B.C.’s 2014 Outstanding Young Farmer is a familiar face at the Vancouver farmers’ markets.
Lydia Ryall, owner of Cropthorne Farm on Westham Island, took home the award on Thursday.
Judges said it was a very close decision between four exceptional farmers under 40.
I was impressed by the diversity of the nominees – from a berry farmer to a dairy farmer to a chicken farmer.
I think it’s fair to say we may not have seen a farmer like Ryall, who leases land from her parents to grow organic veggies for farmers’ markets and CSA boxes, receive a nomination, much less the top award, a decade ago.
I’m happy to see the lines blurring between what is often labelled as traditional agriculture and the local food movement. There’s much to be learned on both sides of a line that maybe shouldn’t exist.
Check out the video for a short interview with Ryall about the award and her work at Cropthorne Farm.
(For more on the Outstanding Young Farmer Awards, click here.)
(For bios of the B.C. nominees, click here.)
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Glenda Luymes is an award-winning Province journalist and farmer’s daughter who loves local food.
Get in touch at gluymes@theprovince.com, twitter.com/glendaluymes or on Facebook.
