It takes a dedicated team to make “farm to table” a viable reality. With the experience and passion of many hardworking hands we are able to farm an abundant array of certified organic wines, crops and livestock to nourish those who visit.
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+Shelly Covert graduated from the University of Alberta with a BEd in Elementary Education. She is also a holistic Nutritionist with a diploma from the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition. Shelly has 20 years of experience co managing the family 650 acre mixed organic farm with her husband Gene. They were awarded the Outstanding Young Farmer Award BC/Yukon 2010.
Shelly has hosted a number of school tours and farm camps over the past 20 years. She is passionate about organic farming, sustainability and teaching anyone who will listen how to eat a healthy diet consuming food as close to its natural state as possible.
Shelly has hosted and directed a number of events on Covert Farms over the past 20 years including: The Festival of the Tomato which ran from 2001-2011 hosting over 2000 people. She and Gene co-host and organize The Freak’n Farmer Adventure Race with Hoodoo adventures. She has hosted a Yoga Festival, Fall Family Trail Runs, and a number of weddings and special events.
Shelly Covert can be contacted at shelly.covert@covertfarms.ca.
A native of Oliver, BC with a BSc in Physical Geography from UBC, Gene has over 28 years experience managing the family’s 650 acre mixed organic farm and 16 years as winery owner with his wife Shelly. Together, they were awarded the Outstanding Young Farmer award BC/Yukon 2010.
A volunteer board member of the Oliver Osoyoos Winery Association, past board member of the Thompson Okanagan Tourism association (6yrs) and past Vice President of the Apex Freestyle Club (3yrs). Past board member of the Oliver Economic Development Society (4yrs).
A student of ecosystem complexity and a natural engineer. Always curious and frequently humbled by single celled organisms.
Gene Covert can be contacted at gene@covertfarms.ca.
Jayna’s passion for wine, regenerative farming and our local region inspires us all – we’re so lucky to have her on the team.
Jayna Walsh can be contacted at jayna.walsh@covertfarms.ca.
Ed first came to the Valley and started working for Covert Farms in 2006, and with him came an expertise and appreciation for regenerative farming that was such a welcome addition to the Covert family.
Growing up in Saskatchewan, Ed came from generations of farmers on both sides of his family. His grandparents, who were farmers in Europe, were ahead of their time, and recognized the negative impacts of heavy machinery and use of commercial fertilizers and herbicides. This led them to become early adopters of proper soil management and regenerative farming practices, and passed this knowledge onto Ed at a young age.
Ed’s enthusiasm and passion for cover crops is like no other, and he’s always there to offer a helping hand. We are so lucky to have Ed on our team, and hope you’ll be lucky enough to join one of his farm tours one day!
Melanie first came to our farm in 1991, and shares “this piece of land holds a little magic that always makes me feel like this is exactly where I’m supposed to be.” In 2000, she attended organic gardening and farming school on Cortes Island, and by the time she returned back we had made the move to organic farming and winemaking.
We love her positive attitude, upbeat demeanour and all of the tender loving care she gives to our gardens and crops. Her current go-to wine? The 2019 Certified Organic Sauvignon Blanc Semillon, which she loves pairing with goat cheese phyllo bundles with roasted red peppers and caramelized onions 😋
Born in Marseille, France, he eventually moved to Montreal where he grew up in a family immersed in the wine industry.
He first visited us nearly 20 years ago to pick apples one summer season, and now lives with his young family on our fourth-generation, family-run farm. Working alongside Gene, together they create our award-winning portfolio of 100% estate-grown organic and biodynamic wines. Using minimal intervention – and as Jean Marc puts it – “letting the fruit do its thing”, he believes in the importance of soil health and working with outstanding quality grapes.
His go to wine? Our Grand Reserve Zinfandel, which pairs perfectly with his love of spicy food.
Born and raised in Winnipeg, she first moved to the South Okanagan in 2017 and has worked with us since 2018. On any given day, you can find Krista helping with pretty much everything on the farm – from school trips and working in the field, to guiding guests through their wine tasting experience. As Krista puts it, “I like the philosophy that each of us are part of a whole farm: our own little world that celebrates the diversity and balance with a general holistic approach to life”.
Krista’s go-to wine? The 2018 Grand Reserve Pinot Noir, which she pairs with turkey burgers complete with havarti and cranberry orange relish. Though she’ll be the first to quickly point out that our first-ever Chardonnay will reign supreme when it debuts in 2021
Jorden Hutchison is a Vancouver-based communications professional who brings more than 15 years of tourism and hospitality experience, and over a decade overseeing the media relations and marketing communications programs for various destinations, hotels and resorts, wineries, restaurants and more – spanning Western Canada to Mexico.Jorden specializes in supporting brands in becoming their best through a targeted approach that generates exposure, drives recognition, and ultimately increases sales and revenue – with a focus on ethically-driven companies who better their communities.When she’s not working, she can be found road tripping throughout BC with her husband and son, sipping one of her favourite BC wines, or hiking one of Vancouver’s many trails.Email jorden@hutchisonpr.com for visiting journalist inquiries, the latest news on Covert Farms, or for fact-checking and imagery requests.
Jorden Hutchison can be contacted at jorden@hutchisonpr.com.
This multi-talented singer/songwriter spent years performing in Nashville. She’s released two albums, toured the US, and even opened for the likes of Brandi Carlile and Keith Urban. Now a BC resident, we are so lucky to have her as part of the Covert family where she leads tours, works in the wineshop and often shares her incredible vocals with regular performances for our guests.
Jessica, Marisa and their team specialize in working with family farmers who honour the environment with sustainable practices, and like us believe that the best-tasting beverages are made with love and respect for nature.
Jessica Luongo and Marisa Varas can be contacted at info@amovino.ca.
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