Spotlight On a Noteworthy North Saanich Resident: Tina Fraser-Baynes
by S. Chandler
In early September I sat down with Tina-Fraser Baynes over coffee to talk about her long and remarkable career in the organic food movement.
It’s hard to know what forges the spirit of a maverick. What is it that inspires someone to have a different vision and approach, and to choose a path less well travelled?
When Tina Fraser-Bayes started her farming career in the early 1990s, ‘organic’ mostly referred to a branch of chemistry, and ‘local’ to a pub down the road. These were the glory days of Big Ag when notions of a 100-mile diet and seasonal eating were neglected practices.
Tina’s 35-year career on the South Island breathed new life into those practices and inspired a local food movement. Farm markets and coops were started, grants were pursued, courses taught, organic practices advocated for, and young farmers mentored and matched with landowners. Tina is quick to say she did not do this work alone, but collaboratively with others. “You need many people around the table” says Tina “so you can tap into a broad base of skills and talents. Farming is as much about planning, problem-solving, marketing, and managing as it is about understanding how to grow food.”
Tina’s draw to the land began early. Growing up on a farm near Stratford Ontario, Tina has good memories of everyone in the family pitching in to grow sweet corn, potatoes, mixed vegetables, and chickens. The value of working with the soil stayed with Tina, so that even when she moved to the West Coast in 1979 to raise a family and work in a medical clinic, she still found the time to hang out in gardens.
In 1982, Tina took a trip to San Francisco and had dinner at Chez Panisse. She learned about Chef Alice Waters, and her quest to change people’s appreciation for the aesthetics and taste of local ingredients. Alice sought out organic farmers who practiced soil regeneration, chose the best varieties, and picked at peak harvesting times. Tina remembers how the restaurant was set in a beautiful old house, and how a five-course menu was set daily to reflect what was in season. In this case the first course was a small bowl of tomatoes. That’s it! Just tomatoes? But then Tina tasted the tomatoes and was amazed by the taste, texture and sheer deliciousness. So, when Alice Waters came by the table to chat, Tina asked about the tomatoes and Alice explained some of the fundamentals of organic growing. Looking back, this was a moment of inspiration for Tina. Shortly afterwards she enrolled in a horticultural program at Camosun College and began her life’s work growing food using certified organic methods and principles.
Tina not only became a grower extraordinaire (her tomatoes are legendary) but was also one of the drivers behind key organic initiatives such as, The Moss Street Market (1992), South Island Organic Producers Association (1992), Linking Land and Future Farmers (1994), Saanich Organics (2000), Land for Food Coalition (2001), Halliburton Community Organic Farm Society (2002), and our own North Saanich Farm Market (2008).
Tina came to North Saanich in 2002 after meeting long-term resident Diana Chown at the Moss Street Market. Diana was a member of BC Voice of Women (a branch of a national peace organization) which had recently begun offering micro loans to female entrepreneurs. Diana encouraged Tina and her business partner Rebecca Jehn to apply for a loan to put in irrigation at Saanich Organics. Over time this connection led Tina to start the first certified organic operation at Diana’s historic Corner Farm on Towner Park Road – started and named in the 1940s by Diana’s Grandfather. Once at Corner Farm the synergies continued when Tina, Diana, and a group of local women began the North Saanich Farm Market in 2008.
In 2019 Tina retired (sort of). She now has the time to get up a little later, drink her coffee a little longer, and read her way through the large pile of books that have accumulated over the years. She also spends time at Ashley Stelck’s Two Little Birds Flower Farm – tending flowers and, you guessed it, growing vegetables. Sidebar: Tina’s favourite tomatoes. San Marzano, an Italian variety of plum tomato excellent for sauces and canning. Paul Robeson, a European heirloom variety named after the American opera singer, actor, human-rights advocate, and tomato lover.
// Tina’s favourite tomatoes. San Marzano, an Italian variety of plum tomato excellent for sauces and canning. Paul Robeson, a European heirloom variety named after the American opera singer, actor, human-rights advocate, and tomato lover.
