Speakers on Saturday
Plenary Session
Keynote speaker: Wayne Roberts
Wayne RobertsRoberts earned a Ph.D. in social and economic history from the University of Toronto in 1978, and has written seven books, including Get A Life! (1995), a manual on green economics, and Real Food For A Change (1999), which promotes a food system based on the four ingredients of health, joy, justice and nature. Wayne chaired the influential and Toronto-based Coalition for a Green Economy for 15 years. In 2002, he received the Canadian Environment Award for his contributions to sustainable living. In 2008, he received the Canadian Eco-Hero Award presented by Planet in Focus.
Wayne Roberts is the manager of the Toronto Food Policy Council (TFPC), a citizen body of 30 food activists and experts that is widely recognized for its innovative approach to food security. As a leading member of the City of Toronto’s Environmental Task Force, he helped develop a number of official plans for the city, including the Environmental Plan and Food Charter, adopted by Toronto City Council in 2000 and 2001 respectively. Many ideas and projects of the TFPC are featured in Roberts’ book The No-Nonsense Guide to World Food (2008).
Market Gardening
Money does grow in trees: Grafting, planting, pruning for fun and for profit
Ken Taylor
Green Barn Nursery
www.greenbarnnursery.ca
Ken was born in Danville, Quebec and worked the family farm until the age of 16 when a scholarship "coerced” him off the farm and culminated with a doctorate degree in biochemistry (PhD McGill 73).
Degree in hand, his passion for farming returned with the purchase of 70 acres of vacant land on Ile Perrot. Trying to establish a viable farm required many years of “off farm income”, 35 years at John Abbott College teaching and developing a wide diversity of chemistry related courses including winemaking, food biochemistry, consumer and environmental chemistry, etc.
With a unique scientific background in biochemistry (effect of chemicals on human health) and years of practical experience in organic farming, Ken has become a very outspoken advocate of the sustainable organic food movement. A much televised NFB film “Organic Prophecies” has aired many of his passionate views on the subject.
His different perspective on the local food movement has been exposed in a diversity of media; Harrowsmith, Canadian Organic Growers, Small Farm Journal, Canadian Living, REAP, Plant Talk, The Gazette, La Presse and most recently on the Food Network show Ricardo and Friends.
The invaluable experience and information Ken has acquired over the last 35 years has made him one of the foremost authorities on Northern tree crops. He believes that they are a sustainable, environmentally beneficial way to make small and medium sized farming possible and profitable again.
Records and profitability analysis for the vegetable farmer
Frédéric Thériault
Tourne-Sol Farming Coop
frederic.theriault@gmail.com
Frederic Theriault will present record keeping systems that he and Daniel Brisebois have developed for the COG series book they are writing about crop planning for vegetable growers. He will also present two simple techniques that can help farmers analyse the profitability of their crops with regards to two key resources on the farm: space and time. Those are very useful tools that can help farmers think over their farm in the winter, and make tough choices about which crops to grow and which prices to charge for their vegetables. This is an advanced seminar for vegetable growers.
My name is Frederic Theriault, I am from Ferme Coopérative Tourne-Sol a diversified vegetable farm in Québec, and i have worked as a teacher at McGill University. I am in the process of writing a book about Crop planning for diversified market gardeners with Daniel Brisebois for a Canadian Organic Grower Series.
Integrating seed saving into the market garden
Daniel Brisebois
Eastern Canadian Organic Seed Growers Network
daniel.brisebois@gmail.com
Growing some of your own seed is one more step towards farm sustainability. Flowering seed crops add to the ecological diversity of your farm, reduce your expenses, and guarantee your supply of any varieties you rely on. Seed can also be another crop to market to diversify your farm revenue. Vegetable growers have some unique opportunities as seed growers. Not only are they familiar with their own needs in a vegetable but part of a seed crop can often be used as a fresh vegetable. This presentation covers some of the consideration in labour, isolation distances and space requirements to grow high quality seed on you farm. It will also highlight which crops make the most sense to grow seed on your farm.
Daniel Brisebois is one of the 5 founding members of Tourne-Sol cooperative farm situated in Les Cèdres, Qc (45 minutes west of Montreal). Tourne-Sol produces certified organic vegetables, flowers, seedlings and herbal teas on 12 acres rented from an organic grain farm. they also grow 1/4 acre of certified organic vegetable and flower seed. Tourne-Sol meets 20% of it's own seed needs in addition to saving their own seed garlic and most of their seed potatoes. They provide seeds to other seed companies. Their seeds are also distributed through a seed catalogue and at farmers markets. Daniel is also co-author of Crop Planning for the Organic Vegetable Grower and a member of the steering committee of the Eastern Canadian Organic Seed Growers Network.
Field Crops
Crops rotations for yield and weed suppression
Garry Lean
Eco-Systems, etc.
Crop rotation and weed management on organic farms
This will be an interactive workshop to explore the realities of managing weeds on organic farms. Garry has over 30 years of experience in organic gardening and farming as a farmer, teacher and organic inspector.
The workshop will look at practical strategies that work with a primary focus on the value of crop rotation to improve soil health, reduce weed competition and improve yields and quality.
Farming with fungi instead of fertilizer
Hida Manns
Trent University
www.trentu.ca
One of the advantages of organic farming is that it stimulates the presence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal colonization. This fungal association with the plant roots benefits plant growth through improved nutrient uptake and soil moisture acquisition in natural systems. In addition to economizing nutrients and moisture and improving soil structure, mycorrhizas are also associated with disease and insect resistance and keeping quality. The addition of organic matter and cover crops improves the mycorrhizal colonization of agricultural crops and may explain the equivalent yields/advantages between organic and conventional practices. I will discuss my experience and research on factors affecting mycorrhizal colonization, and subsequent benefits on plant yield, health, nutrition and keeping quality.
On my farm at Kendal, Ontario, I have maintained natural systems for my family, goats, and a large garden for 20 years. Mulch also became the focus of my Masters of Science study at Trent University, on soil carbon. I presented my study of spider populations with mulch at the recent IFOAM conference in Modena, Italy, in June, 2008.
The eco-energy business case for the active farm
Chris Weissflog
EcoGen Energy Inc.
Traduction simultanée
The presentation will examine opportunities for renewable energy applications on organic farms with the aim of helping a farm owner determine if an investment is feasible. We’ll look at the range of renewable energies that are available and the factors that influence the investment decision including: which ones work in Eastern Ontario; how much they can realistically contribute; how much they cost; which incentive programs are available and how much they can contribute; cost/effectiveness and environmental benefits.
Chris Weissflog, BSc, MSc, MBA, CanSIA, RHDT, RASDT, President of EcoGen Energy Inc
Chris founded EcoGen Energy Inc to help homeowners and small businesses reduce their carbon footprint. He has steadily grown business capabilities from solar domestic water heating to integration of high-performance solar thermal systems into space heating systems, accredited heating system design and grid-tied photovoltaic systems. He operates EcoGen with the guiding belief that customer needs are best served by a holistic approach to problem solving, giving consideration of all potential solutions – even competing technologies – from the consulting stage.
Livestock
Choosing your manure - a fresh look at composting
Bill Langenburg
Grenville Herb Farm
http://www.ottawatourism.ca/savourottawa/profiles_en/grenville.html
Composting primary or secondary biodegradable feedstock is paramount in maintaining a sustainable closed energy and nutrient cycling system on the farm.
BUT, will the growing of first generation energy crops for large scale biomass production threaten this sustainability? This will be answered in this seminar. The quality parameters of compost and digestate will be discussed along with the long-term effects of the use of on-farm compost and / or on-farm digestate on soil quality. A brief presentation will be given on compost as bedding in a free-range housing system.
A VISIONARY VIEW will be presented on a sustainable dairy farm, where the cow becomes the major player in providing the farm’s sustainability.
Since 2003 Bill operates a culinary herb farm – “Grenville Herb Farm”. For the past 15 years Bill has provided seminars privately and on behalf of the “Composting Council of Canada” on the quality parameters for compost as a value-added farm product.
Quality forages with sudan, sorghum and pearl millet
Om Dangi
Agriculture Environmental Renewal Canada Inc.
I will cover the forage sorghum and pearl millet crop used as forage as well as their benefits in crop rotation both organic and non-organic conditions.
Dr. Om P. Dangi is a Plant Scientist and President and CEO of Agriculture Environmental Renewal Inc. Dr. Dangi is internationally recognized as a leading expert in the subject matter of plant breeding and genetics as it relates to sorghum and millet. Dr. Dangi has over thirty-five years of international research experience. He has developed research programs with universities, international research institutes, governments and private organizations from around the world. In addition, Dr. Dangi has supervised and trained students, technical staff and professional scientists in creating successful bilateral sorghum research programs. Dr. Dangi is a member of the Canadian Seed Trade Association, Associate member of the Canadian Seed Growers Association, member of the Ontario Institute of Agrologists, and member of the Agriculture Institute of Canada.
Managing the environment to control insect pests
Simon Lachance
University of Guelph
Campus d’Alfred
www.alfredc.uoguelph.ca
Ecological principles are often ignored when planning crop production. These principles, often related to biodiversity, can guide us in designing agroecosystems maintaining stable pest/natural enemy populations, and can increase the presence of beneficial insects. Practices such as weed management, intercropping, field border modifications and polycultures will be discussed. In many cases, implementing a particular practice can reduce pest insects, increase predators and parasitoids, favor pollinators and increase yields. Examples for field crops, orchards, vegetable production and home gardening will be presented.
I obtained my Ph.D. in the field of biological control of pests at the University of Guelph in 2000, following a M.Sc. in Biology and a B.Sc. in Agronomy at Laval University in Québec City. During my Ph.D. I worked with native and exotic parasitoids of the tarnished plant bug. I started working as a College Professor at the University of Guelph – Campus d’Alfred in the fall of 2000, teaching pest management, applied plant science and food microbiology courses. My areas of expertise relate to practical issues in the management of insect pests, mostly in animal production and organic agriculture. In recent years, I have been involved with research projects dealing with the management of pest flies in dairy farming using biocontrol agents and natural products (essential oils).
General Interest
Organic opportunities in a student nutrition programDevorah Belinsky
Ontario’s Student Nutrition Program
devorah.belinsky@uclc.ca
Devora Belinsky, B.A, B.Sc., M.Sc is a nutritional anthropologist currently working as nutrition coordinator providing healthy breakfast and snacks to students and co-chairs “All Things Food”, focused on local, healthful food systems. Ontario’s MCYS Student Nutrition Program and other local food initiatives will be reviewed, followed by discussion of how to foster mutually beneficial partnerships between local food producers and providers.
A grass roots program for a local food economy
Wayne Roberts
Toronto Food Policy Council
Garbage to Gardens – Worms and recycling organic waste
Gerrie Baker
The Worm Factory
www.thewormfactory.ca
Garbage to Gardens. Recycling organic waste and converting it to nutrient rich black soil is simple, fun and financially rewarding. Vegetable trims, food leftovers, coffee grinds, tea leaves, egg shells, lint hair, fur, feathers, fibers and all paper products, sawdust, wood chips, even old socks can be composted indoors/outdoors with efficient, voracious, quiet, unassuming red wigglers. Learn how and get the knowledge and support required to successfully reduce your carbon footprint from garbage to ZERO. In the words of Joel Salatin, we need to be choreographers in the earthworm dance.
I am committed to demonstrating earthworm habitats and delivering environmental education presentations and workshops. Use me to get the message out. The school children refer to me fondly as The Worm Lady.