As Fiona Hamersley Chambers of Metchosin Farm & Seeds wandered through her Wootton Road property last week, she observed a scene thatB次元官网网址檚 typical of mid-March. Pak choi that was barely hanging on, kale plants just getting on track and strawberries that are months away.

ThatB次元官网网址檚 the 2017 reality for local and Island farmers, where unseasonably cold and rainy weather have wreaked havoc and caused the growing season to sit about four weeks behind a typical year.

Compared to last year, when everything was about six weeks ahead, Hamersley Chambers said, this year is about two months off from 2016.

Her farm doesnB次元官网网址檛 sell produce, instead focusing on seeds, with a product line centred around edible garden plants, native plants and rare or unusual varieties. That said, the weather has still been a factor.

B次元官网网址淔or us the climate shift is interesting because weB次元官网网址檙e working to adapt (seed) varieties for the local climate. You need minimum population numbers to maintain genetic health,B次元官网网址� she said.

Hamersley Chambers uses pak choi, a Chinese cabbage plant, as an example, where a minimum of 80 plants are needed to maintain genetic health. B次元官网网址淏ecause of the die-off this winter, thereB次元官网网址檚 only six that survived. The good news is, the six that survived (have) the genetic heartiness, but what sucks is that we now have a genetic bottleneck.B次元官网网址�

Down the road at Sea Bluff Farm, manager Robin Tunnicliffe witnesses a similar scene.

In fact, she and her crew had to wait until April 10 to till their fields, whereas in a typical year theyB次元官网网址檒l find a dry and mild window in February. As a result, the farm has lost a lot of revenue from its early season produce, which is normally ready by now.

B次元官网网址淲e do a lot of the winter and early spring cropping where we can really compete on the market, because thereB次元官网网址檚 not a whole lot from B.C. and other markets B次元官网网址� we normally capitalize on these seasons,B次元官网网址� she said.

Sea BluffB次元官网网址檚 key spring crops include salad and cooking greens, but the farm is dealing with over-wintered crops such as beets and cabbage.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e just kind of missed that planting because we couldnB次元官网网址檛 get into the field,B次元官网网址� Tunnicliffe said, adding that some of her friends on the Saanich Peninsula still havenB次元官网网址檛 been able to till.

Having farmed in the region for more than 20 years, she said this year stands alone. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had late springs before and weB次元官网网址檝e had very cold winters before, but I donB次元官网网址檛 remember this one-two punch.B次元官网网址�

Winter farming will always be a gamble B次元官网网址� Tunnicliffe joked that if she werenB次元官网网址檛 farming sheB次元官网网址檇 spend her winters in the casino B次元官网网址� but great conditions over the past few years had made her increasingly confident.

With local farmersB次元官网网址� markets due to open their season in a matter of weeks, Tunnicliffe isnB次元官网网址檛 sure if Sea Bluff will be able to attend.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think weB次元官网网址檒l be at the early markets because we donB次元官网网址檛 have enough. ThatB次元官网网址檚 kind of sad.B次元官网网址�

If thereB次元官网网址檚 a silver-lined seed in the farmersB次元官网网址� current plight, itB次元官网网址檚 that the unusually cold winter may help with pest control, which is a particular bonus for those growing organically, as is the case at both of these Metchosin farms.

B次元官网网址淭he pest load on our farm is huge,B次元官网网址� Hamersley Chambers said. B次元官网网址淲e have way less slugs than we have had for the past five years.B次元官网网址�

joel.tansey@goldstreamgazette.com

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