May 2021 Newsletter

The 2021 season is well on the way.  So far, we have been working steadily on Lamb, Pigs and Beef and the poultry season started this month.

Some important booking information:

  • Poultry: There is some room for poultry on June 1st but otherwise days are full until August.   There is a potential for extra poultry days if anyone has a large booking or we have enough demand.   Otherwise, Mariah will be keeping a waitlist for June & July dates so let her know if you are raising birds that you haven’t yet booked.
  • If you are bringing in less birds than you booked please tell Mariah well in advance so the the space can be filled. 
  • We are offering vacuum packing for poultry from June 8 for a small additional charge. Exact amount is still to be determined but likely 10 or 15 cents on the processing fee.  Please let Mariah know if you wish to use this service.
  • Red Meat: Currently there are few bookings in June. Unless we hear from farmers very soon there will only be one red meat slaughter day Thursday June 17.   From July 8 onwards there will be weekly red meat slaughter on Thursdays until December 9.  However, we will be limiting the bookings to 15 lambs a week (instead of 25-30) until new staff get up to speed.  And we are currently pausing any new beef bookings (again until the new staff are ready).

Thank you Sequoia!

As some of you might be aware, Sequoia is moving on.  Known to all on Salt Spring by his first name only, Sequoia Lesosky has worked at the abattoir since May 2013 a few months into its first year of operation. At that time Sequoia was known as a mushroom harvester and came with a variety of practical skills. He quickly picked up anything new that was needed and became a skilled poultry processor, slaughterman, butcher, and sausage maker.  He also helped with construction when the facility was enlarged, and services expanded to include beef and pork. His productivity has been prodigious – 30 lambs in a day is unlikely to be matched by his successors for a long time. He has trained and mentored countless staff and is the longest serving employee to date. He will be very much missed. Thank you, Sequoia for your long and reliable service to our community.

The Abattoir is Hiring

We are still looking for new members for the red meat team this season for kill days and for cut & wrap.   If you know of anyone who has the skills, please tell them to contact us by email: ssiabattoir@gmail.com 

Canada Summer Jobs Program

Do you know anyone who wants a summer job? Under the Canada Summer Jobs Program the Salt Spring Abattoir is hiring a young person (15-30) for 3 days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday Thursday) at $16.50/hr from the end of June and into September. Work includes assisting with poultry processing, cut & wrap, facility maintenance and other tasks under direction of our regular staff. 

Waste Management

Please note any inedible waste not picked up on a slaughter day will be disposed of by the abattoir and the fee added to your invoice.  If you take the abattoirs containers, please return them rinsed within 24hrs. 

AGM 2021

On April 21st, 2021, the Annual General Meeting was held via Zoom – only 12 attendees were present.   The 2020 season was reviewed as well as challenges that we faced and are still currently facing.  The following people were elected to the 2021 Board of Directors:

  • Lisa Adams
  • Fraser Baldwin (Secretary)
  • Chris Clark (Treasurer)
  • Mark Hughes
  • Mariah Hutchinson (non-voting staff rep.)
  • Mike Lane (Vice President)
  • Anne Macey (President)
  • Danielle Osieck
  • Margaret Thomson 

Special thanks were extended to long time volunteers – David Astill for ensuring monthly water samples are submitted and to Caroline Hickman who counts up the receipts in our box at Country Grocer every month. Since 2012 a total of $20,252 has been donated by Country Grocer via this program! Thank you all for supporting our community abattoir.