Bess Vanzandwyk is a first generation farmer and the owner/operator/educator of Hip Peace Produce near Fort St John, BC. After 4 years of producing over 131 varieties of fruits, vegetables and herbs in the Peace River Valley she demonstrates that its micro climate can produce melons closer to the Yukon than Vancouver! Her dedication to sustainable, regenerative agriculture and local food systems as Climate Solutions, has brought her to coordinate the Northern Co-Hort, a northern farmer support program out of Fort St John, BC. Connecting with northern producers and consumers over the past year, Bess continues foraging for resources to build a path towards developing and supporting a strong, sustainable horticulture sector in the Peace Region that will meet consumers needs for years to come. Bess joined the NFU after being asked to speak at the 50th Anniversary Convention. Having been exposed to the NFU and the value of diverse perspectives being shared through a democratic process has sparked further inspiration in Bess to join farmers from across Canada to create the change we need to see in our world through shifting our production and consumption of the food we all eat.
