Dynamic Duo’s Unique Market Garden Liquid Gold Apiaries | St. Isidore
After retiring from commercial beekeeping in 2021, Julien Dubrule, 56, and his wife, Michelle, 53, started a new venture—establishing, growing and running a market garden under the name Liquid Gold Apiaries.
What makes them unique? They use regenerative farming techniques. They sell their own sewing, quilting and woodworking wares, and they make and sell their own salsa and garlic powder.
“We grow carrots, lettuce, potatoes, tomatoes and more in a garden that is roughly half an acre in size,” said Julien. “Our vision is to keep it small, attend Farmers’ Markets and offer direct sales to local community members.”
With a passion for being outdoors, Julien has had an interest in growing produce from a young age. He says the shift from beekeeping to gardening was a sudden but welcomed change.
“This wasn’t always my retirement plan, but it seemed like the right direction to go in. I was ready for something different,” said Julien.
The Dubrules create and sell a variety of products and operate year-round. During the summer months, when they are not attending markets, they manage a vegetable stand in McLennan, sell produce onsite at their garden and frequently meet up with customers in Peace River.
“We love crafting and often have sewing, quilting, woodworking and carvings available in the off season,” said Michelle. “We also sell our homemade garlic powder, salsa and fresh eggs, which are some of our best sellers.”
Owning and operating a market garden takes months of preparation. They typically start seedlings in February. Julien says he is consistently working to fine tune his operations to create ideal growing conditions.
“I’m always working on perfecting our compost. We run all the yard waste and garden scraps to our chickens to help with composting,” said Julien. “I also make biochar to add into our compost piles, which is dead wood that I have burned and turned into charcoal.”
Creating and using compost is an essential part of regenerative farming, which enables the Dubrules to have healthier soils to grow their vegetables in. By recycling organic waste back into the soil, they improve soil fertility as well as enhance its structure and biodiversity.
“It’s important to us to follow a system that helps us grow natural and healthy vegetables,” said Julien. “It’s similar to organic farming and allows us to create better soil year after year.”
The Dubrules’ dedication to quality is evident in every step of their production process, especially when it comes to making their signature garlic powder and salsa, which are meticulous and labour-intensive endeavors.
“Processing our garlic powder and salsa is a very hands-on, time-consuming task,” said Michelle. “We use all our own vegetables, chop everything by hand, work in small batches and take our time from start to finish to ensure it meets our standards.”
Julien says their customers can expect great service, local pick ups, easy online ordering and clean, fresh produce.
“We usually meet people in town, especially for egg deliveries, so customers don’t have to wait or drive out to us,” said Julien. “We also grow our vegetables without pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizers, which a lot of people appreciate and ask for.”
As they continue to grow their business and add to their garden, the Dubrules are eager to grow new produce and provide their customers with even more options and items to purchase.
“We have planted berry and fruit trees that we’ll add to the market, and we are looking forward to selling honey as well,” said Julien. “Another goal of ours is to attend more markets in different areas, so we can reach more people.”
Creating a rapport with customers is key, and both Michelle and Julien enjoy making connections with people who visit their garden and market stand. For the Dubrules, these personal interactions help build trust and loyalty, making each visit a memorable experience for their customers.
“We really like seeing customers at the markets and getting to know them,” said Michelle. “They become familiar faces, and it’s something we look forward to every time we venture to town.”
Words by Dani Wearden | Photography Submitted
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