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Grower wins Yukon’s 2022 Agriculture Award
March 28, 2022 By Government of Yukon
Lorne Metopolit (right) with daughter Kelsey (left). Photo courtesy of Yukon Gardens The Government of Yukon recognized Lorne Metropolit, owner and operator of Yukon Gardens, as the 2022 winner of the Yukon Agriculture Award last month.
Metropolit was awarded for his decades of work developing agriculture and building food security in the Yukon.
In 1985, Metropolit started Yukon Gardens as a show garden to demonstrate what can be grown in the north’s cold climate. Over 40 years later, the family business has expanded to grow greenhouse produce that can be found on the shelves in most of Whitehorse’s grocery stores. Over time, Yukon Gardens has become the territory’s largest family-run greenhouse and garden centre operation and grows tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and lettuce.
In the late 1980s, Metropolit was promoting northern agriculture nationally on CBC’s Canadian Gardener television show and was featured more recently on the cover of Greenhouse Canada for his hydroponic greenhouse heated with biomass. Metropolit has also delivered many gardening programs at the local correctional facility, communities and schools across the Yukon.
The Government of Yukon’s Yukon Agriculture Award was part of the 2022 celebrations for Canada’s Agriculture Day.
“Congratulations to Lorne for winning the Yukon Agriculture Award. Lorne’s dedication to growing produce in the north has helped expand the Yukon’s agricultural sector and highlight what can be grown in our climate. His resilience, innovation and hard work has ensured that Yukon Gardens’ greenhouses continue to put healthy, nutritious food on the tables of Yukoners and is an example of the territory’s ability for self-sufficient food production,” said Yukon’s Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources, John Streicker.
Second place runner-up was Agnes Seitz for her work in the Mount Lorne area. Other nominees included Trevor Amiot, Sunnyside Farm, Megan Waterman of Laststraw Ranch, Jean Van Bibber, Gail Riederer, Alan Stannard, Bluebird Farm and Jolene Billwiller.
This award was formerly known as the Farmer of the Year Award. The Government of Yukon updated the name to be more inclusive of those recognized for their contribution to the agriculture industry.
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