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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Changes in technology and weather, and the challenge of finding good labour top the list of priorities for Rob Galey, who runs Galey Bros. Farms in Saanich.

Galey joined the family business in the 1980s, run by his dad Ray and uncle Gordon. They had moved the farm to Blenkinsop from Cordova Bay where grandfather Don had raised dairy cows in the 1940s and delivered milk by cart.

As Galey slowly inherited the farming operations he leaned towards crops like berries and later (in the year 2000) introduced a popular train ride that brought people onto the farm and changed their experience. Pumpkin patch hayrides, a corn maze, old western movie sets, a Sphinx, a petting zoo, a haunted house and a playground all helped create an additional revenue stream that other farms didnB次元官网网址檛 have.

But the challenges arenB次元官网网址檛 finding actors for the live haunted house, or locals to work at the farm, Galey said.

B次元官网网址淭he biggest challenge is dealing with everything at the same time,B次元官网网址� he smiled. B次元官网网址淐limate change, geese, deer, labour B次元官网网址� these are always happening.B次元官网网址�

Food safety standards are more straightforward. They have risen, and the process takes longer to do things, but everyone has to meet those standards whether itB次元官网网址檚 the practises or the paper trail, Galey said.

In the fields, itB次元官网网址檚 deer, geese, and flash floods that keep the staff busy.

B次元官网网址淧ersonally IB次元官网网址檝e noticed weather comes in extremes more than it used to,B次元官网网址� Galey said. B次元官网网址淒rought periods are longer, and when it does rain, itB次元官网网址檚 not just soft rain. It wonB次元官网网址檛 rain for a while and the ground becomes hard and dry, and then when it rains hard, it just pours.B次元官网网址�

To deal with the water, the Galeys invested in drainage systems and when the torrential rains do come they can save the crop by getting the water out quickly.

B次元官网网址淲e have underground tile drains below the pumpkins and the corn maze that take water away,B次元官网网址� Galey said. B次元官网网址淭his is a peat bog, but we donB次元官网网址檛 get mud or flooding.B次元官网网址�

Technology is a game changer but Galey isnB次元官网网址檛 sure if itB次元官网网址檚 made things anything easier. He said they do things on bigger scales now, growing more intensely on less land.

B次元官网网址淭he science is very specific, we keep a close watch on the nutrient and PH balance to get great crops, along with keeping moisture levels perfect.B次元官网网址�

With berries itB次元官网网址檚 about picking every two days at the perfect stage, which coincides with consistent labour.

B次元官网网址淟uckily we have great workers, both from here and imported labour,B次元官网网址� Galey said. B次元官网网址淲e have people who come back every year, they are like family. We couldnB次元官网网址檛 run with out them, as much we would love to have more local workers we just canB次元官网网址檛 attract them.B次元官网网址�

Climate change, for now, isnB次元官网网址檛 all that bad. Instead of gaps between growing seasons they now overlap.

B次元官网网址淏ack when I started berries it was five weeks for strawberries, four or five for raspberries, but now with all the different varieties and different spaces, I have strawberries May to October and raspberries from mid-June to September.B次元官网网址�

Because of the geese, the Galeys have backed right out of growing carrots.

B次元官网网址淲e were losing so many carrots, geese would wipe out an acre at 5:30 in the morning before we even got here. WeB次元官网网址檙e trying to grow crops that geese donB次元官网网址檛 like; youB次元官网网址檙e not going to beat it so accept it, plan for it, adjust your farming.B次元官网网址�

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