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Tourist Season on the Farm

'Deconstructing Dinner' on whether agritourism is good business, or a necessary evil.

Jon Steinman 16 Dec 2008TheTyee.ca

Jon Steinman is producer and host of Kootenay Co-op Radio's program Deconstructing Dinner. A new podcast with notes is posted here every Friday afternoon. All Deconstructing Dinner podcasts can be found here.

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[Editor's note: This is a summary of a podcast you can download or listen to from this page.]

Though some farmers see the role of agritourism as an indication of the dismal state of farming today, some have recognized it as the only way to stay in business. DKT Ranch on Vancouver Island is one of those farms that has successfully remained in the business of farming by diversifying their operation to offer more than just food.

Also on this episode, listen to the inspiring story of one farm family that was able to preserve the heritage, social and environmental values of their dairy farm by diversifying and becoming a commercial cheesemaker. Natural Pastures is the only cheesemaker in Canada to produce a variety of cheese from the milk of water buffalo.

And, learn about the red-fleshed apple -- the "apple of the future," according to Salt Spring Island's Harry Burton. Apple Luscious Organic Orchard on Salt Spring Island grows 23 varieties of red-fleshed apples that were first introduced to North America in the 1840s. Correspondent Andrea Langlois visited Burton at the Salt Spring Island Apple Festival.

Voices/Guests

Edgar J. Smith, president, Natural Pastures Cheese Company (Courtenay, B.C.) -- Dating back over 90 years, the Smith family's Beaver Meadow Farms eventually morphed into Natural Pastures Cheese Company. Today, the businesses uses only fresh milk produced on a number of select Vancouver Island farms which practice sustainable farming and animal stewardship. The farms are classified as heritage dairy farms.

Paul Sutter, master cheesemaker, Natural Pastures Cheese Company (Courtenay, B.C.) -- Born in 1972 in Sonenntal, Switzerland, Paul spent much of his time on his grandfather's dairy farm. In 1991 he earned his certification as a Master Cheesemaker and in 1995 moved to Canada to become a cheesemaker. Paul joined Natural Pastures in 2002.

Dan Thran, farmer, DKT Ranch, (Courtenay, B.C.) -- Owned and operated by Dan and Maggie Thran, DKT is an 80-acre farm which was purchased by Dan's parents in 1927. His parents turned it into a dairy farm in the early 1940s and the farm was passed on to Dan in the early 1970s. Since then, the farm has primarily become a beef operation along with raising pasture-raised poultry, lamb and eggs.

Harry Burton, farmer, Apple Luscious Organic Orchard, (Salt Spring Island, B.C.) -- This young orchard on Salt Spring Island, British Columbia, is situated on 5 acres of land. Located on a slightly south facing slope, the orchard was created from scratch on land logged in 1980, with the first apple trees planted in 1986. It consists of about 300 trees of mostly apples, but also plums, pears, cherries and Asian pears. Harry helps organize the Salt Spring Apple Festival.

Other Voices

Stan Hagen, Minister of Agriculture and Lands, British Columbia (Courtenay, B.C.)

Leslie Shann, operations and distribution manager, Natural Pastures Cheese Company (Courtenay, BC)

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