Diversity is Resiliency, organic fruit production with Aaron Goddard

During the growing season of 2023 as summer turned into fall, the Rural Routes to Climate Solutions podcast and Regeneration Canada were on the final leg of the Stories of Regeneration tour. After covering most of the Prairies and most of central and eastern Canada in the summer, our months-long journey came to an end in Canada’s two most western provinces around harvest time.

This next phase of our journey brought us to Cawston, British Columbia, acclaimed as the Organic Farming Capital of Canada. At Snowy Mountain Farms, managed by Aaron Goddard and his family, you will find a 12-acre farm that boasts over 70 varieties of fruits such as cherries, apricots, peaches, plums, pears, apples, and quince. Aaron employs regenerative agriculture practices to cultivate and sustain living soils, which are essential for producing fruit that is not only delicious but also rich in nutrients.

Highlights:

3:20 – Aaron talks about his farm.

5:55 – Aaron shares the story of how he got into agriculture.

8:34 – Aaron talks about his family and farmhands.

13:56 – When was the first time Aaron heard about regenerative agriculture?

21:02 – Aaron describes the landscape of Snowy Mountain Farms.

28:27 – Why is diversity important?

42:50 – What is Aaron doing to help stimulate fungal growth in the soil?

51:08 – Aaron talks about how, and why, he’s integrated livestock on his farm.

52:43 – What are some challenges Aaron faces as an agriculture producer?

56:04 – Why is regenerative agriculture important to Aaron?

Useful links:

• Stories of Regeneration
• Stories of Regeneration Short Film Series
• EP 20 – The Brown Revolution
• EP 32 – Alley Cropping
• EP 39 – New Farmers
• EP 41 – New Farmers Part 2
• EP 58 – Fungi in Drought
• The Holistic Orchard by Michael Phillips 
• Snowy Mountain Farms

This podcast has been partially funded by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada.