Agricultural Support to the Nth Degree

Especially when "N" represents a humongous number, as evidenced in this case.


How is it possible that a 2-acre community garden used more irrigation water than a 15 acre golf course last year?

It's not a trick question.

But the answer is tricky.

Or maybe very simple.

You decide.

Facts:

The point-five acre community garden at Vernon's Okanagan University College campus is part of the overall Patchwork Farms garden which encompasses approximately 2 acres.

When the community garden was set up as educational, no water allocation was purchased from Greater Vernon Water. 

The garden received a $2,500 grant for seeds, and a $10,000 grant for a coordinator.

Both grants (and the third, no water allocation purchase) were funded by taxpayers.

In 2014, the community garden's water meter showed consumption at 5,296 cubic metres!

By comparison, Highlands Golf is a 15-acre,

9-hole short-game golf course,

whose metered water consumption in 2014

was 2,819 cubic metres,

which is 12.7 per cent of its paid-up water allocation.

Highlands Golf used 187.8% less water

than the community garden.
Highlands Golf has 7 times more irrigated area
than the community garden!

Did a hue and cry result?

Well, sort of.

GVW has deemed the community garden's water consumption to be "excessive".  (Ya think? )

As a result, GVW has recommended to the Greater Vernon Advisory Committee that the college garden should be charged 60 cents per cubic metre, which is "the actual annual overall average operation and maintenance (only) cost per cubic metre".  (Quite the mouthful of justification!)

So their $0.015/m3 cost is projected to increase to $0.60/m3 which, at their current consumption rate would total $3,177.60.

"Maybe OUC offers accounting programs," suggests Kia.

So far they've excelled at grant applications.

"Nth degree"?
More like a fourth degree burn.