The Island has lost one of its most devoted and staunch supporters of farming, Colin Springford.
Springford, who with wife Diane turned a hobby into a 225-acre ethical farm business, Springford Farm, died on Jan. 17 at the age of 75.
B次元官网网址淎lways a farmer at heart, he passed away this afternoon exactly where he wanted to be, at home on the farm with his dog by his side,B次元官网网址� read a statement released by Springford Farm on its , which was filled with hundreds of messages of condolence.
B次元官网网址淗e will be deeply missed, always loved and never forgotten.B次元官网网址�
Springford was born in 1945 in Sidney, where his parents operated a small hand-milk dairy farm and where he developed his passion for farming and gardening. At age eight, he talked his father into plowing up some land so he could have his own vegetable garden. He nurtured his love of flowers when he worked at Butchart Gardens for six summers as a student.
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From 1948 to 1961, the family ran The Maples, a small country grocery store in Brentwood where Springford also learned about customer service. After completing school, he worked in a bank and then in construction before starting farming with his wife as a hobby on their 10-acre property on Blower Road in Parksville in 1979.
The hobby got B次元官网网址渙ut of handB次元官网网址� and eventually it grew into the beautiful, thriving family farm now operating on Northwest Bay Road in Nanoose Bay. It is well-known as a mixed farm operation with dairy and beef cattle, broiler chickens, turkeys and free-range egg production.
Springford built a reputation as a big supporter of food production and agriculture in the region. He was involved with the Coombs Farmers Institute as its past president and was also a member of the Arrowsmith Agricultural Association.
Janet Thony took over SpringfordB次元官网网址檚 position as president eight years ago and described him as a very determined and driven person you could always count on.
B次元官网网址淥ne of the hardest-working people,B次元官网网址� said Thony. B次元官网网址淎lways ready to help out. Very dependable when it came to some of the events that we hold every year. You could always count on Colin to be at the planning meetings and actual work days. You donB次元官网网址檛 have to worry about it if the job gets done right.B次元官网网址�
Thony said Springford also supported people entering agriculture and was a strong advocate of local food production.
B次元官网网址淭he Springford family is probably one of the well-known examples here in our region of well-done local agriculture,B次元官网网址� said Thony.
Leon Cake credited Springford for helping him build his business, Four Star Waterworks. He rented a property from Springford, who Cake said went out of his way to open the land for them to start their business. They were friends for more than 35 years.
B次元官网网址淚 have known him since I was 20. I am 65 years old now. He was my landlord,B次元官网网址� said Cake. B次元官网网址淗e always treated me like a son in some ways. We had that relationship. He was a strong businessman, he was fair and precise. He was one of those people when you meet him, you know right away he is a gentleman. When he put out his hand and shook it, that was the deal.B次元官网网址�
Louise Tyler, who owns the Parksville Bottle Depot, said Springford played a key role 25 years ago in helping her develop her current business.
B次元官网网址淚 was just a single mother with four children,B次元官网网址� said Tyler. B次元官网网址淚 started my bottle depot in a small trailer. He liked my idea and he helped me out. He built this building and leased it to me. He was a wonderful friend, gentleman with a kind heart. I will surely miss him.B次元官网网址�
Kim Burden, executive director of the Parksville and District and Qualicum Beach Chambers of Commerce, knew Springford not only through the chamber but also other business and community endeavours.
B次元官网网址淗e is another great community person who has now left us,B次元官网网址� said Burden. B次元官网网址淗e was real. You know exactly where you stood with Colin all the time. If he had a problem heB次元官网网址檇 come and talk to you about it. No politics. He was straight up. What you see is what you get. And I really love that.B次元官网网址�
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