BC Dairy Farmer
Meet the Vanderkooi family: Bill and Helinda, and their children Annabelle, Liam, Violet, Lucy, and Joe.
Bill and Helinda are deeply committed to helping people learn about farming and where their food comes from. They own and operate Bakerview EcoDairy in Abbotsford, BC, which is a working farm that is open to the public for field trips, tours and events. The farm has 45 dairy cows, 300 beef cattle, 250 laying hens as well as beehives. In total, Bakerview sits on 105 acres. Most of the land is irrigated grass for the cattle, but they also grow berries and rice.
Being stewards of the land is extremely important to the Vanderkooi’s. They have embraced technology such as anaerobic digestors that help to convert animal manure into useable resources like heat and electricity. “Our dream for the EcoDairy is to collaborate with the agricultural community to continue to develop innovative solutions to improve animal well-being and the environment.”
