Ladner organic seed company thrives in new facility

Posted by Peter Roaf on Jun 27, 2017
With her love of gardening and strong belief in growing food locally UBC nursing instructor, Mary Ballon, founded West Coast Seeds Ltd. 34 years ago in Vancouver. The company, now based in Ladner, has helped motivate a generation of organic gardeners on Canada’s West Coast and right across the continent.
 
photos by West Coast Seeds and Chris Offer

 

 

 

 

 

 

Certified by the Pacific Agriculture Certification Society, West Coast Seeds offers untreated seeds, specializing in Heirloom and Certified Organic seeds for organic growing, including 800 varieties of untreated, non GMO, non GEO, open pollinated and hybrid seeds.

Jack Diamond, came to Canada in 1927 as a young man and purchased his first business in 1940. Today the fourth generation of business leaders in the Diamond family now own West Coast Seeds continuing Jack’s founding principles of community and philanthropy and pursuit of the vision set by company founder Mary Ballon.

West Coast Seeds Ltd.'s new 16-acre farm in Ladner
Recent open house at the new facilityRecent Korean delegation visit
West Coast Seeds General Manager
Alex Augustyniak
Alex Augustyniak, left, thanked by
President Walt Hayward and Irene Forcier

This year West Coast Seeds has started operating from its new 16-acre organic farm in Ladner, at long last combining storage and packaging operations with trial and demonstration gardens in one location. The aim is to make the facility a resource for gardeners and farmers to showcase seed trials and host events focused on organic gardening and sustainable agriculture.