West Coast Seeds Ltd. West Coast Seeds 1/31/2015. KPU Small Farm Sessions - Alex Ausustyniak - Opportunities with West Coast Seeds 1

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1 WCS Retail Store on Elliott St. West Coast Seeds Ltd B Ave Ladner, British Columbia We have worked hard to improve our corner at Elliott Street and River Road, and look forward to maintaining this as our retail location. West Coast Seeds Site plan Approx. 16 acres of certified organic farm Provide opportunity for agri tourism, education centre on sustainable agriculture and seed trials. WCS is a certified organic operation CFIA, licensed seed import & export and audited yearly We spend large amounts of money and time to ensure we have the fattest best quality seed with the most vigour and germ All WCS seeds have been tested by a third party seed lab, for phyto, purity and germ, currently there are no seed labs in BC, we use 20/20 in Alberta Our values are to provide, Untreated, Non GMO seeds, Open pollinated and Organic if possible, many varieties are F1 and are appropriate for farms looking for consistent quality produce We guarantee that we sell Canada no. 1 seed WCS by offering OP, gives farms the opportunity to save their own seeds WCS encourages farms to save their own seed, continue to grow out hierloom and heritage seeds just as farmers have done for centuries We are looking for farms that are willing to look at different varieties to trial, document, photo and sell in different parts of BC and Canada. Giving us feed back and vision on varieties to offer the home gardner and farms alike. Remember we are focused on what grows well in our northern coastal climate House current Barn Opportunities with West Coast Seeds 1

2 Barn and garage West Coast Seeds Ltd. West Coast Seeds provides the best quality, untreated seeds for Organic growing Non GMO We are active supporters of the Bauta Family Initiative for Canada s seed security, in line with Farm Folk City Folk and the Young Agarians local to BC. Some seeds, Our seed garlic, seed potatoes, soon to come Hops are from BC. West Coast Seeds is looking to partner with universities and colleges, one being Kwantlen College, on what we can do to help set up a registered and certified seed lab in BC, able to fully test seeds to Canadian and US standards. West Coast Seeds trial gardens will be used to grow out our vegetable, herb and flower seeds for demonstration and research purposes. West Coast Seeds values support sustainable agriculture and support the ideals of the ALC and are working with the Kwantlen College Sustainable agricultural program in addition to the UBC botanical gardens. Sunflower trials West Coast Seeds at UBC Botanical Garden WCS trials are currently conducted in many place across the Lower Mainland. We will continue to work closely with the UBC Botanical Garden. All food grown at the UBC Botanical Garden is donated to the Salvation Army Foodbank West Coast Seeds works with many school gardens in BC, nurturing a passion for gardening in young people. Our seed donation and school fundraising programs have enabled numerous schools to start gardening programs. In addition, all returns of seed that did not sell in our retail partners, are donated to both Canadian and third world causes, preferably non profit registered charities and schools. Opportunities with West Coast Seeds 2

3 Historic Kirkland House Demonstration garden, Kirkland House New raised beds at Kirkland House, 2012, donated by West Coast Seeds. Demonstration garden, Kirkland House Demonstration garden, Kirkland House Kirkland House trials Lettuce demo, Kirkland House Demonstration Garden, Kirkland House Opportunities with West Coast Seeds 3

4 West Coast Seeds Ltd. Items to note In BC, farm land values are high in comparison to US and remainder of Canada Canada has a short growing season, but also presents other opportunities Young and small scale farms need to find their niche and focus on what sells well and grows well here in BC Plant breeding and seed production takes a large amount of man power, experience, high levels of quality control, infastructure and knowledge Many people in the industry are available to help farms looking to get into seed production, understand what equipment is needed or required A major opportunity is certified organic seedlings, with WCS organic seed, signage, and promotion. WCS supports the current retail partners and is looking to support our current market gardeners, CSA s, farmers with our promotion and advertising WCS has a large presence on social media, namely newsletters, catalogues, facebook, twitter, instagram and various other standard media Example: recent news article on WCS, in the Vancouver Sun If you are buying our seeds, have signage showing you are using WCS to grow your veg at markets, have signage at markets, we will support you with facebook and our website Ladner Community Garden WCS conducts trials in 14 raised beds at Holly Park. Above is our wildflower trial, Ladner Community Garden Westham Island Herb Farm 2013 Cabbage Trials, Holly Park WCS has conducted seed trials at Westham Island Herb Farm, and plays an active role in their annual Day at the Farm event. West Coast Seeds Lettuce Trials West Coast Seeds Onion Seeds 2011 WCS Lettuce trials, Westham Island Herb Farm Opportunities with West Coast Seeds 4

5 WCS Education Feast of Fields Trial Gardens Trials Trials Trial tour Demonstration for Organic farmers Opportunities with West Coast Seeds 5

6 West Coast Seeds Ltd. What we offer WSCs works hard to help and educate our local and worldwide community of growing your own food from seed and buying locally WCS has a large following on our website, newsletters going out to 60K people, facebook with 73K likes Many news articles in local and regional papers help to promote WCS and yourself We continue to promote sustainable agriculture and are looking for farmers that are growing our seed and selling the produce, so we can get photo s to promote you and your business We understand without you being successful we don t have customers As you can see, WCS has continually created and maintained demonstration and trial gardens throughout the lower mainland We want the opportunity to work with more farmers to produce different varieties based on taste Opportunities with West Coast Seeds 6