From floods to drought: Unpredictability of climate change challenges B.C. farmers

Temperature records continue to be set across southwest British Columbia this month as unseasonably warm and dry weather pushes drought conditions to Level 5 in some parts of the province.

For third-generation Abbotsford farmer Loren Taves, the conditions have been perplexing.

“I have never experienced a season that has been so warm and dry as this year, this September and October,” he said.

With barely any precipitation and temperatures soaring into the mid to high 20s, B.C. has set at least one high temperature record on all but one day in October so far.

In a little over 14 months, the South Coast has experienced drought conditions, unprecedented flooding, and a heat dome that claimed hundreds of lives and obliterated crops.

"Last year, we lost our entire berry crop. Ninety-five percent of it melted on the plants,” said Taves. “So that was five acres of berries that we couldn’t even harvest.”

Taves grow a variety of fruits and vegetables and each thrives under different ideal conditions.

The ongoing impacts of climate change are making it more and more difficult to predict when crops should be planted – and when they will be ready for harvest.

“You’ve got to think of every detail when it comes to climate and how your animals, your crops, how everybody is going to deal with it,” Taves said. “And you’ve got to think ahead of time. You can’t be in the middle of it and say ‘Oh, now I’ve got to think about it.’ You can’t. You’ve got to start a year in advance.”

Picture perfect conditions this autumn have crowds flocking to the dusty dry fields of the Taves Family Farms’ pumpkin patch.

"Now we're sweating and wearing shorts and tank tops but it's a nice change not to have to wear rubber boots that's for sure,” said Katrina Robinson, who visited the patch on Sunday with her friend and their daughters.

The farm includes a cidery, petting zoo and hay rides as part of a lucrative side hustle that is essential to its financial success as Taves tries to offset the cost of expensive irrigation systems he’s installing to combat the effects of climate change.

“I think last year with that berry crop we lost about $200,000 worth of berries,” he said. “Boom. Just like that.”