After moving back to her dad’s farm during maternity leave, Laura Hunter had the chance to ignite her career in farming. Not only was she able to experience the wonders of working on a farm, but also take in the pleasures of living on a farm. Since then she has taken over the farm operation and Laura says living on a farm is peaceful, magical and a wonderful place to raise kids.
The Van Keulen family has been dairy farming in Surrey since 1955. Donia Farms is a third-generation farm with about 1000 acres of land and around 1000 cows. Stan and Patricia Van Keulen, along with their 3 sons (Jon, David, Nico) and their families are all involved in keeping the farm strong and sustainable.
Growing up on a dairy farm, it was inevitable that Tony DeGroot would start his own dairy farm. In 1981, he started Tonesa Holsteins and now relishes in the pride that comes with running a successful business producing a healthy product for the local community. Being his own boss isn’t so bad either.
A third generation dairy farmer from the Fraser Valley, Jeremy Wiebe grew up on Rosevale Farms and has been farming full-time for the past seventeen years.
When Sarah Sache was growing up, a life as a dairy farmer was never something that she imagined for herself. Now with her husband Gene and their family, they farm in Rosedale, BC. Raising two young boys, she knows what it is like to be focused on making the right grocery choices for your family. She’s a producer of food, but she’s also a consumer too! That’s why Sarah is so passionate about sharing the stories of what they do on West River Farm through channels such as Instagram. She believes it is important to be accessible to consumers who have questions about how their food is produced.
Born and raised on a farm in the Fraser Valley, Calvin Maarhuis has no shortage of knowledge when it comes to understanding and running the operations of a dairy farm. Today, Calvin has his own dairy farm operation in Chilliwack, BC and has innovated his practise.
As a sixth generation farmer, Devan Toop has been in the barn since he was five years old. He gets a lot of satisfaction from working with the animals on a daily basis and watching them grow. He says, “I take great get pride in knowing that the milk that I get from the supermarket is milk that came from this farm.”
Bill and Helinda are deeply committed to helping people learn about farming and where their food comes from. They own and operate Bakerview EcoDairy in Abbotsford, BC, which is a working farm that is open to the public for field trips, tours and events. The farm has 45 dairy cows, 300 beef cattle, 250 laying hens as well as beehives. In total, Bakerview sits on 105 acres. Most of the land is irrigated grass for the cattle, but they also grow berries and rice.
Having been born on a dairy farm, D.R. Vaandrager can’t imagine doing anything else for a living. For him, dairy farming is a complex job that presents new challenges every day and is a great way to raise a family.
“The traditional role of a woman on a farm has evolved.” For Nicole Tuytel, working as a farmer in the dairy industry has been empowering. Farming has always been in her blood and from a young age Nicole developed a passion for it.
Nathan’s roots in poultry farming run deep, growing up on Flokstra farms, and he currently holds the position of farm manager at Fir Lane Farms. He possesses a keen desire to expand his knowledge and actively participate in the poultry industry. Furthermore, Nathan’s involvement with the “Poultry in Motion” program, where he will be working shifts at the PNE, exemplifies his strong commitment to the industry’s development and future prosperity.
Arshdeep brings over 15 years of experience growing and marketing peaches, apples, cherries, and pears in the Okanagan Valley. He proudly carries on his family’s farming legacy through the management of Lakeview Fruit Corporation and Vanview Fruit Packers Ltd., businesses rooted in B.C. since 1994 and spanning over 80 acres of tree fruits.
As a member of the BC Young Farmers Committee, Arshdeep is passionate about advocating for the tree fruit sector, exploring innovation, and empowering youth to sustain agriculture for future generations. He’s committed to creating opportunities for young farmers and strengthening B.C.’s farming industry through collaboration and leadership.
Jeff is a third-generation Canadian farmer, his Opa started dairy farming in the sixties and his father started poultry in the late eighties. Jeff has always had a passion for poultry farming, working closely with his father during their transition from conventional chicken production to organic and specialty production. Enjoying the responsibility of making critical decisions as his father transitions out of day-to-day management. Jeff hopes to pass the family farm on to his son when the time comes.
Russell spends his time acting as Herd Manager at Westview Dairy Farms, which he and his father operate together. He milks and cares for almost 300 cows on their operation nestled in the Matsqui Valley between Abbotsford and Mission. Russell is a keen advocate for agriculture, his passion led him to pursue an Animal Science Technology Diploma from Lakeland College. Russell is an active community member and when not volunteering he can be found sampling local delicacies, spending time with family, or finding a new adventure. Russell joined BC Young Farmers in 2020 and is excited to use his energy and experience to push the envelope for agriculture on a provincial scale and in his own backyard.
Jacintha was born and raised on a cattle farm in Vanderhoof, B.C. She has had a passion for animals her entire life and raised dairy and beef projects in 4-H. In 2011, Jacintha travelled to Australia where she travelled around to work on different farms, eventually meeting her husband while they were combine harvesting. Jacintha and her husband moved back to Vanderhoof in 2016 to begin setting up their own farm. They started with chickens, then purchased cattle and now they also raise sheep. Last fall, Jacintha and her husband purchased their own operational farm, and have been loving every minute. Jacintha is a 4-H Leader with Nechako Valley Dairy and Beef and is actively involved with the 4-H Council. She originally joined BC Young Farmers as an ex officio with the BC Cattlemen’s Association and is excited about her role with BC Young Farmers.
Tyler Heppell is a 5th generation potato farmer from Cloverdale B.C. He is the production manager at Heppell’s Potato Corp; a family run business since 1920. Tyler worked in sales for 5 years before returning to the family farm. Heppell’s Potato is one of the largest potato producers in British Columbia, and the largest grower of squash. One of the mission statements of the farm is to educate the younger generation about farming and foster the growth and learning for new farmers entering the agriculture section in Canada. Through online videos, field trips, and Ugly Potato days, Heppell’s has been able to impact millions.
Kaitlin is the Fish Health and Food Safety Laboratory Manager for a salmon farming company on Vancouver Island. Previously living and working on remote fish farms around north Vancouver Island, Kaitlin now works with a team of fish health technicians, veterinarians, and processing plants to oversee the health and food safety of Atlantic Salmon from egg-to-plate. Alongside her employment, she is a part of the Young Salmon Farmers of BC (YSFBC). YSFBC is a committee that encompasses young professionals in the aquaculture sector who strive to promote a positive dialogue and increase public education about the sector while providing a voice for the next generation. Kaitlin graduated from Dalhousie University Agriculture Campus with a BSc in Animal Science; during her studies, she worked on a dairy farm and enjoyed volunteering at the sheep barn. Although her farm setting looks a little different than her counterparts of BCYF, she is passionate about utilizing her background and current employment experience to bridge the gap between agriculture and aquaculture for Canadians.
Corne grew up on his family’s farm, Quiks Farm Ltd, which has instilled in him an entrepreneurial heart and a passion for agriculture and people. Today, alongside his father and two brothers, he co-owns the farm serving as the General Manager of their bouquet production facilities, greenhouses, outdoor growing spaces, and maintenance. The demands of this position with its challenges and joys each day make for a very diverse job, where no two days are the same. Corne completed 2 years of postgraduate business schooling at UFV which taught him the basics of business but his most significant career growth has been a product of being hands-on and involved each and every day alongside his team.
Campbell Woike is a 3rd generation farmer from the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island. Poultry is his family’s primary farming operation but they also operate a CFIA licensed Egg Grading Station and market and sell 100% of the eggs they produce from their 70,000 laying hens. Campbell is the General Manager of the farm. His family also has a small 10-acre hazelnut orchard, 300 acres of field crops and a small 50-head cow-calf operation. Campbell is a graduate of Olds College – Agriculture Management Diploma with a major in finance. He volunteers as an ambassador with BC Egg at events educating people about egg farming. He is a Director of the Vancouver Island Egg Producers Association and the BC Egg Producers Association. This year he was selected to be part of the Egg Farmers of Canada Young Farmers program. At 22 he is the youngest member of BC Young Farmers and is excited to be part of the committee. Campbell hopes he can bring his level of hands-on farming experience along with the expertise he has in finance and marketing to help highlight B.C.’s Young Farmers.
Rebecca and her family operate Winners Holstein Farms, a 450 cow dairy farm in Cloverdale, B.C. In addition to milking cows, Rebecca has helped add a small beef herd to the farm and market beef products online to her community. Rebecca attended university in Saskatoon, working towards a bachelor’s degree in agriculture where she focused on animal sciences. During her time in Saskatoon, she volunteered at the university barns during lambing season, at the dairy, and vaccinated poultry. Rebecca has volunteered with the Mainland Young Milk Producers and was deeply involved in 4-H for more than a decade – at the club, district, provincial, and national levels. She enjoys networking with like-minded individuals, sharing ideas, and learning about other sectors in agriculture.
