In the third year of their joint business endeavour, T&R Contracting owners Shaun and Raeann Gloslee and Dan and Bonnie Robinson continue to supply customers with locally produced aggregate products, yard and garden materials and property services. The partners have added to the company’s growing and evolving line of products by fostering relationships with other companies in order to keep up with consumer demand.
In addition to an ongoing relationship with cement-products manufacturer Hyland Precast, and having FlexMSE bags in stock for customers looking for eco-friendly and aesthetically pleasing vegetated living-wall systems, T&R is now supplying a full line of Salish Soils products.
“We’ve had a relationship with Salish Soils for three years to sell their Original Fish Compost,” says Bonnie. “By popular demand, we are able to bring it back and supply even more.”
Created from a locally sourced blend of fish residuals, including Agrimarine Lois Lake trout and Tla’amin and Shíshálh territory salmon, the fish compost is also used to make two other Salish products, Garden Mix and Landscape Mix, by combining it with screened T&R sand based on Salish’s specifications.
“We test every pile and make every batch the same,” says Salish Soils representative Aaron Joe. “We’ve been at this for seven years and have learned a lot about making really good soil.”
An in-vessel, enclosed system keeps temperature consistent throughout the entire pile during a composting phase and kills all pathogens, weeds, seeds and anything invasive. The result is a weed-free, nutrient-rich product full of nitrogen that grows beautiful produce, flowers and trees, says Aaron.
“Our model is not a waste-management model, it is a soil model,” he adds. “We love making great soil.”
As part of a pilot project, composted food and garden residuals from Powell River and Sechelt is sent to Salish Soils to create another new product, Raincoast Blend, which is best used for landscaping and hardy planting.
“We are able to take something from our own community and bring it back in a usable form,” says Bonnie. “We are proud to be carrying these products.”
According to Bonnie, compost should always be added to existing gardens prior to planting season.
“If the soil is dead with no nutrients, it needs to be built back up again,” she says. “If you use a high-end product, you reap the rewards with bigger buds and blooms and greater yields.”
T&R also sells Salish Soils Potting Mix by the bag.
Several other double-screened products are kept in stock, including premium Harvest Garden Blend and Turf Blend soil. T&R also carries mushroom manure, aged, cedar and fir bark mulch and mulch nuggets.
“We have a variety of Blue Quarry rock products locally made at T&R for pathways, driveways and parking lots,” says Bonnie, “and river rock and boulders for focal points.”
Equipment and machinery is also available, including excavators, a Hiab crane truck and dump trucks with a pup and low-bed. In drought season, a potable-bulk-water truck serves customers looking for additional drinking water, to fill a well or hot tub, or for many other uses.
“We also have a slinger truck that goes hand-in-hand with all our products,” says Bonnie. “It can deliver and place aggregate or garden products where you need them.”
T&R Contracting is located at 4240 Padgett Road, just past Valley Building Supplies. Hours are 7 am-5 pm Monday to Friday and 9 am-4 pm Saturdays.
For more information, go to TandRContracting.ca.
• 604.485.2234 (office)
• 604.483.6978 (after hours, Dan)
• 604.414.5455 (after hours, Shaun)
• [email protected]
