Q. Why is being certified organic important to you and your business?
It’s important for our company to be able to back up the things we say and the things we believe in with real action. Certification provides that proof that we do what we say and what we believe.
Q.What are the most important principles or philosophies that guide your company?
Love. We are all striving and learning and growing to express love in the best way we can.
Q. What specific questions did you have when learning about organic certification?
For us it was about what organic certification could teach us. Beyond the letter of the standards, what is and what isn’t allowed, there is a great spirit of intent behind the certification, to create a healthy farm ecosystem with living soil.
Q.If someone you know is thinking of certifying organic, what advice would you give?
If you have been farming for a long time conventionally and are transitioning a farm you really have to have your heart in it. You have to visit other organic farms and learn. Farming organically is a different orientation to nature than farming conventionally. Nature is vast and mysterious. We don’t understand all of the interactions and relationships that exist. A certain amount of awe and respect is required, and a certain amount of trust. Instead of dominating nature, a good organic farmer partners with nature.
Why did you choose PACS as your certifying body?
PACS seems to be the best resourced, most professionally organized certifier in BC. For our company making vintage dated wines, every single release requires a review by the certification committee. This can be dozens of new products every year and so we need a certifier with the resources to turn those around in a reasonable amount of time so that we can get our products to market.