On Sunday, November 3, 2019, 30 people braved the first day of daylight savings to join us over the course of the afternoon at Forrest Farm in Salmo for a farm tour and fireside potluck, enjoying several delicious soups made from the farm’s bounty!
Participants joined us from the communities of Rossland, Salmo, Glade, Thrums, Blewett, Krestova, Bonnington, Argenta and Nelson. Amongst the awesome group of food enthusiasts, it was great to see other local food producers out at the farm from Bent Plow Farm, Earth Temple Gardens, Glade Organics, Hoedown CSA, Linden Lane Farms, Salix and Sedge and Little Miss Gelato.
Thank you to our awesome hosts Amanda and Ewan Forrest and to everyone who joined us! Carry on for some photos of the afternoon’s activities!
After an introduction circle, Amanda brought the group around their small-scale, mixed farm that they are diligently building towards being a zero waste farmstead creamery. Now in their fifth year on the property, they are currently producing natural goat milk soap and natural wool products that they sell at multiple markets.
The farm also raises free range chicken, quail, duck, goose and grass-fed lamb for both eggs and meat. In fact, their delicious and unique pickled quails eggs were featured in the 2019 Columbia Basin Agricultural Forum banquet dinner!
The farm’s number one focus is on animal welfare; their animals live happy and healthy lives in open runs and free-grazing on seasonal pastures. This focus on well-being was apparent to us as we toured the farm and hung out with the content animals.
They hope to be milking full-time by 2020 and producing high-quality sheep and goat cheeses that will be available both on the farm and from select retailers. Construction of the milking room was already underway while we were at the farm; no time to waste when you’re racing against the frozen ground of early November in the Selkirks!
Forrest Farm offers their products at several markets including the Nelson Cottonwood Market, the Wednesday Nelson market, the Rossland Mountain Market and the Salmo Valley Farmers Market.
For this year, they have sold-out their winter protein CSA! If you can’t find them at one of those locations, you can also purchase off their website!
Follow this farm on Facebook and Instagram!
Thank you to everyone for joining us in Salmo!
JOIN US FOR ANOTHER COLUMBIA BASIN EVENT!
- Wet and Wild: Farming Funghi Forum – February 15 2020, Ainsworth Hot Springs (registration opening soon!)
GOT LAND? WANT LAND?
Through the B.C. Land Matching Program, Young Agrarians is offering support to farmers looking for land for their farm business and landowners looking for farmers to farm their land. The Columbia Basin Land Matcher will be attending the event to answer any questions about accessing land through this program. For those unable to join us, you can send a message to hailey@youngagrarians.org for more information.
THANK YOU!
The Columbia Basin event series is made possible with funding from Columbia Basin Trust.
