Compost

 

Grass Roots: Their Secret Lives

This chart shows why grazing lands should be allowed to re-wild. What we've often brushed off as "just" weeds are, in fact, a valuable part of our ecosystems.

Left to right across:

• Kentucky Blue Grass
• Lead Plant
• Missouri Goldenrod
• Indian Grass
• Compass Plant
• Porcupine Grass
• Heath Aster
• Prairie Cord Grass
• Big Blue Stem
• Pale Purple Coneflower
• Prairie Stripseed
• Side Oats Grama
• Fake Beetroot
• Switch Grass
• White Wild Indigo
• Little Blue Stem
• RoseWeed ?
• Purple Praire Clover
• June Grass
• Cylindric Blazing Star
• Buffalo Grass

Here's a similar chart for the UK.

• Cocksfoot
• Perennial Ryegrass
• Westerwolds Ryegrass
• Timothy
• Meadow Fescue
• White Clover
• Red Clover
• Persian Clover
• Berseem Clover
• Crimson Clover
• Vetch
• Alsike Clover
• Sweet Clover
• Birdsfoot Trefoil
• Yellow Trefoil
• Sanfoin
• Lucerne
• Chicory
• Ribgrass
• Yarrow
• Burnet
• Sheep's Parsley
• Mustard
• Buckwheat
• Tillage Radish
• Phacella
• Fodder Radish
• Oat
• Rye

The more diverse the plants, the more diverse the other interactive and supporting species and the healthier the soil. The longer the roots, the more stable the earth becomes, providing some insurance during drought or flood conditions. The more and the longer roots are, the more carbon they store and the more nutrients they provide for the fungi and microorganisms of the surrounding earth.

Feeding Canadian Cows

Did you notice the item in the news last weekend (Feb. 20, 2021) about how Canadian butter has seemingly become firmer in recent months? Apparently, it has to do with cows being fed palm oil, which we remember was a red flag in our own diets only a few years ago. Consumers are now worried about the wisdom of eating dairy products.

I've had a long somewhat peculiar interest in all things agriculture around the world but especially in Canada. I've been a follower of an Ontario dairy farmer, Andrew Campbell, @FreshAirFarmer, for years, originally because he used to tweet the most amazing sunrises. Then, in 2017, he had the ambitious project of highlighting a different farm on his YouTube Channel, one for each week of the year, in all, 52 Farm Tours on his YouTube channel and I was hooked.

In 2021 @FreshAirFarmer is bringing interested people along as he plans a new barn and dairy parlour. Yesterday, Feb. 22, 2021, I'm assuming in response to concern over what Ontario dairy cows might be eating, he gave us a tour of the feed supply for his cattle. 

The possible palm-fat ingredient in a cow's diet is an issue well worth keeping an eye on. Hopefully, nutritionists are paying attention on our behalf.

Growing Organic Corn

Some surprising facts about growing organic corn in this video. This is organic corn destined to feed organically grown animals for our dinner table.

Eat Canadian Apples!

Growing apples in Ontario might be more complicated than you thought. Enjoy that Honeycrisp!

Support Canadian Tomato Farmers

Watermelon Farming

Here's another interesting farming video. I'm starting to look at food differently on my trips to grocery stores and the farmers' markets. 

Diversification

Many investors and small business owners have found that one of the keys to success is to diversify and farmers are no exception.

Farmers everywhere seem to just pretty much scrape by economically. At the mercy of weather, pests and consumer ups and downs, and competing against multinationals, farmers are always looking for ways to increase revenue or to fortify themselves against a bad crop and one of the ways is to diversify. 

Tom Trueman, a New Brunswick blueberry and raspberry farmer, and the 8th generation of his family to farm their land, runs a pick-your-own operation as well as a roadside stand. This year he came up with the idea of planting and maintaining a sunflower maze and inviting the public to meander through it. It is conveniently located just off the main highway that runs through New Brunswick on the way to Nova Scotia and PEI.

The CBC interviewed Mr. Trueman and put a video on their website which you can find here. When I went to YouTube to see if the interview would be there so that I could include it here (sadly, it wasn't) I found lots of other sunflower maze videos and it seems that sunflower mazes are popular across the US. Trueman believes his is the only one in NB. 

Trueman's farm also has honeybees, so the sunflowers provide a plentiful supply of pollen for them, but it begs the question about whether he keeps a bee sting kit or two handy throughout the season.

Crop Farming in Alberta

This video reassures me that Canadian farmers are following good agricultural practices. We are in good hands.

It's Strawberry Season!

Andrew visits Heeman's, a London-area strawberry farm. Lots of good info in this video. Strawberry farming has been revolutionized.

Family Farm

No, not my family farm: the Guimond Family's Crikside Farm in southern Manitoba where they run a Brown Swiss Cow Dairy operation. 

I have always been appreciative of farms, farmers and the food they produce for us in Canada. Lately, watching Andrew Campbell's farm tour videos I firmly believe we should all know more about where our food comes from and whether farms are using humane and sustainable practices. 

We should especially be proud of farms that have been in families for generations and that are constantly works in progress thanks to the younger generations.

Here's a video about Crikside Farm.

Visit to a Mushroom Farm

Andrew has been busy visiting Canadian farms and farmers. In this video we get to see a mushroom-growing operation, Whitecrest Mushroom Farm near Putnam, Ontario which is just east of London.

Maple Syrup Season is Here

Andrew's back with another farm tour, his 8th of a promised 52 in 2017. So far we've had virtual farm tours of sheep, chicken, beef, dairy, bison, goats, grain etc., all owned and run by young Canadian farmers who are passionate about their farm.

This time we visit a maple syrup operation, Fort Rose Maple Company in Parkhill, Ontario, north-west of London. Lots of interesting information in this video.

Growing Cucumbers in Canada in the Wintertime

Not too many years ago anybody reading that title would have said, "huh?".

Andrew Campbell (@FreshAirFarmer) is an Ontario dairy farmer with nearly 20,000 Twitter followers. In 2015 he tweeted a photo each day of happenings on his London-area farm.

4:47 AM - 2 Sep 2015

Noticing that people are pretty interested in where their food is coming from, he recently launched a series of videos of farm visits. The video below is of a family-owned farm, Beverly Greenhouses near Brantford that has a cucumber growing, harvesting, packaging and shipping operation. Modern farming.

Did you know that 70% of greenhouse vegetables grown in Ontario are exported to the US? Does that figure worry you in light of the recent US change of government?