Jerseyland Organics

Grand Forks, British Columbia

Jerseyland Organics is owned by Ric & Vickie Llewellyn. They are located in Grand Forks, B.C. geographically in the center of the province near the Okangan Valley and right on the U.S.A. border Llewellyn's established themselves in Grand Forks in 1985 having brought (7) "pet" Jersey cows with them from the northern interior of B.C. They quickly felt that conventional agricultural dairy farming was going in directions that they were opposed to. Issues that concerned them were chemical use on lands, drug / hormone use on livestock, general lack of humane animal treatment and compromised food (dairy) products as an end result. As no organic standards existed at that time in B.C. they began developing their own direction, which has evolved with the COABC (Certified Organic Association of B.C.) and their standards. Llewellyn's pride themselves on saying "we really are what everyone else wants you to believe they are" - We really name our cows, they really raise their calves, they really pasture on grass, we really make our own products, we really do care about all those issues that organic consumers support and we are a family farm not a corporate entity ! Jerseyland presently farms 480(+) acres, 220 acres of pasture and 260 acres of hay land. On this land we currently pasture 80 head of Jersey cows (milk herd) and approx. 150 head of organic beef (all ages) The milk herd averages 50 - 60 milking (remainder dry or calf nurse cows). Llewellyn's don't like commercial auctions and as such older dairy cows raise baby calves, bull calves are raised as organic beef and we even have a couple of "old girls" that are kind of just retired about the place.

Jerseyland manufactures all its own products - currently (18) cow organic cheese varieties, (5) goat organic cheeses (one of our employees runs a herd of organic dairy goats) and (7) different organic yogurts. In addition we make real sour cream using full cream, hand made butter and fresh cottage cheese - all our cheeses are "raw milk" (except cottage) and the yogurts are non-homogenized (cream at the top). We strongly believe in supporting local and don't buy imported flavours from the USA as do many organic peers. We buy and process our own "B.C. fruit" bases and B.C. spices & herbs for our cheeses. We use rennet in our cheese as "microbial enzymes" are predominantly GMO derived and none meet B.C. organic standards. Jerseyland Organics distributes most products wholesale through several organic distributors mostly in western Canada. We direct market locally with our own reefer truck and sell off farm in a retail store on site. Jerseyland employs Ric & Vickie (unpaid slaves) and three farm employees and one full time cheese plant assistant. Ric predominantly works on the farm with the livestock and equipment / land / crops and does market development. Vickie is our cheese maker and prefers to be outside with the cows when not processing.

Llewellyn's process on the farm 100% of their own milk, they are Federally licenced through CFIA and are an approved dairy with the Ministry of Agriculture. They are licenced through the CDC (Canadian Dairy Commission) and enjoy a very tenuous relationship with the Milk Marketing Board who disagree with our ideals. There are many benefits and some pitfalls to this sort of farm. Generally it is very gratifying to produce wholesome organic foods for appreciative organic consumers. It is especially nice to know that from day "1" we have taken the high road and issues such as - animal humane treatment, chemical residuals in foods and environmental issues are not something to be embarressed of or hidden out of sight. However the development of "corporate" organics greatly concerns us, this will be the biggest threat to "true organic farming " in Canada in the next few years. Organic products from corporate giants (we all know who they are) have no place in the homes of organic consumers. They don't support local farms, they don't employ local families, they have no ties to a local communities and they often don't even know where their own products even really come from ? Llewellyn's strongly feel we should be supporting local products - at least your own province & not trucking organic products across the country burning fossil fuels and not knowing the validity of some organic claims or standards. It is crucial that the "organic consumer" educate themselves where their organic food really comes from and who produced it and does this really support your vision of what organics is all about ? Do we really want organic agriculture and foods to follow the same path that conventional foods have? Do we really want "Mc Organics" ?