Author: Fresh Valley
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Gallagher eShepherd Virtual fencing arrives at Fresh Valley Farms
This week brought one of the biggest pasture management changes we have made in a long time. We put grazing collars for a virtual fencing system on our first group of cattle. These collars are from Gallagher Animal Management’s eShepherd Virtual Fencing System. They use virtual fencing. The basic idea is a bit like the invisible boundary systems many people use for dogs, but built for cattle and pasture management. Instead of moving wire and posts every time we want to shift a grazing area, we can now create and adjust paddocks digitally. That gives us a whole new level…
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North Okanagan’s new Butcher Hub opens in Spallumcheen
The North Okanagan Butcher Hub is now open in Spallumcheen, and this is a big moment for small-scale farming in our region. For years, small-scale meat producers across the Okanagan have faced the same challenge. Raising livestock is one part of the work. Getting animals processed in a timely, legal, and affordable way is another. Access to processing has been limited, and that bottleneck has made it harder for local farms to bring meat to market. The North Okanagan Butcher Hub This new facility is the first of its kind in British Columbia. It was created to support small-scale livestock…
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Fresh Valley Farms has a new logo, with roots that go back to the beginning
Fresh Valley Farms has a new look for 2026. Our new yellow sun logo is now here, and it carries a big piece of our story, both old and new, with it. If it feels familiar, that is by design. This new logo is a callback to our first Fresh Valley Farms logo from 2015 – back when Steve renamed Meggait Farms, now reimagined for today. It brings back the rising sun, while keeping the values that have shaped this farm from the start: pasture-raised meats, care for the land, care for the animals, and care for the community. And…
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Simple Roast Whole Chicken Recipe
A great roast chicken needs dry skin, even heat, and time to rest. When the bird is well raised, the flavour is already there. Salt, heat, and restraint do the rest. This method is designed for pasture-raised, organic chickens like those from Fresh Valley Farms. It prioritizes crisp skin, juicy meat, and reliable results. Pasture-raised birds have better fat distribution, firmer texture, and deeper flavor. When the animal is raised well, the cooking can stay simple. A roast chicken like this does not need embellishment. It just needs respect. No basting. No marinades. No trussing. Just good technique. Many of…
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Upcoming BC outstanding young farmer event in January 2026
January is shaping up to be a meaningful month for us. On January 21 and 22, 2026, we will be heading to Abbotsford to take part in the British Columbia and Yukon Outstanding Young Farmer regional event. The event will be held in Abbotsford and brings together farmers from across the BC and Yukon region who have been nominated for their leadership, innovation, and commitment to agriculture. Being included in this group is an honour, and we are grateful for the chance to share our farm story in this setting. Over two days, nominees participate in practice presentations, private judging…
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Maui Ribs: A Beefy Slow-Cook Cut to Try on a lazy weekend
Maui ribs are a lesser-known beef cut that comes from the lower rib and plate section of the animal, near the belly. This area does a lot of work, which means the meat is full of connective tissue, bone, and deep beef flavour. When cut across the bone, the ribs include layers of meat, cartilage, and fat that are ideal for slow cooking. They are not a steak cut and they are not meant to be rushed. Maui ribs are a slow-food cut, designed for long, gentle cooking that transforms them into something rich and tender. The name “Maui ribs”…
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We’re heading to Nelson for the basin food festival
Next weekend, we’re packing the van and heading to Nelson for the Basin Food Festival. We’ll be set up at the public market at Selkirk College’s Tenth Street Campus on Saturday with a van load full of Fresh Valley Farms goodness, and we’re really looking forward to seeing familiar faces and meeting new ones. If you already know what you want, we strongly encourage pre-ordering. Market selection is always limited, and pre-orders are the best way to make sure you get the cuts and quantities you’re after. We’ll pack your order in advance and have it ready for quick pickup…
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New electric delivery van (powered by our solar panels)
We just added something new to the Fresh Valley Farms fleet = our new all-electric delivery van is officially on the road. This van will be used to deliver customer orders to pickup locations across the Okanagan, Shuswap, Thompson, and Kootenay regions. It replaces a fossil-fuel delivery vehicle and marks a meaningful step forward in how we move food from our farm to your table. What makes this especially exciting is where the energy comes from. The van is powered in large part by the new solar array installed here on the farm. That means many orders now travel using…
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New Passive Solar + Geothermal Greenhouse Being Installed
Our new passive solar geothermal greenhouse is being installed on the farm! It is already changing how we think about growing, seasonality, and resilience. Winters here are long. Frost comes early, and spring warmth can be unpredictable. That reality shapes how food is grown in the North Okanagan. The greenhouse gives us a way to work with those conditions instead of fighting them. Passive solar greenhouse with geothermal The Greenhouse in the Snow is a passive solar, geothermal greenhouse designed specifically for cold climates. Its curved structure captures sunlight during the day, while the surrounding earth stores and slowly releases…
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Bill Gallagher, the Inventor of the Electric Fence
Bill Gallagher (Alfred William Gallagher, 1911–1990) was a New Zealand inventor and farmer who helped make electric fencing practical for everyday farms. In the 1930s, he solved a simple problem with a safe electric pulse and then turned that idea into early fence energizers that made livestock control cheaper and more flexible than traditional fencing. After World War II, he scaled manufacturing and kept improving his designs as electric fencing spread worldwide. His work helped shape modern animal management and grew into what became the Gallagher Group. Who was Bill Gallagher? Bill Gallagher was born in Hamilton, in New Zealand’s…
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Simple Holiday Roast Turkey Recipe
Fresh Valley Farms turkeys are slow-grown, pasture-raised, and full of real flavor. That means they cook differently than supermarket birds. They deserve a method that protects the breast meat, fully cooks the legs, and lets the natural taste shine. A great turkey does not need tricks. It needs time, salt, and steady heat. This method focuses on even cooking, juicy breast meat, and properly rendered skin. This recipe is inspired by the work of J. Kenji López-Alt, whose approach focuses on food science, temperature control, and simple techniques that work in home kitchens. Most dry turkeys fail for one reason.…
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Fall 2024 Workshop: Pastured Pig and Poultry Production on the Small-Scale Farm
Fresh Valley Farms will host Pastured Pig and Poultry Production on the Small-Scale Farm, a full day of hands-on learning this September, and we are excited to share the details. On September 8, 2024, the Small-Scale Meat Producers Association (SSMPA) will join us in Armstrong, BC for a workshop focused on raising pigs and poultry on pasture. This event runs from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and will offer a full mix of demonstrations, farm tours, field discussions, and practical tools that producers can bring home to their own farms. This workshop is designed for anyone who wants to learn…