A quick note to alert you that this spell of warm weather may bring unseasonably hot weather to some gardens over the weekend, especially inland, away from the cooling influence of water bodies. Forecast highs of 27-28oC [though this is forecast for inland Lower Mainland, some gardens at higher elevation, on forested areas on SSI, like mine is, will likely experiences these highs] wouldn’t be a problem for mature vegetables in July, but could be fatal to germinating seeds and newly transplanted seedlings if they aren’t shaded. Opaque shade materials, such as burlap, white plastic, newspaper can be used to shade seedbeds until germination. But check every day and remove the cover at the first sign of tiny green shoots. If the weather is still very warm when you uncover the bed, replace the opaque cover with shade cloth that lets in 50% of light. Or shade the seedlings with turned over seedling flats (the black plastic latticework ones) or any other structures or screens that cut…

Twelve joined this ASK Salt Spring gathering to welcome the Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust’s Executive Director Andrea Palframan and Board Chair Jenn LeBlanc. While not a large group, after our gathering, Andrea noted that each one of our participants brought a unique and valuable perspective, creating a quite wonderful conversation. After an Acknowledgement during which Andrea spoke of the power of healing relationships offered to us by Reconciliation, we had a chance to introduce ourselves. Among the participants were several farmers and long-time agricultural advocates as well as a few elected officials and some who were simply excited about the potential of eating what we grow, wanting to learn all that they could. Jenn told us that she was “excited and delighted” by living on Salt Spring, a welcome respite after years in Silicon Valley running a tech marketing firm as well as supporting female founders in securing venture capital and funding. Bringing a passio…

Finally! Warm days without freezing nights are forecast for the next 10 days—after what has been a pretty chilly April. It seems like garden centres are bringing in vegetable starts earlier every year, so if you planted seedlings and they got frosted last week, start again, as it looks like it is warming up nicely. Peas, lettuce and other salad greens can usually weather a light frost without serious injury, but might have been damaged in gardens that had a hard frost last week. Early planted seedlings may also have fallen prey to climbing cutworms. They will be winding up their caterpillar phase in the next week or two to pupate in the soil so at that point they stop eating plants (the moths emerge later in the summer). Yesterday I put away the heat mat I use to germinate seedlings because the last of the seeds I start indoors have germinated. Once seeds germinate, bottom heat is no longer needed (in fact, keeping seedlings on bottom heat too long makes them grow elongated,…

This event was a collaboration between the Salt Spring Seed Sanctuary Society, Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust, and Island Natural Growers. On Sunday, February 22, over 30 people gathered at the Farmers Institute to learn about and explore the rich complexities, threats, and new directions for our community seed system. Many of us “save seeds” from our gardens and farms. This increases our resilience in local food systems, supports regional adaptation in the seeds themselves, opens another product line for local market farms, and builds community among seed savers and those seeking access to local seeds. It’s a rich web of connection, knowledge sharing, and food sovereignty—and this is what we immersed ourselves in at the Seed Symposium. There was too much shared to give you the full meal deal, but here are some highlights, along with links to go deeper: Community seed systems exist at the periphery of formal seed regulations, making seed saving a (vulnerable) privilege in…

Everyone is eager to plant, despite the occasional waft of winter-like weather (it snowed all yesterday evening at my place). So what can you do right now? The soil is going to be too wet to work with all the rain this week, but you can try sowing a few things in beds where the soil is reasonably fertile already. Rake off any mulch and remove weeds, then poke pea seeds into the mud or scatter seeds of lettuce, spinach, radishes, cilantro, dill, arugula on the surface. Press seeds lightly into the soil and cover the beds with something (e.g., wire mesh, chickenwire, screening, insect netting, floating row cover) to prevent birds from pecking up the seeds. Scattering safe slug bait (ferric or iron phosphate) is advisable too. Be prepared to sow again if bad weather or slugs or cutworms get the seedlings. Climbing cutworms will be chomping until the end of April; after that they are in the pupa stage, developing into a moth, so are no longer feeding. Other planting this month: …

Spring is often painted as a season of renewal: buds appear, soil warms, and hope blooms with the first lettuce seedlings. But for many farmers and growers, this time of year also brings deep pressure. Between unpredictable weather swings and the push to prepare for another demanding season, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Growing can also be isolating and stressful, with mental health challenges woven into the rhythm of sowing and harvest. Recognizing this reality, three supportive offerings — each rooted in community, care, and connection — are helping farmers tend to their well-being as much as their fields. Forest Bathing — Nature as Therapy Stephanie Karlovits invites growers to slow down and reconnect with the natural world in a restorative way. Inspired by the practice of shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), these guided forest and nature therapy walks gently lead participants through peaceful forest settings, encouraging mindful engagement with the living landsca…

The weather forecast this morning continues to show a few cold nights this week—ranging from -2 to -5oC [23-28oF] in some south coast areas for Wednesday and Thursday. While in mid-winter such temperatures would not damage hardy vegetables, the warm winter we have had has brought on early, and less frost hardy, new growth. Depending on how low it goes, our usually hardy winter vegetables may be at risk of frost injury for a few nights: lows down to -2oC probably aren’t a problem, but -5oC definitely would be damaging. Be ready to spread any kind of tarps, plastic sheets, floating row cover, old bedsheets or other lightweight cover, over beds of celery, lettuce, spinach and other leafy greens. This is well worth doing as this could be the only cold enough weather to spoil the spring harvest from overwintered plants. I have heads forming on my purple sprouting broccoli plants and because heads are less hardy than leaves, I will harvest them today. Depending on our local forecast…

Highlights from a talk by Usha Rautenbach and Charles Kahn, given at the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga on Tuesday, January 27. 2026 Salt Spring was one of the first farming communities in British Columbia and remained so until the end of World War II. No fortunes were made in farming, and working the soil was always difficult. Only 20 percent of the land was suitable for agriculture and most of it was scattered in little pockets in low-lying areas. Farming on a large scale was not possible. Settlers began arriving in 1859, but official surveys did not take place until the 1870s. Surveyor Ashton Green, who mapped much of the island in 1874, expressed skepticism that farming here could succeed at all. He found the land rocky, wet, and unforgiving. Yet history proved otherwise. Areas once dismissed as useless wetlands later became some of the island’s most productive farmland after it has been logged, drained, and worked with care. The first settlers In 1859 Governor James …

I was suddenly prodded into action last week to get going on fruit tree pruning after I noticed that buds on my peach tree were swelling. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise given the warm winter we have had so far…..So If you can, take advantage of this spell of dry weather to prune fruit trees. Pruning while it is dry avoids spreading diseases, such as European canker or bacterial canker. Do sanitize pruning tools between trees to avoid inadvertently spreading diseases, even if trees don't look diseased and sanitize tools between every cut if you are working on a trees that shows signs of cankers [for photos]. To sanitize, dip tools for a few minutes a solution of 1 part eco-bleach (hydrogen peroxide) or chlorine bleach to 4 parts water or wipe tools with rubbing alcohol; dry and oil pruners afterward to ensure they don’t rust. Pruning fruit trees: This may seem a daunting task, fraught with rules—but don’t worry: Your trees don’t have to be pruned according to professio…

Salt Spring Island, BC Salt Spring Island’s foodways have sustained people for thousands of years. Yet today, the majority of the food consumed on the island is imported. A new two-part public series hosted by the Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust (SSIFLT) invites the community to explore how this shift occurred — and what the island’s agricultural past can teach us about building a more resilient food future. Hosted as part of SSIFLT’s Root to Bloom Centre, the series brings together leading researchers and local historians to examine the full arc of Salt Spring’s food systems, from Indigenous land stewardship to settler-era farming and beyond. Part One: Indigenous Food Systems Tuesday, January 20 • Salt Spring Centre of Yoga • In person & Zoom The first event features Chris Arnett, historian, archaeologist, and author, who will guide participants through the deep history of Indigenous food systems on Salt Spring Island and throughout the Gulf Islands. Drawin…

Immersive, community-based program prepares new farmers with land access and mentorship Salt Spring Island, BC A new full-time Neighbourhood Farmer Training is launching on Salt Spring Island in 2026, offering emerging farmers a rare opportunity to gain hands-on experience, deepen their skills, and secure land to grow food for their local community. Hosted by Island Natural Growers, the local chapter of Canadian Organic Growers, the training is an immersive, community-rooted program designed to prepare emerging growers to confidently start their own Neighbourhood Farm. The first year of the program runs full-time from April through September 2026. Participants will receive practical, field-based training, mentorship, and direct connections to Salt Spring Island’s food network. In the first year, trainees will be matched with land through established partnerships with local landholders. In the second year of the program, participants will grow food for the communit…

With hardly anything to do in the garden at this time of year, the gardener’s main job is to harvest vegetables when needed—and, of course, to be vigilant in case of cold weather. So far it has been a warm fall, but I think I will lay that extra layer of leaves over my root crops this week. If you are going to be away over the holidays or too busy to worry about the garden, sparing a few minutes to add more mulch now will protect the garden should temperatures start dip below freezing. If you are concerned about yellowing and dying lower leaves on broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprout plants at this time of year, don’t worry! It is normal for the oldest leaves to be dropping now. I just leave them under the plants to add to the mulch protecting the soil. All we really need to be concerned about is making sure these big, top-heavy plants are well enough staked or supported that the stems and roots won’t be damaged by high winds or heavy snow. If younger green leave…

Salt Spring’s farmers are the backbone of our island’s food security — and when emergencies strike, the entire community feels the impact. That’s why the Salt Spring Island Farmland Trust is launching an island-wide call to farmers: tell us what you need to stay resilient when things get tough. Whether you’ve weathered storms, droughts, infrastructure breakdowns, or power outages, your experience matters, and the support you identify now will directly shape how our community prepares for future crises. What Do You Need Most in an Emergency? We’re asking farmers across Salt Spring to share: What disrupts your farm operations the most What resources, tools, or supports would make the biggest difference What barriers keep you from fully preparing And what ideas you believe could strengthen our island’s resilience as a whole Tell us about it here. Your voice will directly inform how the Farmland Trust, local partners, and emergency planners can better…

Say “Yes” This Giving Tuesday: Be a Friend of the Farmland Trust I remember the day I laid my newborn son down in a meadow along Beaver Point Road. In that moment I looked at my boy, his tiny chest rising and falling against the great green heart of this island, and I thought, “We’re home.” That sense of belonging — of being rooted in this place — has shaped everything I’ve done since. I’ve spent 25 years here learning how, just as the grand trees of this coastal rainforest are nourished by a shimmering web of mycelium, my humble kitchen table could become the launchpad to organize festivals, start non-profits organizations and grow a network that has spread like dandelion seeds from this tiny island to the mountains of Africa and the bighouse of Bella Bella. No matter where on Earth my work has taken me, I’ve always been sustained by my connection with the forests and fields of Salt Spring — forces that hold the magic power to restore my faith in the possi…

With the mild weather this fall, hardy vegetables have continued to do a little more growing—a good thing too, as a couple of my cabbages were rather small (now a much better size) and I missed pinching out the tip of one of my Brussels sprouts plants in early September. When I noticed this in early October and snapped off the growing tip, the plant had not even started forming sprouts, although the plants pruned in September all had full-sized sprouts by then. With the warmish month we have just had, the late-pruned plant now has small sprouts, so there is hope for a crop yet. If you don’t see little sprouts on your plants now, though, it is likely they won’t make them at all—but don’t get rid of the plants. Brussels sprouts plants produce tasty shoots all along the stem in the spring (somewhat like rapini or sprouting broccoli). They do this whether the plants grew proper sprouts or not, so there is still a crop to be had in the spring if you didn’t plant early enough. Just m…

Farmers beginning operations in British Columbia are getting help to plan and grow their agricultural businesses so they can succeed and offer B.C. families fresh and local food. “New and young farmers are the future of agriculture in Canada,” said Heath MacDonald, federal Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food. “Investments through the New Entrant Farm Business Accelerator Program are helping early-stage B.C. farmers with planning and pursuing new growth opportunities that will support their long-term success.” The New Entrant Farm Business Accelerator Program will be opening for eligible farmers to apply to develop or update a farm business plan and prepare a growth strategy for their farm operations. “B.C. farmers play a key role in our regional food systems, and it is crucial that we support the next generation of farmers so they can continue to feed British Columbians,” said Lana Popham, B.C. Minister of Agriculture and Food. “The program is helping new and young f…

Fortunately for gardeners that might have planted their winter vegetables a bit late, it has been warm and wet enough this fall to stimulate a good burst of growth in root crops, cabbage family plants and leafy greens. Before I left for a trip in mid-September, I gave my cabbages a tug to disrupt their roots a bit in hopes of preventing them from splitting if there was heavy rain while I was away (it seemed there was, indeed, a downpour). This worked for most of the cabbages, but two did split anyway--one of them nearly turning the head inside out. Splitting occurs when plants that have been receiving a moderate or low water supply, suddenly receive a lot of water in a short period of time. The sudden uptake of plenty of water causes the cells in maturing roots and fruit to expand too quickly. At the end of the season splitting is always a risk in this region where dry summers and water scarcity often means that gardens are kept a bit short of water. A heavy rainfall early in t…

Why Salt Spring should be paying attention. Canada's Supreme Court issued a temporary stay on September 24, 2025, halting a federal order to cull more than 400 ostriches at a Kootenay farm after an H5N1 avian influenza outbreak. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) insists that depopulation is essential to stop the virus, while the farm argues that no birds have died since January and that survivors should be retested. The ruling brought a wave of relief to many across the province. Supporters who had camped outside the farm for weeks felt hope that the ostriches might be spared, and the pause also drew attention to the enormous emotional strain placed on families working day and night to protect their animals. For Salt Spring, the story feels closer than it might seem. Avian influenza has already been detected in the region, including a backyard flock in Saanichton last year, and the lessons of the ostrich case speak directly to our island’s small farms and hous…

Many gardeners are handling a big crop of fruit this year due to the mainly dry, sunny weather we had during the spring pollination period. If your crops of pears, apples, plums, etc. are getting out of hand, there are ‘gleaner’ programs in some communities that can arrange to collect surplus fruit (and other crops in some cases) and distribute it to food banks, other charities and those in need. These are really valuable projects for reducing food waste while improving food security for people; some programs also provide helpers to pick the fruit: -On Salt Spring, contact the Farmlands Trust -In the greater Victoria area, contact Lifecycles -In the Comox Valley, contact LUSH Valley These are just a few I know of, and there are certainly others in other communities. And while I am on the topic of fruit surpluses, a reminder that my online food preserving workshop is coming up next weekend. It covers 4 of the easiest, low-tech ways to store food, including frui…

It was a small pile, but it felt momentous to Georg Janssen. Last September, Salt Spring’s new community composter had just produced, for the first time, a small amount of composted material from what four weeks earlier had been offal (the remains of butchered animal carcasses). “I was very happy,” recalls Janssen who is managing the composter project as a member of the Salt Spring Abattoir Society board. Although he has only been involved with the project for a few years, he knew that the small pile represented a lengthy community effort to turn organic waste on the island into local compost. A year later, about 20 tonnes of waste annually from the abattoir is being fed into the composter located in a facility at the Burgoyne Valley Community Farm. There are a couple of key bylaw changes that need to happen before the composter is able to ramp up further and meet a goal of turning 60 tonnes of organic waste–not just animal waste but also restaurant and other waste–…

Yikes! Every time I check the weather, the forecast high temperatures for the next few days gets higher and lasts longer so here is a quick reminder to shade seedbeds, young plants, Brassica/cabbage family plants, peas—and be on top of irrigation. Plants, such as carrots, being grown under insect netting should also have shade material on top of the netting because insect netting or floating row covers holds in the heat. Floating row cover can be used as shade material if you fold a large piece over several times to make a cover with enough layers to block the light; lay it on top of plants, leaving the sides wide open for air circulation. Ripening fruit is especially vulnerable to being cooked, with sunscald injury on the side of the fruit directly exposed to the sun. If possible, at least for the hottest part of the day, throw an old sheet, curtain material or shade cloth over the sun-side of trees with ripening soft fruit, such as plums, and over bushes of blueberries an…