We could try to put it into words for you. We’d use words like powerful, satisfying and comfortable. But to be honest, the experience says it all. You just have to get in the seat. Stop by your local Premier to try for yourself.
Restoring small-town journalism, one community at a time!
Did you know?
Canadian farmers grow around 150 varieties of potatoes for commercial production.
Did you know?
That generally speaking, it takes between 90 to 120 days for potatoes to grow from seed to maturity? The time will vary depending on factors like the variety of potato being grown and your area’s growing season.
Did you know?
That poutine (traditionally, French fries topped with fresh cheese curds and gravy) was likely invented in rural Quebec in the 1950s? The word ‘poutine’ is Québécois slang, meaning “mess.”
Did you know?
That the Ontario Ginseng Growers Association has over 150 growers, and the largest production of
North American ginseng in the world?
Did you know?
That ginseng is Canada’s largest field grown horticultural export crop?
Did you know?
That Canada’s ginseng industry as we know it today can largely be traced back to the efforts of brothers Clarence and Albert Hellyer? In the 1890s, near Waterford, ON., the pair began to grow North American ginseng with seeds cultivated from wild ginseng plants.
Did you know?
That to grow ginseng, it takes a year of preparation, followed by three to four years before it reaches maturity – meaning it will be four to five years total before a grower will be able to harvest their first crop.
Measured approach to growing leeks made Canning Produce Ontario’s largest producer
By Diane Baltaz
You could say that Corey Davis of Canning Produce, Paris, was born into growing one of the world’s oldest and nutritional foods.
In 1988, just prior to his birth, Davis’s parents, Bob and Mary Jane, assumed a retiring farmer’s contract to grow leeks for a local wholesaler.
Although human beings consumed leeks since the Bronze Age (4,000 BC) and while building the Egyptian Pyramids, they were still a minor and seasonal niche crop in Ontario in the late 1980s. Most retailers relied on importing most of this allium from Mexico and the United States.
Intrigued by its possibilities, the Davis family took the contract on a trial basis, growing a small acreage on their farm, located between Canning and the Brant-Oxford County Line. It took only a week to harvest, and, despite its labour intensity and high input costs, they loved it.
Today, Canning Produce is Ontario’s largest producer of leeks, producing approximately 84 acres annually, and supplies three large grocery chains from late July through to March.
Corey joined the farm full time after graduating from university in 2012 and now manages the crop. His wife, Emily, handles office duties and finances. Bob and Mary Jane continue to help out.
“My goal is to provide leeks to customers year round,” said Davis.
Their varieties fall into three categories: spring leeks, which mature early with pale green leaves; fall leeks, which are darker in colour and hold well in the fields; and winter leeks, characterized by dark, blue leaves.
These categories permit a staggered production for earlier plantings and a longer growing season than most growers produce. The first seedlings are planted in the farm’s seven, propane-heated greenhouses in early February, are ready for field planting shortly
after April 20. The final planting generally ends by mid-June.
First harvest happens around July 20, said Davis; after washing, trimming and packaging in bundles of three, go directly to market on the following day. The second harvest occurs in October, allowing the Davises to extend their sales into the winter.
The family originally grew sweet corn, which Davis’s grandparents specialized in after purchasing the farm in 1943. Bob and Mary Jane took over the farm in 1984 and purchased it in 1998, while raising their four children, of which Corey was the youngest.
The Davis family gradually extended their leek acreage when market demand allowed it. They visited growers’ farms in Europe and in Canada to glean new ideas. In order to increase efficiencies, the farm added a wash line, and Bob rebuilt an old peanut harvester to harvest leeks.
Corn production ceased by 2001, the same year that the farm incorporated as Canning Produce, Inc. The family also transformed their barn into a pack house and extended their storage facilities. The seven greenhouses were added in 2004, said Davis. By 2007, Canning Produce hired 10 skilled temporary foreign workers from Jamaica to handle their increasing field work and processing.
“It got big in 2008,” said Davis. That was when his father took a box of leeks to the headquarters of Loblaw Corporation, with a pitch about their extended market season.
“They talked, but it was still a year before they bought from us,” he added.
Presently, Sobeys and Metro also ordered their produce, with each bundle bearing the farm name and location on the tag.
Seed stock comes from Nunham’s, a Netherlands seed company which Davis said sets the industry standard.
“There are tons of different varieties of leeks,” he said. “I am continuously trying their latest and greatest releases to see how they grow.”
Growing leeks once they get into the field provides a “balancing act” said Davis. “They’re a thirsty crop; otherwise, the plants just sit there, not growing. Yet they don’t like being wet.”
Davis irrigates at night in order to optimize water efficiency, drawing water from an onfarm pond as well as from the Nith River.
“Although that means working during the day and then being up nights to irrigate!” he added.
Diseases are few, and the leek moth has yet to seriously threaten the crop, but times of excessive moisture keeps Davis vigilant against fungus.
Leek fields are rotated in alternate years with oat-clover plantings. The crop also demands several fertilizer applications throughout the season.
Weed control is mainly done manually. They carefully time the crop’s cultivation, waiting until the leaves are tall enough to inhibit sand from splashing into the plants’ upper leaves.
Emily handles the farm’s promotions such as posting crop updates and recipes on the farm’s social media when she’s not dealing with pay roll, orders and spreadsheets.
“The most asked question I get about leeks is ‘What do you do with them?’” she said. Less pungent than onions, she said that the entire plant is edible, nutritious and versatile, braises well and makes excellent soup stocks – especially as leek-potato soup.
“Braised leeks make a great side dish,” said Davis. “Use them as a stuffing, or adding to roasts, grilled meats, quiche, and grilled cheese sandwiches. If you use the whole plant, cut the leaves off.”
The family’s favourite recipe is leek bruschetta, which a Quebec leek grower shared. Frying the medallions in soy sauce is another Davis delicacy; so does air frying them to create leek chips, which their three children, Adley, Riker and Kashton, enjoy.
Bob and Mary Jane Davis (left) still help out Emily and Corey Davis, who are posing with two of their three children, Adley and Riker.
Corey Davis (right) with his father, Bob doing their daily crop inspection.
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Right to Repair: Farmers influential in prying open “digital locks” on electronics
By Diane Baltaz
Two federal bills that recently received Royal Assent restore Canadians’ “right to repair” their own equipment, including tractors and combines, along with greater interoperability.
On Nov. 7, Bills C-244 and C-294 – the two bills intended to amend Canada’s Copyright Act -- received Royal Assent. These changes to the act allow circumvention of technological protection measures (TPMs) or “digital locks” in order to allow faster diagnosis, maintenance, repair and interoperability of Canadians’ technological tools, including the right to obtain parts from other companies.
Various lobby groups from across Canada, including the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA), laud these bills as a critical step towards Canadian agriculture’s innovation and sustainability.
Bill C-244, introduced in 2022 by Wilson Miao, the Liberal MP for Richmond Centre in BC, allows consumers and businesses to bypass TPMs such as encryption and password locks to access electronic components without having to travel to a dealership for repairs.
Bill C-294, introduced by Jeremy Patzer, Conservative MP for Saskatchewan’s Cypress Hills-Grasslands, focuses on the interoperability of different computer programs or devices in which they are embedded, including the right to purchase parts from other brands without violating copyright laws.
Simply put, this means that farmers can repair their equipment more easily without being forced to pay authorized dealers to diagnose and repair equipment, often at the additional cost of long waits. Equipment breakdowns became particularly detrimental during harvest periods, resulting in lost productivity.
“This is great,” exclaimed Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk OFA director Larry Davis of Burford. “We (OFA) have been asking the government for legislation that lets people make their own repairs and run diagnostics without having to travel to a dealership. We want to fix things on our own farms ourselves right now, compared with waiting a week or two for a dealership to fix equipment, especially in the middle of harvest.”
“With interoperability, instead of taking my equipment to one colour machine dealer, I can now take it to another colour. We really need to try to work on repairs ourselves, on our own farms,” added Davis.
Proponents such Western University’s assistant professor Alissa Centivany lauds the new laws’ benefits, including better longevity and care of equipment, minimized waste, improved farm productivity and Canadian food security.
Gone are the days when fixing a tractor, like the one pictured or others of its vintage, was a simple job that a farmer could undertake. Tractors have become more complicated with onboard computers and GPS units, requiring repairs at a dealership. Canada’s Right to Repair legislation will allow repairs outside of the dealership, which is something farm groups lobbied for.
Centivany has researched technology and copyright issues for decades. She co-founded the Canadian Repair Coalition (CanRepair) and testified on copyright’s impact on right-to-repair at parliamentary committees. She uses what she calls the “Three Cousins” to address systematic issues around consumer products: reparability, interoperability and durability.
While Bills C-244 and C-294 deal with copyright’s impact upon digital encryption on multiple products, Centivany’s advocacy focused on the misuse of copyright to stop repairs that can be done by equipment owners or local mechanics. She stated that she entered her work “through the farmer portal.”
“Farmers kicked it off – they need credit as they pushed this issue forward,” she said. “It began with the USA farm movement. It went before state and federal legislatures and resulted in memorandums of understanding, and eventually legislation in a few states.”
Centivany explained these initial gains occurred in the United States because that is where the major farm equipment companies are headquartered. Because these companies are multinational in operation, Canadian farmers’ own advocacy gained momentum after the initial U.S. success. This occurred around 2016, she added.
“One must ask, what has copyright to do with farming?” said Centivany. “Computer codes get treated similarly to copyright on
books, resulting in a ‘lock’, which farmers are not allowed to break even if the repair has nothing to do with the code.”
“Farmers are really sophisticated about their equipment and modifying it. We should let them keep doing what they’ve always done well,” she added.
Although critics call these bills a good step, some advocates say that stand alone legislation is still needed for a more comprehensive right to repair. These include reforms in provincial consumer protection laws that require manufacturers to design products with ease of repairs without the fear of infringing upon various intellectual property rights.
“It’s still complicated as farmers need to get the tools,” said Davis. “There are some open dealers and repair shops to get these applications. These repairs aren’t only for farmers but also for other types of equipment.”
Centivany said that Canada remains behind Europe in right to repair issues. However, she said that Quebec passed Bill 29, which protects consumers from planned obsolescence and promotes reparability and durability of goods.
She added that the Ontario Legislature passed first reading on Bill 187, an act intended to protect right to repair items ranging from household appliances, wheel chairs and motorized vehicles, including heavy farming equipment.
Ontario Farmers can access free mental health counseling through the Farmer Wellness Initiative
By Diane Baltaz
Accessing help for mental health problems remains a challenge across many Canadian sectors. But four free programs offered by Agriculture Wellness Ontario (AWO) provide an edge for Ontario farm families and workers.
AWO communications officer Michelle deNijs and Erica Sayles, an outreach coordinator, outlined a suite of confidential programs for farmers at a recent Ontario Hazelnut Association (OHA) workshop held in Grimsby.
Two of the programs are the Farmer Wellness Initiative and Guardian Network, both of which have operated successfully since 2022.
Guardians are trained community peers who recognize farmers who are struggling with their mental health and constructively discuss their struggles and connect them with appropriate, farmer-oriented resources.
The Farmer Wellness Initiative provides unlimited free access to tailored mental health counseling through a 24-7 phone line for Ontario farmers, farm workers and their family members. Services include crisis and ongoing counseling support in English, French and Spanish. Counseling is usually done via telephone or virtually, but can be done in person under some circumstances.
nadian farmers who participated in an online survey on mental health.
Still, 40 percent of farmers felt uneasy about seeking help, said deNijs.
Counseling is geared towards the specific challenges experienced by the agricultural community, said Sayles and deNijs. Participating mental health councilors are “ag-informed” and available for unlimited sessions.
The third outreach is called In the Know and is coordinated by Sayles, who grew up on a Brant County dairy farm. This four-hour workshop trains participants on stress, depression, substance use and how to start conversations on mental well-being within a farm context.
The fourth offering is currently targeted for international agricultural workers in Brant-Haldimand-Norfolk and Windsor.
The AWO duo generated animated discussion amongst the Hazelnut Association participants when they mentioned that Farmer Wellness Initiative users can be matched with a new councilor for a” better fit” if requested. Also, youth between the ages of 12 to 15 years may use the service with parental consent.
deNijs cited statistics from a 2021 University of Guelph study on farmers’ mental health highlighted the AWO’s need for advocacy. The research involved nearly 1200 Ca-
The Guelph survey results revealed increased levels of anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion, and cynicism among farmers compared to the Canadian public, particularly among farming women.
The results indicated that 68 percent of farmers reported being more susceptible to physical and emotional stress and mental illness. Another 76 percent said they were experiencing moderate or high-perceived stress, on the Perceived Stress Scale. They also scored higher on a burnout inventory compared to other Canadians.
The research also indicated that one out of four farmers stated that they felt that “life was not worth living”. Suicidal ideation was twice as high in farmers compared to the general population. Additionally, one of four farmers surveyed reported their life was not worth living, wished they were dead or had thought of taking their own life during the past 12 months.
Still, 40 percent of farmers felt uneasy about seeking help, said deNijs.
The In the Know workshops are designed specifically for farmers and the agricultural community, said Sayles. Mental health professionals from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) run these sessions, using real-life examples from agriculture to cover topics such as stress, depression, anxiety, substance use, and how to start a conversation around mental well-being.
The Hazelnut Association’s workshop follows a government announcement in late January about giving nearly $10 million in federal
and provincial funding to the CMHA and the AWO to enhance the Farmer Wellness Initiative and Guardian Network to the end of 2027.
Funding for these initiatives primarily comes from the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership (Sustainable CAP).
According to its website, the Sustainable CAP is “a five-year (2023-2028), $3.5-billion investment by federal, provincial and territorial governments to strengthen the competitiveness, innovation and resiliency of Canada’s agriculture, agri‐food and agri‐based products sector.”
Services are available 24 hours daily through TELUS Health by dialing 1-866-2676255, said Sayles.
AWO “In the Know” outreach coordinator Erica Sayles
Years of determination and heart pay off at Rockton World’s Fair
Brant
County Youth Garners Title “Reserve Grand Champion Showman”
By Laura Richardson
Those who know Devin Coleman best would not have been surprised to learn that the teen who does everything with heart and determination impressed Aylmer judge Brent Howe at the first ever Rockton World’s Fair “Countdown to the Classic” dairy show. Over 100 4-H dairy members from both central and southern Ontario competed, with 15-year-old Coleman awarded reserve grand champion showman, qualifying him to represent the Brant 4-H Dairy Team in the prestigious TD Classic at the Royal Winter Fair, which annually hosts about 300,000 people eager to celebrate the best of agriculture.
Preparation for making it all the way to The Royal began when Coleman competed in under-10 competitions. He saw his first big success in 2018 as the Pee-Wee Showmanship Champion at the Brant-Wentworth Holstein Show. Since then, he has been awarded 1st Junior Showman at the 2023 Ontario Summer Show, 3rd place in the Inter-
mediate Clipping Competition at the 2024 World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin, and firstplace Jr Showmanship at the South Western Jersey Show also in 2024. Success at the Rockton World’s Fair required consistent effort and attention to detail.
Recollections of Coleman’s success wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the “lady of the hour”, show heifer Bridon ACC Elaine Summer Yearling, born in June of 2023. Elaine is a Jersey calf with an impressive heritage which reflects careful breeding and a dedication to excellence.
Coleman feels that Elaine is calm and easy-going, making her a pleasure to work with during preparation as well as in the show ring and reflects, “It’s all about putting in the time and really understanding your animal.”
In preparation for the show, Coleman finetuned Elaine’s stance and movement, and applied razor sharp focus to every detail of grooming and clipping.
Coleman was captivated by cows at a very early age, where tagging along with dad, Pete and grandpa, Brian on their family farm taught him hard work and the rewards of farming which developed into a deep appreciation for the cows in the barn.
Now, with the win at Rockton and the valuable experience at The Royal under his belt, Coleman already has his sights set on the next show season, where his goals include improving his skills in showmanship and animal care, and working towards even greater success at the 2025 Royal Winter Fair. Coleman can be found tending to his studies as a tenth grader at Pauline Johnson High School in Brantford and playing baseball, but most often he is with the cows, improving his skills in showmanship and animal care and taking on more farming responsibilities, preparing himself for a successful future taking over the family farm which would continue a proud tradition that spans generations.
With this win, Devin joined Brant 4-H Dairy Team at the Royal Winter Fair for the second year in a row.
4-H Youth reports Elaine’s calm temperament makes her a pleasure to work in the show ring.
Brant’s Devin Coleman (middle) enjoying a highlight of the season: The Rockton World’s Fair competition and opportunity to connect with fellow 4H members from Brant and surrounding area.
Show Heifer Elaine looks as if she almost knows her impressive heritage.
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There are likely less and less of us who grew up milking a cow by hand into a pail, pouring its contents through a paper filter, skimming off the cream and drinking the resultant raw milk from a pitcher.
Times change, there are many reasons this happens less. However, whether nostalgia or the rose-coloured glasses one tends to view their youth through, recollections are ‘cow milk’ compared to ‘store bought’ as favourably as premium ice cream to frozen ice milk.
Golspie Dairy (www.golspiedairy.ca) is providing a hyper-modern Dairy Farmers of Ontario (DFO) tested and pasteurized alternative to old-school methodology, connecting consumer to cow as directly as possible through a vending machine located on the family farming operation at 455259 45th Line, Woodstock.
“It’s a different product,” says Golspie Dairy’s Marja DeBoer-Marshall. “Something you can’t find in the grocery store.”
DeBoer-Marshall was taking political science and global affairs when she met her future husband Laurence at The University of Waterloo, he studying biology. Their decision to return to his fifth, now sixth-generation family farm necessitated a career reassessment and financial discussion. Against the cost of expanding beyond its existing 30-cow milking herd, they instead diversified with an on-farm dairy combining award-winning cheese-making and a vending machine dispensing whole milk instead of drinks or snacks.
They had been exposed to the concept during visits to European farms, further research revealing there were ‘a few in B.C. and one in Cape Breton.’
“That showed us it was a possibility here in Canada.”
Their Brunimat dispenser is manufactured in Switzerland, shipped to Canada through a supplier in the Netherlands. The concept is fairly simple says DeBoer-Marshall, essentially a big refrigerator with pumps and an agitator to regularly mix milk, ensuring consistency
throughout, rather than the cream rising to the top. While she considers the Canadian dairy system continues to provide the best milk in the world, the Golspie approach offers a whole milk alternative with associated content, texture and flavour benefits.
“It adds more body to the milk.”
The milk is sourced from their own farm, requirements around the transportation of raw product requiring verification and samples for testing and quality assurance through the Dairy Farmers of Ontario milk marketing board.
“It ensures food safety is up to snuff and consumers are protected,” says DeBoer-Marshall.
Heated to complete the pasteurization process, milk is then chilled to four degrees Celsius. Golspie’s self-serve area is open daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. A payment control on the front of a dispenser accepting coins or tap-enabled debit and credit cards allows customers to make their purchase. A second vending machine which accepts coins, $20 bills and tap-enabled debit and credit cards contains assorted Golspie Dairy cheeses, extra bottles and caps, and pre-filled bottles of chocolate milk.
Consumers seeking milk place their own reusable container, or one from Golspie, into position, choosing between one quart (946 millilitre) or one gallon (3.78 litre) fills at $3 and $10 respectively. Originally, the dispenser was set up for one quart white or chocolate options. However, consumer preferences for all-white in different volumes encouraged a transition in March, 2024.
“We had customers who like to get a large volume of milk at one time,” DeBoer-Marshall explained, adding that while having a preliminary business plan is essential, it must also be subject to demand. “You have to be flexible enough to respond to these changes.”
After each sale, an automatic wash function cleans up any spillage.
“The dispenser is smart enough to keep itself clean.”
Customers come regularly from as far away as London and the Kitchener-Waterloo area says DeBoer-Marshall, although she believes a majority are within a 10 to 15-minute drive. Golspie Dairy does recognize the value of digital marketing in a modern world.
“We do some online advertising with keywords,” she said, an investment pushing them toward the top of the page should someone happen to search ‘fresh milk’, for example. There is also benefit in producing a unique offering which for those who like it, tend to like it a lot and share their enjoyment through word-of-mouth.
“Honestly, that’s the best kind of advertising, when people love your product and want to tell other people about it,” said DeBoer-Marshall. “You can’t pay for that quality of advertising.”
There is no single easily-identifiable demographic among their clientele.
“Surprisingly, no. There is all sorts.”
Some may pick up a quart or two a week, others a significantly larger amount. Many drink the milk, but there is also a percentage who prefer this option for making yogurt or cheese.
“It’s been really interesting to talk to them and ask what they use the milk for.”
Direct customer contact is among the most rewarding aspect of taking their business in a new direction, even on the rare occasions the feedback is negative.
“You can figure out a better product and better ways of doing things.”
Overwhelmingly, reaction has been extremely positive. DeBoer-Marshall considers cheese-making awards from this year’s Royal Winter Fair among indications they are on the right track, along with customer loyalty, enthusiasm and feedback. The latter has also provided a far-more intimate connection to the far-reaching impact of a single Canadian farm, even from what the dairy industry would consider a small operation.
“Our little farm feeds a lot of people,” DeBoer-Marshall concluded. “It’s not just for us and the cows, it touches a lot of lives every day.”
Marja DeBoer-Marshall shows off one of the two Golspie Dairy cheeses earning awards at the past year’s Royal Winter Fair.
Marja DeBoer-Marshall stands beside the milk dispenser at Golspie Dairy, while fronting a second vending machine featuring cheeses, pre-bottled chocolate milk and extra bottles and caps.
Canadian-made strawberry-growing system launched
With locally-grown produce becoming a top priority, a new Canadian-made strawberry growing system is helping more growers meet the demand. The A.M.A. Strawberry Growing System is a professional-grade gutter system built for small-scale production. Developed in partnership between A.M.A. Horticulture Inc. and Growtec, it is a first-ofits-kind solution for growers looking to enter the strawberry market or extend their berry growing season by moving production from field to tunnel.
“Now more than ever, Canadians want locally-grown strawberries year-round,” says Shawn Mallen, manager of hydroponics and berries at A.M.A. Horticulture. “Large Canadian greenhouse operations have risen to the challenge, growing berries in controlled environments and getting them onto grocery store shelves across the country. But until now, only large-scale production systems were available for growers, creating a barrier to entry.”
“We partnered with Growtec, a leading Canadian gutter system manufacturer, to create a scaled-down version of the same gutter system used in many 40-acre greenhouses,” Shawn explains. “Now, smaller growers can get started at their own pace and budget, using a proven system that’s customized for their unique needs.”
The A.M.A. Strawberry Growing System is a do-it-yourself, tabletop gutter system that comes complete with gutters, brackets, drainage, truss support and more. Available in 92″ segments, growers can choose how big or small they want to start, and add as they go. The system is designed to spec, assembled by growers on site, and can be shipped across North America.
“We knew smaller producers were eager to enter the strawberry market, and we were eager to help. So when Shawn had the idea of partnering on a scaled-down version of our gutter system, we jumped at
the chance,” says Brian Zimmermann, director of sales at Growtec. “We’ve worked with the A.M.A. team for a long time, supporting the North American strawberry market, and we’re excited to now help growers produce top quality berries no matter the size of their operation.”
Growtec and A.M.A. Horticulture are established leaders in North America’s berry market. For decades, A.M.A. has delivered quality containers, substrates and other solutions to push the boundaries of berry growing, with many innovations coming from partners in Europe, including BVB Substrates and Bato Plastics.
“We make a point of visiting Europe, and specifically the Netherlands, every year to learn what they’re doing now, and what we could be doing better,” says Shawn, who
has become a leading voice for strawberry substrates in North America, most recently presenting at the 2025 joint meeting of the North American Strawberry Growers Association and North American Raspberry and Blackberry Association in Hawaii.
“Our team lives by the philosophy of always learning, always growing. It’s how we deliver solutions that help our customers succeed, and this new strawberry system is a perfect example,” says Connie Bradt, managing director of A.M.A. Horticulture. “We are so proud to serve growers and help them innovate, improve their business, and deliver quality produce to consumers across this country.”
A.M.A. Horticulture Inc. is a solutions-focused wholesale supplier that has been serving the horticulture industry since 1982.
Harvesting Lavender & Love
A farm that generated a romance of yesteryear is a venue for couples today
Researchers have confirmed the calming, sedative effects of lavender. That serene feeling is doubled in this barn where a simpler pace of life is palpable.
By Laura Richardson
Bob’s grandfather didn’t know that the farm he purchased in 1882 would lead to his happily ever after, but in 1901, he married the girl who lived at the adjoining farm. Bob’s family joked that she simply “jumped the fence” and the story of their fourth generation farm began. Now, the Ayr Farm on the Drumbo Road just west of Pinehurst Conservation Area is a picturesque lavender farm which serves as a rustic haven for young couples seeking a wedding venue.
Bob’s wife, Barb, is herself the wedding officiant for most of the weddings on the property.
The current farm owners took over operation of the farm in 1970. Although many of the features of the farm have been preserved, they did make some changes, including adding hydro which, up until that time, had not been on the farm. Over the years, the couple oversaw mixed farming, and farrow to finish operations, as well as managed careers outside of the property.
In the 1990s, the industrious couple started their own barn equipment dealership until it outgrew them and was sold. A few years later, the couple sold the hog operation to retire, but, as many a farmer will tell you, farmers never truly put their feet up for very long.
They began to research the easy-growing lavender perennial, networking with other farmers within the industry, including becoming members of the Ontario Lavender Growers Association. Within a few short years, they had a farm boutique, selling products such as soaps and lotions that were made by their hand harvested lavender plants.
Romance continued to bloom on the farm when their son got married there in 2012, but it wasn’t until 2015 when the couple was approached by a wedding planner to rent the barn out as a wedding venue, that they cleaned out the barn and began dreaming. Thus, in 2016, they hosted their first wedding in the barn. Today they no longer operate the boutique, but leave the lavender in the field to stay beautiful for the over 100 weddings that have been celebrated in the barn, which the family strives to keep authentic and unique. Their son, Graham, and daughter-in-law, Julie, have been involved for a few years as on site wedding coordinator and security and are happily transitioning to be the venue operators.
The informal and relaxed atmosphere has also been appreciated by busy wedding parties who find solace in the serenity and beauty of the landscape. The old granary, for instance, is now a bar, and the hog finishing room is where the caterers set up. They have
added a few modern conveniences for safety and comfort reasons, like the indoor washrooms and updated electrical wiring, but the high ceilings and wood beams still make it clear that you are celebrating in a barn from yesteryear. Because lavender “puts on a great show in July”, couples benefit from the onsite photo opportunities. In fact, the farm is often utilized for family and engagement photos and even staged proposals. They have also hosted anniversary parties, first birthday parties to celebrations of life gatherings, and even a country and western musical show!
As with any business, there are always challenges, but most have to do with making accommodations for inclement weather, as well as keeping the yard, gardens and barn in prime shape for these grandparents of five, but the Gillies are privileged to provide an atmosphere of joy for the couple’s big day.
When not working or enjoying the beauty and scent of the lavender farm, Bob is active in woodworking and Barb is a genealogist. Their travels have taken them all over North America, the UK, the Netherlands, Spain, Australia, and Morocco, but most often now the couple who themselves have been married for 54 years, spend their travelling time visiting their granddaughter and great grandson in Calgary.
Picturesque and fragrant lavender on the farm in Ayr is native to the mountainous regions of the Mediterranean.
The barn-turned-event-venue comfortably seats up to 120 guests.
Love is often celebrated on the farm, where six generations of Gillies have lived, loved, and laughed.
Guests of the innovative lavender farm dine under the rustic vaulted ceiling and open beams of an original barn.
As this is a farm, guests who wish to make pets a part of their celebration are welcome to do so, making this experience all the more unique.
The County of Brant is focusing on the development of the Agriculture sector through the following initiatives:
ON-FARM DIVERSIFIED USE
The County of Brant has updated its land-use policies to allow for on-farm diversified uses including on-farm processing, retail, and other home occupations that support rural areas. By diversifying land use, farms can branch out and add to their income potential, creating jobs and promoting valuable services.
ENHANCE BROADBAND CONNECTIVITY
The County of Brant Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the County of Brant and County of Brant Public Library has produced a guide to internet connectivity. The Brant Connectivity Guide provides information to residents and businesses on internet connection options and internet service providers. The guide can be found at brant.ca/connection.
AGRI-TOURISM
Through Agri-Tourism, the County of Brant and our agriculture partners look to close the rural/urban divide by providing on-farm agriculture awareness, while allowing farmers to diversify their revenue.
RURAL WATER QUALITY PROGRAM
Financial assistance is available to qualified landowners to share in the cost of selected projects that improve and protect water quality. Cost-share rates are available from 50% - 100% for a variety of projects. This program is operated by the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) and funded by the County of Brant.
Experts tell farmers cybersecurity is important
By Jeff Helsdon
Cyber security isn’t likely at the top of many farmers’ minds. But it should be.
Take a look around the modern farm, and it’s easy to see the many different points where farmers are vulnerable to hackers. Tractors and combines are a good place to start with GPS systems and computer-aided operation. For dairy farmers, computers are at the heart of robotic milking systems, and electronics operate feeders and fans in many livestock barns and silos.
Dr. Ali Dehghantanha, a professor of cybersecurity at the University of Guelph, has a background in battling cyber threats in the military and finance worlds. On Jan. 30, he presented some interesting stories of his past involvement in cyberattacks against farms at the annual meeting of the Norfolk Soil and Crop Improvement Association.
Becoming infected with malware may be as simple as clicking on an attachment in an e-mail.
He gave the example of a dairy farm that was attacked twice and paid the ransom. When the fee went up a third time, he was called. Dehghantanha’s team went through a containment, eradication, and reorganization of the system but turned down an offer for ongoing service, preferring to use their IT people. Then, 15 days later, the milk and food system wasn’t working.
“This time, the attackers came with the best ransomware,” Dehghantanha said. “It was something we didn’t have an encryption key for.”
The ransomware was beaten eventually.
Although farmers wonder why hackers would come after them, Dehghantanha said some hacker groups specialize in agriculture.
“They want to optimize their profit of gain,” he said. “If they find a target easy to attack, they will come after you.
Groups targeting agriculture are working from China, Russia, Iran and domestically. Many of the domestic hackers are animal rights activists whose goal is not money, but shutting down the operation. Dehghantanha said up to 60 per cent of businesses that are attacked by ransomware end up shutting down.
Andrew Burns, agriculture manager for McFarland Rowlands Insurance, spoke after Dehghantanha and said it’s suspected foreign countries could be after farmers to shut down the food supply if a war erupted.
In case of an attack
If a ransomware message pops up on the screen, Dehghantanha said backdoors were likely created on the system, and valuable information was already stolen.
“If you see ransomware messages on the screen, it’s been there for months, if not years,” he said.
At that point, he said the best thing to do is to call an expert.
Prevention
Dehghantanha suggested many simple things farmers can do to prevent an attack. These include:
• Having a complex, unique password
• Conducting regular vulnerability assessments
• Subscribing to a cyber security monitoring service
• Finding the right expert
• Attending cybersecurity workshops
Insurance
Burns said the issues associated with a cyberattack can be more widespread than shutting down computers on one farm. Hackers can access contact lists, and viruses can spread quickly. This opens the infected farmer to lawsuits from those to whom the virus was spread.
Cyber insurance protects from such lawsuits and also assists with paying the costs of fixing infected computers. Burns said cyber insurance is still reasonably priced.
Dr. Ali Dehghantanha wowed the crowd at the Norfolk Soil and Crop Improvement Association with stories of how scary cyberattacks can be for farmers.
Andrew Burns, agriculture manager and partner at McFarland Rowlands Insurance spoke of the benefits of cyber insurance.
A quick count: Camera technology helps with key orchard decisions
By Luke Edwards
It takes time to develop trust. That remains the case when it comes to robots.
Gerbe Botden is the orchard manager for Blue Mountain Fruit Company, a Thornbury-based farm. He and Jenny Lemieux, of Vivid Machines, presented to an audience at the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention, held in March in Niagara Falls. Botden shared his experience using technology created by the company.
“What I wanted was something to measure and count the fruit of every single tree in our orchard,” Botden said.
The Vivid device uses camera and machine learning to do just that. The device can be mounted on different equipment, providing
more information that can help Botden plan thinning decisions and arm his labourers with the most accurate instructions possible.
“We can then make bloom thinning decisions…and tell guys where to go and then a simple rule for them to follow,” Botden said.
It took time for the grower to fully trust the data he was receiving. Early on he would still conduct the full visual inspections he had previously. But as the information proved accurate, he began simply double checking and trusting the data more.
“I’m still going out into the field,” he said.
The Vivid Machines website boasts 90 per cent prediction accuracy, and the ability to scan 15,000 trees per hour at a moving speed
of five to 10 miles per hour (eight to 16 kilometres per hour).
“Ease of use and making it accurate are really our focuses,” said Lemieux.
Botden said the technology is useful to him throughout the year. Not only does it help with thinning decisions, but it also helps him plan for yield and storage, as well as marketing preparation as he can get an idea of fruit size.
“We used the data at every single point of the growing season,” he said.
Lemieux said it can also be used for other related research, such as the correlation between soil compaction and fruit count.
The company is exploring using their technology with other crops, including pears, high density cherries and vineyards.
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The Blue Mountain Fruit Company is utilizing a tool from Vivid Machines to perform rapid fruit counts and measurements of the trees in their orchard. The technology uses high tech cameras and machine learning.
Customers the ultimate judges, but Royal Winter Fair awards also welcome for Gunn’s Hill Cheese
By Jeff Tribe
A company’s customers are the ultimate judges.
But a little positive feedback from sanctioned competitions never hurts.
“No matter what, it’s always good to hear back,” said Gunn’s Hill Cheese co-founder and head cheesemaker Shep Ysselstein after victories in the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair’s Flavoured Cheese, Not Smoked, and Flavoured Cheese, Smoked categories.
“And the other nice thing is, when you win a competition, it gives people an excuse to try something that may be new to them.”
Ysselstein took the latter approach with cheese-making, particularly Swiss cheese-making, becoming interested in the craft through growing up on an Oxford Centre-area family dairy farm that now supplies his operation. He went to the heart of the Alps to learn his craft, spending a memorable summer helping tend and milk a 30-head dairy herd on Swiss mountainsides. Milk was collected in buckets via a mobile tie-stall system, poured into milk cans and then transported to an area cheese-making facility.
Despite a gruelling summer of work, he returned to Canada inspired rather than discouraged.
“That’s where it all began.”
Ysselstein and partner Colleen Bator combined family dairy experience, season of authentic Swiss cheese-making, subsequent cheese-making instruction, and also importantly, a business degree, into the founding of Gunn’s Hill Cheese in 2010. Their original line featured Five Brothers, a hand-crafted washed rind product reminiscent of Gouda and Swiss Appenzeller; Handeck, a version paying homage to the Swiss mountain cheeses he made in Europe; Oxford’s Har-
vest, a milder, creamier offering modelled after Swiss Mutchsli; and highly-popular curds.
All four remain staples in Gunn’s Hills current 20-25-variety range of offerings, a lengthy list including flavoured versions of the originals, Brigid’s Brie named in honour of Colleen’s late Irish mother, Dark Side of the Moo (Mutchsli-style soaked for four days in Dark Side Chocolate Stout from Woodstock’s Upper Thames Brewing Company) along with buffalo (Buffalo Bliss) and sheep-milk (Shepherd’s Harvest) cheeses they craft for
or others. They, and a selection of other local products are available for sale onsite at the cheese shop, located at 445172 Gunn’s Hill Road as well as hundreds of other locations around the province.
Admittedly, a competition is not a competition is not a competition. Some have more entries, some differing numbers of judges, some admittedly more or less prestigious. But results can be important, a 2013 category victory for Five Brothers at the high-end 2013 Canadian Cheese Grand Prix competition sponsored by the Dairy Farmers of Canada provided an element of early credibility to Gunn’s Hill’s products, and every win provides a boost. Cheese is judged on a combination of technical attributes, salinity and texture for example, as well as a technical term which comes down to flavour: ‘nice earthy, nutty undertones’ compared to, for example, less-attractive ‘barny’ characteristics.
Gunn’s Hill Royal Fair winners included Tipsy, Oxford Harvest soaked in Palatine Hills Cabernet Merlot for four days before being aged for three to four months; and also Five Brothers Smoked, as the name indicates, Five Brothers cheese vacuum sealed to age. After eight months, 30 to 40 wheels are cold-smoked with applewood for eight hours.
“It gets that nice natural smoke flavour,” said Ysselstein. “Apple tends to go best with cheese - hickory or mesquite can be too intense.”
Despite a gruelling summer of work, he returned to Canada inspired rather than discouraged.
Gunn’s Hill also picked up a pair of American Cheese Society awards earlier in the year, Dark Side of the Moo finishing first in its category, and Five Brothers second. Gunn’s Hill is judicious with competition entries, limiting numbers and often using the opportunity to get external assessment on new products.
“You always get some feedback on them,” Shep explained, which is an important part of the desire for improvement, important whether at the beginning of a company’s existence or 14 years in.
“You can’t just let it go,” said Ysselstein. “We’ve got to continually focus on doing better, always trying to do a little better.”
And while competitions are part of that ongoing challenge, customer appreciation remains the biggest win.
“It’s still always fun to see people enjoying our cheese,” Ysselstein concluded. “That’s what keeps it exciting.”
Gunn’s Hill Cheese co-founder and cheesemaker Shep Ysselstein shows off the Five Brothers Smoked (in his right hand) and Tipsy (left) cheeses which won their categories at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair this fall.
Canadian soybeans used for Japanese soy milk
When Japanese consumers purchase soy milk, chances are that Canadian soybeans were the raw product.
Japanese food producer Kikkoman, which is the leading soy milk in Japan, uses Sevita soybeans in its product. The Japanese food giant provided an overview of its product and the importance of quality beans during Sevita’s grower day in August.
While Canada is the number two exporter of food grade soybeans to Japan, Canada is number one in quality two. John Hendrick, Sevita export markets manager, said there is a preference for the Canadian products.
“The Japanese love the Canadian quality,” he said.
Hendrick said the Japanese look at the protein content of the beans, and Canada can produce better consistency. While soil and quality are a part of this, product development is a huge component.
“Sevita is an example of this,” he said, while acknowledging other Canadian companies have the same philosophy. “A lot of money is spent developing products to meet the market. There’s not the same dedication to food grade non-GMO varieties in the States.”
The Japanese preference is for non-GMO soybeans. While Sevita produces both GMO and non-GMO seed, the company will buy back 100 per cent of the production of the food grade beans to meet the needs of customers like Kikkoman.
The path from field to soy milk on the shelves in Japan, starts with conditioning and then export by Sevita to Japan. Distribution of the fully cleaned raw product is then handled by one of Sevita’s trading company partners in Japan. This company then provides the beans to Kikkoman.
Soy products are popular in Japan, with the people liking the low calories and high protein levels. Japanese people also avoid GMO products.
After years of research, Kikkoman found ways to control the taste of soy milk and to add different flavours. The product is avail-
able in a multitude of flavours from chocolate and pudding to black tea.
The soybeans are peeled and cracked and then mashed into a slurry to start the milk-making process. The resulting milk is then sterilized and flavour is added. The fiber byproduct is dried and used for other foods.
Outside of soy milk, soybeans are also used in the production of tofu; miso, which is a fermented soybean past used to make soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner; and natto, which is a fermented soybean product eaten for breakfast.
Ontario produce growers talk tariffs
By Tamara Botting
On Jan. 20, 2025 – the first day of his second term as President of the United States – Donald Trump announced that he would be imposing an additional 25 per cent tariff on goods imported from Canada and Mexico to the U.S. as of Feb. 1. The tariffs were then paused for a month, implemented for a few days, then largely removed, and are now possibly going to be back on on April 2.
This article was written on March 31, and the information contained in it was up to date as of that time; however, the nebulous nature of this situation means that things could have changed again after publication.
And that’s exactly the problem.
As Shawn Brenn, chair of the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers’ Association (OFVGA), noted, “The mere uncertainty and instability caused by the threat of tariffs is causing real harm and struggles for many of our farms. … We have seen orders for Canadian produce being cancelled, wholesale prices of produce being depressed, and farms unable to move ahead with important decisions like hiring or investments into new equipment or expansion of their farm.”
It’s a similar story for members of the Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable Growers (OGVG), said executive director Richard Lee.
“The proposed tariffs have had a detrimental impact on Ontario greenhouse vegetable producers,” he said.
In the 72 hours in early March when the tariffs were broadly applied against all Canadian exports into the U.S., “our members paid over $6 million in tariffs,” Lee said. “This money will not be recovered and in many instances resulted in the grower and marketers absorbing the losses.”
This was because purchase orders for the week had already been issued.
The OGVG has engaged a trade lawyer to provide members with some direction as
‘No one wins a trade war’
they try to navigate this turbulent situation that is full of unknowns.
“The tariffs were implemented rapidly with little to no guidance,” Lee said.
Beyond that, “The threats of tariffs have created significant uncertainties for all our members that are looking to invest or expand operations while maintaining relationships with existing customers.”
All of the uncertainty could in turn significantly impact farm jobs in Canada, Brenn said, since “farms reliant on export markets may decide to slow down production, leading to the displacement of employees.”
Over 85 per cent – approximately 200 truckloads a day – of Ontario’s greenhouse vegetables, as well as a significant proportion of other crops, such as field and processing vegetables, are exported to the U.S. annually.
It’s a vital trade partnership, not only because of how large it is, but also because there aren’t many alternatives.
As Brenn noted, “The high perishability of fresh produce also limits efforts to diversify into new markets, such as Asia, as the distance to other markets and the resulting transport time is just too great.”
Lee pointed out that while in the short term, “there is no viable option for the U.S. to displace the produce we or Mexico supply in a timely manner,” it’s a different scenario long-term.
“If tariffs continue, the increased costs will be felt by the U.S. consumer … further jeopardizing food affordability, healthier eating habits and inflationary pressures.”
All of this would likely result in “decreased demand in the future” for Ontario-grown produce, Lee said.
The possible U.S. consumer demand gap isn’t one that can be filled by the Canadian market either, Brenn said.
“We as Canadians can’t simply eat our way out of this tariff situation.”
That might not be the only challenge on the horizon, Brenn said; “The possibility of Mexico – who is also facing tariff threats from the U.S. – shipping excess product to Canada, further disrupting Canada’s local market, (is) also of significant concern.”
Lee said his organization, along with industry allies including Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC), Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA), Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), and the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), has been advocating for supports for farmers across Canada at both the federal and provincial levels, in the absence of a resolution to the trade war with the U.S.
“Tariffs will only further jeopardize domestic food security for all countries involved and further aggravate the affordability crisis so many have been struggling to manage,” he said.
While U.S. consumers pay the tariffs their country implements, Canadians might soon feel a similar pinch in their wallets. In response to Trump’s threat of more tariffs being put in place on April 2, Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney has indicated that he would employ retaliatory tariffs.
Brenn said these must be applied very mindfully, “or they can have a potentially detrimental impact on our domestic food production. For example, when counter tariffs are applied to imported inputs from the U.S. that are needed to grow our crops, such as packaging, equipment, machinery parts, seed, fertilizer, chemicals, etc., this can cause our domestic production costs to escalate, potentially leading to higher grocery prices.”
Along with the uncertainty of what will come out of the U.S. next is the question of how Canada will respond, as the federal election is taking place on April 28.
While those results weren’t known before print deadline, the Ontario election already took place earlier this year, meaning that the local MPPs are in position and ready to advocate for their constituents at the provincial level.
Progressive Conservative MPP for Brantford-Brant Will Bouma noted that
“The tariffs imposed by President Trump are jeopardizing a decades-long trade relationship that generates $45 billion in agri-food trade every year.”
He added that the Ontario government is committed to protecting the province’s agri-food sector and its 871,000 workers.
“We want to cultivate the conditions for our sector’s long-term resilience and global competitiveness,” Bouma said.
He noted that in January, the Ontario government had increased the Risk Management Program from $150 million to $250 million, and that the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness is in regular communication with its federal counterparts, “and will continue to work
hand in hand with them to make sure Ontario farmers have the support they need.”
Independent MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk Bobbi Ann Brady said she wants to see the Ontario government focus on cutting red tape and taxes.
“We can only control what happens on this side of the border; now is the time for decisive action,” Brady said, adding that she’d like to see some interprovincial trade barriers removed, and more effort put into establishing different international trade partners.
“We must be able to become more self reliant and less reliant on trade with the United States, if they continue to be an unpredictable trading partner,” she said.
While government officials are looking at other options for trade partners, there is arguably some value in trying to salvage what was in place, if it can be done for the benefit of all parties.
Brenn said the OFVGA “strongly supports free trade between Canada and the U.S.
“We believe that using food in trade disputes benefits neither farmers nor consumers and for this reason we urge government to work toward a place where there are no tariffs on food products. Imposing tariffs on fresh produce would raise consumer prices and reduce access to healthy food across North America.”
As Lee noted, the simple fact is, “No one wins a trade war.”
TARIFF TIMELINE
United States President Donald Trump has imposed, paused and threatened tariffs
on goods coming into his country from Canada and other nations multiple times since taking office in January 2025. Here’s a timeline for the Canadian-specific incidents:
• On Jan. 20, Trump announced that on Feb. 1, there would be an additional 25 per cent tariff on goods imported from Canada and Mexico to the US.
• On Feb. 1, Trump signed the executive order to impose the tariffs on almost all goods from Canada and Mexico, and a 10 per cent tariff on China.
• Two days later, on Feb. 3, Trump agreed to a 30-day pause on the tariffs on Canada and Mexico, while also threatening new tariffs against the European Union.
• On March 4, the tariffs against Canada, Mexico and China went into effect; then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau put a 25 per cent tariff on $155 billion of American goods.
• The next day – following an outcry from U.S. automakers – Trump announced a pause on tariffs on cars coming into the U.S. from Canada and Mexico for one month.
• On March 6, Trump suspended many of the
tariffs that he had placed on products from Canada and Mexico.
• On March 10, Ontario announced its own tariffs, which included a 25 per cent surcharge on the electricity it exports to Michigan, Minnesota and New York. In response, on March 11, Trump threatened to double the tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium imports; eventually, both sides backed down.
• The U.S. announced more tariffs to come into effect on April 2, which Canada’s new Prime Minister Mark Carney said would be met with retaliatory tariffs.
Farmerettes forgotten no more: Documentary shines light on long forgotten program
By Luke Edwards
Some arrived out of a sense of duty, and some out of a sense of adventure. Some wanted to help the cause while others simply wanted to get out of class.
But arrive they did, from every corner of Ontario and even as far as Quebec. For a decade beginning in 1941, young women hopped on their bikes or fiound other ways to get to farms in southwestern Ontario. Their job was to fill the work boots of the young men who were in Europe fighting Hitler and the Nazis in the Second World War.
Farmerettes, as they would come to be known, were as young as 16 - some who fudged their birth certificates, even younger - and played a vital role in the war effort to defeat fascism and end a devastating global war.
And now, those women are being remembered in a documentary created by Colin Field, Bonnie Sitter, and a small team of supporters.
“It was so long ago and it was completely forgotten,” said Field, the filmmaker who teamed up with Sitter to create the 50-minute documentary We Lend a Hand.
“Everybody can contribute. You don’t have to be Winston Churchill. Service comes in so many ways.”
We Lend a Hand tells the story of the women who participated in the Farmerette program, which ran from 1941 to 1952 and saw mostly teenaged girls spending a summer on the farm where they picked fruit and vegetables and helped get the crops off the fields. Much of that food was then sent overseas to help feed the soldiers who were on the front lines.
“It’s women’s history, it’s war history, it’s food history. And people have never stopped to think that before they fired the bullets and dropped the bombs that it all starts with food.
And the girls stepped up and did that,” said Sitter, whose interest in Farmerettes began a few years ago when she came across a rather nondescript photo, two inches by two and a half inches.
It had no names, and the only clue was a short inscription on the back that read “Farmerettes, about 1946.”
That photo set her off on a journey to learn more about this largely forgotten piece of Canadian history.
“To be quite honest I felt a little indignant that no one had ever taught me about Farmerettes,” Sitter said.
In time she would uncover troves of information, largely with the help of Shirleyan
English, who was a Farmerette in 1952. Later in life she did some outreach and received loads of letters from fellow former Farmerettes, but then sat on them, at least until Sitter turned up.
That all culminated in Onion Skins and Peach Fuzz: Memories of Farmerettes, a self-published book that details the history of the program.
Then came the second chance meeting. Field at the time was learning to play the banjo and was at the Goderich Celtic Roots Festival at the behest of some friends to perform. He’d been staying at their home and wanted to get them a thank-you card.
What started as a project featuring 10 former Farmerettes quickly ballooned, with Field and his team ultimately interviewing 20, with plans to keep going as they develop a website to go alongside the documentary.
Cathryne Horn and June (Curts) Partridge were former Farmerettes who were featured in the documentary We Lend a Hand. They were among the supporters who received a private viewing of the film in Grimsby last month.
A small team of filmmakers helped Colin Field and Bonnie Sitter create We Lend a Hand, a documentary on the history of the Farmerettes.
He came across a vendor table selling cards, and met Sitter. They chatted for a bit and Field learned about the Farmerette program and some of the work Sitter was doing researching it.
A few years later, as Field was venturing into his new hobby of filmmaking, he was once again on the search for some cards. When he reconnected with Sitter he asked about her research project.
Sitter, who will talk to anyone about Farmerettes for as long as they’re willing to listen, gave Field the update.
“As she’s describing it, in my head I’m thinking that this would make a beautiful documentary,” he said.
It turns out, Sitter was thinking the same thing, telling Field what she really wanted was to see the story put on film.
they bonded and learned the importance of teamwork.
As the credits - which include photo tributes to several Farmerettes - rolled, and the lights came on, there were more than a few puffy eyes.
“You see what an impact they had on Canada and the war effort,” said Field.
June (Curts) Partridge was at the showing, and her experience with the Farmerettes is a reminder of just how tough the job was.
We Lend a Hand tells the story of the women who participated in the Farmerette program
So they set to work developing it. Originally it was to include interviews with 10 former Farmerettes, but that soon doubled to 20.
They then realized archival footage would be necessary, even if it can be expensive. Some amateur actors were hired to re-enact life as a Farmerette.
“If we do it, I want to do it right,” said Field. Last month they offered a private showing at the Grimsby Museum, inviting supporters and a few Farmerettes to see the nearly-finished product. Throughout the showing there were a few laughs as the women - now in their 80s and 90s - recalled the familiar teenage desire to get away from their parents, or the local farmer boy who caught their eyes and convinced them to return for a second, third or fourth year.
But there were also touching moments. Many of the young women had never been away from home for so long, while others didn’t realize what went into farming and struggled. And as they shared their stories, the film provides regular reminders of what’s going on in Europe and how fraught things were at the time. Field also called it a rite of passage time for the women where
“I enjoyed it, but then I got sunstroke,” she recalled. The medical emergency cut her time as a Farmerette short.
“A lot of people don’t understand what people did (during the Second World War) so I’m glad they’re making this public.”
Jean Brett was also at the viewing. She was a Farmerette in St. Catharines in 1941, and remembered the challenging conditions.
“We had tents to sleep in,” she said.
Like the others, Brett was happy to see the documentary created.
“Oh yes, it was very nice and interesting,” she said.
Field has entered the documentary into some festivals, including Toronto’s Hot Docs. Rules around some of those entries restrict public viewings. He admitted it’ll be tough to get We Lend a Hand into the extremely competitive Toronto festival, but remains hopeful they’ll get some publicity there or in other, smaller film festivals.
However, once those restrictions are lifted, Field and Sitter plan to offer public viewings of the documentary. They’ll also offer up copies to places like the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa or Juno Beach Centre in France.
The team received limited funding for the documentary, and costs escalated as they decided to grow the scope of the film. Sitter’s collecting funds to help offset some of those costs. There’s a GoFundMe page online titled “We Lend a Hand - Farmerette documentary film.” Sitter will also accept e-transfers at bonnie.sitter@gmail.com, where she can also be reached to answer questions. Families of Farmerettes can also have them included in the documentary, as Sitter will offer to include a photo and description in the credits for a $500 donation.
They also have a website, welendahand. ca, that they plan to build out with more interviews material and other information that couldn’t be included in the documentary.
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Lou Schenck, whose family farm hired many Farmerettes during the Second World War, spoke with Sitter for the documentary.
The filmmakers ultimately hired a few actors to add some re-enactments of Farmerette life.
Ginseng stays as the “consistent crop” at Malecki Farms
By Diane Baltaz
“With farming you have to be resilient, but you must be more so with ginseng,” says Blaine Malecki. “That’s because anything can happen with it.”
Blaine, 27, and his brother, Brent, 31, grew up with ginseng, the primary crop on Malecki Farms, located on Pleasant Ridge Road near Brantford. Together they tend 85-100 acres “under shade annually”—as ginseng growers say – planting 20 to 25 acres each year while harvesting a similar amount.
While sitting in their office with their father, Richard, the Malecki brothers shared their experiences of growing panax quinquefoilus to sell to China; valued for North American ginseng’s high quality and its sweeter taste, China buys the bulk of Ontario’s ginseng.
“You must stay consistent with this crop – you must forecast the market demand four years ahead,”
said Blaine.
“It’s neat to work in there (under the shade),” said Brent, about the crop’s fulfilling aspect. “I enjoy the harvesting of the berries in their third and fourth years (as future seed), and then harvesting the plant.”
Like many cash crops, ginseng prices depend upon factors such as supply and demand, weather and even international politics. Unlike those crops, ginseng stays in the field for at least four years from planting to harvest, meaning that more unexpected situations can happen.
It is why both brothers and their father emphasized their need for “consistency” in keeping the annual acreage within the same range.
“You must stay consistent with this crop – you must forecast the market demand four years ahead,” said Blaine.
“Ginseng is a long-term matter,” agreed Brent. “You have a consistent acreage that stays there over the high and low (price) times. So far, our highs outweigh the lows, although there have been more profitable years.”
Like many Canadians of Polish descent in Brant-Norfolk, the Maleckis’ farming history began with the brothers’ great-grandfather, John Malecki. He emigrated from Poland, settling initially in Saskatchewan where son Teofil was born. The family relocated to Norfolk County to share grow tobacco before purchasing their own farm. A photo of these two ancestors posing with a hand-tied stick of tobacco in a pack barn hangs prominently in the farm’s office.
Teofil moved to the family’s current farm in Brant County in 1950 to grow tobacco and
Brent, Blaine and Richard Malecki outside Malecki Farms’ new office and poultry barn near Brantford.
Aylmer Burford Ingersoll Norwich
raise his five children. Two of his sons, Richard and Joe, expanded the crop to 250 acres by the late 1980s.
The ginseng began with a trial planting of several acres in 1992, with that crop selling in 1995. Malecki Farms gradually expanded the ginseng plantings and decreased tobacco acreages by the early 2000s, with Richard and Joe participating in the tobacco buy-outs. They built a new ginseng cooler in 2008.
Brent retains some childhood memories of the tobacco harvest and its attendant culture, while his younger brother’s memories remain vague.
“By the early 2000s we were just ginseng,” said Blaine.
Other crops grown on Malecki Farms include corn, soybeans, wheat and rye, with the straw going to the ginseng fields as bedding. In an attempt to diversify away from cash crops, the brothers obtained quota a year ago and built a one-floor poultry barn where they currently raise 20,000 Cobb broiler hens.
Malecki Farms brings in five experienced Mexican workers from April to November, two of whom have worked there for 20 years. Each autumn, they hire an additional five workers from another farm to deal with the labour-intensive harvest and processing.
That job description involves removing the shading, straw, running the harvester, storing the roots in the cooler for two weeks, then washing and grading the crop before drying and re-grading them prior to packaging the product for sale.
Richard primarily assists his sons by coordinating and overseeing the labour, “although I’m trying to step back!” he said laughing. The brothers credit their mother, Peggy, for being “the glue of the family” especially during the growing season’s more hectic moments. Also involved is Brent’s wife, Brooke, who is currently expecting a second baby in addition to their daughter, Eva.
When asked about ginseng’s main drawback, the Malecki brothers replied, “It’s the commuting as there is still replant disease,” – which prevents the crop from being replanted in any previously-grown location. Researchers have not yet found a successful solution to eliminate replant disease.
The Malecki family thus scours Brant and Norfolk Counties in search of ginseng-free land to rent, with their crews commuting to Oakland, Oak Hill, and as far as Silver Hill and Princeton to plant crops.
But commuting to their work informs their necessary resiliency, along with a sense of humour. Blaine recalled a Mother’s Day snowfall, the weight of which collapsed 35 acres of shading, thus sending the family, workers and friends scrambling across the acres to restore it and save the crop.
Another time the family expected poor yields yield from a crop planted near the Brantford Airport because, said Richard, “Every rainfall that year hit the Brantford Airport and ginseng doesn’t like being too wet. But that was one of our best crops ever – it’s really weird.”
“Ginseng is a very humbling crop – anything can happen with it,” said Richard. “It’s like a Crackerjack box: you don’t know what’s in it until you open it and then you see the surprise.”
Does anyone on the farm consume it? Brent does not. Blaine confessed, “I consume it when we’re harvesting it because it’s there, but that’s it. I guess you can call me a minor user.”
Pictured, from left. Blaine, Richard and Brent Malecki display a mid-20th century photo of John and Teofil Malecki in the farm’s year-old office.
Bite of Brant wins Ontario Excellence in Agriculture Award
By Tamara Botting
As 2024 drew to a close, the Bite of Brant agricultural awareness program was recognized alongside other industry leaders at the Ontario government’s Excellence in Agriculture Awards when it was named a recipient of the Promotional Excellence Award alongside Farm and Food Care Ontario out of Guelph.
Jean Emmott, who has continually served on the event’s core organizing committee since its inception, said she and her fellow members were “stunned” and “really excited,” when they found out about the recognition.
“It came as quite a surprise,” she said.
While it was the first time the event had won this particular award, Bite of Brant has been celebrated with other recognitions, including the Farm and Food Care 2019 Ontario Champion Award and the Award of Excellence from the Ontario Agri-Food Education (which is now AgScape).
Also, “We’ve had two Ontario Agriculture Ministers visit (the event),” Emmott said.
Bite of Brant has a long history in the area, having first sprouted 30 years ago, though the seeds for the award-winning event date back even further.
The start of Dairy Days, an educational initiative organized by the Brant Milk Committee, was 40 years ago. Five years after it launched, the International Plowing Match was hosted in Brant County, in the Paris area.
“I believe Brant County was the first county match to have an ag awareness committee, so that teachers were given some idea where to take their students that would most benefit them, as opposed to a ‘just opening the bus doors and go for it’ sort of thing,” said Emmott, who is a retired teacher and a lifelong dairy farmer. (“I’m still in the barn at 6 in the morning,” she said with a smile.)
Some of the people who were involved in the planning of Dairy Days, the plowing match, or both thought it would be a good idea to have an ag awareness day that highlighted more of the area’s commodities, including grains (corn, soybeans and wheat), pigs, beef, etc.
It took five years to move Bite of Brant from an idea to reality.
‘It came as quite a surprise’
Jean Emmott is a founding member of the Bite of Brant organizing committee. Over the years, she has been building out her Bite of Brant bible – a binder with contact information for key partners and volunteers, a timeline of when tasks need to be done, etc.
Some local farm families have been involved with the program for all 30 years; there are several families where the second generation is now involved, and a few that have the third generation taking part.
Emmott said from the beginning, they have charged a registration fee for the classes to attend, to cover the cost of materials; in particular, the slice of pizza, carton of milk and apple that each student gets at the end of their visit.
“The farmers are already contributing their time, their patience and their expertise,” she said.
While the early days of Bite of Brant had a steep learning curve, now, it’s more about fine tuning.
Emmott and Barb Sheardown were founding members of the Bite of Brant committee, and are still among the core committee members alongside Tammy Allardyce, Dorothy Donkers, Jayne Miller, Lauren Miller, and Peggy Young.
In total, it takes around 100 to 125 volunteers to plan, prepare and present the annual event.
As Emmott noted, “It’s very much a team effort; it’s not a one-person show … The biggest kudos to the core committee and to the volunteers who make it happen.”
However, thanks to consistent financial support from the City of Brantford and County of Brant municipalities, as well as various community organizations and service clubs over the years, the organizers have been able to keep the costs to the classrooms fairly nominal, and even offer a bus subsidy that almost completely covers the transportation cost, if the school meets the early bird registration fee deadline.
Emmott said she always encourages the teachers to get their students to write thank you letters to the donors afterwards.
“That’s the best thank you that we can have … the service club members are thrilled to get those letters,” she said.
Applying for these funds is part of the annual planning that goes into the event. Over the years, Emmott has been building out her Bite of Brant bible – a binder with contact
At the end of 2024, the Bite of Brant agricultural awareness program was recognized alongside other industry leaders at the Ontario government’s Excellence in Agriculture Awards when it was named a recipient of the Promotional Excellence Award.
information for key partners and volunteers, a timeline of when tasks need to be done, etc.
Emmott explained that they have three basic requests for any of the presenters at Bite of Brant: that their station have a handson component, that some form of what they produce can be connected to pizza (as a relatable, connective topic thread for the students), and that it be related to local agriculture.
“Foods from all food groups are produced and processed in some way in Brant County, and agriculture is the number one industry in Brant County,” Emmott noted.
The individual classes that come to Bite of Brant are split into two groups, and each will tour half of the stations.
“The idea is that when they go back to class, they share their experiences and get to discuss their involvement in it and what they did,” Emmott said, adding that this structure helps reinforce the lessons with the students, because they’re now teaching it to others.
Every five years, Bite of Brant has an evening open house so everyone in the community can come out and learn more about agricultural producers in their area; 2025 is an open house year, which means a greater commitment from the volunteers and organizers.
Bite of Brant always takes place in the spring, but the exact date shifts a bit, depending on when Easter is.
“We have to do it early enough, before the farmers get in the fields.”
Reflecting on the past 30-plus years and how Bite of Brant has grown, Emmott said, “I never envisioned (this). It’s changed a lot;
we’ve never done one exactly the same as the year before.”
She explained, “Sometimes you’ve got a really good station, but then those people can’t come the next year … or, this didn’t work out this way; we need to change the arrangement.”
For instance, one of the regular stations they have had since the early days of Bite of Brant is farm equipment, “because I just thought, if I was a city kid, having the opportunity to climb up and sit in a tractor would just be something really exciting,” Emmott said.
The idea was solid, but the execution needed to be adjusted when the company loaning the equipment put a front-end loader on the tractor; “that took up a lot of space,” Emmott said.
While the early days of Bite of Brant had a steep learning curve, now, it’s more about fine
where their food comes from. They love the hands-on activities – seeing the animals is always a highlight, but they also enjoy planting mini gardens, pressing cider, and engaging in interactive demonstrations. Learning how strong eggs really are, exploring farming tools and equipment from past and present, and seeing how different types of soil absorb and filter water are just a few of the engaging lessons,” Guest said.
“I commend the volunteers each year for their dedication and hard work in providing these meaningful, hands-on learning experiences to students who might not otherwise have the opportunity.”
Cheryl Mann is another teacher who has attended Bite of Brant many times with her students from Princess Elizabeth Public School, including the online version in 2021 (the event was cancelled in 2020 due to the
stations, because that means there is “lots to talk about back at school.”
Emmott noted that you can never tell what kind of impact attending Bite of Brant will have on a student. She shared a story that had been told to her by a teacher who had attended the event for a number of years: at one of the stations, a student planted a tomato plant, which he was able to take home afterwards. That fall, when he was in the next grade, he brought his former teacher some of the tomatoes he had grown from the plant.
That’s the heart of what the Bite of Brant committee and volunteers are hoping to accomplish, to give students a better connection to and understanding of where their food comes from.
That’s why they chose to make it an event for Grade 5 students.
“Grade 5s are independent,” Emmott said.
These Brant dairy-beef producers use Google Earth to rotate livestock to greener pastures
By Diane Baltaz
Wes Kuntz and Jenny Butcher of Tanbark Jerseys of Sour Springs Road don’t lift a finger to rotate their pasture-fed beef cattle and dry cows to greener pastures.
Instead, they use their cell phones to draw new fence lines and move their livestock accordingly, using Google Earth and GPS technology to do their legwork.
It’s a new technology that uses webbased technology and solar-powered GPS livestock collars via a base system on the couple’s farm.
Named the e-Shepherd and acquired from Gallagher Animal Management of Australia, the Internet program creates a virtual fence and sends its parameters to the bovines’ neckbands. The animals learn to stay within the boundaries because their neckbands emit a beep when they approach the fence and then feel a harmless pulse if they test it.
The system also tracks individual animals.
Virtual fencing was originally developed by Australia’s government research organization – CSIRO. Agersens, a Melbourne-based agri-tech firm, further developed this innovation. Gallagher Animal Management acquired the Agersens technology for the global market.
Gallagher’s website states, “With e-Shepherd, moving and fencing cattle is no longer
dependent on where you can get a fence line, An endlessly… adaptable fencing solution allows you to move and contain livestock anywhere…breaking down those difficult to fence paddocks into smaller grazing cells…
while reducing … dependency of physical fencing resources such as materials and skilled labour.”
Virtual fencing enthusiasts Jenny Butcher, Wes Kuntz with their 10-month old son, Butch.
Wes Kuntz checks the virtual fencing while L’Attitude the Cow looks on with her GSP collar.
It adds, “e-Shepherd also offers a cost-effective solution for environmental compliance… excluding cattle from environmentally sensitive areas such as waterways, native habitats, and natural disasters.”
Butcher is openly enthusiasm about virtual fencing, which they implemented last spring. In a May 8, 2024 Facebook posting for the Little Brown Cow, the farm’s popular retail outlet, she writes, “What a time to be alive! We are one of the first few farms in Canada with this technology! We draw fence lines on our phones using Google Earth! We can track our cows as dots on a map!”
“It’s all done with Google,” said Butcher recently. “The GPS collars are programmed online. We did this heavy lifting with the click of a mouse.”
“It’s all done with Google,” said Butcher recently. “The GPS collars are programmed online. We did this heavy lifting with the click of a mouse.”
The e-Shepherd enables Tanbark Jerseys to remotely move their dry cows and beef cattle across the farm’s 80 acres of pasture; some of this land exists on hills and amongst trees, or in sections with old fencing in need of replacement.
The couples’ 60 milking cows graze closer to the barn.
“Virtual fence lines are nice because they’re virtual - invisible. The cows can graze around trees and hills and shrubs where traditional fencing including electrical would be difficult,” said Butcher.
“We assumed that the technology was coming and we had the motivation with the hills, shrubs and trees so we knew that it would be perfect. It’s great for rotational grazing.”
Tanbark Jerseys received up to $20,000 from the federal-provincial Agri-Tech Innovation Initiative to assist the system’s implementation, said Butcher.
The Agri-Tech Innovation Initiative funds eligible farm and food processing businesses to invest in innovative technology, equipment or processes that will expand production capacity or enhance efficiency. The Canadian and Ontario governments jointly invest up to $25 million, through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership.
“This will save us money!” Butcher exclaimed about virtual fencing in another Facebook post. “We expect these to improve every aspect of our beef production… This is one of the most exciting purchases we’ve ever made!”
Tanbark Jerseys is known for their creativity. Starting with 20 milking cows on rented facilities near Paris in 2008, they moved to their current location south of Brantford in 2011. They began process-
ing their own milk and developed their own cheese, including the popular, marshmallow-sized Campfire Cheese.
They retail their dairy products, grass-fed beef and other regionally-produced products in a “local food emporium” – the Little Brown Cow – in a renovated former auto shop on
Road, telling their story through social media.
The couple became Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmer of 2021, an award which recognizes Canadian farmers’ “exceptional excellence in their profession while fostering better urban-rural relations.”
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The GPS collars and virtual fencing allows cattle to rotationally graze in areas where traditional fencing is difficult.
The Problem with Wild Parsnip
Ontario has become the home of several invasive plant species; while most are threatening to local biodiversity, they are not directly harmful to humans. However there are some which can cause serious burns when touched, and everyone should be aware of these dangerous plants.
One of these is Wild Parsnip, a plant originally from Europe and Asia, where it was cultivated for its root. Very likely brought over for that purpose, the plant escaped from cultivated gardens and has spread widely across North America. It has been reported in all Canadian provinces and territories with the exception of Nunavut.
These plants- stem, leaves and flowersproduce sap that contains toxic compounds that can irritate human (or animal) skin, producing a burn like rash when exposed to sunlight. Mild cases are like a bad sunburn; in severe cases the skin goes red, develops large blisters and can feel like it is scalded. People or animals with white or light coloured skin or coats are more seriously affected than those with darker colouring.
The plant produces dense stands which reduce biodiversity by outcompeting native plants. It is a problem agriculturally if it gets into forage crops, as chemical compounds can reduce weight gain or infertility and can even be toxic if eaten by livestock. This impacts the quality and salability of these crops. Their presence on the farm can also be a problem for workers or children playing in the fields.
Supervisor of Forestry in Norfolk County Adam Biddle explained that wild parsnip is considered a noxious weed in the Ontario Weed Control Act. These are defined as plants that can negatively impact livestock, crops or farm workers. Biddle admits that wild parsnip will likely never be fully con-
He stated that it is, “Very difficult to provide adequate long term control,” adding that it requires planning and long term commitment. Mostly the plant is being handled on a complaint basis, with control targeted mainly where people are most likely to contact it. He mentioned the trails near Port Rowan and Waterford and the Long Point area as being the most problematic. Biddle feels that, “Most farms in Norfolk are pretty tidy,” so that the weed is not a major problem on most farms. He feels that Norfolk has a good finger on the pulse, with wild parsnip definitely on the radar for early detection and
goal in Haldimand is to control the plant in areas where people are likely to encounter it. It is, “Impossible to eradicate … like trying to eradicate dandelions,” he stated. Haldimand does mowing along county roads, but wild parsnip is a recurring problem, as seeds disperse and new plants come along. Large stands of this weed can be seen in several areas of Haldimand, particularly along the Grand River. It is very thick by the Hwy 6 bypass along the bridge and in other areas along the river.
Nancy Davis, Manager of Parks, Capital Planning and Forestry for Brant County, ex-
The sap of wild parsnip has a sap that can irritate human and animal skin. Wild parsnip is one of many invasive species that creates a problem for farmers and land owners.
Tar spot a concern for Ontario corn growers, but there are solutions
By Luke Edwards
It may be an issue that needs to be on the mind of every corn grower in Ontario now, but fortunately there are ready-made solutions to the widespread arrival of tar spot.
“Really, tar spot is everyone’s problem now,” said Emma Dieleman, an agronomist with Sygenta. Dieleman was one of the presenters at the joint annual general meeting of the Niagara and Haldimand Soil and Crop Improvement Associations. She was one of several in attendance to discuss the fungal disease that has expanded to affect essentially all of the northern corn belt.
While the spread of the disease may seem concerning, Dieleman and others said there’s no need to panic.
“Management fits really well into what we’re already doing,” she said.
Existing fungicides can be quite useful, and timing of application can fit in with spraying for other fungal issues like DON, Dieleman said. And most of the time, one pass is sufficient.
Tar spot is now a province-wide concern for corn growers in Ontario. However, there are effective ways to deal with the fungal infection.
And since growers south of the border have been dealing with tar spot for a decade or so, new genetics are starting to become available that will provide better resistance. Already, she said certain hybrid varieties show considerably more resistance, and Dieleman encouraged growers to consider tar spot resistance in their annual seed planning.
“Considering tar spot susceptibility is going to be super important going forward,” she said.
The fungus was first confirmed in Ontario in 2020, but has now spread throughout the province. It can look similar to other diseases, but includes raised black lesions on the leaf surface that can’t be rubbed off.
It tends to start on the lower canopy and move up.
Cooler temperatures, high relative humidity, lots of dew and saturated soils are other conditions that tar spot loves. When those conditions are right, farmers will begin to notice symptoms within about two weeks.
“And the cycle continues as long as we have the right conditions,” Dieleman said.
However, farmers are also fortunate in that it seems as though it’s the early part of the growing season is the most worrisome. A late infection offers limited risk, Dieleman said.
In a later Q and A panel, local agronomists said tar spot was one of the subjects that often came up during discussions with farmers planning ahead for 2025.
“Tar spot was part of the conversation, but it isn’t the only thing we should be paying attention to,” said Stephanie Fletcher of Twenty View Farms. Others agreed, saying tar spot often came up in discussions, but yield continued to lead the charge.
Canadian Cattle Association focused on advocating for members amidst U.S. tariff talk
By Tamara Botting
When asked for his thoughts on the United States’ proposed tariffs on Canadian goods, Canadian Cattle Association President Tyler Fulton said that in his opinion, “The best possible outcome is no tariffs, and we hope that our free trade and integrated market will prevail.”
In general, the association’s role is to advocate on behalf of Canada’s 60,000 beef farms and feed lots.
“We work to address issues that concern Canada’s beef producers to support our vision of a dynamic, profitable Canadian beef industry,” Fulton said.
Arguably at the moment, the biggest issue of concern for the association’s members is the tariff talk coming from our southern neighbours.
That’s why when the U.S. tariffs were implemented on March 4, the association organized a virtual producer town hall for
‘The best possible outcome is no tariffs’
the following week as a way to share information and updates with members; nearly 300 producers and industry representatives were in attendance.
Not only that, but “Our representatives have accepted every invitation to participate in discussions about the Canada-U.S. trade relationship and to advocate on behalf of Canadian cattle producers. We have sought out additional opportunities to ensure that Canadian beef producers have a voice in every conversation about the trade relationship and tariff discussions,” Fulton said.
The association gave the Government of Canada its recommendations on how to best address potential impacts of the tariffs on producers, and provide relief where possible. These include removing the caps on AgriStability, cost-shared Livestock Price Insurance, increased agri-marketing funding, and some targeted direct financial support.
“We also provided advice on potential countermeasures in the event tariffs are applied,” Fulton said.
While this activity has been more issue-specific, it’s all part of the association’s overall purpose: to advocate for Canada’s beef industry.
In 2015, the association launched its first National Beef Strategy; the third and most recent strategy (for 2025-30) was launched at the end of January.
“The strategy positions the Canadian beef industry for greater profitability, growth and being a high-quality beef product of choice in the world. Our industry is diverse and made of many parts,” Fulton said. “National and provincial beef industry groups have come together in a coordinated and unified response with our requests for support and our advocacy on behalf of producers.”
Creating your niche on social media boosts farm-gate sales and customer relationships, hazelnut producers learn
By Diane Baltaz
Most of the world’s online population reportedly views social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linked In and Tiktok for an estimated two hours and 23 minutes daily. Therefore, members of the Ontario Hazelnut Association (OHA) met in Grimsby recently for tips on promoting farm gate sales online.
Julia Enns, a professor of social media management at Niagara College and social content creator-managers Ashley Small and Alex Puchalski outlined ways for small producers to “carve out your brand” in spite of their busy farm schedules. They said that the user-friendly Facebook and Instagram platforms draw the greatest viewership, with younger adults preferring Instagram while older adults use Facebook. Both platforms possess mechanisms to cross-post, set up specific groups and enable tagging and communication with readers.
Instagram provides the best hits for those selling fresh, in-season nuts and posts great photos; Facebook is a good venue for information about a farm’s hazelnuts, said Puchalski.
“You must always tailor it,” she added.
“Social media is just a way to talk to people,” said Enns. “It helps you tell who you are, what you are selling or providing. It lets you tell the story that you want to tell; for example, you’re a woman-owned business or a third-generation farmer.”
The presenters stressed that whereas businesses had solely used social media to sell straight product, the post-pandemic impact of this medium has shifted to experiential buyer involvement with local food, especially with people under age 35. Canada’s current political focus on “Buying Canadian” is accelerating this agri-tourism.
“There is a huge shift from promotional sales to authenticity and connection –from branding to nurturing the audience,” said Enns. “Today, you are selling experience, not just product.”
Niagara-on-the-Lake small-batch wine producer and marketing strategist Andrea Kaiser agreed. She was a restaurateur who pioneered Niagara Region’s early local food movement, assisted in developing Ontario’s VQA wine certification system, and now works with Ontario Craft Wineries to design promotional events.
Kaiser weaves in her family’s vintner history in her own on-line branding, including her use of her family’s recipes to create “bone-dry wines balanced with acidity”, her varietal choices and her choice to name her own wines as “Drea” because that was how her father addressed her.
Links to community events and local businesses which use her wines also go on Kaiser’s social media and web page.
“I’m a slow style marketer,” said Kaiser. “I work with limited resources including agri-tourism. There’s a strong, Go Local sentiment right now, with many bundles and packages involving authentic Canadian experiences being offered instead of foreign ones.”
Added Kaiser, “Figure out your story and start telling it. Your content can be about your farm, your soil, location, the history of your farm. Develop a point of difference in marketing brand authenticity – explain why you are different from other hazelnut growers.”
Puchalski talked about developing “brand kits”, which consist of visuals such as logos, font and colour choices which create viewer recognition of a brand. She exemplified her points with the OHA’s logo, which she previously designed along with the association’s webpage. The logo uses brown and green – “colours associated with farming” and appears on the OHA’s online platforms.
“Brand kits are the quick place at who you are,” said Puchalski. “Be consistent -- use appealing and consistent logos, proper colours and fonts to enable customers to identify the farmer. Stick to them on all sites for people to associate them with you.”
Small highlighted the need for customer engagement, knowing their demographics and needs in order to use the proper platform or to set up specific target groups or tags.
Puchalski agreed: “If you have a pick-yourown cherry orchard, for example, who is likely to pick your crop and where are they coming from? Maybe it’s Greg, a 44-yearold who wants to bring his kids to pick on
a weekend. Then choose the appropriate media platform to target him.”
“We lost the fun side and must try to bring it back with clear messaging,” said Small. “Educate your audience on why you grow hazelnuts or why you support local community.”
The workshop participants revealed that their online experiences differed from each other’s: most had a webpage supplemented with some social media posts; another admitted that they had just started a personal Facebook page, while others created more complex promotions.
Ontario Hazelnut Association secretary Amanda Pilot sells her nuts under the brand, The Nutty Neighbours. She has a web page and has posted on social media. “I know that I’ve been tagged as I am getting requests for nuts from other people.”
“The hazelnut industry in Ontario is so young. We are still in charge of our own sales -- we haven’t made arrangements with the ‘big guys’ yet to come in and buy up our crop. We harvest it and we package it.” said Pilot.”We know that social media works, although we may not always be doing it well – such as is there is a right time of day to post it?”
Puchalski answered Pilot’s question: the peak engagement times for Facebook and Instagram are Tuesdays to Thursdays between 9 am and 2 pm. Facebook’s peak engagement times primarily happen mid-mornings until early afternoon, while Instagram’s peak engagement happens between 10 am and 2 pm with Tuesday and Wednesdays extending to 4 pm. Sunday is the worst day for both platforms.
Social media content creator Alex Puchalski of Fonthill designed the OHA’s logo and website while she was still a student.
Niagara College social media professor Julia Enns.
Blue Cow logo helps to identify Canadian dairy products
Dairy Farmers of Canada first launched logo in 1978
By Tamara Botting
When you walk the aisles of a grocery store, the products filling the shelves might have come from any number of countries –such is the nature of our global market.
Generally speaking, if you want to make sure a particular product is Canadian, you’ll need to spend some time reading the labels and trying to determine the difference between ‘product of Canada’ versus ‘made in Canada.’ (Incidentally, a product with over 51 per cent Canadian content can be labeled as made in Canada, but must be at least 98 per cent Canadian content to be called a product of Canada).
The task of identifying Canadian products gets a lot easier once you hit the dairy section of the store, because over 8,800 products across 565 brands carry the Blue Cow Quality Milk logo.
Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) launched the logo in 1978 “to help consumers link all the efforts of Canadian dairy farmers to the dairy products they love. Although the logo has evolved over the years, it still represents the promise of 100% Canadian dairy produced on Canadian farms,” explained Pamela Nalewajek, Chief Marketing and Communications Officer for DFC.
Any processor that wishes to use the logo has to meet the DFC’s eligibility conditions and complete a personalized license agreement with the organization; there is no charge to use the certification logo.
Nalewajek said the logo “is a certification that can only be applied to products made with 100 per cent Canadian milk and milk ingredients. This means the milk comes from Canadian farmers who follow some of the highest standards in the world. Canadian dairy farmers follow strict animal care protocols, employ sustainable farming practices as they work towards reaching net-zero by 2050, and do not use any artificial growth hormones. Additionally, Canada’s quality assurance program, proAction, is mandatory on all dairy farms.”
She added, “For shoppers looking to buy Canadian, the Blue Cow logo is a quick and easy way to know that what they are choosing supports our nation’s
dairy farmers and their local economy. With over 9,000 dairy farms and more than 500 processors, dairy has been key to Canada’s rural communities for generations.”
Nalewajek noted that Canada’s dairy sector supports more than 195,000 full-time equivalent jobs, while also contributing $19 billion to Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) annually.
Something consumers may not know is that while the logo’s default is bright blue, it will sometimes appear on a package in black or dark blue. The meaning of the logo remains the same regardless.
“DFC allows companies to adjust the logo to accommodate the ink used on their existing packaging. When blue is not used, the next darkest colour is the default colour,” Nalewajek said.
Dairy Farmers of Canada launched the Blue Cow Quality Milk logo in 1978, and it remains a convenient way for consumers to identify products that use 100% Canadian dairy produced on Canadian farms.
Farm Credit Canada launches new Trade Disruption Customer Support Program
By Tamara Botting
While farmers are champions at adapting to shifting situations, the nebulous messaging coming from the White House as to whether or not the United States will be imposing tariffs on Canadian goods (and on which goods, and when) has made for a particularly hazy future on the horizon, which makes planning for it an extra challenge.
To try and help farmers meet that challenge head on, Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has launched a new Trade Disruption Customer Support Program, which will provide $1 billion in new lending.
According to information provided by Éva Larouche, senior consultant in media relations for FCC, the initial focus for this funding is on “assisting the industry in addressing cash flow challenges so that businesses can adjust to a new operating environment.”
The FCC is a commercial Crown corporation; as such, it is “a stable partner that reinvests profits back into the industry and communities it serves.”
The organization is “100 per cent invested in Canadian agriculture and food, providing flexible financing and capital solutions, while creating value through data, knowledge, relationships and expertise,” and it offers financial and non-financial products and ser-
vices “designed to support the complex and evolving needs of the industry.”
Through the Trade Disruption Customer Support Program, FCC is providing financial relief for viable customers and non-customers who meet the necessary lending criteria.
“This includes access to an additional credit line up to $500,000 and new term loans. Current FCC customers have the option to defer principal payments for up to 12 months on existing loans.”
Because the situation remains in flux, “FCC continues to evaluate the economic impact of tariffs on the Canadian agriculture and food sector to ensure that FCC is best able to support the industry.”
This isn’t the first time in recent history that the FCC has worked to support Canadian farmers through an unusual challenge, though as Krishen Rangasamy, FCC manager of economics noted, “This trade disruption is different from what we saw during COVID.”
In 2020 and 2021, there was a global inflation spike due to supply chains being affected by COVID-related restrictions, which hampered production worldwide, he said.
“This time the trade shock originates from the US, meaning you’re unlikely to see a shortage of goods and the related inflation spike,” Rangasamy said.
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Another difference between the two situations is that “There were generous government programs and highly stimulative monetary policy by central bankers around the world during COVID that helped support demand and lift inflation worldwide. This time, monetary policy is likely to be more conservative, especially considering the 2022-23 inflation shock is still fresh in the minds of central bankers.”
That said, if the US tariffs are broadened and the trade shock is worsened, there could be impacts on the Canadian economy, though perhaps not as significantly as was seen during the pandemic.
Rangasamy said it’s likely Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth will be trimmed, and the unemployment rate will rise; it’s also likely that Canadian inflation will rise, due to retaliatory tariffs.
The Bank of Canada provides some scenarios that support these premises that can be viewed here: bankofcanada.ca/publications/mpr/mpr-2025-01-29/in-focus-1/
For more information about the Trade Disruption Customer Support Program, customers and non-customers can contact their local FCC office, or call 1-800-387-3232 to discuss their individual situations and available options. More information is also available online at fcc.ca.
Two Bite of Brant volunteers awarded with King Charles III Coronation Medals
‘I
felt very, very honoured and humbled’
By Tamara Botting
When Jean Emmott received a letter informing her that she’d been selected as one of 34 Brantford-Brant area recipients of the King Charles III Coronation Medals, she had two immediate thoughts: “Wow!” and “Why me? There’s lots of deserving people.”
Emmott’s award primarily due to the work she’s done over the past 30 years as a core organizing committee member for the Bite of Brant agricultural awareness event for area Grade 5 students.
At the February ceremony, she was joined by fellow Bite of Brant volunteer Mark Eddy, who was also being recognized, for his work with the event, as well as his volunteering with the Brant Federation of Agriculture and 4-H.
He experienced a similar reaction to the news of the award.
“I didn’t think I was worthy of anything like that. I was just in complete shock,” Eddy said. “When I read the criteria for it, I would never have thought of myself as someone who would receive one of these awards.”
Emmott said after she found out who nominated her for the medal, she made sure to thank them personally; it was a natural follow through on the lesson in gratitude that she’s always tried to instill in the students who come out to Bite of Brant.
Emmott noted that when the students arrive at Bite of Brant, they’re given instructions for how to cycle through the different learning stations, and in that, they’re reminded to thank each of the presenters. She also makes sure to suggest to the teachers that they get their students to write thank you letters to the event sponsors.
Emmott said that in her opinion, saying thank you is “something that we need to do more of in our society,” which is why she wanted to express her gratitude for being nominated.
“I felt very, very honoured and humbled,” she said. “I am very grateful for the amazing support
of my husband, Bill, and three sons … I am very blessed.”
Eddy also works to inspire the next generation through his volunteer work, and advocates to make sure the opportunities will be there for them.
“I’d like to keep young people on the farm and interested in agriculture. That’s why I do a lot of what I do to keep family farms afloat,” he said, adding that he’s seen a lot of family farms get sold and the land paved over.
“I think family farms are very important for community. Family farms are a big part of local communities; (they) keep the community vibrant.”
Eddy said he appreciates how farm families will look after their neighbours.
“Whenever anything happens, we come together, and we help each other. It’s just a very, very good way of life.”
For farm families, that sense of responsibility to and community with one’s neighbours doesn’t just extend to the people living on the land next to them, either.
“Producing food for the rest of the world also makes me feel good,” Eddy said.
Reflecting on the medal, he said he felt “honoured that people think enough of me to nominate me for such a prestigious award.”
Mark Eddy was one of two Bite of Brant volunteers who were recognized with a King Charles III Coronation Medal at a ceremony in February.
Farmers Lung can be an often overlooked condition
By Luke Edwards
Often thought of as the cause of little more than a temporary irritant, the musty air many farmers contend with on a daily basis can lead to issues far more serious than many realize.
Farmer’s Lung is a condition that should remain a concern for those in the agriculture community, even if it’s taken a backseat in recent years. If ignored, it can worsen over time and lead to a farmer losing lung capacity or even requiring a lung transplant. This winter, Workplace Safety and Prevention Services sent out a post to raise awareness of the risks.
Ryan Dick, a health and safety consultant for WSPS, compiled a resource sheet of information from various sources outlining what farmer’s lung is, how it affects people and how to mitigate exposure.
“Take those extra steps to make sure your tomorrows are going to be fine,” he said.
Dick grew up on a farm, and still runs a goat operation in eastern Ontario where he lives. Looking back, he thinks he may have been exposed to it as a child.
“I’m pretty sure I was exposed to this as a kid because I had one year where I couldn’t do anything with the hay,” he said. Like most, he figured it was just hay fever, but now he’s not so sure.
He’s become much more aware of it now, however, and not just because his role in the health and safety world, but having seen one of his children experience similar symptoms while working on the farm.
According to a page devoted to the condition on the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety website, “farmer’s lung is an allergic disease usually caused by breathing in the dust from mouldy hay. However, dust from any mouldy crop - straw, corn, silage, grain, or even tobacco - can also cause farmer’s lung.”
While there’s a seeming lack of awareness as well as a dearth of recent research into farmer’s lung, Dick’s resource sheet offered up some information that could help.
Late winter to early spring seems to be when issues with farmer’s lung peak, he said, which is when hay has had time to become mouldy and bottom layers are being fed.
Advancements in best practices can reduce the risk of farmer’s lung, but operators should still be aware of the risks mouldy hay can present to long term health.
Like many conditions, the early stages of farmer’s lung seem relatively innocuous, with symptoms having been described as similar to a nagging cold.
However, if ignored it can eventually cause permanent lung damage. As it worsens, a farmer might begin to notice shortness of breath that makes strenuous work more difficult. It can get to the point where something as simple as getting out of a chair is a challenge.
Other symptoms include: fever, chills, a dripping nose, irritating and harassing cough, blood-streaked sputum, difficult breathing with a tightness in the chest, crackling breathing, muscular pain and depression.
Oftentimes farmers will just assume it’s the flu or a cold and let the symptoms run their course. However, even a visit to a doctor may not yield a farmer’s lung diagnosis since the farmer might not connect their illness to their work, and the doctor may not think to ask.
“It’s so difficult to diagnose,” he said.
Symptoms of an acute farmer’s lung attack can linger as long as two weeks, but usually decrease after 12 hours. Severe attacks can last 12 weeks.
If a farmer is continually exposed to large amounts of mouldy dust and has several acute attacks over a period of years, they can develop a chronic form of farmer’s lung. This can lead to increasing shortness of breath with occasional mild fever and usually a significant loss of weight with general lack of energy. This can last for months and is also marked by permanent lung damage.
Dick said there isn’t much information on how
many people in Canada suffer from farmer’s lung, however it is most common in regions with wet weather at harvest time. It’s also more common on dairy farms, “especially those not equipped with automated equipment for handling hay or feed,” according to the CCOHS.
However, the organization pointed out it can affect a wide variety of people, including: grain handlers, stable employees, poultry workers, attendants of zoo and circus animals and pet shop workers. Even city people who occasionally visit stables can be at risk
Farmers working with loose hay out in the field have a relatively low risk. However, they can quickly inhale large amounts of dust when working with hay in a confined space.
Fortunately, there are best practices that can reduce risk. And in many cases, these practices fit in with other efforts to improve the overall operation of the farm.
Avoiding crop spoilage is the first step in reducing the risk, Dick said. Other tips include: drying wet hay, grain and crops at harvest (an effective but often challenging solution, Dick admits), storing hay with a high risk of spoilage in silage instead of bales, ventilating buildings that have a lot of dusty material, mechanizing chores that involve handling hay and feed, wetting down barns and stables before cleaning them to prevent the spores from becoming airborne, and finally, the use of properly fitted respirators.
The natural evolution of farming practices has helped in some ways. Moving to larger bales that are handled primarily by tractors reduces the risk of contact, for instance.
“Overall, we’re handling the hay less, we know how to store it better,” he said.
Dick encourages farmers and those who work on farms to consider adopting practices to reduce the risk of breathing in those damaging spores. WSPS has a resource hub for farmer’s lung on its website, wsps.ca.
Using multiple social media venues expands this hazelnut grower’s sales beyond Ontario
By Diane Baltaz
Hazelnut grower Elizabeth Burrow lauds social media as the gem in local farmers’ marketing bag.
Burrow grows and roasts hazelnuts near Fergus, marketing them across Ontario and beyond as “Jewels Under the Kilt.”
At the recent Ontario Hazelnut Association (OHA) marketing workshop on social media, Burrow credits her use of multiple internet platforms for getting her artisanal nut boxes into local shops in Southwestern Ontario, “at least two airlines”, Europe and the United States.
“I’m about Nut Magic,” Burrow told her fellow participants. “They come to me -- I make no pitch.”
Burrow said that she has used sites such as Instagram, Facebook and Linked In for 13 years. She downloads everything from “Happy Nut Day posts”, photos, recipes, farm news and product updates, which followers in turn “Like” and share, and provides room for user reviews.
“We are an Ontario artisan nut grower and gourmet roaster using locally-sourced ingredients,” explained Burrow online. She highlights herself as “one part farmer, one part chef and one part scientist” in her quest for new products.
Her home page tells Burrow’s story, beginning with her move to the farm in 2010. “I worked with my hands growing vegetables and flowers until I did some research and found out that just maybe I could grow nuts.”
“Little did I realize that yes, we could grow nuts… so my partner and I planted 150 nut and fruit trees in 2013.” After experimenting with maple syrup for flavouring purchased nuts, Burrow continues,” I found that I had a knack and a joy for roasting and creating flavoured nuts naturally. This was when Jewels Under the Kilt was born.”
“I use humour and hacks,” Burrow told her fellow nut growers. “Your audience needs to feel connected to you.”
While Burrow uses the dominant tools of Facebook and Instagram, enjoying their simplicity for cross-postings, she prefers TikTok for its ease of downloading photos and videos for establishing better customer connections.
“TikTok is my creator dream. I just posted pictures at first. But look at my sales. I’ve sent nuts to France. Yet I never bought paid ads on Facebook.”
“I advanced into social media with my nuts,” said Burrow. “I prefer TikTok but everything applies to all three platforms and Linked In; I never found them daunting.
Elizabeth Burrow of the Jewels Under the Kilt nut brand.
Have conversations with professionals to limit risks on your farm
‘Risk is inherent to everything that we do just as human beings, let alone being farmers’
By Tamara Botting
“Risk is inherent to everything that we do just as human beings, let alone being farmers,” noted Ben Eastman, Senior Consultant, Farm with Co-operators.
“Farming is a dangerous business … there are days where you’ve got to climb up the silo or you have to jump on the forks to load up corn to put in the planter; there are those things that you just have to do.”
Eastman has literally spent his life becoming familiarized with the inner workings of agricultural operations.
“(I was) born and raised on a dairy operation, just south of Ottawa. It still operates today; Dad’s still milking cows and raising crops,” he said.
In his professional life, Eastman helps his company’s advisors provide their clients –over 43,000 Canadian farmers – with proper education around risk management practices, changes in the market, and any other information they might need to make the best decisions possible to protect themselves, their families and their operations.
In September 2024, Eastman was a guest speaker at a virtual information session hosted by the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA).
“Farmers are busy people; they wear a lot of hats,” he said, noting that when running
Shawn Edwards is a deputy fire chief and fire prevention officer for the West Grey Fire Service.
an agricultural enterprise, one might need to be a mechanic, biologist, veterinarian, etc. at a moment’s notice – besides any familial, community, etc. obligations they might have. In Eastman’s view, farmers shouldn’t have to also try to be insurance and risk assessment professionals as well.
That’s where he and his colleagues come in.
“It’s my job – and my obligation to agricultural communities and rural communities – to
Lynden Park Mall, 84 Lynden Road, Brantford
Parking lot facing Wayne Gretzky Parkway, close to Food Basics
Estacionamiento frente a Wayne Gretzky Parkway, cerca de Food Basics
make sure that we are giving our clients the best advice and education to make informed decisions around their protection plans.”
As Eastman noted, there are plenty of risks in agriculture that are out of a farmer’s hands.
“You can’t control the weather; can’t stop wind. Until somebody is able to stop a lightning bolt, things happen,” he said. But there are ways to limit how big of an impact those instances of happenstance have.
Ben Eastman is a senior consultant, farm with Co-operators.
For instance, “Right now, the big talk in the industry is large, catastrophic barn fires,” Eastman said. So, if you’re putting up a new building, “Don’t build structures very close together; give them some space so that you don’t have a fire jump risk.”
Shawn Edwards, deputy fire chief and fire prevention officer for the West Grey Fire Service and fellow guest speaker at the OFA virtual meeting, shared the same pointer.
He also noted that fire prevention can often look like regular cleaning and maintenance.
Edwards explained that dust, cobwebs, and debris buildup on lighting and equipment that emits heat can be a fire hazard.
He added that many fires in agricultural buildings tend to be electrical related. This is because plenty of barns still in regular use could be almost or even over 100 years old, and “Some of the wiring in them is as old as the barn itself.”
Not only that, but depending on what the barn is being used for, moisture and humidity can also affect the electrical systems and the wiring.
If possible, Edwards recommended, farmers should have fire separations for different sections of their buildings, “instead of it just being one big wide-open building.”
This would keep things like sparks from a grinder or welding equipment in the machine shop area, and separate from highly flammable items, like hay and crop particulates.
Edwards strongly recommends contacting your local fire department before disaster strikes, because it might help limit how much damage a disaster can do.
“We’d be happy to come and see your operation, have a tour of it, especially if you’re into some specialty or a new way of doing things; things are constantly changing in the agricultural industry,” he said; this allows emergency responders to get a ‘lay of the land’ ahead of time, instead of entering an unfamiliar space during a crisis.
Edwards acknowledged that some farm operators may be wary about inviting the fire department to their property – concerned that they’d be inviting a full inspection, expenses to fix or change things, and possible fines, but he said that’s not at all likely to happen.
He noted that because the Ontario Fire Code doesn’t apply to all farm buildings, and that the building code for farms is very different than the standard one,
If there is no water source immediately available on a rural property, firefighters battling a blaze may use a portable water tank, like the one seen here, as an alternative source. The portable water tank would be constantly refilled by tanker trucks driving in a circuit from the nearest hydrant or other viable water source.
“There’s really not a lot of things we can say, ‘You must do this.’ But we can definitely make suggestions on preventative measures and how you can be safe,” which might eliminate the need for the fire department to ever have to respond to an emergency at all.
Edwards said it’s also important to talk to your local fire department so you can confirm what services they offer.
For instance, not every municipality has the capacity for a high angle rescue.
“So if your operation involves grain elevator storage and people working at heights, it could be an issue,” Edwards said. “You should check with your local fire department and see if they provide that service; if someone gets in trouble, who should they call to help them?”
If you ever do have to call emergency responders, make sure they know where they’re going.
“Unless you tell us different, we’re going to come to where you’ve called from,” he said.
“If you’re a large operation that does a lot of field work, you should make sure your operators know where they are on the farm,”
Edwards said, noting that he’s seen instances where a person has called for help from the home farm, and that’s where the fire department goes, but the emergency is actually happening in a field further away.
“That definitely can delay things.”
Other ways to avoid delays is to make sure the laneway up to your property is plowed and driveable, and that your address marker can easily be seen.
“Keep it visible so it’s not overgrown,” Edwards said.
Some municipalities participate in Farm 911: The Emily Project, wherein rural property owners can request a civic address and roadway marker for fields.
Edwards said if this is an option in your area, it’s a good idea do it, to help make sure emergency responders have an easier time finding you.
He also recommended that if possible, you have a water source for firefighting on site, such as an underground cistern or a pond. If there isn’t a water source immediately available, the firefighters may use a portable water tank, which is similar to an above-ground pool that the water tanker trucks will fill for the pumper trucks by bringing water to the site from the nearest water source. However, the efficacy of this is impacted by “how far they have to travel to get to the water and how long it takes them to keep that water flowing. If there’s a tangible water source right there on the property, that will go a long way to help mitigate a fire quickly,” Edwards said.
That’s why he suggested that if you’re considering putting up a new building, look into additional fire prevention features while you’re at it, such as fire separation in the building, or installing an underground cistern if you don’t already have one.
“It would incur a little bit of extra cost, but in the end, provide you with a lot more peace of mind and safety,” he said.
On the insurance side of things, Eastman also recommends pre-emptive investments to protect your farming operation.
He explained that unless you are mandated through something like a line of credit or a mortgage, you don’t have to have insurance on all of the components of your agricultural operation, such as your tractor or livestock.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have it, though.
Eastman used the example of a $100,000 tractor costing $1,000 annually to insure. Someone could choose not to incur that cost each year, but if something
were to happen, then they would have a much larger expense all at once to contend with.
“There is a balance point,” Eastman said, adding, “The data tells me that people are likely to have a claim once every five or ten years, give or take.”
Ultimately, it comes down to an individual’s risk tolerance level, and the financial hit an operation can absorb.
“Everybody has a different financial capacity,” he said. For instance, the loss of a cow might be the cost of doing business for one operation, but financially devastating for another.
It’s also important to look at the bigger picture; where a farm is and where it’s expected to be going.
“(Some) farms may be making large capital investments; others may be getting ready to transition to a different operation entirely. It doesn’t make sense that they all have the same kind of insurance,” Eastman said.
That’s why he, too, recommends having a conversation with the professionals; in this case, your insurance advisor.
“Farms have become so evolved … the things that we can do and see and (risks we) are exposed to as farmers, it’s totally different than it was 10 years ago, and it’ll be totally different in 10 years,” Eastman said.
It’s not always about the obvious things, either. Working around large machinery may put the farmer at risk for physical harm, but things like inviting the public to come onto your property for a pick your own endeavour or selling your produce directly to a local grocery store could prove to be litigiously dangerous.
“How do we manage some of that, and really provide (farmers) the tools to ultimately defend themselves and protect their operations from people who may not be acting in the utmost of good faith?” Eastman said.
He recommended talking to your insurance provider regularly – as you would any other professional whose services you require for the smooth operation of your enterprise – but especially before making any changes to your operation, so they can flag any potential risks and help you decide on the best preventative measures.
“As farmers, you can’t avoid risk; it’s inherent. But what can we do to make you safer, and give you the peace of mind that you are properly protected or your family to be protected in the event that something does go wrong.”
People and plan in place to guide future of GFO and District 6
By Luke Edwards
A new group of delegates have been acclaimed for District 6 of the Grain Farmers of Ontario, as the overall organization launches a new strategic plan.
Both were unveiled at the annual general meeting for the districtwhich covers Niagara, Haldimand, Hamilton and Brant - held in February in Caledonia. The district is allowed nine delegates, as well as two alternates. That includes director Jeff Barlow, who’s currently in the midst of a two-year term.
Eight people were nominated to join Barlow as delegates, along with two nominations for alternates, meaning no elections were required and all those nominated were acclaimed. Delegates include: Barlow, Gerry Veldhuizen, Matt Beischlag, Ian Turnbull, Susan Gowan, Jay McLellan, Kevin Vanderspek, Aaron McQueen and Brad Nimijohn.
Alternates are Steve Vanderbolt and Dan Court.
Meanwhile, the GFO’s strategic plan has received an update for the first time since 2020.
“We’re really excited to launch this new strategic plan,” said Paul Hoekstra, vice president of strategic development, telling members in attendance that GFO leadership hopes it will help “create the right environment for you to be successful in your business.”
One of the changes in the new plan is removing the sustainability focus area, though
Hoekstra said that didn’t reflect an abandonment of sustainable practices.
“We felt sustainability is ubiquitous across all our focus areas,” he said. And that means both economic and environmental sustainability.
The plan includes four focus areas: advocacy and public trust, protecting and growing
markets, research and knowledge transfer, and governance and operations.
Though not the sexiest of topics, Hoekstra said a governance review is an important step for the organization to take.
Paul Hoekstra, vice president of strategic development for the Grain Farmers of Ontario, gave attendees to the District 6 annual meeting last month an overview of the organization’s new strategic plan.
in 2008. The island was having an environmental issue at the time and ALUS quickly became the solution and a well-funded provincial program.
2024 yields show Ontario grain production has come a long way
south of Tillsonburg.
By Luke Edwards
Last year Ontario’s grain growers gave 110 per cent, literally.
Well, for two out of the three main crops, at least. For soybeans it was only 109 per cent.
Yield results from last year were presented at the annual general meeting for district 6 of the Grain Farmers of Ontario. And while there was much consternation throughout the day about potential tariff wars, upcoming elections and the carbon tax, there weren’t any complaints about last year’s harvest.
Today, nationally ALUS is approaching 1,000 farmers participating through 27 different community based programs in six provinces. Together they have enrolled 27,183 acres in the program.
Officially, ALUS Canada’s mantra now is: “ALUS Canada makes it possible to offset your environmental footprint through agricultural stewardship. ALUS invests in farmers and landowners who are producing acres of clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat and other ecosystem services in communities across Canada.”
“I think Ontario agriculture has just done a fantastic job,” said John Hussack, an agronomist with Agricorp.
Provincially, both soft red winter wheat and corn reporting came in at 110 per cent of historical averages. Wheat surpassed 97 bushels an acre, while corn was just short of 199 bushels per acre. Soybeans, meanwhile, had an average yield of 53.38 bushels per acre, 109 per cent of the historical average across the province.
Across the board the numbers were also good locally. District 6 covers Brant, Haldimand, Hamilton, and Niagara, and each region surpassed the province’s already lofty averages for wheat, corn and soybeans.
“It’s been a while since Haldimand was above the provincial average in soybean yield,” said Hussack.
That was in large part thanks to an ideal fall, said Steve Twynstra, GFO executive member, relieving some concerns brought on by a late, wet spring.
“October saved our bacon,” he said.
Twynstra pointed out the importance of the province’s grain farmers, who provide 90,000 jobs while generating over $4.1 billion in production value and over $27 billion in economic output each year.
Credit was given to some of the programs largest advocates by Gilvesy. Local MPP Toby Barrett has been a large ALUS proponent since the early days, and introduced a Private Member’s Bill promoting the concept. Wishart is now a MLA in Manitoba, and promoting it there. Bob Sopuck, who was Delta Waterfowl’s western vice-president of policy was an early advocate and became elected as an MP and was the program’s champion on Parliament Hill. Dave Reid co-wrote the ALUS concept documents with Dr. Bob Bailey, Delta’s eastern vice-president of policy.
Over the years, Gilvesy has talked to thousands of people about ALUS at hundreds of speaking engagements across Canada. Recognition for the program has included a Premier’s Ag Innovation Award
Gilvesy is proud ALUS is a farmer-led program and farmers fell they are the program owners.
“People feel they are partners in ALUS,” he said. “It’s the value of developing a grassroots program that recognizes the value of community.”
