A partnership between two North Okanagan-Shuswap farm families is producing more opportunities to shop local.
With its first storefront property having opened this March in Vernon, Yankee Flats Meats now has a second Farm Shop, located in Salmon Arm at 3381 Yankee Flats Road – the home of Keenan Family Farms. Its grand opening takes place on Saturday, Aug. 31.
The farm shops offer a wide range of products including eggs, produce, seasonings, coffee, tea, treats (for people and dogs) and more, most of which is sourced from the North Okanagan-Shuswap and all from B.C.
Of course, the Farm Shops also offer meat: grass-fed, grain-finished beef, free-run chicken, grass-fed lamb and pasture-raised pork, with items available fresh and frozen, all produced and processed locally. For example, the pork (and eggs) comes from the Keenans, Chelsea and James – one of the families behind Yankee Flats Meats. Their business partners, Scott and Lydia McKnight handle the processing.
Prior to this collaboration, Scott and Lydia began raising their own pigs on property belonging to Scott's parents, Stuart and Teresa McKnight (also partners behind Yankee Flats Meats). As the number of pigs grew, the couple found it difficult to raise them while operating their cut and wrap business, Beast and Block.
In need of a butcher, the Keenans contacted the McKnights who were looking to lease agricultural property. A partnership formed, a lease signed and the McKnights were able to move their business to the Keenan's property.
In August 2022, local meat producers suffered a setback with the closure of the Rocana Meats abattoir in Salmon Arm. While the Keenan's acquired a farmgate licence that allowed them to slaughter on their property, it was good for only about half the number pigs there.
"We are looking into pursuing a fully licensed abattoir that would take our capacity and hopefully other farmers’ as well,” Chelsea told the Observer.
This need would be a contributing factor behind the creation of Yankee Flats Meats and its provincially licensed abattoir and processing facility, giving local family farms a way to bring meat to market. Sourcing poultry, beef and lamb from other family farms in and around the area, another goal behind Yankee Flats Meats is, in Scott's words, to "allow the consumer to understand where their meat was coming from, how it was raised, who it was raised by."
Along with opening a second Farm Shop, Yankee Flats Meats is also participating in the new Shuswap Farm Stand Trail initiative. Rolled out by Shuswap Tourism and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District, the self-guided tour was created to showcase "the rich bounty of local agriculture in the Falkland, Salmon River and Yankee Flats area.
"We are joining this initiative as it aims to connect visitors and residents with locally-produced farm products, creating a stronger bond between our community and the family farmers who work hard to provide wholesome, sustainable food options," reads a media release from Yankee Flats Meats.
The tour map is available at shuswapgrown.ca.
The Yankee Flats Meats Processing Facility and Farm Store is open 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. Tuesday to Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. For more information, visit ymfeats.ca.
