Photo by Kim Elsasser
Lisa Olson 0416
Waking up in the morning you never know what will come of your day. You get up, do mostly the same thing everyday and then something out of the ordinary happens.
A few weeks ago, I woke up to the news that one of our long time writers, Dona Sturmanis, had passed away. We knew she had been sick, but the day still came as a surprise and darkened our day here at Orchard & Vine. She had wanted to stay busy with writing and said she really wanted to tell the wonderful story about the people at Backyard Farm. I don’t want to overshadow what is really a beautiful story about a couple’s passion for growing and preparing fresh locally grown food. The article is Dona’s last, and well worth reading.
When thinking about Dona, I have learned the wisdom of the phrases ‘Treat everyday as if it were your last,” and “Find the time to do the things which make you happy.”
It’s also never too late to learn new skills. That’s the case with a few growers profiled inside this issue. Whether you have been farming for one or twenty years, it’s never too late to learn new skills and ideas. So, we’ve put together a few profiles to give you insight into the life of a grower that many of you can relate to as well. These growers participated in a series of workshops put on by the Central Okanagan Economic Development Commission on agritourism covering everything from business and financial planning to market research, customer service and more. I hope you enjoy reading about them as much as we did.
Many businesses provide so much to our industry, like Lunessence Winery who are protecting marsh habitats as well as making wine.
Numerous businesses and organizations that provide first class quality products and services are listed in our easy to follow 2016 Annual Buyer’s Guide. Check it out and enjoy a fruitful season!
Enjoy the magazine!