institute, as we lost a cherished member and Director - Garnet Lee.
Garnet was known for his integrity, honesty, kindness, and straight-forward approach in all aspects of life.
He was a tireless volunteer, especially for Fall Fair, and the Tuesday work group. He was never puzzled by complex situations or theories because Garnet had an inherent facility to know that something would work, or would not!

Many of the site improvements on our grounds at the Farmers’ Institute are due to the capable guidance of Garnet.
The suddenness of his illness left us in shock, and yet, as our President said..... “May each of you be warmed by a special memory of being touched by Garnet Lee.”

John Wilcox

JOHNNY CANUCK
Nov 9, 1941 – Jun 15, 2012
Pathfinder, country person and citizen.

Artist, steward, defender of land, community and country.
Dancer, sage, friend.
Founding father of many farm organizations,
and source of inspiration for many.
Passionate lover of life, gentleman and clown.
John Daniel Wilcox’s legacy is vast and deep and bright.
He devoted his life to service to his country, countless volunteer hours
doing his duty as citizen and organic farmer to create a vision that sustains all life.
He always led by example, by his good sense of what was right and by showing what hard work and hard play gave to make a man shine. And shine he did!

Our History

John Craven Jones

by Usha Rautenbauch
John Craven Jones The very first pioneers of Salt Spring Island included those who pre-empted land specifically for agricultural purposes, and not just subsistence farming to keep your family well fed and most needs met by basic barter; cash required only to pay one’s taxes, which became cash earned by working annually on the upkeep (and creation) of the public roadways.

Yes, among the first pre-emptors of 1859 there were the retired bachelor workers of the Hudsons Bay Company who settled down with an Indian woman to see him through his first winter, and their children through their first five years, as advised by Governor douglas, who had done likewise, so spoke from enriched experience.

Yes, there were the destitute bachelors who had failed to find their fortunes, sought in the 1858 Fraser Gold Rush, so had no way to get “home” again.

But from Jonathon Begg who established his nursery at the north end, to Theodore Trage who established his soft fruits on the south end, there were also individual settlers who came with a background in their chosen fields. Such as these were lured by the opportunity of near-free land (acquired by long hard work wresting farmland out of wilderness, rather than a quick cash downpayment). This was offered by Governor Douglas because of a foreseen dire and immediate need - to have food grown to feed the sudden influx of citizens to tiny Victoria; all kinds of people having arrived with the Gold Rush, not least among them businessmen ready to supply the goods needed by the gold-seekers.

So, among the first pioneers there was a potentially successful community of educated and experienced agriculturalists and orchardists keen to make a new life for themselves.

Among these were a group needing to leave California, which had become unsafe for them - Salt Spring’s Black settlers. These came with families, with children, children who were to grow up free and equal, with their right to vote.

Of course, to benefit from this opportunity, they also needed to grow up educated. So, along with those who planned to farm produce in excess of their own needs, crops and animals to be sold in Victoria, came a young Black man who had already been well educated to teach his own kind, specifically to teach them as free and equal citizens of this new colony. His name was john Craven Jones.

John Craven Jones taught Salt Spring Island’s first children with no pay for more than a decade. At first, all his students were from the Black community, but as the children born to the other early settlers grew up to be ‘of schoolable age’, he taught them along with the original children who had arrived with their parents, and those born on Salt Spring to the Black families - a mixed community.

John Craven Jones had himself been educated in a mixed community: at Oberlin College, Ohio. Oberlin College had been, from its inception in 1833, an idealistic institution formed to teach students equally, be they Male or Female, Rich or Poor, Black or White. The course he chose was designed to prepare him to teach his own kind, to give them an education equal to the best available to the privileged. He was to be mocked for teaching Latin Grammar to barefoot backwoods children of the wilderness; but I myself received much the same education, as a barefoot child of farming parents taught Latin, and I understand the difference it can make to one’s ability to navigate the world of bureaucracy and laws, obtaining and maintaining one’s rights and understanding one’s responsibilities as a citizen and community member, the responsibility to build that community together, and maintain it in peace and equality.

If you missed the song listen now

Farming & Legislation

RAR and You

John Wilcox recently passed away June 15th 2012. John tirelessly pursued agricultural issues for the farmer, among them a proper and exact interpretation of the effects of RAR (Riparian Areas Regulation) on the farming community. John was recently putting together an article on RAR for our newsletter.
Here is his last correspondance with Stefan Cermak, Planner at Islands Trust. John asks the questions and Stefan Cermak responds- dated June 14th, 2012

1.What constitutes a RAR Agricultural exemption?

a. RAR applies to local government regulation or approval of residential, commercial, or industrial activities under part 26 of the Local Government Act as “development” along streams.

b. Farming activities are not subject to RAR. Agriculture exemptions include zoned agricultural areas (generally lands within the ALR) and properties with farm status as per BC Assessment. Most farming activities are subject to The Farm Practices Protection(Right to Farm) Act which defines what is a normal farm practice.

c. RAR applies to non-farming activities, and new non-farming buildings and structures on land that may otherwise be used, designated, or zoned for agriculture.

d. Staff refer to the Ministry of Agriculture’s Agricultural Building Setbacks from Watercourses in Farming Areas for reference, and if a Development Permit Area is drafted, will use this reference as a guideline. Note, as per the reference: “The watercourse building setbacks do not take into account considerations that may require greater setbacks. (e.g. lot lines, species at risk, municipal maintenance access, water used for domestic purposes and floodplain requirements).”

2.Once RAR is enacted will the existing LUB 355 setbacks supersede RAR?

a. The existing setbacks within LUB 355 will continue to apply unless otherwise changed. While the above notes refer to Agriculture and fish habitat protection, the existing setbacks exist for several reasons, including public health and management of potential environmental hazards.

Local Trustees have put watershed management as a top priority in their work program. If you would like to have your setback issues further addressed, this may provide you an opportunity to do so. The lead planner will be Island Planner Justine Starke.

Farm Animals Affectionately Remembered

Aldo 1984-2012

Easter weekend this year wasn't a lot of fun for Marg and Tony Threlfall on their Willowcrest Farm. Aldo, our faithful Sicilian Donkey, succumbed to kidney failure. Aldo's condition failed quickly, once we discovered he was ill. We had to have him put down on Easter Sunday. Saturday was a beautiful sunny day so we spent the afternoon with Aldo, on our back lawn, just visiting and “hanging out”
He was 28 years old, not old for a donkey, and had lived at Willowcrest for 27 years.
Aldo was a very unique animal, full of fun, mischievous, inquisitive, faithful and always eager to meet new friends. Aldo had a hand in raising all of our grand children, most of our friends and relatives grandchildren and several generations of Salt Spring pre-schoolers. Aldo was always gentle with children, even though he displayed a fractious side with adults. We think he long ago decided that big people could look after themselves but small children needed nurturing.

Aldo loved carrots and apples when we saw visitors come up our driveway with treats in hand, we knew who they had come to see so we would take our usual secondary role.
Aldo was a very handy helper when it came to farm maintenance. He readily volunteered to carry tools around, sometimes to the right spot, but more often than not it was just a fun day for him and the tools could end up in the most unusual places! Aldo's official position on the farm was supervisor of predator patrol. This was a position that Aldo took very seriously to the point that he caught five big dogs during his career. His bray was very loud and distinctive and when he broadcast his vocal warnings, you knew that trouble was brewing and you better pay attention.
Another aspect of Aldo's varied life experiences was spent in the art community. Over the years, Willowcrest Farm has hosted several painting groups and Aldo always was a favourite subject. People quickly discovered that he could be bribed with treats and was a willing and completely different subject. On one occasion when about 30 artists were visiting, Aldo was the main subject, or managed to make an appearance in at least 50% of the works. As a result of this aspect of his character, we have two lovely paintings of him, which we will always treasure.
It may seem odd to write an obituary for a donkey. Aldo was a member of this family for 27 years and deserves recognition for that. We could tell a multitude of Aldo stories, and probably will over the next few years but we will keep this short. Goodbye old friend, thanks for sharing your life with us

What's Up On The Farm

An Interview with Malcolm Bond

Malcolm is a long time farmer on Salt Spring Island, with a long history. Even with his veterinary practice with is son Harold, he still has time to run the farm with his wife Stephanie. We had the opportunity to talk to Malcolm about his farm. We hope you enjoy this clip.
At the beginning of the video I asked Malcolm "any advice to new farmers." We were unable to get this on the clip. For the record - his response was
"work for a farmer"

June 30,2012

A newsletter from Salt Spring Island Farmers' Institute.

Contents