Kelowna华人史. 之八：农业领域的贡献 History of Kelowna Chinese Community (Part 8): Contributions to Agriculture

Original 谭仁先 K屯华人论坛2024年04月24日 13:38

Kelowna华人史.之八

农业领域的贡献

作者：谭仁先

     BC 省的农业始于1800 年代上半叶的养牛场和规模相对较小的水果和蔬菜农场。1860 年代传教士 Pandosy 神父来到Kelowna基洛纳，种植了第一片果园。 

    到了1880 年代中期，中国男性在淘金潮 和修建铁路结束后，由于各种原因开始在整个奥肯那根地区的几个城镇定居，他们在不断扩张的农业产业中找到了工作，并在奥肯那根各地建立了几个唐人街。几年后一些中国人在开始拥有了自己的土地经营农场和果园。1880 年代末，日本男性也开始移民到奥肯那根，其中部分日本定居者购买了土地并开办了自己的果园，也有许多人在农业中找到了工作。

    到 1930 年代末，BC省的华⼈园丁控制了四分之三的蔬菜⽣产，⼤约⼀半的华裔⼈⼝从事这⼀⾏业。 1930年代 在基洛纳和湖区的 183 个个⼈或企业名称中，14 名（7.6%）是中国⼈，30 名（16.4%）是⽇本⼈。另外 11 个（6%）是南亚⼈，全部在Rutland地区经营。

    由于白人农民害怕日本人、华人和亚裔人的垄断性竞争，他们建立了反日情绪，开始阻止日本人拥有土地。尤其在第二次世界大战期间，对亚洲社区的歧视加剧。由于战争年代⽩⼈劳动⼒短缺、二战的影响 以及后期移民数量的变化，这个数字在接下来的⼏年⾥有所逐渐变化中，农场和果园也几经转手。

图片来自网络

    大致的所有权转移方面表明，在1910年代，华人农场高峰时刻曾达到接近60个，占到33%；1941 年，基洛纳地区超过 40% 的注册农场直接涉及⽇本⼈；而近几十年印度裔移民在基洛纳地区和湖区的拥有比重迅速上升。

    华人在Kelowna农业产业的另外一个深度参与的是，水果的包装盒灌装工作。其中有名的水果包装工厂Laurel Packinghouse也出现了华人的身影。这个包装厂建于 1917 年，使用当地诺克斯山粘土制成的砖块。当时附近区域遍布水果仓库、包装厂、罐头厂和锯木厂， 直到 1970 年代仍是一家正常运转的包装厂。1982 年，当它计划被拆除时，社区成员团结起来拯救它，使其成为基洛纳第一座指定的遗产建筑。该建筑于2010年重新焕发活力。

    华裔工人们对苹果、樱桃、杏子、梨、桃子和李子进行分类和装载，制箱厂每小时生产 100 个水果箱。  苹果的包装和包装大多由女性或经验丰富的包装工完成，他们每天可以包装 125-200 箱，每箱工资为 4分，加起来每天 7加币，这在 1920 年代和 1930 年代是一个非常好的工资。

图片来自网络

    进入21世纪前后随着新一批华人移民涌入奥湖地区，华人经营的农场果园和酒庄的数量逐年上升，并涌现出如陈家农场，春晓农场，Grizzli Winery，Rollingdale，Hainle Wine Estate等有影响力的专业农场和酒庄（名单以后整理）。

注：本文为线索收集稿，为后期整理完备准确的记录做准备，欢迎提供线索和相关资料。

History of Kelowna Chinese Community (Part 8): Contributions to Agriculture
By: Renxian Tan

Agriculture in British Columbia began in the early 1800s with cattle ranching and smaller-scale fruit and vegetable farms. In the 1860s, Father Pandosy arrived in Kelowna, planting the area’s first orchard. By the mid-1880s, after the Gold Rush and railway construction, Chinese men settled across several towns in the Okanagan. Many found work in the expanding agricultural industry, and some established farms and orchards. Later, Japanese men also migrated to the region, finding similar agricultural opportunities.

By the late 1930s, Chinese gardeners controlled about 75% of vegetable production in BC, with nearly half the Chinese population in this industry.

History of Kelowna’s Chinese Community (Part 8): Agricultural Contributions
Author: Renxian Tan

By the late 1930s, Chinese gardeners in British Columbia controlled three-quarters of vegetable production, with about half of the Chinese population engaged in agriculture. In the 1930s, among the 183 personal or business names registered in Kelowna and the surrounding lake district, 14 (7.6%) were Chinese, 30 (16.4%) were Japanese, and 11 (6%) were South Asian, all operating in Rutland.

White farmers, fearing competition from Asian communities, began blocking Japanese land ownership, a sentiment that intensified during World War II. With workforce shortages and demographic shifts after the war, ownership of farms and orchards frequently changed.

At the height of Chinese agricultural activity, nearly 60 farms were Chinese-owned, accounting for about 33% of holdings. In 1941, over 40% of registered farms in Kelowna were owned by Japanese individuals. In recent decades, Indian immigrants have significantly increased their presence in Kelowna and surrounding areas.

Chinese involvement in Kelowna’s agriculture included significant roles in fruit packing. Laurel Packinghouse, built in 1917 with local Knox Mountain clay bricks, employed Chinese workers. The facility remained active until the 1970s. When it faced demolition in 1982, the community united to preserve it as Kelowna’s first designated heritage building, revived in 2010.

Chinese workers sorted and packed apples, cherries, apricots, pears, peaches, and plums, with the packing plant producing 100 fruit crates per hour. Skilled workers could pack 125-200 crates daily, earning $7 CAD per day—a respectable wage in the 1920s and 1930s.

In the early 21st century, new waves of Chinese immigrants have expanded their involvement in the region, founding influential farms and wineries like Chen’s Farm, Spring Dawn Farm, Grizzli Winery, Rollingdale, and Hainle Wine Estate.

Note: This draft is for reference and to aid in creating a complete record. Contributions of information are welcome.