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134 year old Sunny Brae Farm had strong growing season, but struggled to find enough help

A man and his dog sit on a deck with an ocean view in the background.
Mike Manson and his faithful dog Clem sit on the deck of their home at Sunny Brae Farm. Photo by Greg Osoba.
Greg Osoba - CKTZ - Cortes Island • BC | 25-10-2022
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The historic Sunny Brae Farm had one of its best growing seasons to date, but the local farm faced challenges with help during the harvest.

Sunny Brae Farm was founded in 1888 by Scotsman John Manson, one of the first Europeans to settle on Cortes Island. The farm has remained in the Manson family through the generations and is now owned and operated by John Manson's grandson, Mike Manson.

A sign featuring a graphic of a farm and black letters on a beige background displays a government heritage award.

Heritage award from the BC Ministry of Agriculture. Photo by Greg Osoba.

The farm achieved heritage status from the BC government in 2013 and is now known primarily for its blueberry production. Mike says 2022 saw one of the strongest growing seasons ever for the farm, with more than a million blueberries picked.

But like many other sectors of the economy, Mike says his farm didn't find it easy to find enough help for the blueberry harvest. He adds that, in the past, they could count on adolescents getting in touch for summer picking jobs, but that hasn't been happening in the past couple of years. He believes other businesses are attracting young workers with higher paying jobs.

A large burl with the words Sunny Brae Farm hangs from a frame outdoors.

Welcome sign for Sunny Brae Farm. Photo by Greg Osoba.

Mike says this year they managed to find enough help through visiting friends and family as well as from an unexpected demographic: seniors.

Find out about the legacy and challenges of Sunny Brae Farm in the interview below with CKTZ News:

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