ItB次元官网网址檚 not often a butcher shop turns into a wedding venue, but this is precisely what the owners of Sunshine Ranch did.

B次元官网网址淥ur oldest daughter wanted to get married at home. At first, we were a little bit shocked, like what? So then, we cleaned out the barn, and after that wedding, we had friends of hers calling us,B次元官网网址� recalled Silvia Laffer, who owns the ranch in Horsefly, B.C., with her husband, Franz.

Their son followed suit, along with two others from the community, which got the couple thinking.

B次元官网网址淵ou know what, the barn is empty in the summer. Why donB次元官网网址檛 we do something like this? And I love it,B次元官网网址� said Silvia.

Technically, the wedding venue is next door to the butcher shop, which they close in May to focus on the wedding season. They transform two massive barns into a beautiful and picturesque wedding venue, complete with chairs, linens, cutlery and decor.

The multifunctional ranch keeps Silvia busy, who does all the wedding catering. Meat and sausage mostly come from their ranch, and Silvia makes and cooks the remaining wedding food in their commercial kitchen, which includes salads, macaroni and cheese, roasted potatoes, desserts and more.

When asked how Silvia manages to do this all herself, she replied: B次元官网网址淚 start on Thursday, and IB次元官网网址檓 done by Saturday night.B次元官网网址�

Sunshine Ranch has a permit to host up to 10 weddings a year, but Silvia says they usually have five to eight, which keeps her perfectly busy.

Along with the butcher shop and commercial kitchen, they also have coolers and a walk-in freezer, where youB次元官网网址檒l find freshly baked organic bread. The baker, of course, is Silvia, who either buys organic flour or uses her own after theyB次元官网网址檝e turned their fields, grinding the flour herself.

During the 2017 wildfires that overwhelmed the Cariboo region, Silvia had a neighbour stop in, notifying her that there wasnB次元官网网址檛 any bread in the stores and they didnB次元官网网址檛 know when a delivery truck would come in.

B次元官网网址淪o IB次元官网网址檓 like, B次元官网网址榊ou can have one of mine.B次元官网网址� I gave her that and then my husband said, B次元官网网址楬ey, you have so much flour here. Why donB次元官网网址檛 you try to bake?B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

The couple made a sign, put it on the side of the road and before she knew it, she had an additional business.

B次元官网网址淚 had the business going and because my bread was in the freezer, people would walk into the walk-in freezer and then say, B次元官网网址極h, you have bacon. You have burgers.B次元官网网址� So thatB次元官网网址檚 how it started.B次元官网网址�

Their butcher shop has a Farmgate Plus license, and they mainly focus on their sausages, which they have year-round, along with burgers and bread. Instead of their cows being auctioned off or shipped elsewhere, Sunshine Ranch processes the cows themselves. They also make raw dog food, available in limited supply, with their beef.

TheyB次元官网网址檙e a ranch that seems to do it all, with butchering throughout the fall and winter, calving in the spring, weddings in the summer, bread year-round and the daily maintenance of a cattle ranch.

Still, Silvia is mindful of finding downtime, noting she wonB次元官网网址檛 pick up the phone before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m.

B次元官网网址淲e used to go out and [work] until 10 oB次元官网网址檆lock. Now, I take that timeB次元官网网址� but I have to say, I donB次元官网网址檛 need time to myself to decompress because I love what I do.

B次元官网网址淭his afternoon, IB次元官网网址檒l go in my garden and sit there weeding. My husband said, B次元官网网址業 donB次元官网网址檛 know how you can do this.B次元官网网址� And I said, B次元官网网址榊ou know what? Sitting here weeding all that ugly grass in my garden is like yoga for me B次元官网网址� I donB次元官网网址檛 have to think about my problems.B次元官网网址�

The couple, originally from Switzerland, moved to Horsefly in 1993.

B次元官网网址淲e had a butcher shop in Switzerland and we needed a change. We decided weB次元官网网址檇 come here, and weB次元官网网址檝e never regretted a minute.B次元官网网址�

Thankfully, the coupleB次元官网网址檚 family helps around the farm. Their four children have given the LafferB次元官网网址檚 nine grandchildren, with three families living nearby and the fourth (who lives in Kelowna) helping as the designated mechanic in the summers. Next door, their son, Florian, and his wife, Minette, have pasture-raised pigs and grow and sell garlic.

B次元官网网址淲e see [our family] almost every day. They come here. They run with us. My life is absolutely fantastic.B次元官网网址�

You can find Sunshine Ranch at facebook.com/sunshineranchnaturalbeef or sunshineranchweddings.com.

kim.kimberlin@blackpress.ca
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