This is the third story in a six-part series chronicling farming on the South Island ahead of the 150th anniversary of the Saanich Fair. We talked to farmers both old and young, and asked them what has changed over the years and what makes them who they are today.

Check back each morning and afternoon for new stories between Aug. 29-31.

Part 2: Robin Tunnicliffe, Sea Bluff Farm

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Farming on the Saanich Peninsula goes back more than 100 years. In fact, Jack MarB次元官网网址檚 father began farming the area in 1911, after coming over from China. In that time a lot has changed, but a lot has also stayed the same.

B次元官网网址淭oday itB次元官网网址檚 a whole different game in farming. Years ago you had a lot of people working but now weB次元官网网址檙e mechanized quite a bit and thatB次元官网网址檚 the big difference,B次元官网网址� Mar explained one August day, while sitting amongst a field of corn.

B次元官网网址淎t one time, the profit from farming made for a good living, but today itB次元官网网址檚 a huge expense to get into farming.B次元官网网址�

The land costs more, the equipment costs more, the fertilizer costs more, the seeds cost more; you get the idea.

And despite the transition towards mechanized farming and smoothing out a more streamlined process, these technological advances havenB次元官网网址檛 made the days any shorter.

B次元官网网址淭he farms are getting bigger, so youB次元官网网址檙e spending the same hours out there. IB次元官网网址檓 semi-retired, but IB次元官网网址檓 still getting up at five or six oB次元官网网址檆lock in the morning. During the hot part of the day, IB次元官网网址檒l go sit in the shade, and then go back and work until dark.

B次元官网网址淵ou can say itB次元官网网址檚 less work because you have bigger equipment, so therefore you cover a lot of land quicker than we used to do. We used to spend hours and hours preparing the land, now you can just take a tractor and whip through it way faster, so that way you can do a lot more per hour.B次元官网网址�

So what motivates someone to keep doing this type job? ItB次元官网网址檚 hard to change when itB次元官网网址檚 all youB次元官网网址檝e known. Jack Mar has been farming all of his life. He learned everything he could along the way, and never stopped seeking out new information on cultivation, machinery, seeds and sales.

B次元官网网址淚 went to all the seminars and I take a real interest in it because itB次元官网网址檚 a livelihood; itB次元官网网址檚 outdoors and youB次元官网网址檙e your own boss. Those are the pluses as far as farming goes,B次元官网网址� Mar adds.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been involved with it for 58 years and IB次元官网网址檓 still learning today on how to better myself for the industry.B次元官网网址�

As for the next generation, it might not get any easier beyond 2018 and the debate surrounding continued interest in farming comes down to the cost of getting started.

Mar is emphatic that the answers to basic questions are still unknown to most people. How do you keep the weeds down? How to you cultivate? How many people do you hire? These are all questions that Jack says have to be learned over time and through experience, and trial and error.

The hardest thing about being a farmer in 2018 is acquiring farmland, and making it viable.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of young people that want to start up but they canB次元官网网址檛 find any place to buy or rent. People say, B次元官网网址榳hy canB次元官网网址檛 these long term farmers rent it to us?B次元官网网址� But they want long-term leases of 10 or 20 years.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 tough, I realize theyB次元官网网址檙e having a hard time finding land and they donB次元官网网址檛 have the knowledge behind them either. ItB次元官网网址檚 a learning curve; itB次元官网网址檚 going to take you five years to even get started and feel comfortable.B次元官网网址�

Climate change and higher temperatures also mean farmers on the Saanich Peninsula are forced to irrigate their crops more than ever before. At one point many farms had reservoirs, but now theyB次元官网网址檙e strictly using municipal water, partly because of the health and food safety issue.

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