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Klippers Organic Acres: The Mission, The Values, The People

A Bit of History on Klippers Organic Acres

Klippers Organic Acres was founded in 2001 by Kevin and Annamarie Klippenstein, when they purchased a 5-acre parcel of land in Cawston, BC to grow fruit and vegetables using organic principles. In 2001, Kevin and Annamarie’s goal was to provide healthy, high-quality produce to families across British Columbia. Since then, their goal hasn’t changed much. Today, Kevin and Annamarie are proud to say that they have been farming for over twenty years and what started as 5 acres has expanded to 60.

Klippers Organic Acres farms in a sustainable manner, striving to give back to the earth rather than depleting it. The farm is a very diversified operation that encompasses a wide variety of fruit and vegetables as well as pastured laying hens. Klippers Organic Acres supplies produce locally and throughout Vancouver through the means of farmers markets, restaurants, cafes, grocers, and through a very popular CSA program. The Klippensteins’ work to ensure that Klippers Organic Acres has a positive impact on its local farming community by offering apprenticeships, and other educational programs as well as providing healthy produce to its customers.

Overall, those at Klippers Organic Acres believe that sustainable, healthy, and delicious food is essential and are passionate about providing a wide variety of fresh, seasonal produce throughout the province.

Klippers Organic Acres Mission Statement

The mission of Klippers Organic Acres is to provide high-quality, healthy, seasonal food to its local community in a sound ecological way while maintaining financial sustainability.

Klippers Organic Acres Values

We strive to…

- Be a leader in seasonal and year-round growing

- Be a family-oriented and enjoyable workplace

- Be lifelong learners and encourage our employees to grow and learn alongside us

- Increase the environmental/ecological quality of our land

- Educate our customers and members of our community on the value of local sustainable agriculture

- Work hard and to be efficient and enjoy an honest day’s work

- Maintain a positive and continued relationship with our customers

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The Management Team

Kevin Klippenstein (Co-Owner of Klippers Organic Acres)

Before co-founding Klippers Organic Acres, Kevin was involved in the hospitality industry and was managing restaurants and bars in the Lower Mainland, where he grew up. At the age of 26, Kevin moved to Cawston with his wife, Annamarie. Together, the two shared a desire to grow healthy, organic food for themselves and their customers. Today, Kevin is responsible for the overall management of Klippers Organic Acres and all of its respective businesses, focusing on finance, production, farmer’s markets, and administration. Kevin strives to foster innovation and is continuously working on fostering and maintaining connections with people from all different fields in relation to organic food and regenerative agriculture. Additionally, over the past 20 years of building the farm to what it is today, Kevin has sat on the Board of Directors for Vancouver Farmers Markets, has been the Chair of the Organic Farming Institute and the BC Turkey Marketing Board, and has sat on numerous other committees related to local food production as well.

Annamarie Klippenstein (Co-Owner of Klippers Organic Acres)

Before co-founding Klippers Organic Acres in 2001, Annamarie grew up on a certified organic farm in the Fraser Valley. Thanks to her childhood spent organic farming, Annamarie learned many of the life skills which have helped to drive the success and expansion of what Klippers Organic Acres is today. After going on to university to study engineering, and having spent a few years in Vancouver working in the hospitality industry, Annamarie decided to put her knowledge of growing and selling good healthy food to work, and Klippers Organic Acres was born! Today, Annamarie is responsible for the overall management of the farm, focusing on production (crop planning, crop rotation, seed ordering, propagation, training, mentoring, harvesting, etc...). Annamarie is also the General Manager of Row Fourteen as well as the current General Manager and head baker of Klippers Marketplace & Cafe. Overall, Annamarie’s passion, much like her mother’s, has been to raise her children in the business: teaching them respect, work ethic, and a deep connection to the land. Annamarie enjoys sports and spends her spare time coaching community and high school sports teams.

In 2011, Kevin and Annamarie were recognized as Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for the year.

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MacKenzie Rd Art & Wine Crawl

By Derek Gray • 02 Mar, 2024

We are excited to invite you to the 3rd annual 'MacKenzie Rd Art Crawl', now with an added twist! This year's event will feature 40+ local art vendors. To sweeten the deal, we're also including 10+ local wineries, cideries, breweries, and distilleries for you to sample from. To top it off, live music will be playing throughout the event. Don't miss out on this unique opportunity to explore and support the local art, beverage, food, and music scene!

Summer CSA Shares 2024: All You Need To Know

By Derek Gray • 09 Feb, 2024

2024 CSA Information + "Farmers Supporting Families". Again this summer, we are offering weekend and midweek CSA shares throughout Vancouver, the Lower Mainland, and the Okanagan/Similkameen. As well, our CSA giveback program is back... with a new (& better) name!

Farmers Supporting Families Summary

By Derek . • 28 May, 2023

" Farmers Supporting Families " Summary

Farm-To-Table Event: Celebrating 20 Years of Organic Farming at Klippers Organic Acres

08 May, 2023

Indulge in an enchanting experience as we celebrate the deep-rooted connections we've forged over two decades of organic farming in Cawston, BC. This much-awaited event, originally slated for August 2022 (postponed due to wildfire risks) has now been reinvented, making it even more exceptional than before. Join us for an exquisite culinary journey as 10+ renowned chefs from across BC tantalize your taste buds with their Klippers-to-table creations. To complement these delectable treats, guests can enjoy expertly paired beverages from 10+ wineries, cideries, breweries, and distilleries, each with unique offerings. Don't miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience that celebrates the best of organic farming, local produce, regional beverages, and whimsical live music.

CSA vs. Grocery Store Cost Comparison

By Derek Gray • 21 Apr, 2023

We'll start off by saying that as grocery prices continue to increase, our CSA rates have remained unchanged. We understand that many households are feeling financial strain, and the last thing we want to do is contribute to this. Taking part in Community Supported Agriculture allows individuals and families to buy directly from local farmers, providing a variety of fresh, seasonal produce that is healthier for you, the planet, and your budget - which is particularly important right now. Furthermore, we'd like to highlight that although our CSA rates are based on $30/week (small) and $50/week (large), we always provide more than this.

2024/2025 Winter CSA!

30 Sep, 2022

Winter CSA shares begin in the first week of November and run bi-weekly for 12 weeks (until mid-April). In your winter CSA, you can expect to receive over $60 worth of farm fresh winter harvest items such as beets, carrots, onions, garlic, apples, potatoes, squash each week.

NEW Online Store!

31 Aug, 2022

We've been working hard behind the scenes this summer to do a major upgrade of our online store, www.shopklippers.ca.

2024 Single Parent CSA Initiative Summary

10 Jun, 2022

After 22 years of growing food in the Similkameen Valley, we are grateful as a business to be able to give back to the community through this program.

We Are Hiring! 2024 Job Postings

11 May, 2022

Join our team in 2024! Are you interested in learning more about regenerative agriculture and local food systems? We are gearing up for a busy Spring/Summer/Fall season in 2024 and are currently looking for hardworking, open-minded, down-to-earth, and kind-spirited people to join our team! We are hiring farm positions, packing house positions, restaurant positions, and cafe positions. We are currently accepting applications for leadership and entry-level roles. Flex positions between the restaurant, cafe, and farm can be considered for all positions. See below for job descriptions! On-site staff housing may be provided at a discounted rate. To apply for any position, please submit your resume to klippersorganics@gmail.com or info@rowfourteen.ca. You may also drop off your resume at Klippers Marketplace & Cafe and/or Row Fourteen. Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you!