The idea for Seed to Culture first came to fruition when Jill realized she had developed an allergy to wine. It led her to question everything about what she was consuming, which inspired her to search for a better way of eating and living. At the time, she had a few stints in hobby farming, was working in fish conservation, and was experimenting with fermentation at home. She no longer wanted to live in the city, so she took a leap of faith and moved to Lillooet to learn more about farming, where she grew and developed Seed to Culture to where it is today.
For Jill, it is all about using the freshest ingredients possible, and she takes pride in the fact that the vegetables that she pulls from the earth are the same that you’ll find in any jar of Seed to Culture ferments.
Christoph came to Lillooet for what began with a weekend visit. He quickly fell in love with the people, climate, and amazing produce, making the decision to move there an easy one. He was inspired to seize the opportunity to learn more about farming, as before coming to Lillooet, Christoph did a practicum in sustainable agriculture at UBC and continues to grow as sustainably as possible. He’s been farming for over 10 years now and loves the dynamic lifestyle and challenges that come with it.
As farmers, they are committed to organic and regenerative farming practices, meaning that no chemicals are used, enriching the soil with organic matter, such as hay mulch and cover crops. As fermenters, they use traditional techniques to create the most delicious, probiotic-rich and nutritious ferments possible without any additives. From their sauerkraut to their crispy dill pickles, they know every ingredient that goes into each jar from seed to culture.
Question: How are you supporting other local businesses?
Answer: All of our produce is either grown by us or local farms in Pemberton. Our spices are purchased locally. All packaging is purchased in the Lower Mainland. Every component of our business is in BC. We source our cabbage from Laughing Crow Organics (Pemberton) and all other vegetables are grown by us in Lillooet. Our salt is sourced from Vancouver Island Salt Company (Campbell River) and spices are from Organic Matters in Nelson. We do our labelling with Glenwood Labels (New West) and our jars are from Richards Packaging in Delta. Our accounting is with Debra Neufeld (Lillooet), photography is done by Lisa Severn (Whistler), and website and IT is with The Interzone Media (Lillooet).
Question: What social and environmental practices are you proud of?
We hire local youth and those aged 50+ to help us on the farm and processing kitchen. We also hire local Indigenous youth. We support our local youth programs by giving on-farm training. Our farming practices are certified organic, and no machinery is used. We use no-till farming and regenerative practices. All the ingredients in our fermented products are organic and sustainably grown.
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