Aylmer Express Farm Edition 2023

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SECTION B, 12 PAGES, March 22, 2023 • www.aylmerexpress.com

2023

FARM

Photo by Michael Krahn

EDITION

Hoffsuemmer Grains

B6

Harris Family Farm C2

Farming – It's a Privilege B12 Photo by Michael Krahn

New New Age

D4

INDEX Christian Farmers ..............B2-B4 Hoffsuemmer Grains..........B6-B7 Charity Salvages Vegetables ... B7 Marx Mushrooms ............. B8-B9 Smashing Pumpkins................B9 Orchard Hill Farm ............B10-B11 Farming – It's a Privilege .........B12

Orchard Hill Farm

B10

PAGE B2–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023 Mutual Funds offered through Hub Capital Inc.

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Christian farmers “targeted,” Being a Christian farmer brings additional scrutiny, Christian Farm Federation of Ontario General Manager Tom Tavani told a meeting of CFFO’s Elgin County branch earlier this year.

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by Rob Perry of The Aylmer Express He’s been in that role for 15 months, he said, and one of his concerns was that people in his church didn’t know about the federation.

“When I started, no one really knew what CFFO stood for,” despite the federation having been founded nearly 70 years ago.

“We need to go back to some of our roots,” he told farmers at the Elgin meeting.

CFFO had a new logo, and had issued a new district handbook for local branches, he said, asking how many had read it.

Only Murray Rodenburg, a member of the Elgin executive, raised his hand.

“It’s not really a shock any more,” Mr. Tavani said about the response, having asked the same question at other district meetings this year.

One concern had been that district representatives were spending their own money to represent CFFO with booths at fairs and other community events.

“We know your time is valuable,” and the federation sought to ensure members doing that work claimed a per diem, at a rate which each district would set.

“We want you to get that per diem if you’re going to help us out.”

The handbook talked a lot about

rules as well, he said, including what CFFO branches use their money for.

“A lot of the money goes to charity, and that’s good, but some of the money is also to grow the membership,” he said. But in some branches, all money went to charities.

Mr. Tavani said this was an important year for CFFO. He had a thick accreditation binder at work, qualifying the federation as a representative of farmers in Ontario.

“We have to follow a lot of rules,” he said. Regulators wanted to see minutes, to ensure districts were holding meetings.

“This is in front of a tribunal. We want to make sure all our ducks are in a row,” he said.

The federation found itself grilled during such a panel appearance, he said, and among the most important things to keep in mind was, “When you’re a Christian, you’re targeted.”

An early concern of his, Mr. Tavani said, was the lack of a CFFO policy on climate change.

“I’m a Christian. I believe the Lord is in charge of everything,” but what would the federation president say if asked about climate change? “We’ve never talked about this.”

A federation task force put together a policy, with a Christian perspective,

to give to the provincial government, he continued.

Reading the minutes of the first CFFO meetings in 1954, the year it was founded, he discovered, when translated from the original Dutch, “They wanted two things. They were not going to hide the fact they were Christian.”

They also sought something called, “faith in farming. I was very happy to see that.”

The new statement issued by the task force strongly encouraged govern-

“

A lot of the money goes to charity, and that’s good, but some of the money is also to grow the membership.

”

ment to act immediately to protect the environment, “but the complexities of agriculture must be considered so that food security is not jeopardized.”

CFFO also called for research to prepare farmers to grow food “in unpredictable conditions” with fewer inputs, such as water and fertilizer.

Mr. Tavani said the task force had included members from across Ontario, and took a year to do its work.

Mr. Rodenburg described the new climate change policy as “a fair statement.”

Different people might have different opinions, he said, but the fact was that climate change was occurring in different parts of the world.

As the global population grew, he said, more people were going to be burning more carbon-based fuels, sending more hydrocarbons into the air, he continued.

Once in a while, he said, he heard former US President Donald Trump saying global warming didn’t exist.

“You get fake news. You don’t know what to believe. Scientists say one thing, religious leaders another.”

But one fact was, 50 years ago, the world’s population was half of what it was now, he said.

Mr. Tavani said the federation had been hearing a lot from members about what claims should be believed.

“What is the truth? What is happening out there?” they asked.

Some said weather was always changing.

“You can go down a rabbit hole with this,” he said, so the statement was devised in a way that didn’t dictate to people.

“We believe in God. You can’t ignore certain scriptures.”

What was truth, he asked. Someone always took a different side on that.

Paul Bootsma from CFFO’s head office in Cambridge said scientists

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Local members of the Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario held an Elgin district “Town Hall” at Malahide Community Place in Springfield earlier this year. Issues discussed included climate change, housing and homelessness, fertilizer prices and goats. (AE/Rob Perry)

Wed., March 22, 2023–AYLMER EXPRESS–PAGE B3

asserts CFFO general manager had a process they had to follow to produce “true science,” including a review of findings by peers.

How was “sustainability” defined, Ron Buis asked. “We hear that a lot in agriculture. I’m not going to define it.

To me it’s indefinable. It’s so personal.”

Mr. Bootsma said definitions were often related to what goal a farmer might have.

If the goal was to make as much profit as possible per acre, that was different from protecting the soil for future generations, he observed.

Mr. Tavani said the CFFO, in its statement, wasn’t urging anyone to not recycle. “We’ve got to be good stewards of the land. We’ve got to do our part.”

He asked if members thought the federation had enough Christian representation in its statements and policies.

“We say we’re Christian, but really, we’re not,” he heard from some members, while others said the federation stressed religion too much.

Mr. Rodenburg said, “Are we too much Christian or not enough?

“Don’t do too much,” he said, but he believed in God and the Bible.

Ryan Dykxhoorn said he saw Christianity emerging more in CFFO statements and policies in the last couple of years.

At the same time, he noted, “You can’t be too preachy about it. That turns people off.”

Mr. Tavani said he’d heard from one person, “We’re starting to evangelize people.”

When CFFO had an information booth set up, if someone asked about Jesus or the Bible, he’d take them aside for a personal talk. “But we’re a farm federation.”

The Fellowship of Christian Farmers Canada did evangelize, which was part of the reason CFFO had to change its logo, to distinguish itself from the other organization.

Some people were mixing up the two, he said. “We’re just trying to let people know about our policies and farming.”

He asked what words members would use to describe CFFO to someone.

What to do about goat milk?

by Rob Perry of The Aylmer Express Concerns about the marketing of goats, both for their dairy products and meats, came as a shock to Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario when it started asking members at district “town halls” this year what issues were a problem for them.

The Elgin branch of CFFO held its meeting at Malahide Community Place earlier this year, and General Manager Tom Tavani asked local members if they had any concerns that the federation should have a stronger voice about.

Member Ron Buis said his daughters kept goats, but was restricted from importing genetic materials from USA. The price paid to farmers for goat milk also needed to come up, he added.

Mr. Tavani said the federation was looking at all commodity groups, but a board member had already raised similar concerns about goats.

Paul Bootsma of CFFO’s head office said the federation also wanted to meet with processors on the subject.

“The CFFO is not going to solve

the problems,” but wanted to bring together the people who could. “We want to guide that along.”

Talks had been held about whether supply management of goat milk and meat was the best solution, but he didn’t know yet if that was the answer.

He’d been looking for goat milk in grocery stores. He found a bag of milk in one priced at $11.56, and he’d thought that was pretty expensive.

“Of course, there’s people who want that goat milk. And goat meat is becoming a desired commodity.”

Mr. Buis said farmers producing goats for meat and those for dairy had different objectives, and they might need to be separated into different approaches for each.

Mr. Bootsma said he believed right now, the dairy industry was the most concerning.

Mr. Tavani said the federation has been shocked by the response on the goat commodities issue. “There’s a need there. There’s a hunger for conversation, for something to be fixed,” but the challenges were complex.

“Faith-based,” Mr. Rodenburg replied.

“It’s in the name,” Mr. Tavani agreed.

“We don’t cross it out.”

Saying the federation was Christian so bluntly led others to presume that what CFFO had to say wouldn’t be useful to government, and “categorized us.”

However, in any statement, CFFO usually put in the opening paragraph that the federation was a Christian organization.

“Our (agriculture) minister definitely knows who we are,” and showed up at one of this year’s first “town hall” district meetings held by CFFO.

1-1/2 cups baby spinach leaves 6 oz Ontario goat cheese 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Cranberry Relish: In food processor, pulse orange zest and half of the oranges until finely chopped.

Add sugar; pulse 3 or 4 times to combine.

Add cranberries, rosemary and salt; pulse until cranberries are coarsely chopped.

Transfer to bowl; toss with remaining oranges and pecans. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week. Drain relish through a fine sieve before assembling sandwiches.)

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Cranberry Relish: 1 tbsp finely grated orange zest 5 clementine oranges, peeled, sectioned, seeded and coarsely chopped (or 3 oranges) 1 cup granulated sugar 1 pkg fresh Ontario cranberries 1 tbsp fresh Ontario rosemary leaves 1/2 tsp salt 3/4 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Panini:

leaves. Spread goat cheese on remaining slices of bread. Close sandwiches, pressing slightly to adhere.

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Cut on diagonal and serve with additional relish, if desired.

Austin Berkelmans, 3, is a regular helper on his family’s dairy farm in the Putnam area. Here he is ready to help bottle feed some calves that seem impatient for him to turn around with their breakfast. When asked if he will grow up to be a farmer, Austin proudly proclaimed, “I am a farmer!” Austin is the son of Ryan and Vanessa Berkelmans.

(AE/contributed)

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PAGE B4–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023

All the new houses, increased traffic concerns for local Christian Farmers

by Rob Perry seeing a lot of residential growth, but of The Aylmer Express not regular townhouses, instead massive The Ontario government is expedit- homes. “And they’re extremely expening the building of new homes across sive. I’ve never seen them that big, when the province, but at the same time, they’re attached. homelessness is growing, Christian “I don’t think people can afford them, Farmers Federation of Ontario Elgin to be honest.” members worried at a district “town Mr. Bootsma said everything being hall” at Malahide Community Place in built now in Brantford were townhouses, Springfield earlier this year.

CFFO General Manager Tom Tavani had asked local farmers what their concerns were.

Murray Rodenburg said Building more homes is not every town and village was really the right direction to be expanding, “building square going, rather than taking care boxes on farmland,” but the new homes were not “affordof the people with problems. able housing.”

What was being built?

Great big mansions, he stated.

Paul Bootsma of CFFO’s head office apartment buildings and condominiums. in Cambridge asked if few townhouses Local farmer Ron Buis said out this were going up. way, they were all single family homes.

“It’s the rich people who are build“Are you okay with that?” Mr. ing,” Mr. Rodenburg said.

Bootsma asked about the growth.

Mr. Tavani said Chatham-Kent was “I don’t really have a choice,” Mr.

“

”

Waiting for fertilizer rebate

(AE/contributed by Nathan Saarloos)

Canadian farmers continue to wait for a rebate promised by the federal government on a 35 percent surcharge on all fertilizer being imported from Russia, due to the war in Ukraine, a meeting of the Elgin Christian Farmers Federation of Ontario was told at Malahide Community Place earlier this year.

CFFO General Manager Tom Tavani asked farmers at the meeting, “Anyone know what happened with fertilizer?”

The federation had lobbied the government over the surcharge, stating it couldn’t just charge high prices for the indispensable agricultural input.

The government was supposed to give refunds back to farmers to cover the additional cost last year, but never did.

“It’s a chunk of money they’ve taken from farmers.”

The federation was now awaiting an announcement from federal agriculture Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau.

So far, $150-million from the surcharge had gone to Ukraine. Another fund was for $34-million, and CFFO was asking that money be put back in the hands of farmers, since they bore the burden of the additional fertilizer cost.

“We’re shocked we (CFFO) were the only ones to put our names on it as an accredited farm organization,” he added.

CFFO worried the money would instead go to a program or a project, rather than farmers. “We want refund cheques back.”

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Rodenburg answered. “There is a need for housing.”

The federal government planned to bring in 500,000 immigrants annually for the next five years, and they would need a home.

Mr. Bootsma said about half the immigrants were expected to settle in Ontario.

Meanwhile, Mr. Buis said, about 1,100 residents of the Kitchener and Cambridge area were homeless.

“There’s really something wrong with this picture,” he said. Homelessness shouldn’t be an issue in this day and age, though that was perhaps more of a Christian concern than a farming issue.

“Building more homes is not really the right direction to be going, rather than taking care of the people with problems.”

Mr. Bootsma said realtors asserted they were short of homes to sell.

Mr. Tavani asked if real estate prices were still high locally.

“Farmland I know is still through the roof,” he said. He’s a resident of West Elgin, and knew a 30-acre farm in Dutton that was selling for $1.4-million.

Mr. Bootsma asked if roads were being improved in response to growth.

Nanticoke was adding homes, he knew, but had not discussed upgrading municipal infrastructure to cope with that.

Most municipalities were 10 to 15 years behind on roads maintenance to begin with, he continued. Now, with a 10 to 15 percent increase in traffic, roads were deteriorating even more rapidly.

The road he resided on was supposed to be resurfaced in 2020, but still hadn’t been, and the shoulder, which was caving in as a result, was just being patched, not replaced.

One member complained that if roads were upgraded, they got busier, increasing the risk to farmers.

Mr. Bootsma said his tractor took up both sides of a road. Drivers were supposed to pull over for him, but they had no place to go.

“I know my road doesn’t have shoulders.” Even a snowplow would get stuck, if it went only slightly off the road.

“Sooner or later, something is going to have to get done.”

The only alternative, he said, was restriction on the width of farm equipment, such as in Europe, which had limits of three metres.

Mr. Buis said more should be done to educate drivers. “It’s really, really bad, the way people drive any more. There’s no respect anymore.”

Ryan Dykxhoorn said something had to be done about training young drivers who had no ideas what the warning lights on a tractor meant.

He certainly couldn’t remember that being mentioned when he first learned to drive.

Mr. Tavani said coming originally from Hamilton, he knew what a slow vehicle sign was, but had learned only after moving to West Elgin that a green flashing light indicated a volunteer firefighter on the way to an emergency.

He saw some signs out now with that information, but anybody coming from Toronto wouldn’t know offhand.

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PAGE B6–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023

Hoffsuemmer grains The size of Nick and Michelle Hoffsuemmer’s grain elevator may be its superpower.

by Joe Konecny people instead of being like a corporation In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Central Elgin correspondent that’s just quoting them a number.” farmers hauled their grains to market, Hoffsuemmer Grains is a three-person Nick and his father Ernst Hoffsuemmer shoveling it into two-bushel burlap sacks operation based in Southwold, punch- have gone through the succession process, and lugging them to a railway boxcar. The ing above its weight, competing against with Nick now managing the farm. Mi- first commercial grain elevators – holding corporate giants like Great Lakes Grain, chelle handles the day-to-day operation about 25,000 bushels – were welcomed in The Andersons and the Archer-Daniels- of the elevator with support from Sarah Canada in the late 1870s. They were built Midland Company (ADM).

Penhale.

by German-speaking Mennonite settlers at Hoffsuemmers’ clients seem to like it “My dad built the first dryer that we had Niverville, Manitoba. that way. in 1980 and so that’s what we used until Improved designs emerged, as Canadi“Our size has allowed us to adjust and 2015,” said Nick, 40. “But the farm grew an Pacific Railway established a “standard be nimble,” Michelle, 38, said in a recent quite a bit in that time. We’d combine for plan” to help the railway collect and transinterview. “I’ve had some customers say six hours, then dry for two days some- port Western Canada’s grain to market. that to me. If they’ve got questions, they’re times (with the original dryer). That was CPR offered free land rentals along its not just calling a number, they’re not just just the flow. That was slowing us down. tracks to encourage private companies to calling a head office, they just call Nick So I wanted something that could keep up. build grain elevators. The first ‘standard and I directly, and they’re getting plan’ elevator was built in an answer directly from the Gretna, Manitoba, in 1881. person who would deal with it.

As settlement and grain It’s fast. It’s timely. That really production gained momenWe work very hard on customer service, tum across the prairies, the helps. sight of “prairie sentinels” or “We work very hard on that’s how we try to differentiate “ prairie icons” was widely customer service,” she conourselves. We try to be fast and efficient: admired. Most prairie villages tinued. “That’s how we try to and towns had ‘elevator rows’ differentiate ourselves. We with unloading, with trucks, and getting where commodities were transtry to be fast and efficient: back to people. ferred. with unloading, with trucks, Starting with just a few in and getting back to people.

1900, by 1933 there were about “The ability to be nimble 5,758 grain elevators across Westis more like protecting our ern Canada. Statistics Canada reported business because we want to “We had 170,000 bushels storage at be here for the long haul,” said Michelle. the time,” he added. “It evolved over time. 5,348 primary elevators in 1958. But by “We’ve grown primarily by word of mouth The evolving was to add more storage and 1977 the number had dropped to 3,739.

The heyday of the old standard elevawhere our customers are referring other larger dryer, while becoming a licensed customers. For some elevators that have grain elevator in 2015. We added 170,000, tors faded as elevator design and capacibeen doing this for 20-to-30 years, they then another 170,000 … and over the ties evolved. Today there are only a few might see more consistency in terms of years … it’s now 1.1 million bushels.” He hundred of the old wooden prairie elevators still standing across Western Canada. volume of grain handled. That’s not us. still uses his dad’s old dryer too.

Hoffsuemmer Grains customers hail We’re still seeing substantial growth year “It was a natural progression,” said over year, both in terms of volume, and Michelle. Her husband added: “For us mostly from Middlesex and Elgin counnumber of customers.”

I guess it was more that we started with ties, within an hour-and-a-half of the Hoffsuemmer Grains, at 8420 Lyle wanting bigger equipment here, to unload couple’s farm. Clients sell their grains to Road, St. Thomas, sits on the 190-acre quicker, to dry quicker, for our own crops. the Hoffsuemmers, they dry it – if necesproperty that Nick’s father Ernst Hoff- We weren’t big enough at that point, that’s sary – then resell it. Pricing is determined suemmer bought in 1978 after immigrat- how the elevator started. We took grain in in relation to futures and commodities ing here from Germany. The elevator is for a few neighbours – giving the neigh- markets covered by the Chicago Board of one of two family businesses. Nick also bours another option – and then it just Trade, one of the world’s oldest futures and options exchanges, established in 1848. runs a cash crop farm growing corn, soy- grew from there on its own.”

“Most of our corn stays relatively local,” beans and wheat in Elgin County.

Technology has changed the business said Michelle. “London has an Ingredion “We are who we are,” added Michelle. dramatically through the years.

“We are farmers so we know the industry.

According to the Canadian Grain Com- … or it goes to Aylmer, for ethanol.”

Ingredion Canada in London makes We know how it feels. We try to go above mission, there are now about 836 grain and beyond. We open early, we stay late. elevators in Canada, processing about sweeteners and starches, as well as nutriCustomers message me at 7 a.m. in the 28.4 million tonnes of grain a year. Back tional ingredients and biomaterials that morning and 11:30 p.m. at night. We try to in 1962, the country had 5,527 elevators are in turn used to produce foods and beverages, as well as paper and pharbe accessible, flexible. We work with the processing 18 million tonnes.

“

Nick and Michelle Hoffsuemmer have diversified while staying inside the farm sector by expanding their grain drying and storage facility at 8420 Lyle Road, St Thomas more than five fold. (AE/Joe Konecny)

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“Our kids are very used to it now,” she said. “They understand that their

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That may perhaps be the children’s’ first lesson in customer service. The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

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Charity salvages vegetables from area farm fields to help stock food banks When food banks in the London region made an urgent call for donations ahead of the holiday season, Donna Lunn and her team ramped up their efforts to help.

by Calvi Leon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, London Free Press January 8, 2023 – When food banks in the London region made an urgent call for donations ahead of the holiday season, Donna Lunn and her team ramped up their efforts to help.

Lunn is the founder of Harvest Bowl, a volunteer-run agency dedicated to reducing food waste by gleaning vegetables from farmers’ fields and converting them into dried soup mixes. The mixes are sent to shelters and food banks in London, St. Thomas and Elgin, Oxford and Middlesex counties.

“This year, because the food banks were calling earlier, we’ve upped our game, and we said we would do 5,000 complete soup mixes,” she said, referring to the fiscal year from that started in March, 2022.

Already, the agency is on track to exceed its target.

In the week leading up to Christmas, Harvest Bowl distributed 2,700 soup mixes to shelters and food banks throughout the region. The bulk of them — about 1,000 — went to the London Food Bank, Lunn said.

Those donations are on top of the 1,000 soup mixes distributed during the summer and into the fall. “So, we’re well on our way to being able to donate 5,000 by the late spring,” Lunn said.

Harvest Bowl operates out of the South Dorchester Community Hall in Malahide Township, an Elgin County community southeast of London, where it collects, cleans, and dehydrates gleaned vegetables. The non-profit, launched in 2018, is volunteer-driven and has grown to include dozens of partners, including more than 10 food banks, from the London area and as far as Guelph.

The soup mix recipes are made in collaboration with a nutritionist, while the University of Guelph helps create the labels for the packages. The agency also invites volunteers from area churches and youth and school groups to help dehydrate the vegetables, a process completed in a tobacco kiln.

The fuel for the dehydrator is donated, too, Lunn said. “It’s truly become a community project.”

Lunn sees her group’s efforts as a solution not only to address food waste but to help people struggling with food insecurity.

When the agency began, one in 10 households in Elgin County was food insecure, meaning residents could not

access sufficient food due to financial constraints, said Lunn, adding the need for more healthful, accessible food options continues to grow.

Reception has been so positive Harvest Bowl recently started selling its soup mixes at an Aylmer farm.

“We started a little social enterprise because people wanted to buy the soup (mix),” she said.

So far, the non-profit has made $4,000, money Lunn said will be used to buy spices for future soup mix donations.

While Lunn eyes further expansion of the non-profit, she hopes to stay as sustainable and local as possible. But more than that, she wants others to take up similar initiatives.

“We would rather go down the road of train-the-trainer and share the model, and then local communities can start using their own assets for that,” Lunn said.

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PAGE B8–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023 Mark Buote is proud of his mushrooms sold at area farm markets. “I think our gourmet mix boxes offer a beautiful bouquet of different flavours and textures.” He recommends frying them with a bit of butter.

(AE/Contributed)

Marx Mushrooms

by Joe Konecny system balanced and help activate killer Central Elgin correspondent T-cells,” Mr. Buote recalled.

Mark Buote literally stumbled upon Mr. Stamets claims that his mother is the inspiration for his successful fungi- a living example of the medicinal value culture operation. of mushrooms. In 2009, his mother Patty “I had accidentally grown button Stamets, then 83, was diagnosed with mushrooms in my compost bin, and it Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer. Dockind of sparked the thought,” the South- tors gave her three months to live. Howwold proprietor at Marx Mushrooms ever after a year of turkey tail mushroom said in an online interview. supplement, combined with the drugs He first became interested in the her doctors prescribed, Mr. Stamets said cultivation of fungi about five years ago she had no detectable cancer. and pursued it as a hobby for some time, “From then on it was my goal to help enrolling in a mushroom identification people live healthier lives by having course and connecting with other grow- more mushrooms in their diet,” said Mr. ers online.

Buote. “I’ve lost most of my grandparSeveral podcasts featuring Ameri- ents to cancer. The truth is that I never can mycologist and entrepreneur Paul had a chance to help my grandparents.

Stamets were instrumental in fueling That’s why it feels so important to help Mr. Buote’s newfound passion, includ- others, maybe start now in our 30s, 40s, ing an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, as well as the TED Talks presentation of Six Ways Mushrooms Can Save the World.

My goal is to provide a tasty and Mr. Buote experienced healthy way for people to live a a second ‘aha moment’ of sorts when the podcasts little healthier and happier. caused him to reflect on his loss of loved ones to cancer.

“I was watching a TED Talks with a mycologist named 50s, and 60s to remember that life’s Paul Stamets where he talked about about being healthy as long as possible, helping his mother through cancer to be part of your family, community, treatment with the addition of turkey and goals tail mushrooms, to keep her immune “We’ve all lost people to cancer, es-

“

”

pecially those of us from factory towns,” added Mr. Buote. “I think we sometimes forget that exercise, sleep and a diet rich in whole foods is the preventative medicine that’s keeps us healthy.

“That’s why I do this. Some (mushrooms) have benefits that you can measure physically,” he added. While medical research on mushrooms is still developing, lion’s mane mushrooms, for example, are said to help focus and memory, and cordycep mushrooms are said to benefit energy and performance.

“The prebiotic fibre glucans and polysaccharides have been shown to help the immune system.

“My goal is to provide a tasty and healthy way for people to live a little healthier and happier,” he continued.

“Mushrooms not only help do that, but they also can help you eat more vegetables, and give you the boost you need.”

Cultivating fungi can yield foods, but also medicine and construction material. Mr. Stamets’ research shows mycelium fungus, for example, can help “save the universe”: “cleaning polluted soil, making insecticides, and treating smallpox and flu viruses.”

Mycelium is a root-like structure of a fungus. Fungal colonies composed of mycelium are found in and on soil and many other surfaces.

According to Mushrooms Canada, a non-profit organization founded in 1955, there are more than 100 mushroom farms in Canada, growing over 91,000 tonnes of Agaricus bisporus, or white button mushrooms.

Mushrooms Canada represents fresh mushroom farmers, but it is a voluntary organization and not mandated by any government or agency. Not every mushroom farmer has joined. Marx Mushrooms has not.

“The fresh mushroom industry is expanding, with 60 per cent of mushrooms being grown in Ontario

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and nearly 40-to45 per cent being exported to the United States,” said Ryan Koeslag, Executive Vice-President of Mushrooms Canada. “The largest variety being white button, cremini and portobello.”

Northstar Financial Consulting Group reports that a mushroom farm growing 12,000 pounds of gourmet mushrooms sold to wholesale clients can earn between $70,000 and $96,000 a year.

Mr. Buote’s farming operation is housed in the family’s home on Carriage Road, in Southwold. He and his wife Rebecca have four children, Isabelle, 13; Lenyn, 8; William, 4; and Maybelline, 2. They all have their fingers in the business to varying degrees.

“It is a sole proprietorship, but I couldn’t do it without the help of friends and family,” said Mr. Buote, whose background includes work in commercial kitchens, factories and as a musician. “I hope to pass a thriving business to my children as they get older.”

In the future, Mr. Buote hopes to launch a Marx Mushrooms Café. Customers would enjoy a range of mushroom-based products, including lion’s mane chai tea, turkey tail green tea and mushroom coffee. He expects the menu will also include mushroom-based burgers – or burgers with mushrooms – plus fried mushroom petals, and mushroom soup or chili. The plan also includes offering a chef’s daily special, with mushroom-based ramen, risotto, lasagna, Alfredo, philly cheese, Bahn mi, and breaded lemon ‘chicken’ nuggets.

“Mushrooms contain a fibre called beta glucans and polysaccharides,” he said. “They are prebiotic and are immunomodulators, which means they

Wed., March 22, 2023–AYLMER EXPRESS–PAGE B9

Smashing pumpkins, feeding livestock: Rescue program a win-win

help balance your immune system.

“They are the only natural food source with vitamin D2,” he added. “They produce it the same way we do, when exposed to UVs (ultraviolet radiation). Some mushrooms produce other compounds that can help with brain health, sleep, energy, blood pressure and more. Some contain adaptogens, antioxidants and even collogen.”

Mr. Buote’s Facebook page ‘Marx Mushrooms prime members’ provides some recipes to enjoy mushrooms.

“It’s really about preference, but in my opinion the best way is to wipe (mushrooms) with a paper towel if needed, fry them hot in a pan with butter until brown,” he notes. “Mushrooms contain no fat and the addition of it will help your body absorb the minerals and vitamins. Braise with a wine or stock if you like, but avoiding boiling them will keep their texture true and not rubbery.”

Marx Mushrooms currently grows about nine varieties in several indoor greenhouses, including crimini, portobello, shiitake, maitake, enoki, king oyster, lion’s mane, and a few varieties of oyster.

“We can grow year-round because they are grown indoors,” said Mr. Buote. “Some mushrooms go from petri dish to mushrooms in a month or so. Some take months. While we are not certified, we use practices that are aligned with organic mushroom farming.

“Mushrooms require different growing conditions and lengths of time,” he added.

“Timing of production can be very difficult. In the wild there are seasons for mushrooms. In cultivation, we mimic those growth parameters to meet those requirements.

Marx operates all year producing about 100 pounds of mushrooms a week.

Before mushroom farming,

Mr. Buote also tried aquaponics and raising lambs.

“It wasn’t a COVID-19 hobby, but it became one.

Marx Mushrooms began with me trying to sell a few pounds of oyster mushrooms to my friends and family, and unsuccessfully to local restaurants,” he said. His popularity gained momentum when he advertised gourmet mixed mushroom boxes on Facebook and offered home delivery in the region during the pandemic lockdowns. “Eventually I was invited to a small market at a local golf course Twin Streams (Golf Course), in Delaware, where we put together a few product offerings like our turkey tail green tea and lion’s mane chai.”

Now, Marx Mushrooms has booths at the Horton Farmers’ Market, in St. Thomas, and the Western Fair District Market, in London. Recently, Mr. Buote’s gourmet mushroom mix became available at Briwood Farm Market, in St. Thomas.

“We still deliver, but encourage our customers to come find us at the markets to chat about the different textures, flavours and benefits of mushrooms,” he said.

Mr. Buote differentiates himself in a competitive market with quality assurances and packaging.

“There is a fair amount of competition in the mushroom business,” he added. “There have been a lot of people picking up the hobby lately and there are a few large farms.

“We have very strict standards for our mushrooms and their packaging,” Mr. Buote explained. “Many other mushrooms are sold in plastic packaging which promotes bacterial growth. We use paper bags and a kraft paper box which are the sweet spot for keeping mushrooms. I think our gourmet mix boxes offer a beautiful bouquet of different flavours and textures.”

A big push in Oxford County to intercept used Halloween pumpkins before they hit the landfill had its most successful haul yet, its lead organizer says.

Pigs on the Woodstock-area farm of Carl VanRooyen eat Halloween pumpkins donated to the Great Pumpkin Rescue. Led by Future Oxford, a countyfunded partnership organization, the annual initiative diverts Halloween gourds from landfills and sends them to soup kitchens and farms across the region.

(AE/contributed)

by Calvi Leon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, London Free Press November 8, 2022 – “It went amazingly,” said Bryan Smith, head of Future Oxford, a county-funded group of volunteers and partners that started the annual great pumpkin rescue initiative in 2016.

Each year, the group collects Halloween squash and sends them to soup kitchens and farms across the region.

Instead of winding up in landfills, where they’d contribute to methane pollution, the pumpkins become animal feed or part of a community meal.

“When we first started, there were about four dropoff locations. We’re close to 15 now,” Smith said. “The number of pumpkins collected has been extraordinary.”

Ingersoll, a town of nearly 14,000, had more than 1,000

pumpkins recovered alone, he said, noting Future Oxford doesn’t know the total number of pumpkins collected because they aren’t counted at each site.

The county-wide initiative saw more residents, community groups and farmers involved this year than any other, Smith said, describing the effort as “tremendous.”

For Carl VanRooyen, a Woodstock-area farmer who has participated in the great pumpkin rescue for the last three years, the discarded squash make nutritious feed for his livestock.

“Right now,” he said by phone Tuesday, “I’m actually working with the pigs, and they are all going to town on them back here. Most of them go to the pigs, but our cows definitely have gotten into the piles in past years.”

Pumpkin seeds contain a deworming compound that

helps cows, VanRooyen said, adding cattle “go nuts” for them.

A large haul of this year’s Halloween leftovers — an estimated 400 to 500 — went to VanRooyen and his family, who own Greener Pastures Eco Farm and Blue Cow Delivery.

But food isn’t the only purpose they serve there.

Visitors to the farm are welcome to smash the pumpkins before they’re fed to the animals.

“Not everybody takes me up on it, but those that do just have a blast,” VanRooyen said.

“The satisfaction of smashing the pumpkins, getting some aggression out and then watching the pigs enjoy it is a great little event on its own.”

The success of this year’s pumpkin rescue suggests more people understand how properly disposing of their pumpkins can reduce waste, Smith said.

“It’s also great when you have that conversation with people and realize that they understood that wasting food is not something that should happen, in terms of their own budgets, in terms of the people who are lacking food in our community, and in terms of what that waste costs (when) our community waste foods,” he said.

“Pumpkins of any kind are edible.”

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by Joe Konecny Central Elgin correspondent The horticultural research that Ken Laing is conducting at his Orchard Hill Farm on Fruit Ridge Line southwest of Aylmer promises to help Canada combat climate change while also generating a new revenue stream for farmers.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada – the federal government department responsible for the regulation of agriculture – selected Orchard Hill Farm three years ago as a “living laboratory” for no-till strategies on organic vegetable farms. The research is being done in cooperation with the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA), and the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario (EFAO).

“It’s part of their trying to deal with climate change, and with farmer innovation,” Mr. Laing said in a recent interview. Mr. Laing had done some Ag-Canada research in the past and now that he is semi-retired and with available land, they tapped him again.

The 150-acre Orchard Hill Farm has been managed by Mr. Laing and his wife Martha since 1979. Mrs. Laing is descendant of the Haight family which has tilled that soil since 1821. The Laings are graduates of the University of Guelph. He majored in horticulture, and she pursued the fine arts.

“The idea was to sort of have farmerled research backed up by Ag-Canada scientists, but (the) COVID-19 (pandemic) really threw a wrench into it,” said Mr. Laing. “It started the spring that COVID-19 really hit hard and they sent all their office and lab people home.”

Nevertheless, the Laings persevered and the results of their federally funded research are positive. There’s hope that the concept will soon be taken to the next level: experimentation with a larger-scale farming operation.

“Ag-Canada scientists did come and do some testing,” said Mr. Laing. “They

Transplanting squash into rolled hairy vetch (AE/contributed)

can measure small changes, increases in organic matter just from the time we’ve been doing this. Usually organic matter changes very slowly.

“Soil is actually a huge storer of carbon,” he added, “so if you can take carbon dioxide out of the air by sun power and photosynthesis, plants actually exude quite a lot of that carbon and photosynthate. They leak a lot of that out of their roots because that attracts microbes to the root zone, and those microbes bring nutrients and water and disease suppression.

“Plants have figured this out, this special symbiotic relationship with microorganisms is really good, so they actually feed them,” Mr. Laing explained. “In that process of feeding them, especially the fungi take some of those starches and photosynthate and make them into a glue that glues the

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soil particles together and locks up that 110,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide carbon. The more plants you have grow- and other greenhouse gas emissions ing in that field, with roots in the ground, sequestered or abated by farmers. The the longer the roots are in the ground, credits were produced by nearly 430 farmers across 22 U.S. states. For the the more effective it is.

“It’s all about people getting paid for first and second carbon crops, Carbon sequestering carbon,” he continued. “It’s by Indigo farmers were paid $30 per quite doable, but you have to be careful credit.

Mr. Laing has been spreading the how you do it. It’s sort of like a bank account, if you don’t manage it well, it can word about no-till strategies. Recently disappear. It would have to be monitored he addressed the Guelph Organic Conon most farms periodically to make sure ference, the Pennsylvania Association the farmer hasn’t gassed it all by going for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) out there and tearing everything all up. Conference, and the Innovative Farmers of Ontario Conference, in London.

It’s being looked at pretty seriously.”

According to Ag-Canada, adoption of no-till and reduced-till strategies here has increased dramatically since the mid-1980s, espeI love horses and we’ve had cially on the prairies. Also known as ‘zero tillage’ draft horses virtually all that and ‘low disturbance time we’ve farmed here. direct seeding’, no-till involves eliminating all tillage operations and placing seed, fertilizer or manure with miniBut in Canada, “it isn’t really well mal soil disturbance.

Farmers in the U.S. are already begin- organized yet. They have to figure out the monitoring because it has to be ning to benefit from no-till strategies.

Boston-based Indigo Agriculture monitored closely, just like your bank launched the ‘Carbon by Indigo’ pro- account.

“I’m an organic vegetable grower, I gram in 2022, working with farmers to pull carbon dioxide into the soil and know how much tillage I’ve done,” said capturing emissions. Farmers were Mr. Laing. The Laings started out in encouraged to plant cover crops and 1979 with a pick-your-own fruit farm reduce tillage to improve soil health, and adopted organic farming strategies water quality and biodiversity. More in 1989. By 1997, they had switch over than 2,000 farmers enrolled, and one to vegetable market gardening and marIndiana farmer said he earned about keted it through the CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) program. $52,000 in the first year.

“To grow organic vegetables, we With the Carbon by Indigo program, Indigo Ag calculates the number of use a lot of tillage,” he said, explaining carbon credits that each farm would conventional organic methods. “Organic produce and then pre-pays an amount farmers tear up the ground to terminate verified by the Climate Action Reserve, one crop and start another. We use tilla California-based environmental orga- age to prepare seed beds, then we go in and row cultivate the vegetable rows to nization.

The program produced 20,000 tonnes control weeds. There’s a lot of tillage in credits, or emissions offsets, in 2022. and that’s hard on (soil) cell health.

“I did a soil health benchmark study Indigo Ag funds the program by selling carbon credits to companies. Farmers a few years ago through the EFAO,” said get 75 per cent of the proceeds and Mr. Laing. “In my vegetable field I had Indigo AG gets the rest. Buyers in 2022 three per cent organic matter, and in the included JP Morgan fence row beside it – which is just grown Chase, The North Face grass and trees – it had six per cent. and Barclays.

“A soil that has six per cent organic In February 2023, matter, you would hardly have to add any Indigo Ag – the only nitrogen to it,” he explained. “There’s North American a whole slew of advantages to having company producing that high organic matter, but as you till verified soil carbon fields, it’s very hard to maintain six per credits – announced cent organic matter.” the completion of its The ‘living laboratory’ developed to second carbon crop. accommodate the Ag-Canada research This crop of credits is comprised of small plots, just a few represents more than feet wide and about 50 feet long.

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Orchard Hill Farm They are designed “just to show that it can be done. The next stage is finding a commercial grower that wants to try it on a small scale and show that it can be done on his farm.

“Every farm is a little different, (with) different soil, a little different climate, different weed pressure, different pest pressure. I can’t just hand (a commercial grower) a recipe and say follow this and it will work for you.”

For the federal research project, the Laings experimented with 13 different vegetable crops and nine different cover crop combinations, searching for effective no-till techniques.

“You have to develop a whole new strategy for farming,” he said. “It’s maybe not going to eliminate tillage all together, because sometimes you have to till to get the cover crop growing, which you are then going to plant into, but you don’t use tillage prior to planting.

“We had three different strategies,” Mr. Laing explained. “Sometimes we spread two inches of compost on the whole bed. That compost is produced by a high-temperature process which kills the weed seed.

“When I spread that on the field, it would actually give me weed control and it held in the moisture, because it was like a mulch on the surface of the soil. It also provided nutrients to grow a high yielding crop. We found that it was better to use transplants than seeds.”

The second technique involved growing a cover crop like sorghum, sudan, or millets. “One of the crops we used that for was garlic.

Garlic is planted in the fall, so just before this cover crop is killed by the frost, we plant the garlic.

That cover crop is killed by the cold weather and all this residue on the ground lets you grow that garlic through the next season without disturbing the ground for weed control. We can actually mow (the cover crop) in the growing season. It will regrow and produce … enough biomass on the ground that it will control the weeds through

most of the next growing season. That was pretty successful, and we got decent yields.”

The third strategy called for cover crops of rye and hairy vetch, planted in the fall and greening in the spring. “We planted into the standing cover crop of rye and vetch, because we’re putting those potato seed pieces into the ground, and then two to three weeks later, when those first potatoes poke through the ground, you go in there and flail mow (the cover crop) off, and that puts all the residue on the ground to control the weeds. As long as the weed seeds don’t see the sun, they won’t germinate. A full year of ground cover, we produced a crop of potatoes, and we had a good yield.”

The problem with tilling, according to Mr. Laing, is that “you’re fluffing up the soil, introducing more air, and that oxygen is used by microbes to break down the soil organic matter. When mi-

“

We quickly learned that one acre of vegetables is pretty intensive work, required one person and one horse per acre, and one horse per acre also produced enough compost to fertilize the one acre, so it was sort of a nice system.

”

crobes feed on that soil organic matter they tend to bind the soil together, but some of it they just eat as food and give off CO2 so that it goes back into the atmosphere.

“The worse thing you can do is grow corn and soybeans for a few months of

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the year and till the ground, and leave it bare all winter,” he said. “No-till systems try to have a cover crop on the ground all year, right through the growing season as well.”

Organic farmers do not use chemical fertilizers or pesticides, however, they do use the biopesticide, Entrust – with the active ingredient Spinosad – to control the Colorado Potato Beetle. Even so, in side-by-side testing, a no-till plot required only one application while a tilled plot required two.

Mr. Laing hopes to continue the research, growing potatoes for at least one more year.

The Laings’ organic farming methods are also unique because they use draft horses instead of conventional farm machinery. Mr. Laing maintains a small breeding herd of Suffolk horses. Also known as the Suffolk Punch or Suffolk Sorrel, the English breed of draught horses are classified as critically endangered, with less than 75 female horses left in the UK and fewer than 300 left in the world. The Suffolk Punch was popular during the early 20th century, but with the mechanization of farming, the breed fell out of favour.

“I love horses and we’ve had draft horses virtually all that time we’ve farmed here,” said Mr. Laing. “We’ve actually used them quite extensively in the different small fruit and vegetable growing operations … although we did have a tractor for jobs like baling hay, and loader jobs, like turning compost.”

Mr. Laing has now turned the farm over to his daughter, Ellen, and converted the lion’s share of fields to pastures for rent. His son Grayden Laing operates Established Media, in St. Thomas.

“Horses are a little bit unusual compared to tractors,” he added. “Tractors, once you buy one, start to depreciate until they’re hardly worth anything, whereas horses appreciate for the first 10 years of their life. Because they’re more useful you can train them and do work with them, and even breed them and produce offspring, and then they start depreciating gradually until they’re

Aerial shot of lower part of Orchard Hill Farm (AE/contributed)

at the end of their life. There’s not many that live beyond 20. It’s a good useful life.

“We can feed them hay and pasture and oats that we grow on the farm,” he said. “They certainly reduced our costs to run the farm and actually, when we had the CSA, it required a fair bit of labour, so we were willing to train apprentices. In the 15 years that we did the apprenticeship program, we trained between 50 and 60 young people how to farm with horses and grow organic vegetables, and market them through a CSA. “We quickly learned that one acre of vegetables is pretty intensive work, required one person and one horse per acre, and one horse per acre also produced enough compost to fertilize the one acre, so it was sort of a nice system.”

For a couple that’s semi-retired, the Laings don’t seem to have slowed down. “We have fenced the whole farm in the last few years and I have started a custom grazing operation to use the land that I no longer need (for farming).

I used to grow grains, and I don’t grow grains anymore.”

Martha is going to grow dye plants.

She may also conduct a few workshops.

Ken will focus on horses and may do some draft horse workshops.

Planting the no-till potato trial into standing rye and hairy vetch (AE/contributed)

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PAGE B12–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023

Farming – It’s a Privilege

Photo contributed by Michael Krahn. For more information or prints contact michael.krahn@gmail.com, 519-494-0808.

We’re Elgin County’s

By Dan Breen “I’ve always found it easier to listen to someone with rough hands”. G. Leslie Farming has always existed and always will. It’s a privilege to steward creation and provide food and environmental services for community. As part of this role, we at BreenAcres Family Farm, now in its fourth generation, milk cows with two robot units and manage 1000 acres of land. For 32 years we have practised the art of no till on all of our crops, which include corn, soy beans, wheat, and alfalfa/grass mixes.

In 2006 we introduced the use of cover crops which include triticale, rye, radishes, peas and oats with possibilities for other innovative crops. Liquid and solid manure are applied at various times of the season depending on the crop rotation and more importantly, the ground conditions.

Our actions are firmed in the belief of not just sustaining but building our soils through abiding by three proven principles:

Minimal soil disruption

LARGEST

Also called no till, is to not disturb the complex living structures and systems that exist under the earth’s surface. The goal is to keep the stored carbon that is attached to the decomposing materials within the soil profile, and not release it back in to the atmosphere.

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Keep a living crop Secondly, our goal is to keep a year round living plant on as many acres as conditions allow, to feed the soil organisms and keep the soil protected from weather events such as wind, rain, and drought. Even throughout snowless winter months, photosynthesis can occur and the plant will even continue to grow under snow. A living crop acts like a solar panel, collecting sun energy yet reduces “sun spill”. Unlike the solar panel, those plants use up all of the energy and none is wasted.

Photosynthesis pulls carbon out of the atmosphere and stores it in the soil profile, to be used and absorbed by the next planting cycle, all the while growing biomass and grain.

Biodiversity Lastly, the goal is to create a biodiverse community of plants and roots to provide a buffet for soil organisms to thrive on and stay in balance. Nature, if left alone, will stay balanced. It is human interruption, and interaction with the complex bio-ecosystem that puts things out of order. Breaking up those interactions means nature has to start all over building its underground pathways.

It is through years of observation and careful management that we produce milk, meat, forage, and grains, cycle nutrients, protect water cycles, sequester and store carbon all while providing a biodiverse ecosystem above and below the soil

Dan Breen of BreenAcres Family Farm, was awarded 2018 Soil Champion by Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA). For Dan, soil is a living, active bio-system that needs protecting. The third generation Middlesex County dairy farmer, farms with his wife, daughter and son-in-law near Putnam, ON. (AE/contributed)

surface. Civilizations have risen and fallen due to their agricultural practices. We are literally standing on our future and that of billions of others. If that which we stand upon is strong, healthy, and vibrant, we are in great shape. A strong foundation is the key to stability; economically, socially, and environmentally.

Keep our Soils Green, Covered, and Growing is our life long goal so that the fruits of our labours can benefit our family and community.

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Wed., March 22, 2023–AYLMER EXPRESS–PAGE C1

PM40012174

2023

Photo by Michael Krahn

FARM EDITION

INDEX

Harris Family Farm ...... C2-C3 Mistyglen Creamery.......... C4 Caps Off Brewing ............. C5 Las Chicas Coffee ............. C6 Bluegroves Farms ....... C8-C9 Ginseng replant disease ...C10 Farmland real estate ........C11 Egg-cellent activities ........ C12

Caps Off Brewing

SECTION C, 12 PAGES, March 22, 2023 • www.aylmerexpress.com

Photo by Scott Hildering

C5

Photo by Sarah Barbier

Bluegroves Farms C8

Harris Family Flowers

C2

Celebrating Women in Agriculture

by Rob Perry of The Aylmer Express A “Women in Agriculture” event sponsored by St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce and hosted at the Elgin County administration building Wednesday, March 8, attracted an audience of almost 100 to hear stories from five women who had broken barriers in farming and agriculture-related businesses.

Each of the women, in about 10 minutes, related stories of having to overcome gender bias and other preconceptions in establishing what would become successful farms and businesses.

Carolyn Krahn, Elgin County’s economic development manager, is credited with doing much of the work in organizing the event.

She said she hoped the celebration would inspire the next generation of female farmers

and political leaders.

The host for the evening was Malahide Mayor Dominique Giguère, who said she was honoured to take on the role.

Ms. Krahn, Mayor Giguère said with some irony, had to choose which female county

“

We need to take a breath. We need to refuel, we need to get re-energized together, because the everyday grind is really tough.

”

councillor would be the best host (more about that later).

Given that March 8 was International Women’s Day, she said, that needed to be acknowledged and, in addition, “We need to have fun.

“Where else would you rather be tonight?”

The effort, work, resilience and persistence of women breaking traditional barriers in agriculture had to be acknowledged, she continued. “That is kind of invisible. We need to make the invisible visible,” and that was the reason behind the gathering.

In addition, “We need to take a breath.

We need to refuel, we need to get re-energized together, because the everyday grind is really tough.”

She couldn’t believe that, in parts of the world, women were losing their basic right of access to education, “Not in 1923, but in 2023.”

In Canada, gold-winning professional athletes still had to argue about pay equity just because they were women, and Elgin County council had gone Continued on page 2

Malahide Mayor Dominique Giguère, left, hosted a “Women in Agriculture” panel at the Elgin County administration building on Wednesday, March 8. Panelists were Maria Fiallos of Las Chicas Coffee, Fran Dunseith of Caps Off Brewing Company, Kris Pettit of Mistyglen Creamery, Janis Harris of Harris Flowers Farm and Victoria Spencer of Bluegroves Farms.

(AE/Rob Perry)

Entrepreneurial drive, ingenuity, hard work and community spirit put East Elgin at the heart of agriculture in Canada. The Aylmer Express wishes area farmers a great growing season and a bountiful harvest.

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PAGE C2–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023

Celebrating

WOMEN – IN – AGRICULTURE Flowers are pretty, but

Janis Harris and her farm team are mostly women, here including Carrie (AE/contributed) Hambleton, left, Sarina Gall and Emily Williamson.

Celebrating Women in Agriculture Continued from page 1 from three female members last term to just her this term.

“That to me is not the right direction, and it feels like we’re losing ground. That’s why we’re here.”

She introduced each of the speakers, including Fran Dunseith of Caps Off Brewing

Company in St. Thomas, Maria Fiallos of Las Chicas Coffee and Streamliner Café in St. Thomas, Kris Pettit of Mistyglen Creamery in Malahide, Janis Harris of Harris Flower Farm in Central Elgin and Victoria Spencer of Bluegroves Farm, a blueberry operation, in West Elgin.

Later, after presentations

and questions (see related stories), Mayor Giguère handed out small red flags, usually placed on the ground to warn construction crews and the like to “be careful, be alert, pay attention.

“I know it’s the weirdest party favour you’ve ever taken,” she said, but, “We are losing ground, because we’re

not paying attention. We’re not as alert, aware and conscious as we need to be.”

Unconscious bias was very real, she continued. “I think we’re all guilty, even women, and the way to start regaining ground lost in recent years was to stay alert.

by Rob Perry of The Aylmer Express Janis Harris of Harris Family Flowers has had to fight gender biases since she started producing flowers on her family’s farm 15 years ago but she’s grown her business to five acres of crops a year.

She was one of the speakers at a celebration of “Women in Agriculture,” on Wednesday, March 8, organized by St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce and Elgin County’s development department.

About 100 participants attended the event.

Ms. Harris said she grew up on her parent’s farm north of St. Thomas, but never expected to be back on one. Then, as an adult, she grew a small patch of gladiolas on that farm, and hasn’t stopped since.

Three years ago, she was able to quit her off-farm job and concentrate on her flower business. She started her presentation by saying, to laughter, “I grow possibly the girliest crop possible.”

She’s been told she has “the dreamiest job,” and that’s what someone might think, seeing pictures of her walking in a field of blooms.

But those flowers were planted in rows, and in the scale of acres.

“I am a flower farmer producing stems, and those stems are beautiful, fragrant and dreamy, but they are a crop.”

She’d had a wonderful childhood on the farm, but as she grew up, she wanted nothing to do with farming.

She went to school and became an optician, “but the land called me back.”

She started with that small patch of gladiolas on her parents’ farm, “and I was hooked.”

In 2011, Ms. Harris and her husband Mark bought her parents’ farm as they dove deeper into the flower business, and three years ago, she quit her job as an optician.

“Those flowers have to make money because this is my business,” she continued, though Mr. Harris continues to hold down an off-farm job, the reverse of the usual farm couple situation.

Most of her farm team was made up of women, and they’ve had to adapt equipment to get the job done. Many farm implements were heavy and hard to move around, though easier attachments were available as an option.

“Shouldn’t an easy attachment be standard, rather than an option?” she asked.

Her first tractor was too big, she continued, and she researched specifications for a variety of models that were the best choices.

“I didn’t care what colour it was,” she stated. But one farm dealership didn’t stock

tractors as small as she needed, another actually loaned her a small tractor to try for a bit to make sure it could do the job and, at a third, “They wouldn’t even talk to me.

“The salesman who should have been talking to me was talking to Mark.”

He tried to pressure her into buying a tractor the dealership had in its showroom.

“He finally agreed to price out the tractor I wanted,” but when that was done, the salesman called Mr. Harris to tell him the price.

Ms. Harris said she’d had trouble justifying her business as a legitimate farm

Janis’s daughter Megan was surrounded by sunflowers during a harvest at the farm.

(AE/contributed)

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Wed., March 22, 2023–AYLMER EXPRESS–PAGE C3

Celebrating

WOMEN – IN – AGRICULTURE

they’re a business first enterprise to some men.

Field drainage was especially important when growing a speciality, high-value crop and one year, heavy rains left her flowers drowning.

She tried one drainage company, but it wouldn’t take her seriously.

Another was willing to take on the job, but only if a neighbour agreed to have 60 acres of fields done at the same time.

The neighbour agreed, but the drainage company showed up to do the work on the 60 acres in August, when the flower fields couldn’t be torn up to install drains.

“My farm got passed by,” she said. Another company finally agreed to work with her, and that solved her drainage issues.

“I don’t share these stories to embarrass or shame anyone,” she stressed, but agriculture as a whole had to do a better job accepting women as farmers and encouraging them to consider agriculture as a career choice.

If her daughter decided to come back to the farm, she shouldn’t be questioned on her choice, Ms. Harris said.

Malahide Mayor Dominique Giguère, who was hosting the evening, noted, “I can unfortunately relate to the experience of trying to buy power tools, and being asked

sales season by having flowers both earlier and longer in the growing season.

So a greenhouse, 30 feet wide by 96 long, heated by natural gas was built on her farm.

The day of the celebration, with the sun shining and temperatures moderate, automatic glass panels in the roof had been wide open, she said, but they would close later at night to keep a constant temperaI am a flower farmer producing ture inside. stems, and those stems are Most of the flowbeautiful, fragrant and ers at the celebration had come from that dreamy, but they are a crop. greenhouse, though she had also supplemented those with some from fellow flower growers in what my husband was working on.” the Niagara region.

She also pointed out that the She supported working cooperaflowers in vases at the celebration tively with fellow flower growers. had been provided by Ms. Harris.

“I don’t need to grow every single Ms. Harris said that two years kind.” ago, during the pandemic, she Asked about dealing with lendrealized she needed to extend her ers, Ms. Harris said when her parents purchased their farm in 1980, her father had to quit his government job to get a loan. Only a full-time farmer could qualify for a farm loan at that time.

She and Mr. Harris faced their own challenge when buying her parents’ 76-acre farm.

Revenue from renting fields to neighbouring farmers wasn’t enough to carry the borrowing costs.

As a result, they had to go to Central Elgin council to seek a minor zoning variance to allow them to sell most of the fields, keeping only 10 acres.

Council members gave them that variance, recognizing that a highintensity, small agricultural farm could be a farm too, not just a rural estate, she said.

(AE/Facebook)

“

”

Janis Harris of Harris Family Flowers had problems buying a tractor because of gender bias, she told a celebration of “Women in Agriculture” at the Elgin County administration (AE/contributed) building Wednesday, March 8.

(AE/Facebook)

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PAGE C4–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023

Celebrating

WOMEN – IN – AGRICULTURE

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by Rob Perry of The Aylmer Express Kris Pettit grew up on a male-dominated farm, where the only “work” for a woman was cleaning and cooking, but now she’s the owner of Mistyglen Creamery in Malahide.

“I am a huge advocate of agriculture in general, and a huge advocate of women in agriculture,” she told about 100 participants at a celebration of “Women in Agriculture” organized by St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce and hosted by Elgin County on Wednesday night, March 8.

In addition to the creamery, which makes non-homogenized cream, cheese and curds, she’s also a registered nurse interested in creating nutritious food products for the public, and hosts a dementia adult day program on her farm.

“I am a born and raised farm girl, to the ‘T’,” she stated. “I’m rooted in farming.

“There’s no way you were going to take that out of me.”

She was born on a large family farm operation in Chatham-Kent, producing a variety of field crops and raising livestock.

While many aspects of agriculture were positive, the work also came with a lot of negatives that most people wouldn’t understand, she said. Farmers made sacrifices every day, as did their families, to get their jobs done.

She recalled as a child in the summer, if the weather forecast was bad, “We went nowhere.”

If the electricity to ventilation systems for chicken farmers went out, farmers had to be Mistyglen Creamery in Malahide is owned by Kris Pettit, and produces nonready to jump in with generahomogenized milk, cheese, and cream. She grew up on a male-dominated tors and restore them before the farm, where women were expected only to cook and clean, she told a Women poultry started dying off. in Agriculture celebration at the Elgin County administration building on “You also lived the life of Wednesday, March 8.

(AE/Contributed) losing livestock,” she said, and grew up knowing “things live, and things die. never had an opportunity to teen daughters, amounting to “This is a journey, and you have “We also know we have to think about being a farmer, so four women and one man to to take joy in the journey.”

She and Mr. Pettit had work pretty damn hard.” instead she became a nurse. power a farm.

Girls growing up on a farm She loved working with se“I don’t know how he does experienced some challenges on their farm, including a sometimes liked their lives, niors, and caring for those with it, but he does.” and sometimes they didn’t, she dementia. “That is my passion.”

Her daughter had texted her tornado demolishing what was continued. When filling a silo, But another part of her said earlier that day, as Ms. Pettit fortunately at the time an empty “We don’t go anywhere” until prepared for her presentation, cattle barn, forcing them to the top was reached. telling her she was the best role rebuild.

“Our capital investment “That is what it is like model and amazing. to live in agriculture.”

“I love being that role went up over 100 percent,” she Ms. Pettit said when model,” she said. “You don’t said.

This is a journey, Lenders in that sort of situagrowing up, “I lived realize what you’re doing until and you have to take on a farm that was your children say thank-you for tion “can squash the dream, or traditionally malethat, because sometimes, they can understand the dream, and joy in the journey. dominated,” managed don’t live the best of lives” by the passion in the person there.”

The numbers on a loan apby two brothers, her being on a farm. father, her grandfaShe’d decided to establish plication might not quite make ther, an uncle and a the creamery three years ago, sense, but when they went back cousin who all worked there. she should return to do some- because she wanted to be an to their bank after the tornado, She was told she would do thing in agriculture. entrepreneur. “I wasn’t “women’s work,” cooking and Her husband Tom, she noted, asking for a vacation cleaning, and at the time she’d “is surrounded by women every for the rest of my been okay with that. day” on the farm. “He’s the life.”

Instead, “I can “Now, having the creamery, only male.”

I clean a lot,” she chuckled.

He farmed with his sister, make the best I can make the best On that farm, she and he and Ms. Pettit had two milk in the whole world, and the milk in the whole best cheese world, and the best curds, but in the end there has to cheese curds, but in be a purpose for the end there has to be me, and that’s a purpose for me, and giving back to the comthat’s giving back to munity,” by the community.

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Celebrating

WOMEN – IN – AGRICULTURE

“You need to believe in yourself”

by Rob Perry businesses as a child. of The Aylmer Express About 10 years ago, she decided to take Fran Dunseith, who owns Caps Off Brew- a stab at making an Egyptian wine, which ing in St. Thomas with her husband Rick, involved taking water and adding fruit and has turned her passion for homebrewing into honey. a successful beer operation.

Mr. Dunseith has just finished a contract She was one of the speakers at Women and was bored and offered to help. The in Agriculture, a celebration hosted by St. process was supposed to involve natural Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce fermentation, which took longer, but 24 and Elgin County at the county administra- hours after they started and with no sign of tion building on Wednesday, March 8. The fermentation, he went to a store to buy some event was attended by about 100. yeast.

Ms. Dunseith told the audience they’d Actually, what he bought was champagne opened Caps Off in April of 2010, and Rick yeast (typically used to make a sparkling was also at the event, “serving suds.” wine).

Her father, she said, grew up on a farm “I’m pretty sure we made moonshine. It in Italy, but then moved with his family to wasn’t very good, but we didn’t go blind.”

Toronto.

Then she decided, why not make beer?

“We had a farm in our tiny backyard,” She started in her kitchen, and then as the Ms. Dunseith said, including a greenhouse brewing grew in scale, she moved to her with fig trees, three fruit trees and “tons of basement where, “because I’m Italian,” she vegetables. had another kitchen, and then later into their “It’s kind of in my DNA. Everyone should garage. have a garden. Why wouldn’t you?”

Their friends lauded the beer they made Being raised in Toronto could lead to “a and encouraged them to sell it, but Ms. lot of disconnect between agriculture and Dunseith said she worried the compliments what’s in your fridge,” but might partly be due her father’s background to the beer being and that backyard free. garden made a big However, she had Please don’t forget difference. experience in some Recently, she businesses, and setting you don’t have to do made her own chilup a brewing company this alone. Surround dren shuck a bushel was the natural next of peas for the step, despite the chalyourself with people freezer, so they had lenge. who build you up. that experience She recalled being with where food her “dad’s helper” in her came from. childhood, possibly beThe brewing cause she was the youngest business couldn’t of three daughters. Her father was run without agriculture, she said. Caps Off going to replace a light switch and told her bought as many hops and grains locally as she could take a couple of screws out of the they could, though some were proprietary plate over the switch, but otherwise to touch and had to be imported from Europe. nothing while he removed a fuse in the baseShe knew from an early age she would be ment. an entrepreneur. “My dad said I should have “I didn’t wait. I got zapped,” she chuckled. been a lawyer, because I had something to Breaking into the small-scale brewing say about everything.” industry ‘wasn’t easy for me, but I was She had a lemonade stand and similar thankful to grow up with a dad who thought

I could do anything.”

Similarly, she said, her spouse made her feel heard and always equal in their relationship.

She believed that attitude extended in large part to the local business community, which she described as “so unique.”

The board of the Chamber of Commerce was balanced between genders by “people who just level the playing field,” she said.

She looked forward to cultivating relationships with more local farmers, including those who were part of the

Women in Agriculture panel.

She might try brewing a blueberry beer, she said, adding, “I don’t know if we’ll make a cheese beer.”

Ms. Dunseith concluded by saying, “You need to believe in yourself. You need to love yourself first.

“Please don’t forget you don’t have to do this alone. Surround yourself with people who build you up,” and tap into existing assets in the community, like the Small Business Enterprise Centre, she urged.

“

”

Fran Dunseith and her husband Rick are the owners of Caps Off Brewing Company in St. Thomas. They started by making wine at home (“I’m pretty sure we made moonshine,” she admitted), and then switched to (AE/contributed) beer, and now own a small-scale brewery.

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Experts in the field.

by Rob Perry of The Aylmer Express Maria Fiallos of Las Chicas Coffee and Streamline Café in St. Thomas grew up on a coffee-growing plantation in Nicaragua, describing the environment as “absolutely idyllic,” but also one that was totally dominated by men.

She was speaking at “Women in Agriculture,” an event held by St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce and Elgin County at the county administration building on Wednesday, March 8.

Ms. Fiallos said she appreciated the opportunity to talk about a subject that was extremely important to her.

“I come from a long line of coffee growers,” she began. Despite loving growing up on a farm, she also was witness to the lack of opportunity for women who lived in those communities where coffee dominated.

Coffee was grown in the mountains, in a “very rural” setting with little access to transportation, electricity and agriculture education.

“The role was limited to being pickers,” she said about women in the coffee industry. The job was very tedious and precise, so “Who better to do that than Maria Fiallos, left, and her sister Valeria Fiallos-Soliman founded Las Chicas del Café women?” in 2005, and their business is currently situated in the historic CASO train station in She saw lots of women when visiting coffee growdowntown St. Thomas.

(AE/Facebook) ing areas, but the industry continued to be dominated by men.

When she decided to break into the coffee-im- equitable at all for these women. porting industry in Canada when she was 23, “There “The education is there, but it’s not acweren’t many women in the room.” Seeing just one cessible.” was a surprise.

She’d discussed with many of the growAs a result, she had to learn how to do business in a ers she bought beans from about bringing male-dominated industry. education to the mountain. An area might “To me, women in agriculture is about inclusion, not have ready access to electricity, but a representation, and very much about having access to mule could pack a generator up the mounequal opportunities. tain.

“Which for a young To achieve that, woman on a mountain is though, meant going very difficult.” above and beyond what She’d been in Nicawas being done now, she To me, women ragua just last month, asserted. in agriculture is Ms. Fiallos said, and She wouldn’t describe talked to many young getting into the business as about inclusion, women who wanted to easy for her, but she had the representation, and see themselves doing advantage of having an edusomething beyond cation and moving to Canada very much about picking beans. where she attended university having access to equal Many international before deciding to become a organizations were, coffee importer at a young age, opportunities. to their credit, willwhich was “pretty scary” and ing to provide such not possible for someone living an education, but in the village she’d grown up in. only in a city setting, While coffee wasn’t a farm comfar away from plantations. modity in Canada, Ms. Fiallos said, “We A young man could jump on a motorcycle and go to certainly drink a lot of it.” classes without having to worry about safety, or young Anyone using or consuming a product children being left behind, she said. should be aware of the gender gap still Some of the women were very young mothers, being perpetuated in the supply chain for common in a rural community, having a child or two it, she stated. “Women are still being left already when as young as 17, 18 or 19. behind.

So, to leave a community for classes, they had to “I can’t accept that the role of women is (AE/Rob Perry) think about transportation and childcare. “This is not simply at the coffee plantation.”

“

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PAGE C8–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023

Celebrating

WOMEN – IN – AGRICULTURE Growing blueberries with zero experience

by Rob Perry of The Aylmer Express Victoria Spencer didn’t even like blueberries when she was called to Bluegroves Farms in West Elgin to track down a lost dog a few years ago, but now she owns that blueberry patch, the largest organic operation of its kind in Southwestern Ontario.

She was one of the speakers at a “Women in Agriculture” celebration organized by St. Thomas and District Chamber of Commerce and hosted by Elgin County’s development department on Wednesday, March 8.

Prior to buying that farm, she’d worked in marketing, and in her spare time ran a dog rescue that, among other things, offered to search out lost canines.

She’d been surprised when she was called out to Bluegroves Farms. She’d resided in West Elgin for 44 years, yet “I didn’t know we had a blueberry farm.”

The lost dog was believed to be at the back of the 60-acre property, she said.

She asked the farmer, “How far?” and then he broke the news that the dog might also be on the neighbouring 600-acre farm.

“I didn’t know if I was up to the challenge,” and the dog proved to be very elusive. Then the dog owner broke the news that he had the blueberry patch up for sale, and would have to leave soon, given the season was about to start.

“I said, ‘Did you say the farm is for sale?’” She immediately went to talk to her husband Mike, telling him they should purchase that farm, despite having no experience in growing blueberries.

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They made an offer and got that extended beyond the July and she started, including that there were different varieties with difownership on the same day as August picking seasons. she finally found that dog. “It was “I also had to buy a tractor,” ferent picking seasons and differmeant to be.” and got everything arranged she ent tastes.

She got on the telephone and “Women have long played thought, when she was asked if a pivotal and often unseen role her husband would pick up the asked for help from mentors. The former owners of her farm, all in Canadian agriculture,” Ms. tractor. men, had been very gracious in Spencer continued. Usually, they “I did,” she stated. worked behind the scenes, keepShe went to a supplier to buy teaching here, as had an Ontario ing the books for the farm and fertilizer and other products, and Ministry of Food and Rural Aflooking after children. when everything was arranged, fairs blueberry expert.

“I had to ask a lot of questions, Seeing a woman leading a “The person looked at me and farm operation was rare, she said, said that’s great. What else does and not be shy about not knowing.” but now 30.4 percent of all farms my husband need?”

Now, she said, “I believe in were run by a single-operator, a That and similar behaviour woman who farmed on her own.

More were running large farm businesses than ever before, she added.

I quickly learned how to “I wasn’t born into farming,” Ms. Spencer make pie. Three hundred said. She’d taken business pies later, someone said I and marketing courses at school and worked in had a decent pie those fields in her 20s and 30s.

“Why at 44 become a farmer?”

She’d been exposed to cash caused her to change her business cropping and livestock all her life, to another supplier, and she said but neither appealed to her. And she took many other farmers with no one ever told her she could be her. a manager, a horticulturalist, or Organic farming, Ms. Spencer more than just a farm mom. said, was not accepted by many “I was specifically told I was a farmers. She was often told she woman and there was one place was “a boutique farmer, or a flyfor me,” she added. by-night, or someone who just With the onset of the COVID wants a hobby.” pandemic, she lost her job in Anyone who suffered through marketing in 2020. Why turn weather extremes knew blueberry around a buy a farm? Why not, farming wasn’t a hobby. “Nothshe asked herself. ing cute about pruning bushes in She didn’t see Bluegroves January.

Farms as a farm, but as a busi“It’s 365 (days a year), and ness, and Mr. Spencer had sup- there’s never a day I get to give ported her in everything she’s up.”

She knew nothing about growwanted to do with it, such as opening a bakery and other assets ing and selling blueberries when

“

what I’m offering.” Organic operations were a niche for the future, for those who believed in “a cleaner way of eating.”

When she acquired the farm, it had been run for 38 years by men who sold only to grocery stores, and not directly to customers.

With that about to change, she got down to marketing, her former profession, making sure, for example, she always wore branded clothing with the farm’s name on it.

She also added an or-

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Celebrating

WOMEN – IN – AGRICULTURE ganic bakery, “And I quickly others. corp, or the need to pay learned how to make pie. Three Coming into farming, she $15,000 in association hundred pies later, someone was supposed to hold down a and related fees before said I had a decent pie,” and she full-time off-farm occupation, she could open her doors. started selling them. and have a lot of income behind “Wow. That hurt.”

She employed young people her, as did her husband, to qualShe urged everyone to whenever she could, sought find someone to every government grant provide coachshe could get, and began ing if starting a advertising. new career.

Suddenly, she was She needed I had to ask a lot of being invited to farm to add 15 acres questions, and not be shy markets and giving preto her farm, at a sentations on her farm cost of $30,000 an about not knowing. and how she’d make it acre, but there was work. no way she could Then, she found do that if she had a herself, at the end full-time off-farm job of the season, being as well. “yelled at” by customers ity for a mortgage.

What she wanted because she’d run out of blue“I said, I have one,” she from lenders, she said, berries. New blueberry bushes stated about the farm. was more support and took years to start producing, When she started, she didn’t understanding. as well as time and money, so know about dealing with Agrishe started making jams, juice, syrups, and she might even get into producing a little blueberry wine.

Ms. Spencer said she was focused on organic, sustainable farming, making her operation a place where families could come to pick fruit and enjoy themselves, and bring her customers the best blueberries she could offer.

Asked what had inspired her to purchase the farm, she admitted, “I actually hated blueberries before I bought the farm.”

The ones she had bought from the grocery store were bland, but while she was hunting that lost dog, she started snacking from the bushes.

“They were pretty good,” and given that, she wanted to make sure that her community continued to have a blueberry farm where they could have the best of fruit.

That inspired her to start educating people that “There’s something better than you can buy in the store,” and blueberries didn’t have to come from Mexico or Peru. The difference in taste was “mind stopping.”

She hadn’t believed in organic farming either before she started, but the more she learned, she came to appreciate Victoria Spencer didn’t know anything about growing blueberries when she bought a large patch in West it more and more.

Elgin a few years ago, but, as she told an audience at the “Women in Agriculture” celebration March 8, she As for dealing with lenders, did know marketing, which had been her previous profession. She’s branched out at the largest organic a question for all the presenters blueberry farm in Southwest Ontario, making tarts and pies in a new bakery there, and syrups and jams to at the Women in Agriculture extend the traditional sales season in July and August.

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PAGE C10–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023

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Celebrating

WOMEN – IN – AGRICULTURE The fight against ginseng replant disease Simcoe researcher in pitched battle against fungus destroying valuable export crop

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P. Antonacci, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator February 3, 2023 – Amy Shi knows her enemy. Now she must learn to defeat it.

A plant pathologist specializing in ginseng, Shi’s battleground is deep in the soil, where a fungal pathogen known as Ilyonectria mors-panacis is dead set on rotting the root of what was once Ontario’s most lucrative export crop.

Shi is trying to tame replant disease, which leaves farmland unable to produce a successful ginseng crop more than once.

After an initial harvest within three to five years, future attempts to grow ginseng — a root used as a supplement in traditional Chinese herbal medicine — produce a withered and rotten crop.

How the fungus gets into the soil is the question Shi has yet to answer.

“That’s the mystery,” she told The Spectator from her lab at the Simcoe Agricultural Research Station.

“It has to come from somewhere, but we’re not exactly sure why it’s so severe in the second crop.”

A study out of Carleton University last year found that 30 per cent of Canada’s ginseng crop is lost annually to root rot.

And Shi said replant disease can render farmland unsuitable for ginseng for up to 50 years.

That is a problem for growers in Norfolk County, the epicentre of North American

to eliminate the fungus that causes root rot. One promising treatment is using mustard plant as a biofumigant, which is a cover crop designed to be worked into the soil to reduce pathogen levels.

“But it doesn’t always work,” Shi said.

“The disease definitely can be controlled, because sometimes a grower can replant and have a marketable, acceptable crop. But we just don’t know what that factor is and how can we ensure the replant will have a good crop.”

Using modern technology, researchers can now analyze the DNA of the ginseng plant and the fungus, and track the microbial population in the soil. Ontario’s 164 ginseng farmers, who presently have 10,000 acres under cultivation in southern Ontario, are “very supportive” of the research, Shi said.

“At the same time, replant disease has been there a long time,” she said. “They understand we’re not going to solve it tomorrow.”

Ginseng farmer Remi Van De Slyke was on the OGGA board eight years ago when the association put together a task force to study the “worrisome” issue of replant disease.

“I feel a lot better now than I did eight years ago. We’re going in the right direction,” said Van De Slyke, who farms in Elgin County.

Farmers he knows who have tried to plant ginseng twice on the same land have had “mixed results.”

“The positives make me feel good. The negatives are what we thought If there’s something would happen,” you can do to make he said. yields more successful, “We’re getting closer to nailing that’s a win it down, though.

It’s just a matter of time before we solve this problem.”

In the meantime, ginseng production, who must farmers must seek out new parleave Norfolk’s sandy, loamy cels of land for their next crop soil — ideal for ginseng, which — and each move comes with a likes plenty of drainage — and steep price. Before planting, it move west to less-hospitable takes a full year to treat the soil, fields in Elgin, Middlesex and form raised garden beds and set up ginseng shades, which Oxford counties.

“The further that you move are black tarps on stilts that away from those highly desir- mimic the dappled light of the able soil conditions, the lower forest floor where wild ginseng your yield is going to be and grows.

“It is such a site-specific the higher your risk of disease,” explained Rebecca Coates, ex- crop. We just can’t move the ecutive director of the Ontario industry anywhere,” Van De Ginseng Growers Association Slyke said.

“Land is running out, and (OGGA).

The cost of production also I’m worried about development increases, as farmers have to now. Farmland’s getting eaten rent land and transport material up, and when you build a subdivision on a really good piece of and workers.

This at a time when ginseng farmland, that’s gone for good.”

But Coates is optimistic prices are in a downturn thanks to political and trade disputes about the future of Ontario ginwith China — normally a top seng thanks to the association’s customer — and there was re- efforts to educate consumers stricted access to Asian markets and find new markets in Vietnam, India, the United Arab during the pandemic.

Due to COVID-19, foreign Emirates and Europe for valuebuyers from Hong Kong, added products like ginseng Taiwan and Singapore missed teas, powders and capsules.

“Consumers are recognizing their usual trips to Ontario to sample the latest harvest and the health benefits associated negotiate prices with individual with regular consumption of Canadian ginseng,” she said. farmers.

And while it may prove im“It’s a crop that needs to be seen, tasted, smelled in order to possible to eliminate the fungus that causes replant disease, purchase it,” Coates said.

Prices remain so low that finding ways to keep it at bay some farmers — locked into and allow ginseng growers to the crop’s five-year growing use the same land more than cycle — are producing at a once would represent a major loss, while others have left the step forward for the industry.

“If there’s something you industry altogether.

Local growers have invited can do to make yields more Shi to use portions of their successful, that’s a win,” Coates fields to test out strategies said.

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Farmland real estate Elgin County’s farmland real estate market may be moving at a snail’s pace, but the value of farmland is certainly outpacing its residential counterparts.

by Joe Konecny “It’s a very big decision for Central Elgin correspondent people when they sell farm“Supply of farmland for land,” he added. “It’s a way of sale is always very tight,” The life. The land is security. The Realty Firm broker Wayne land is home. The land is what DeVries said in a recent in- you know. It’s been something terview. “There’s not much that you grew up with. There true farmland – farmland that are a lot of emotions involved a farmer would desire – that’s in selling. If you sell all of it, or available for sale. There are a lot of it, that’s your security more buyers than sellers here gone. and I think you can say that “So for that reason, it across Ontario. doesn’t become available very “Farmland values have not often and when it does, there dropped,” added Mr. DeVries, are a lot of people, especially who grew up farming in west- neighbouring farmers, who ern Elgin County, south of Wal- would love to own it,” he lacetown, in Dutton-Dunwich. explains. “It allows them to “If anything, they’ve gone up. expand their operation and …

Housing prices have probably for long term, it’s a very good dropped 20 per cent in this investment because generally it area, higher end houses more hasn’t gone down in value.” than that.”

For about 90 per cent of Mr. DeVries said factors farmland transactions in Elgin like scarcity, rising commodity County, Mr. DeVries said prices and increasing farming prices range from $20,000 to yields are buoying farmland $30,000 per acre, or up to $3 values, while residential prices million for a 100-acre parcel. plummet, largely due to rising Five per cent of farm properties borrowing rates. may sell for less, he said, and Statistics Canada’s 2021 five per cent may sell for more.

Census of Agriculture adds “a “There are so many difgrowing demand for housing ferent factors that go into it, in urban areas” to the list of like soil type, road frontage, factors nurturing farmland how squared and how big the values. Since 1956, the Census field is, who the neighbours of Agriculture was done every are, other local pressures,” five years.

The census report shows total market value of land and It’s a way of life. The land is buildings for farms in Canada security. The land is home. increased by The land is what you know.

22.7 per cent, totaling $603.8 It’s been something that you billion in 2021. grew up with.

The market value of land and buildings rented from others or governments totalled Mr. DeVries continued. “It $182.9 billion in 2021, up 32 really comes down to a feeling, per cent from 2016. knowing the area, knowing the A Canadian Real Estate As- area farmers, knowing what the sociation (CREA) report con- land will produce, what it will firms that the average price of a be used for.” home in Ontario decreased by Government interventions 20 per cent over the past year to also factor into the market. For $798,835 in January 2023. It’s example, legislation introduced the largest year-over-year drop by Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s government permits the of any Canadian province.

“It can really vary from year City of St. Thomas to annex to year, but with ‘true farms’ about 1,500 acres of farmland, in Elgin County, there might wetlands and wood lots from be anywhere from one to 10 the Municipality of Central that change hands,” said Mr. Elgin in order to expand an DeVries, 48. He has 14 years industrial park on the city’s real estate experience, special- northeast boundary. The propizing in farmland and develop- erty being assembled by the ment lands. “I’m talking 100 to city is rumored to have been 200, or 300 acre farms. It really sold for hundreds of millions can depend on when a farmer of dollars.

“As far as all the expanretires or decides to sell some sions of our communities, like land.

Shedden, Fingal, Aylmer, and St. Thomas, where you have developers or governments coming in and paying big dollars for land, those farmers (the sellers) are looking to reinvest that money in other land that becomes available,” said Mr. DeVries. “Yes, farmers do need that, they need what it’s worth, because they have to go out and get more and they’re not making more farmland. If you look at how small southwestern Ontario is, there’s very little good land.”

Farmland covers 153.6 million acres or 6.3 per cent of Canada’s land mass. In 2021,

the Census of Agriculture counted 189,874 farms in Canada, a decrease of 1.9 per cent from 2016.

In Ontario alone, there were 11.8 million acres of farmland in 2021, down 4.7 per cent from 2016. In 2021, there were 48,346 farms in Ontario, down 2.5 per cent from 49,600 in 2016.

Ontario has the fourth largest share of Canada’s farmland (nine per cent), behind Saskatchewan at 46.8 per cent, Alberta 26.8 per cent, and Manitoba 12.7 per cent.

According to the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, Ontario is losing 319 acres of farmland every day, based on the Census of Agriculture. That compares to the 175 average daily lost in 2016.

“If someone is young and looking to come into farming the place with the most growth and potential is on the smaller scale and specialty,” he said.

“You need a lot less acres, you need a lot less capital investment. To go in and start large scale commercial farming –

10,000-to-15,000 acres – those skills are learned over many, many years, and the capital investment would be pretty hindering.”

The farmland real estate market is in a period of change, said Mr. DeVries. Transition in the scale of farm has gone from 100-to-200-acre family farms 20 years ago, to 500-to-1,500acre operations 10 years ago.

“Now they’re the ones getting out, and you have the next level that are from 3,000to-15,000 or more acres,” he said. “At some point in time, unless the sons or daughters come home and take those over, they’re going to be out too, and when they sell out, there are investors.

“It’s very unfortunate,” added Mr. DeVries. “We’re seeing that now. You’re especially seeing more of that out west, in Saskatchewan, where there are so many bigger tracts of land. That will be coming here. That will be where basically you have investors or corporations that own the farm and they just hire out the labour.”

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7 interesting facts

about eggs

How do you like to eat your eggs? Hard-boiled? Poached?

Scram­ bled? Fried? Here are seven interesting facts about eggs.

1.

The colour of the egg yolk depends on the hen’s diet. If the egg yolk is light yellow, the hen probably eats a lot of wheat. However, if the egg yolk is dark yellow, the hen likely eats a lot of corn.

2. Canada produces about 9 billion eggs each year.

3. Large eggs are the standard. There are six egg size designations: jumbo, extra-large, large, medium, small and peewee. However, most recipes call for large eggs.

4. Egg whites can expand up to eight times their volume. Whipping air into egg whites brings lift and lightness to desserts like mousses, sponge cakes and meringues.

5. Eggshells have their own ventilation system.

Eggshells contain between 7,000 and 17,000 mi­croscopic pores that allow oxygen, carbon dioxide and moisture to escape.

6. Most of the fat in egg yolks is good for you.

Fat is an essential part of a healthy, balanced diet. Fortunately, two-thirds of the fat in egg yolks is unsaturated and contributes to good heart health.

7. Hens don’t need a rooster to lay eggs. Hens will lay eggs whether there’s a rooster around or not. However, a rooster is needed to fertilize the eggs and hatch them into baby chicks.

Eggs are a versatile food that can be enjoyed alone or in a variety of recipes.

Spring craft: an egg carton garden Do you want to learn about where your food comes from?

Planting an egg carton garden is a great place to start.

SUPPLIES Here’s a list of what you’ll need: • A cardboard egg carton • A pair of scissors • A pencil • Good-quality potting soil • A spray bottle • A plastic bag • Vegetable, herb or flower seeds

DIRECTIONS Follow these steps to start your very own garden: 1. Cut the lid off an egg car­ton with scissors 2. Poke a drainage hole in the bottom of each egg cell using the tip of a pencil 3.

Place the egg carton lid under the bottom to create a drainage tray 4. Fill each egg cell about half full of potting soil 5. Drop two or three seeds into each cell 6. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of potting soil 7. Write directly on each egg cell to keep your seeds organized 8. Mist the seeds lightly with a spray bottle

9. Place the carton in a plastic bag to keep the seeds warm 10. Water the seeds regularly until they sprout 11. Once the seedlings are about 25 millime­ tres tall, place them in a sunny location When the seedlings have two or three sets of leaves, ask your parents to help you transfer them to a permanent location outside.

Separate each egg cell and plant them directly in the ground with the seedling. The cardboard will decompose in the soil.

All that’s left to do is watch your seedlings grow into mature plants.

Pros and cons of free-range farming Many farmers proudly promote their pro­ducts as being free range.

Here are the advantages and disadvantages of this alternative to conventional battery ca­ges and pens.

Pros Free-range farming has many positive points. For instance, the animals: • Have the freedom to interact with each other • Have more space to exercise and strengthen their muscles • Have easy access to food and water

• Have more natural behaviours

Cons However, this type of breeding has various disadvantages, including: • It takes longer to implement and maintain than other systems.

• Animals like hens must be trained to lay eggs in the right place.

• The layout of the roaming area can make it difficult for employees to perform certain tasks.

• Animals that are more active eat more, which can increase production costs.

• Open environments can be hazardous for animals like chickens because they relieve themselves everywhere and kick up dust. This can cause severe ailments.

• Free-range chickens can injure themselves by fighting with each other.

• The yield for products like eggs and milk can decrease.

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Wed., March 22, 2023–AYLMER EXPRESS–PAGE D1

PM40012174

SECTION D, 12 PAGES, March 22, 2023 • www.aylmerexpress.com

2023

Effort to Restore Chestnut Trees

FARM

D1

EDITION

Good Drainage D8

INDEX

Restoring Chestnuts..... D1-D3 Trudeau Talks ................... D3 New New Age ............. D4-D5 Corn Concerns ................. D6 Triple C Saddle Club ......... D7 Good Drainage .......... D8-D9 VIP Messages ..................D10 From the Archives .............D11 Cider Contest .................. D12

D6

Photo by Michael Krahn

Ian Foster Farm Meeting

Photo by Judy Mennill

New New Age

D4

Farmer wellness

by Laura Fraser Ontario Federation of Agriculture Member Service Representative Oxford/Elgin We are slowly inching closer to putting another winter season behind us and are that much closer to warmer temperatures and longer days.

For some, this time of year evokes a feeling of loss or distance from much needed social connection. In the farming community, this feeling is often compounded by seasonal worries such as inclement weather and its many negative impacts on livestock and mounting pressures of spring planting, to name a few.

A recent study completed at the University of Guelph by Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton, Dr. Briana Hagen, and MSc student Rochelle Thompson, included a survey involving nearly 1,200 farmers from all commodity groups across Canada.

Looking at the results, the research showed that Canadian farmers had higher anxiety and depression scores than the general population.

They also had higher perceived stress, exhaustion and cynicism.

Approximately 83 per cent of farmers had lower resilience scores than the general population, meaning their capacity to recover quickly from difficulties is less than others working in different industries.

A new initiative to help with the rising mental health issues in agriculture was launched in September of 2022 and is already seeing great uptake.

The Farmer Wellness Initiative (FWI) provides access to free counselling services and

tailored mental health support and resources to all Ontario farmers and their families. It is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year.

By calling the FWI, you’ll be matched with a mental health professional who is part of a support network rooted in rural Ontario that understands the unique needs of the farming community who will offer you free tailored support.

Services are available in English and French and can be accessed by phone, virtually or in-person. The Farmer Wellness Initiative is paid for in part by the governments of Canada and Ontario through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (the Partnership), a five-year federal-provincial-territorial initiative and supported by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) – Ontario Division, in partnership with the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA). Counselling services are provided by Telus Health.

Other ways to elevate mood and improve mental health are to get regular exercise (just 30 minutes a day can help!) eat healthy, regular meals and stay hydrated, and stay connected.

Farming can be a lonely occupation, but you need to know you are not alone. I encourage everyone to share the Farmer Wellness Initiative in their social circles and workplace, and to be that ear for someone who needs it. You never know when it could save a life.

Farmer Wellness Initiative 1-866-2676255 https://farmerwellnessinitiative.ca. For resources or more information, contact Joanne Fuller at joanne.fuller@ofa.on.ca

Effort being made to restore chestnut trees to this region

(AE/contributed by CCCA)

by Rob Perry of The Aylmer Express The Canadian Chestnut Council has been working for years to reintroduce the American Sweet Chestnut tree to this area, almost entire killed off by a blight a century ago and much of the work is being done in the Catfish Creek watershed.

That’s what Ron Casier of the Canadian Chestnut Council told the audience at the annual general meeting of Catfish Creek Conservation Authority earlier this year. He was the keynote speaker.

He was introduced by former authority member Sally Martyn, who noted he had been a teacher for 30 years at St. Joseph’s High School in St. Thomas, and had founded its environmental leadership program.

London District Catholic School Board unfortunately ended the program after Mr. Casier retired, even though he had other teachers lined up to

take over, Ms. Martyn said.

Mr. Casier was also a member of the Elgin Stewardship Council, and had created an arboretum in Union for Central Elgin, she continued. There, he conducted a tree planting workshop every year.

Mr. Casier led nature hikes on a regular basis, volunteered at Aylmer Wildlife Area, and organized the annual Envirothon competition for high school students at Springwater Conservation Area.

As for his work on the American Sweet Chestnut, she said, Mr. Casier had planted test plots on his own property and in many areas of the Catfish Creek watershed as part of an effort to re-establish “one of the great forestries that used to be here.”

Volunteer group Mr. Casier said the council was a volunteer scientific charitable group founded in 1988, and he had joined in 2008.

“We’ve been breeding trees since 2000, using our native species” as a genetic base, he said. The few surviving chestnuts in Southwestern Ontario had a native resistance to the

blight that had killed off the rest.

“It was the dominant species in this area.” One in every four trees had been an American Sweet Chestnut, which could grow to up to 35 metres tall and be three metres across at the base of the trunk.

“It was a keystone species, and it was a super canopy tree.”

Before the blight, its only rival was the tulip tree.

Eighty percent of the hardwood mass in a forest would have been provided by the chestnut. With its loss came the collapse of an ecological system in the Carolinian forests in this area.

The nuts of the American Sweet Chestnut had been an important food source for the indigenous people of this area, including locally the Neutral Indians, he said. The Neutrals also farmed, but chestnuts provided a free source of food and attracted wildlife they could hunt.

That left them a lot of free time, to prepare to defend themselves against incursions.

“Everyone left them alone until the coming of guns.”

Continued on page D2

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PAGE D2–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023

Effort being made to restore chestnut trees to this region Continued from page D1

Ecological system

Used for everything

Mr. Casier said the chestnut was “an important When European settlers arrived in the area, mass and shelter tree.” At least 275 mammals and everything made of wood used chestnut lumber, birds had been dependent on it, and 125 butterfly which was very resistant to rot. Some railway ties and moth species which ate the leaves.

Leaves that fell into creeks and streams were made of chestnut had been in place for 200 years, all before creosote came to be used as a coating eaten by brook trout, being higher in protein than leaves from other trees. to prevent rot.

The already ongoing decline of the passenger Then a tree blight arrived, and “Chestnut was pigeon was sped up with the loss of chestnut one of the first ones to go.”

It’s now considered an endangered species, trees, and because so many insects depended on the species, many songbirds declined as well. and was protected by provincial law, he noted.

So did the Goshawk and Cooper Hawk, rapThe original American Sweet Range extended tors that fed on those songbirds. from what is now Georgia to Maine on the east At least 11 species became extinct because of coast of the USA. “The story went a squirrel in Georgia could jump tree to tree all the way to the demise of the chestnut, but the restoration of the trees in local forests might restore some of Maine.”

The same was true for Southwestern Ontario, the former ecology. from Windsor to Fort Erie. Estimates suggested 1.5- to 2-million chestnuts populated this region The blight The blight that appeared in the early 20th prior to 1920.

The timber, as noted earlier, was especially century actually comprised two infections.

One would kill the cambium layer of the tree, important. Settlers “used it for everything. Entire just under the bark, in a year, leading to its colhouses were built of it.”

A barn made of chestnut still stood in West lapse.

The second, a hollow canker, was the deadliElgin, and looked as good as new, he said. The timber was easy to work with and could be est, and first widely recognized in 1904, though it had actually first appeared stained to look like any in 1876 when 12 Japanese wood.

Chestnuts, all resistant to “Nuts were probthe blight but acting as carably the most imriers, arrived at a mail-order portant value. First Without our help, the tree nursery.

Nations taught us will be extinct in Ontario Trees had started dying that.” in the Brooklyn Botanical Chestnuts were by about 2150.

Garden in 1904, the start of the as nutritious as spread of the blight across the corn and, unlike eastern USA and into Southsome nuts, western Ontario in 1924. didn’t trigger an By 1950, the species was conallergic response sidered extinct, though a few isolated survivors in consumers.

Containing all nine essential amino acids, the would be found much later. nuts were “almost the perfect food.”

The flour from chestnuts was gluten-free, and “A real partner” the nuts had a great deal of commercial potential The Canadian Chestnut Council has been if the species could be restored to the area. breeding blight-resistant trees and planting them Before the blight, chestnuts were used to give to see how well they flourished, and CCCA had ham a sweetened taste, and a premium price the highest concentration in Canada. was offered for them in Chicago, a huge meatThe authority had been “a real partner” to the packing centre at the time. council in its efforts, Mr. Casier stated.

Black bears would fatten up for the winter on Every 10 years, he continued, the council the nuts, and farmers would do the same for hogs. conducted a survey to identify and map original Useful chemicals and pharmaceuticals could chestnut trees that still survived. The next was be extracted from chestnuts, as well as tannins coming up in 2024. for tanning leather.

“In every survey, we’re finding new trees, and The University of Toronto was studying the that’s adding to our gene pool.” potential to use tannins from the nuts to replace However, he said, the blight was still out artificial chemicals now used in tanning.

“

The Canadian Chestnut Council described Catfish Creek Conservation Authority as “a real partner” in efforts to reintroduce the tree to this area. The council has, since 1988, been researching how to breed a chestnut that is resistant to a blight that killed off

most of the trees in Southwestern Ontario in the first half of the 20th century. Experimental varieties have been planted at CCCA’s Yarmouth Natural Heritage Area, but seedlings must be surrounded (AE/contributed by CCCA) by a cage to keep deer from eating them.

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Wed., March 22, 2023–AYLMER EXPRESS–PAGE D3

there, as was illegal lumbering. In the last 18 years, this area had lost 20 percent of its wild trees, and found only seven new ones.

Ageing chestnut trees also couldn’t reproduce if they were isolated from other trees of the species.

Extinct by 2150 Of two new trees found and reported in the last decade, one had been in CCCA’s watershed and one in Kettle Creek Conservation Authority’s.

“Without our help, the tree will be extinct in Ontario by about 2150.”

How best to help the survivors?

Neighbouring trees should be thinned to allow the chestnut full access to sunlight, an essential part of reproduction.

Sassafras and sumac trees were carriers of the chestnut blight, and the latter species was almost impossible to eradicate.

That was why the council’s work to develop a blight-resistant chestnut was essential, he stated.

Initial efforts had focused on combining Canadian chestnut genes with those from Chinese, Japanese and European species, retained 98 percent of the American variety’s genes.

And, he said, in the last 15 years, enough resistance had been found in wild survivors to lead to the possibility of whether, if bred together, the result could be a 100-percent pure American Sweet Chestnut that was blight-resistant and acclimated to this part

“

It was a keystone species, and it was a super canopy tree.

”

of Ontario.

One tree in Springwater was especially important to researchers, Mr. Casier noted.

The canker blight was a white, fuzzy fungus with an oval blister area that spread until it killed off the tree.

However, if a chestnut could develop a callous around the infection, it could heal over time. The Springwater tree, about eight inches in diameter, at one point had a scar two inches wide by eight feet tall, but

it also had a callous around that.

He showed the tree recently to a group of hikers, “and it’s healed,” showing very strong natural resistance.

Experimental varieties had been planted, and in five or six years, the council might have the beginning of a solution to the blight, he stated.

About 350 young chestnuts had been planted in recent years in CCCA’s Yarmouth Natural Heritage Area, he said, but they required constant observation and maintenance.

“Deer love chestnuts,” and if allowed to, would turn a growing tree into a six-foot bush, so seedlings were surrounded by cages.

Other challenges included pests such as the chestnut gull wasp, which was now in Bayham. “It will kill the tree over eight to nine years.”

Other insects were also potential dangers.

Currently, he said, the council knew of 38,000 native chestnut trees planted in Ontario, along with about 2,000 wild survivors.

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Prime Minister Trudeau talks fertilizer and food security with Canadian farmers

By Mark Reusser, Director, Ontario Federation of Agriculture In Canada’s agriculture sector, last year’s announcement by the federal government about fertilizer emissions reductions has stirred plenty of conversation and confusion. The target they’ve set is for emissions levels by 2030 to be at 30% below what they were in 2020.

That’s a goal that was announced amid heightened food security fears due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and news coverage of tough European fertilizer legislation that may stop some farmers in the European Union from producing food.

Since then, we’ve heard repeatedly from the federal government and from Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau that the target is not mandatory and that the goal is to reduce nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer and not the actual use

of fertilizer itself.

The government has launched consultations with farmers, the fertilizer industry, and provincial and territorial governments to figure out how they’re going to make that happen. To their credit, their consultation document does recognize that fertilizer is an essential part of modern farming and that farmers are already taking significant environmental action that is yielding positive results.

Last week, it was Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself who appeared in front of an audience of farmers and industry stakeholders from across the country at the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA) annual meeting in Ottawa to reinforce that message: the federal reduction target is voluntary, and the government’s focus is not to reduce fertilizer, but rather just the emissions its use can create.

I was part of the Ontario

Federation of Agriculture (OFA) delegation at that meeting and watched the Prime Minister engage in a half-hour town hallstyle question and answer session with the farmers and agriculture industry representatives to address some of the ongoing challenges and concerns. It was a gesture that was appreciated by the audience, even if there isn’t unanimous agreement with the messages that were delivered.

It was a valuable experience, and from my perspective helped to show the audience the federal government is committed to engaging the agricultural sector, maintaining food security, that environmental sustainability matters, and that they want to ensure farmers across the country have the access and opportunities they need to grow their business.

The meeting also attracted the leaders from every major Canadian political party, including Conservative leader Pierre

Poilièvre, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, Bloc Québécois leader Yves-François Blanchet and Elizabeth May, leader of the Green Party.

This has not happened in a very, very long time – if ever – and to me, reinforces the importance of agriculture in our economy and the key role the agri-food sector will play in the future with respect to sustainability, climate change and Canada’s role as a global food supplier.

It was interesting to hear all of them highlight their interest in agriculture and share their perspectives on the hot topics of the day. This conference was the first time in three years that we’ve been able to gather in person for the CFA annual meeting.

The conference has traditionally always been an event for both learning and networking, and this year did not disappoint with well-attended seminar

sessions as well as social opportunities.

There is camaraderie and fellowship that blossoms when people meet face to face, and as much as though farmers from British Columbia and Saskatchewan may face slightly different issues or challenges than those from Ontario, PEI or New Brunswick, there is more that binds us than divides us.

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Stephen Hotchkiss grows products for cooking and health care at his herb farm in Bayham. (AE/Contributed)

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Bayham correspondent “We had a desire for better overall environLocated in Bayham, farm owner Stephen mental health and to increased biodiversity Hotchkiss concentrates on growing culinary and on the landscape” Stephen said. “Our whole medicinal herbs. He makes and retails a variety company was founded around the intersection of natural and herbal products, including teas, of human and environmental health and creating skin care products, medicinal mushrooms, and ways we can contribute to both.” textiles.

Now 40 to 50 acres of the farm is signed up Mr. Hotchkiss is the grandson of Harley with ALUS, five acres is planted in herbs and Hotchkiss, the successful Straffordville busi- perennials, 70 acres is rented out for cash crops, nessman who moved to Alberta, and eventually and the rest is woodlands or swamp. owned part of the Calgary Flames. His father Part of that is pine plantation. “The pines John owned the farm, called River Bend Farms, were planted as a way to create a way to have orbefore Stephen took over after his father’s retire- ganic matter in the soil and create a wind break,” ment in 2015. Stephen saw an opportunity to Stephen said. The pine needles are also part of move back home, live closer to the land and have the products he sells, going in a tea with reishi a company that grows products as well as selling mushrooms and elder flower. them.

Through ALUS, four wetlands were built, Stephen moved to Cali20,000 trees fornia and studied herbalwere planted as ism in Los Angeles. He well as 30 acres put together a line of of prairie grass.

The pines were planted as a herbal products while This work started in California. He was in 2016 and took a way to create a way to have selling products to couple of years to organic matter in the soil and naturopaths and chicomplete. ropractors while in Outside of the create a wind break.

Los Angeles. herbs and flowers, He also studied Stephen forages for music and art in Los mushrooms locally.

Angeles.

Ingredients that don’t “I put those artistic practices in farming,” grow wild in our area, like chaga, he gets up Stephen said. from up north. Other products not available When he returned to Canada, the family locally are purchased from certified organic farmland was depleted by growing trees and sources elsewhere. each tree taking some topsoil with it.

While Stephen had a retail store in Port Stephen is family friends with Bryan Gilvesy, Stanley for a couple of years, he has moved to the CEO of ALUS Canada, and learned about all wholesale and online retailing. Online sales ALUS from him. ALUS, short for Alternative are through the website. Wholesale products are Land Use Services, is a charitable organization sold to a variety of places, including some he with farmer-delivered programs that produces, originally dealt with in California. enhances and maintains ecosystem services on His business really has come full circle.

Continued on page D5

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Wed., March 22, 2023–AYLMER EXPRESS–PAGE D5 Stephen Hotchkiss shows some of the paw paws harvested at his farm in Bayham. The pulp tastes like a mix of banana and mango and once common in Southwestern Ontario, paw paw trees are now rare.

(AE/Contributed)

Continued from page D4

ALUS Elgin ALUS Bayham started in the Municipality of Bayham in 2012. The program originally started in Norfolk County and expanded provincially and nationally.

The program expanded into Malahide, Central Elgin, Southwold, Dutton-Dunwich and West Elgin, and became known as ALUS Elgin. Through partnerships with local conservation authorities and other environmental organizations, more than 850 acres has been restored on marginal farmland throughout Elgin. In Bayham, ALUS Elgin worked through partnerships with farmers, the Elgin Clean Water Program, Elgin Stewardship Council and Long Point Region Conservation Authority to restore 100 acres.

According to ALUS Elgin, “Each project is developed to meet landowners’ needs and the environmental priorities of Elgin County.

By establish thriving wetlands, grasslands and tree plantings on marginal farmland, we promote biodiversity and reduce sedimentation and phosphorus loading in rivers and Lake Erie by addressing gully and bank erosion. ALUS Elgin recognizes the efforts of participating farmers and provides an annual payment to landowners to support the maintenance of their projects.”

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• Remote sensing technology. Wireless systems can remotely measure grain temperature and moisture, providing the metrics farmers need to gauge the health of their crops.

These systems can be placed inside grain bins or in fields, enabling farmers to receive data remotely and reducing the risk of grain entrapment.

• Livestock health monitoring. Farmers can now attach wearable “fitness” trackers to their cattle to monitor vital signs, activity and behaviour. Farmers get real-time, remote data about the health and safety of their animals without having to endure hazardous environments.

Any innovation that reduces workload has the potential to lower worker stress and physical fatigue. By increasing efficiencies, these innovations are making farms safer places to work.

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PAGE D6–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023

Spray drift, planting dates and root worms raised at luncheon

by Rob Perry of The Aylmer Express Local Pride Seeds dealer Ian Foster held his annual information session and luncheon for his customers at the New Sarum Diner on Friday, March 3.

Among the subjects discussed were:

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Pride Product Development and Agronomy Manager Matt Chapple, showing a picture of what appeared to be dead soyabean plants, said, “This is your worst nightmare. This is usually self-inflicted.”

The grower had started a new crop but using different brands with different systems adjacent to each other.

The farmer lost track of what chemicals to use on each, a sprayer came in, and 10 days to two weeks later the beans looked dead.

“Watch out for spray drift,” he urged.

“This is a huge concern.”

The young crop had already been under stress, with little taproots trying to find moisture in a dry season. “Anything thrown at them made them struggle.”

The result was like someone working hard all day without hydrating, missing a meal or two and then having a shot of tequila and immediately feeling “a bit silly,” he said, whereas someone who looked after themselves might need three shots before feeling affected.

“There’s a lot to be aware of when you’re mixing technologies.” He also urged farmers to clean carefully their chemical sprayers or face potential yield losses.

The beans did recover, he noted, but ended up six inches shorter than usual.

Using a field with clay soil and minimal tillage, the April planting could lead to additional stresses on young plants, whereas waiting until June, “Everything grows.”

However, success was measured by three factors, population (i.e., plants per acre), kernel weight and kernel count.

In 2022, corn “looked tough” for a long time, and a lot of plants were written off, but then when harvested farmers got “big kernel weight.”

The April 7 planting in 2021 “hard a nice, warm week to start.” About three weeks later, plants poked through the soil and found a couple inches of snow above the ground, though that melted soon after.

However, the result at the time was “some sickly-looking corn.”

Farmers shouldn’t plant in a cold snap, he continued, or when a one-inch or more rain was a risk.

The May planting window was pretty well ideal, but around May 24, temperatures could drop and give crops a tough time early in life.

Ear weight was a big deal when it came to yield, Mr. Chapple said. The April corn ears had pretty good results but kernel weight was low. May was “sort of the sweet spot” between yield, which was highest at the end of the season and weight, and kernel weight

got better as corn was planted in June.

He urged farmers to look for a threeday window of warm soils to plant if they wanted to maximize their field population.

A similar trial was conducted for soyabeans, and early planting turned out better than expected, the inverse from corn.

Corn root worm Olivia Noorenberghe, a new agronomist at Pride, reported that corn root worm had been an increasing problem in Ontario over the last two years.

Farmers might see feeding scars, roots chewed back and a nutrient deficiency in their plants if root worm was at play in a field.

Pride was continuing to monitor the prevalence of the pests with traps every year. She said 2021 was actually worse than 2022 for the worms.

Two species of the worm were present in Ontario, with the Mid-Western being dominant and much more aggressive than the Northern corn root worm.

The Mid-Western was showing some resistance to pesticides, which was why crop rotation was important, she stated.

She recommended scouting for pest and insect damage regularly, noting even a one-year break from growing corn in a field could have a positive effect, and

to manage the pests with insecticides if they became bad enough.

Mother Nature Mr. Chapple said looking at all the data collected by Pride on yield, “Mother Nature still holds the trump.”

Corn really needed 26 inches of rain through the growing season to get to maximum yields.

He’d heard frequently from farmers they’d rather suffer a drought in the early part of the season, rather than toward the end, when “We really need to have weather in our favour.”

Fertilizer use A farmer noted that the federal government was asking farmers to reduce their use of nitrogen fertilizer.

Mr. Chapple said that was something farmers couldn’t really cut back on.

“There’s no real way to legislate our usage.”

However, what farmers could do was ensure their fertilizer was applied at the right times and in the right quantities to maximize efficiency, he continued. “It’s really about being good steward.”

Across the border in USA, he noted, farmers were being “heavily legislated” about fertilizer, being told how much they cold apply and when.

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Pride, Mr. Chapple continued, had in the last couple years at a research farm in Paincourt tried varying corn planting times to see which got the best results, the first on April 7, the next on May 19 and the third on June 9, 2021, and then again in 2022.

Winners of the annual Foster Cup Corn Yield Challenge were, from left: third place, Jamie and Andrea Pake of Aylmer, 244.8 bushels per acre; Norm and Mac Watson, St. Thomas, 266.5 bu/acre; and Steve Goodhue, Port Stanley, 273.5 bu/acre, being congratulated by Mr. Foster. The awards were presented at an annual information session and luncheon organized by Mr. Foster for his Pride Seeds customers at New Sarum Diner recently.

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Horse club champing at the bit to reopen after six years A 80-year-old horse club that’s trained dozens of kids to ride each year is reopening after a six-year hiatus caused by a shortage of volunteers.

by Calvi Leon, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, London Free Press February 15, 2023 – The Triple C Saddle Club opened in the small Elgin County hamlet of Shedden, southwest of London, in 1942, boasting up to 50 regular members at its peak. A small team of volunteers had run the nonprofit on the grounds of the Keystone Complex on Talbot Line.

But the club shut down in 2017 due to challenges finding enough volunteers to keep up with the work, a trend its former president says has played out across the province and was made worse by the pandemic.

“A lot of small clubs across Southwestern Ontario have folded. There are very few small successful clubs,” said

Jackie Campigotto, who headed the horse club for five years.

“People started gravitating towards the bigger shows,” she said.

Enter Paul Lang, a past member who saw an opportunity to bring back the local horse club for families and youngsters in the region.

“I thought: ‘Well, let’s just try starting this up because there are so many kids in this area,’” said Lang, a St. Thomas area resident.

“Many adults used to show at this club when they were kids, so I think it’s a good thing we’re trying to bring this back.”

What stands out about the club for people in the area, volunteers say, is its family-oriented environment and emphasis on supporting the younger

generation of riders.

“The focus is on mostly young riders and novice riders, people who are just getting into the sport. It’s not highly competitive, so it’s a good opportunity for people to get their horses off the farm and to show in a smaller venue,” Campigotto said.

In fact, Lang’s grandchildren were a large part of why he decided to relaunch the club.

“If somebody doesn’t step up, there’ll be no places for (kids like them) to learn.” he said.

He and the nearly 10-person team of executives running the club have been working with former members to ensure all the pieces — from insurance to rent and finances — are in place for its reopening.

As Lang sums it up: “We got to get all our ducks in a row.”

The plan is to host its first horse show on the last weekend of May. The club will hold monthly shows and offer lessons to young riders looking to learn or improve in the sport.

Families will be able to buy an annual membership for $40, while single individuals can buy one for $20.

Lang said members will bring their horses or ponies to the grounds.

“The kids can go in for four, five, six classes, depending on what they want to do. There are different things they can do,” such as barrel racing and horse jumping, he said.

The membership fees will funnel directly into the club, helping to cover the costs for things like judges and

prizes, as well as rent and insurance.

“We might lose some money,” Lang quipped. “But it’s good for the community and good for the kids.”

While the club’s tradition will stay the same, he said its name is getting a minor upgrade.

Now dubbed the Triple C Speed Show, the name reflects riders’ need for speed.

“Years ago, it was too much slowness for people. Nowadays, everybody wants to go faster and faster, and they want to do it for money.”

For example, riders used to compete for trophies and ribbons. Now, they spend money on competitions to earn more money, Lang said.

“It’s nice to get a little return for your money,” he said.

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Wed., March 22, 2023–AYLMER EXPRESS–PAGE D7

PAGE D8–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023

Good drainage, good neighbours, but…

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs It has often been said that good drainage makes for good neighbours.

Unfortunately, drainage of water is one the most common areas of dispute between rural neighbours, whether they be farmers or not.

Drainage disputes generally fall into the realm of Common Law, a system of law that Ontario inherited from Great Britain.

Common Law forms the basis of our legal system. It always applies, unless it is specifically altered by a statute passed by our Provincial or Federal Governments.

Common Law disputes are arguments between landowners, and if they cannot be mutually resolved, final solutions can be determined through the courts.

Landowners are considered to be equal under Common Law, whether they be private citizens, companies, road authorities, municipalities, or Provincial and

519-688-0605

Federal governments.

So, if you get advice on Common Law drainage problems from a drainage contractor, a drainage Engineer, a lawyer, a Conservation Authority, or a Government Agency, remember that it is not their responsibility to solve the problem. Only the courts can make the final decision in the dispute. To obtain a ruling by a court, a civil action must be initiated by the damaged party.

Even though the courts have the ultimate decision on drainage disputes, neighbours should try to reach some common ground, and solve the problem in a neighbourly fashion without going to court.

Court rulings in Common Law may not make either side happy. It is the intent of this story to help rural neighbours come to their own solutions and to avoid taking legal action against each other.

(This story is not a substitute for good legal advice. Always

consult a lawyer if a professional legal opinion is needed.)

Previous Common Law court decisions have established precedents in drainage disputes, and from these precedents, a set of rules or principles have been developed that apply to water rights.

These rules under Common Law can change as customs change and as new precedents are set. Also, the rules differ significantly between natural watercourses and surface water.

Natural watercourses Almost the whole definition of a natural watercourse is founded on the saying “aqua currit et debet currere,” or “water flows naturally and should be permitted thus to flow”.

A natural watercourse is defined generally as “a stream of water which flows along a defined channel, with a bed and banks, for a sufficient time to give it substantial existence”.

(See picture 1.)

It must, on casual examination, “present the unmistakable evidence of the frequent action of running water”. It is not essential that the supply be continuous, or form a perennial living source for flora or fauna. It is enough if “the water rises periodically from natural causes and reaches a plainly defined channel of a permanent character”.

One can usually identify a natural watercourse on an aerial photo or a topographic map. A natural watercourse “does not cease to be such if at a certain point it spreads out over a level area and flows for a distance without defined banks before flowing again in a defined channel”.

Often, it is “the valley through which the stream runs, and not its low level or low water channel, which is the water course”. If water is in a natural watercourse, it must be permitted to flow.

Farmers, and others, often have their own ideas about what is or isn’t a natural watercourse.

Top 9 Common Law drainage problems between rural neighbours The following questions are commonly asked by rural landowners.

My neighbour’s land is higher than mine, but can he simply dump his water on my land?

Picture 1: A natural watercourse with a defined (AE/contributed) bed, bank and sufficient flow.

Obvious examples of natural watercourses in Ontario include: the St. Lawrence River, the Niagara River, and the Grand River.

Many creeks and streams might also be considered to be natural watercourses. However, private ditches and channels across low areas on one’s own property are not usually considered to be natural watercourses.

(See picture 3.)

The courts have the final say on whether a channel is a natural watercourse or not. Everyone else can only offer an opinion.

Surface water Surface water has no defined course. (See picture 4.) It is “the water that falls as precipitation, but which finds its way to a natural watercourse by percolation or flow”.

Common Law can be confusing when it comes to surface water because, under most circumstances, it has no right of drainage and the law appears to deny the right of water to flow downhill. This is described further in this story.

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If “his water” is surface water, then it has no right of drainage. Neighbours can either choose to keep their water on their property, or allow it to pass along onto property at a lower elevation.

Similarly, property owners at a lower elevation can either accept the water from neighbours above them or reject it.

However, once the water reaches a natural watercourse it must be allowed to continue to flow through all properties.

Suppose there are two owners of adjacent parcels of land, A and B, where A is at a higher elevation than B. Obviously, precipitation that falls on the lands of A will flow towards the lands of B. If B objects to the flow of the surface water onto his lands, and A has done nothing to collect or concentrate the flow of water from his land, the courts are unlikely to rule against A, since they recognize that water flows downhill naturally.

However, if B does not want the water from A, he can reject the water by building an impervious wall, berm or dyke along the boundary of his land, and in effect dam the water back upon the higher lands of A. Even though this may cause damage to A’s property, B would not likely be liable, since surface water has no right of drainage, and A must accept the flooding. B may even fill his land until it exceeds the height of the higher ground of A. This apparent paradoxical circumstance would not make good neighbourly sense, does not solve anything, and simply would cause hard feelings between the neighbours.

Can my neighbour outlet his tile over the fence onto my land, end it a few metres away from the property line on his side, or outlet it into my private ditch?

Water from tile drainage systems is considered to be surface water, so it has no right of drainage. Therefore, the situation is similar to the previous question, and the owner of the lower land, B, could again dam the water at the property line to protect his property.

However, because water is being collected and deposited on B, B could also take legal action against A, the owner of the tile.

B would have to prove that A is collecting water, dumping it on him, and causing damage that can be assessed a dollar value.

When someone tile drains their property, they are obliged to take this collected water to a sufficient outlet. When trying to find a sufficient outlet, they should follow the path the tile water would follow.

Then, they should ask themselves if a reasonable person would think that water could flow down this path and not cause any harm to any land or road. If so, this is probably a sufficient outlet, and many potential disputes can be avoided.

If one has a private ditch on his property (not constructed under any legislation, such as a Municipal Drain), he is not obliged to clean it out for his neighbour’s benefit. That is, one does not have to clean out a private ditch to accommodate the tile drains from a neighbour on higher ground.

Also, a neighbour is not permitted to trespass on another property to clean the private ditch out, or to dig a new ditch without the owner’s permission, unless there was some previously arranged, written Mutual Agreement Drain.

Can my neighbour dump the eavestroughs from his greenhouses onto my land?

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Again, the water collected off a roof in an eavestrough is considered to be surface water, and it has no right of drainage.

(See picture 5.) It must be taken to a sufficient outlet. Since this water has been collected, the greenhouse owner could be liable for the damage that this water causes on the downstream land.

Other examples of collecting water include: private ditches that are not natural watercourses, swimming pool water, road ditches, irrigation water, water collected in catch basins, or runoff from parking lots and yard areas. The same answer applies as previously indicated.

Can I plug up the tile I found outletting onto my property, or into my private ditch?

Sometimes a new rural owner, say B, finds a tile draining out onto their land, or into their private ditch from higher neighbouring ground, say A. Normally, this would not be permitted under Common Law as outlined previously, since this tile water would be considered to be simply surface water.

The only exception to this is if A’s tile outlet into B’s private ditch has existed for more than 20 years, and if during that time B never disputed or opposed the tile outlet. In this case, A acquires the right to outlet into the private ditch owned by B. This is called Prescriptive Rights, which is similar to Squatter’s Rights, established through the Statute of Limitations. However, even if one has the right to plug the tile outlet, it certainly would not make for good neighbourly relations.

The best option would be to discuss the matter with the owner of the tile system upstream, A, and come to some agreement on how to proceed.

Why doesn’t the road department make their road ditches deep enough to outlet my tile drains?

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The road department is not required to dig their ditches deep enough to provide outlet for tile drains. (See picture 6.)

Road ditches are just another form of private ditch, and the road authorities are only obligated to dig their ditches deep enough to handle the surface water off their own roads.

They are not even required to take surface water from surrounding land. There is no right of drainage of surface water even if it is in a road ditch, unless the ditch is part of a Municipal Drain and access for tile drains is permitted.

That is, an owner of lower land can block the passage of ditches that are not natural watercourses or part of a Municipal Drain. For normal road ditches, permission must be obtained from the road department to outlet tile drains into them.

Continued on page D9

Wed., March 22, 2023–AYLMER EXPRESS–PAGE D9 Picture 3: A private ditch or channel across a low area is not usually considered to be a natural watercourse.

(AE/contributed)

Picture 4: Surface water has no defined course and no right of drainage.

(AE/contributed)

Continued from page D8

Can I take logs and debris out of a natural watercourse adjacent to my property to get the water moving?

Anyone who interferes with the channel of a natural watercourse is liable for the damages that result from their actions. Before removing the obstructions, one should estimate the flow and volume of water being stored to see if the channel downstream can accommodate the sudden increase in flow without damage.

Do I have to let my neighbour run his tile into my tile drainage system?

No. Drainage tile is privately owned, and landowners are under no obligation to let a neighbour tile into it, as long as the tile is not part of a Municipal Drain. However, it would be neighbourly to come to some Mutual Agreement.

A neighbour on higher land might pay for the privilege of using someone else’s tile, or pay to install a larger one beside it that might be of some benefit in the future to either party. Landowners should be careful that they do not put their own tiled land at jeopardy, because they have allowed too much water into their main tiles.

The main collector tile might not be designed to handle the extra water. Once a tile connection is made at the property line, it is very difficult for a landowner to know what other connections are being made further upstream for other owners or catch basins.

Water from land at higher elevations above will always drain out first, while land at the lower elevation will drain more slowly if the main collector tiles are already full. It is strongly recommended that a written Mutual Agreement Drain be drawn up to keep these potential problems in mind. This agreement should be registered against both deeds for future reference and future owners.

Unfortunately, landowners and their lawyers are often reluctant to sign Mutual Agreement Drain Documents because it adds something to the property deed that could make a future property sale less attractive to buyers.

Can my neighbour force me to take down my trees on my side of our property line because he says their roots are plugging his tile drains?

No, a neighbour cannot force anyone to take down the trees. However, if the trees are not removed and the situation is ignored, the neighbour may do some serious root pruning on their side of the property line that may affect the health of the trees.

Some tree roots are known to travel more than 30 metres (100 feet). Unless absolutely

necessary, trees should not be planted too close to property lines, especially water-loving varieties such as willows and poplars.

Conversely, tile drains and especially main collector tiles should not be installed too close to property lines that are already treed, or are likely to be treed in the future.

Picture 5: Surface water drained off greenhouse roofs has been collected into eavestroughs, so it must be taken to a sufficient outlet.

(AE/contributed)

Picture 6: Municipalities are not obliged to dig their road ditches deep enough to outlet tile drains, although these ditches often provide excellent outlets.

Permission from the municipality is required.

(AE/contributed)

Understanding you from the elds to the nancials

Do I have to let my neighbour run his tile across my place to a sufficient outlet, and do I have to help pay the costs?

Again, there is no requirement for a neighbour of lower land to let an owner of higher land run a tile through their property. However, it would be neighbourly to come to some agreement that benefits both parties.

Perhaps, if the tile was increased in size at the time of construction, then both owners could use it. However, as in the previous questions, both parties should draw up a Mutual Agreement Drain that is registered against both deeds for future reference and owners.

This avoids misunderstandings about who pays what, and who is responsible for what.

Even if an owner of lower land agrees to let the neighbour run a tile across their farm, he is under no obligation to help pay the costs. He may, however, receive some benefit from the tile and, if so, it would be neighbourly to help share the costs in that case.

The neighbour has another option, though, and that is to petition for a drain across the lower land under the Drainage Act. If he is successful, all neighbours would be forced to pay for their fair share of the costs based on how much water they drained into the watershed of the Municipal Drain, and how

much benefit they received from it. However, in most cases, the Municipal Drain option might end up costing everyone more in the long run.

Sometimes a Municipal Drain does not flow through a landowner’s property even if he paid toward its cost. Paying toward the cost of a Municipal Drain still does not give a landowner the right to cross anyone’s property with a tile or ditch to gain access to the Municipal Drain.

By paying towards a Municipal Drain, an owner acquires the “right to outlet his tile drainage system into the drain”, but this same owner must still “acquire the right to cross someone else’s farm, since the neighbouring farm is a private property”.

If a landowner wanted access to the Municipal Drain, he should have brought this to the attention of the Drainage Engineer who designed the Municipal Drain in the first place.

The Drainage Engineer could have designed a branch drain from the Municipal Drain through the neighbour’s property. Petitioning for this branch drain can be done at a later date under the Drainage Act, but it would be more complicated and costly after the fact.

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PAGE D10–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023

Local leaders recognise value of farming TOWNSHIP OF MALAHIDE

ELGIN COUNTY Ed Ketchabaw, Warden Elgin County, nestled along the north shore of Lake Erie is blessed with favourable climate conditions and productive agricultural soils. Elgin is home to 1,408 farms, and these farm families are the stewards of 389,260 acres of farmland, generating $609 million in farm cash receipts (Census 2021).

Although grains and oilseeds, vegetables and dairy represent the top three products produced in Elgin, it has often been said that if a crop can be grown in Canada, it can be done here.

The importance of agriculture to our regional economy is further evident when one considers, again according to

the recent Census, that the agrifood sector in Elgin County employs 5,310 people through 1,742 local agri-food businesses.

Elgin County Council recognizes the importance of agriculture and our farm families not only as economic drivers, but also as integral partners to the social fabric of our communities. Our farm families spend locally, provide employment opportunities, participate in local communities through social organizations, fair boards, churches, and even serve on local municipal councils.

As a farmer myself, I am

FARMERS FEED

ELGIN-MIDDLESEX-LONDON Rob Flack, MPP

Dominique Giguère, Mayor proud of Elgin’s agri-food industry. Our farm families are resilient and innovative. Constantly challenged by weather, global market conditions and strife, our farm families persevere, and by doing so continue to provide the safest and most nutritious food, fibre and fuel that our modern society not only demands, but deserves!

On behalf of Elgin County Council, I salute agriculture and the farm families of Elgin.

May 2023 be a safe and productive season for all of our agricultural producers.

Ed Ketchabaw, Warden Elgin County

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Malahide Township’s national and international reach in agriculture extends across diverse sectors: dairy, produce, livestock, grains, tobacco, and so many others. Malahide farmers are leaders and influencers in the agricultural industry. We have a proud tradition and a bright future.

While we take stock of our farming community’s achievements, Ontario continues to grow. That growth requires two important drivers: food and housing. I believe Malahide is well positioned to foster both synergistically, rather than with a view that food production and housing must compete against one another.

Malahide’s farming community has proven time and again that a strategic, collaborative, prudent yet forward-thinking approach can yield win-win

outcomes. This is the approach that has defined our municipality over many generations. This is the “one-team” approach that defines the Malahide difference.

In the upcoming months, I am looking forward to working with our farming community to chart the path forward, one where we continue to do what we do best in Malahide: care for people, balance expansion, respect our natural inheritance, and improve what we already have.

Meanwhile, recognizing Malahide’s place in the broader Elgin County landscape, I want to acknowledge the passing of Deputy Warden and West Elgin Mayor Duncan McPhail. Farming and local leadership have been forever transformed by his dedication and thoughtfulness.

We will all miss him greatly.

Dominique Giguère, Mayor Township of Malahide

TOWN OF AYLMER

Ontario Releases Strategy to Strengthen Agri-food Sector In November 2022, our government announced the release of the Grow Ontario Strategy.

Our agri-food sector has and will continue to be a cornerstone of our economy, and this strategy will be the framework that will help facilitate sustainable growth in the future.

Grow Ontario outlines actions to build consumer confidence while supporting farmers and processors locally in our riding of Elgin-MiddlesexLondon and throughout Ontario.

Increasing yields, promoting Ontario-grown food, continuing to build a value-added food processing sector, and attracting and retaining a dynamic and versatile labour force are all goals our government is focused on achieving.

Jack Couckuyt, Mayor The agricultural sector holds a special place for the Town of Aylmer and its relationship with surrounding rural municipalities.

Whether it is fond memories of growing up on a farm or the integration of our local businesses within the sector, agriculture will always remain near and dear to our hearts.

With springtime being just around the corner, preparation for another busy year begins.

This is an exciting time for the community and surrounding area, as we turn the page on the colder winter season and begin to enjoy the extra sunlight and warmth.

As the predominant growth centre in the East end of Elgin County, numerous businesses within the Town of Aylmer are ready and able to provide the many services and supplies that support the agricultural sector throughout the coming year.

From feed sales to farmers markets to the production of ethanol, we are grateful for this ongoing relationship, as it continues to benefit everyone in our community and positively influence the local economy. This includes but is not limited to the ongoing creation and sustenance of jobs in the sector and the availability of fresh, healthy and local products.

The Town of Aylmer will continue to look for new, innovative ways to work with local agricultural partners and we welcome opportunities that will be beneficial to all of us. On behalf of Aylmer Council and staff, I would like to thank our rural neighbours and other stakeholders within the agricultural sector for their continued support of our growing community and I wish them all the best in 2023.

Jack Couckuyt , Mayor Aylmer

In difficult times, it helps to know that all arrangements are being handled with the utmost attention to detail & understanding.

to showcase to visitors in our area. Our local grocery stores are increasing the local products they are able to source which helps our local agribusinesses as well. Drive down our back roads and you will see produce, animals, fields for production and our family farms. Support our local family farms for a bright future.

Jamie Chapman, President Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce

Ed Ketchabaw, Mayor I am very proud of the farming families of Bayham, and the agri-businesses that support them. Agriculture remains the top economic driver in our municipality. Farm families spend locally, provide employment, support the local tax base, and are involved in many community initiatives. They are integral to the social fabric of our community.

Farmers put in long hours to produce the food, fibre and fuel for their fellow citizens.

Although the global pandemic is waning, farm operators still feel the effects of global supply chain issues, increased input pricing, lack of willing local labour, escalated costs of land rental rates and the ever present uncertainties of weather and

product pricing. Even with these challenges, farm families by their very nature have and will continue to persevere.

Agriculture and its integration into all facets of society is not immune from the effects of current events. COVID-19 may be lessening its grip on our society, however the pressures created on supply chains in its wake, together with ongoing international strife, will continue to present some additional challenges for our farm families for 2023. The shortage of repair parts, labour shortages, soaring prices for fuel, fertilizer products, and other agricultural inputs (some as result to federal carbon taxes on crop drying and heating fuels and international tariffs on imported fertilizer

products) are but some of the hurdles for agricultural producers and input suppliers for the coming growing season.

It is important that we recognize the importance of farm families and agri-business to our society, the challenges they face, and their commitment to their community and industry. We must encourage their on-going efforts. If you “Eat Today, Thank a Farmer”.

On behalf of Council and Staff of the Municipality of Bayham, I extend greetings to Bayham’s farm families and agri-businesses and express sincere wishes for a safe and productive 2023 growing season.

Ed Ketchabaw, Mayor Municipality of Bayham

ELGIN-MIDDLESEX-LONDON Karen Vecchio, MP As the 2023 planting season is fast approaching, I appreciate the opportunity to address the key issues impacting our agricultural and agri-business sector.

Bill C-234, An Act to amend the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, has returned to the House of Commons from the Standing Committee on Agriculture and Agri-Food with amendments. The current status of the Bill is at third reading in the House of Commons,

MAIN STREET AYLMER Kevin Cross, Chair Farming is the fabric of our rural society. Drive down most roads in our area and you will be greeted by a roadside stand or a market thanks to our local producers. Our downtown business community values our local family farms and the impact they have on our local economy.

Farmers also contribute to key economic activity through employment. This substantial labour force in agriculture offers

the complaints and resolutions process, and improve the overall governance of the College of Veterinarians of Ontario.

The discussion paper is now posted, and I encourage everyone with interest to share their thoughts in a submission. From the farm-gate to the consumer plate, one in ten Ontarians make their living in the agrifood sector. To feed a growing provincial population our farmers, farm suppliers and food processors will not only meet this challenge, but they will succeed through innovation, ingenuity and entrepreneurship ensuring we get the job done Rob Flack, MPP Elgin-Middlesex-London Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs

MUNICIPALITY OF BAYHAM

AYLMER & AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Jamie Chapman, President It is a privilege to have the opportunity to commend our local farming and agribusiness community on their dedication and hard work. Our family farms are integral to our community and play a vital role in sustaining our local economy. Family farms are the foundation of our area. On behalf of the Aylmer & Area Chamber of Commerce, we thank you for your hard work and commitment to producing safe and high quality products.

The long days, countless hours and huge responsibility of farming does not go unnoticed. We value you!

We appreciate our local producers and markets who continue

This strategy was designed with three pillars of focus: Strengthen the Agri-Food Supply Chain Stability, Attract and Grow Ontario’s Agri-Food Talent, and Increase Agri-Food Technology and Adoption.

In doing so, these goals include increasing the production and consumption of food grown and prepared in Ontario by 30%, increasing Ontario’s food and beverage manufacturing GDP by 10%, and increasing Ontario’s agri-food exports by 8% annually.

To further support our agri-food sector, Ontario has launched consultations on the Veterinarian’s Act. I am honoured to be assisting with the efforts to update and better define the scope of practice for veterinary medicine, improve

stability in our area. We have farmers working long hours with great dedication and passionately striving to bring food to your table. We encourage everyone to buy local agricultural products at our local grocery stores and markets. Supporting our local farming industry helps build the industry and prosperity of our great community.

Kevin Cross, Chair MainStreet Aylmer

meaning there will be a vote scheduled following the second hour of debate later this month.

The focus of Bill C-234, is to remove the federal carbon tax on natural gas and propane for agricultural use. The carbon tax continues to impact the rising cost in food production and increases the cost for gas, groceries and heating for farmers and consumers.

Canada’s supply chain continues to be a concern for many small businesses and agricultural producers in Southwestern Ontario.

My colleagues and I have heard from farmers across the region who have addressed the lack of railcar capacity, the continued delays in shipping their goods to market and increased cost of shipping.

I will continue to bring these concerns forward on Parliament Hill and ensure that Canada continues to be an exporter of our natural resources and commodities. Labour also plays a role in ensuring goods are sent to market and continues to be a

concern for almost every sector in Canada. Attracting reliable and skilled labour to our region and the agricultural sector, continues to be a top priority.

On February 9, the Ontario Electoral Boundaries Commission submitted its report to the House of Commons. Together with the Elgin and Middlesex Federations of Agriculture, local elected officials, and the business community, the initial proposed redistribution was successfully appealed, and the Commission respected municipal boundaries.

In the final report the population of Elgin-MiddlesexLondon will be split into two ridings of Elgin-St. ThomasLondon South and MiddlesexLondon, and the Municipality of Thames Centre will return to the Middlesex County.

I wish all producers a successful 2023 season and will continue to be their advocate on Parliament Hill!

Karen Vecchio, MP Elgin-Middlesex-London

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Wed., March 22, 2023–AYLMER EXPRESS–PAGE D11

1978

1983

Left: Alex Laughlin, manager of Dr. Kenneth Penhale’s St. Thomas farm, is gently nudged by a six-weekold Brown Swiss bull, born this year at the dairy farm. The bull, part of an extensive artificial insemination breeding program, is earmarked in the future for export to Mexico.

Bottom Left: Keith Benner and his son David, measure the moisture content in corn, before and after the drying process, at the Benner corn operation, R.R. 1, Aylmer.

Bottom Right: The shelling machine is among the machinery used in harvesting peanuts at the Delhi Research Station. Its purpose is to separate the peanuts from stones and other particles. The machine came from the southern United States several years back.

Right: Carolyn Cryderman of Aylmer was third in the antique tractor plowing competition using a trail plow at the county plowing match held south of St. Thomas last September. She and her husband David were cited by officials as possible contenders at the International Plowing Match in 1985 in Elgin County.

Bottom Left: Malahide Reeve Bill Caverly, left, competed in the horse drawn plowing competition at the Elgin County Plowing Match held at St. Thomas Psychiatric Hospital farm last September. Many politicians entered the special councillors class using either horses or tractor to plow.

Bottom Right: Mild weather enabled Rick Cerna of R.R. 1, Aylmer to steam the family greenhouses February 28, three weeks earlier than normal. Steaming is the first step taken each year to prepare a greenhouse for tobacco planting.

1988

1993

Left: Mary Harms, left, Anna Guenther and Margaret Enns harvest hydroponic lettuce in a Hilltop Gardens greenhouse at Summers Corners. Mrs. Harms and her husband John have been growing hydroponic lettuce for the past four years in the greenhouse they built themselves.

Mr. Harms says consumers are buying more of the product because it tastes better than fieldgrown or imported lettuce, and no pesticides are used on it.

Bottom Left: Dick Saarloos of Berry Hill Fruit Farm displays some of his strawberry crop during the 1992 picking season. The hectic strawberry season each year helps offset the cost of running the rest of the farm, which includes apple, pear and plum orchards.

Bottom Left: The sugar house for Bert and Christa Brouwer’s new maple syrup operation was recently hooked up to power lines, one of the last steps before the first sap run. Behind the house is an insulated tank that holds up to 80,000 pounds of sap waiting for processing.

Right: Terry Kuipers collects eggs from one of the four collecting stations in the laying barn at Kuipers Poultry Farm on Dingle Street. As hens lay the eggs, they roll out of the cages onto a conveyor belt which carries them to the front of the barn.

The farm produces about 6,240,000 eggs per year.

Bottom Middle: A wagonload of cured tobacco is hauled away from kilns at Ray DeCoutere’s farm just south of Aylmer during harvest last year. Mr. DeCoutere grew 33 acres of Delliot tobacco, and is “really surprised” by how well the crop turned out despite wet, cool growing conditions. With a shortfall in last year’s Ontario tobacco crop, he expects to be growing a little more acreage in the coming season.

Right: Peter DeKraker of RR 2 Springfield holds up a piglet in one of the pens at his breeding operation. He raises young pigs until they are weaned from sows, then sells them. Mr. DeKraker ships about 2,700 weaners a year.

1998

2003

Left: John and Anne Phillips with seven-week-old son John Ryan pose with the first Canadian cow they bought after moving two years ago to their Malahide Township farm from England’s lake country.

They now own and operate a 100acre dairy farm, with 55 milking cows, on Rogers Road south of Elgin County Road 45.

Left: At 20-inches high, Connor is the shortest stallion in Clarence Willsey’s stable of 30 miniature horses. The tiny horse could fetch $6,000 from Florida buyers.

Top Right: Workers carry tobacco from a priming machine to a wagon during the 1997 harvest on the Malahide Township farm of Joe Kalman. The family employs about 10 seasonal workers to harvest about 35 acres of tobacco. Mr. Kalman is preparing his son Joe to take over the farm.

Top Right: Gary Lale combines 56-acres of white wheat just west of Springwater Road at Orwell.

He had a bumper crop thanks to a second year of ideal growing conditions. However lack of adequate rain lowered his corn yield, and slightly lower than normal soybean harvest.

Bottom Right: Motorists on Imperial Road 73 often slow or stop at Henry and Ann Hiemstra’s farm to see a Scottish Highland cow.

Bottom Right: Keith Danvrook displays more than 130 cast-iron agricultural implement seats made between 1840 and 1900 among other artifacts in his Hickory Grove Agricultural Museum in Bayham west of Tillsonburg. He built his museum in 1988, and an addition in 1997.

2008

2013

Left: A “beer well,” middle, is being built at the new Integrated Grain Processors Cooperative plant in Aylmer Business Park. At left are two of four fermentation tanks. Ethanol will be fermented in batches in the 2-million litre fermentation tanks, then pumped into the 2.8-million litre beer well. From there, a continuous flow of ethanol will be pumped through the rest of the processing system.

Left: The “Bike Wheel” quilt mural located at the Luton Community Centre on the northeast corner of John Wise Line and Hacienda Road is one of 20 scattered throughout Elgin County as part of the Southwest Ontario Barn Quilt Trails. The historical tour was established by the Elgin, Oxford, Norfolk Association of Museum Curators and Directors to stimulate tourism in Ontario’s Sand Plains region and was launched in the spring of 2012. The tour murals are painted on an eight-foot square wood surface and hung on the sides of barns or other buildings or on free standing posts next to historic sites and structures. The patterns reflect traditional quilt blocks or are inspired by the history of the host farm and the surrounding community.

For more information on the Barn Quilt Trails, visit www.barnquilttrails.ca.

Bottom Left: Ronald Dipsingh picked strawberries at the Glenn Howe farm on Rogers Road last October. Ryan Howe planted one acre of ‘day-neutral’ strawberry plants in plastic-covered drip irrigation rows in September as a test crop. They grew vigorously in the milder-than-normal fall weather.

Right: Suzanne Steed offers a wide selection of lavender products, some of which were produced at her Lavender Blue Lavender Farm and Gifts on Sparta Line, just east of Catfish Creek. She has some 4,000 plants growing in an English garden setting, surrounded by roses.

Bottom Left: Former mushroom composting tunnels, 20 feet wide by 160 feet long, were converted into “raceways” at Sandplains Aquaculture’s new fish farm in Malahide. Tilapia, destined for the fresh-fish market in Toronto, are grown to 700 grams in weight before being harvested, a process that takes about seven months.

Right: Nicole Loewen picked blueberries for a family member one morning in late July at Summ’r Sweet Berry Farm located on Woolleyville Line northeast of Aylmer. The farm is owned by her aunt and uncle Dave and Kitty Loewen. The Loewens have owned the farm since 1999. The blueberry season started in mid-June in 2012 which was two weeks early, Mrs. Loewen said. The harvest season usually lasts four to six weeks. The Loewans also grow asparagus which has an eight- to ten-week season starting in May.

COVERING LOCAL AGRICULTURE WEEKLY SINCE 1880 · More than 50 years of annual in-depth coverage

PAGE D12–AYLMER EXPRESS–Wed., March 22, 2023

The cider contest rules Apple experts get sipping in Simcoe to anoint Ontario’s top sweet cider

by J.P. Antonacci, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Hamilton Spectator February 2, 2023 – By the fifth glass of apple cider, I could appreciate the judges’ plight.

Which of the offerings before me had the best balance of sweetness and tart? Did the flavours excite my tastebuds or fall flat? And what was up with that weird aftertaste?

Fortunately, my decidedly uninformed opinion was not counted on to crown the best sweet non-alcoholic cider in Ontario. That task fell to a panel of five industry experts who gathered at the agricultural research station in Simcoe on Tuesday for a competition organized by the Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Convention (OFVC).

You would be hard-pressed to find a more conscientious bunch. The judges carefully evaluated the five entrants, their brows furrowed as they gauged the cider’s appearance and colour, noting how much sediment was in each plastic cup and how the liquid ran down the sides.

“You need to take it seriously because people have put a genuine effort into doing this,” said Lisa Herrewynen, operations manager at the Norfolk Fruit Growers’ Association, back for her second year as a contest judge.

“I’m so excited to do this.

I’ve wanted to do this for years,” added first-time judge Evan Elford, a new crop development specialist with the province.

Taking tiny sips and swishing thoughtfully before turning back to their scoresheets — which omitted the cider makers’ names to avoid favouritism — the judges dumped excess liquid into a bucket and nibbled crackers between rounds to cleanse their palettes.

The first two ciders that were

shaken and poured out looked and tasted as I thought cider should. But the arrival of a pale, clear entry caused a stir.

“Are we sure this is the sweet cider and not the hard cider?” quipped judge Josh Mosiondz from the provincial agriculture ministry, referring to the OFVC’s craft cider competition in February.

Mosiondz took a drink and paused, his head resting in his hands and his eyes narrowing in thought.

“I don’t know how to approach this,” he said, finally.

“I’m trying not to think about my preconceived notion of what cider is,” Herrewynen added.

The eye-catching entry — later revealed to be made entirely of yellow Silken apples — prompted a debate. Absent the familiar cloudiness and darker hue, was it really a cider, or more of a juice?

The five contenders were whittled down to three based on the judges’ scoring; I noted

with satisfaction that their top picks matched my own.

One of the finalists contained a blend of five apples — Empire, Honeycrisp, Courtland, McIntosh and Russet. But the judges were left to guess at what was in the other two.

“Some cider makers are keeping it close to their chest, and that’s fair. And some people just use what they have on hand and it changes from year to year,” said Kelly Ciceran, general manager of industry group Ontario Apple Growers.

The ciders contained only apples grown and pressed in Ontario, with no additives or preservatives. Growers are sent the judges’ anonymous evaluations so they get five different perspectives on their products.

Rachael LeBlanc, a research scientist and apple breeder at the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, said judging the contest four times has impressed upon her just how diverse ciders can be in terms of colour, texture, clarity and

The next round of sweet apple cider to be judged.

(J.P. Antonacci)

sweetness.

“It’s interesting to see the different ciders that are out there. If I just go to my local market stand and buy that cider, I don’t get that variety that I see here,” she said.

“And it is based on preference, so it’s OK to be different (when judging).”

To my tastebuds, there was a clear winner — a dark, rich cider whose initial sweetness proved the gateway to a complex and spicy flavour.

The runner-up in my books was a solid contender, but it showed all its flavour up front and did not reward repeat sipping.

The maker of my new fa-

vourite cider will be revealed at the fruit and vegetable growers convention in Niagara Falls on Feb. 22. The results matter, said Ciceran, since producers can tout their award-winning ciders and earn bragging rights.

After multiple rounds of judging, I left the competition with a slight sugar high and new appreciation for what goes into making a stellar cider.

“These are the days that you go, ‘I can’t believe this is my job,’” Herrewynen laughed.

“I get to come sit in a room with very bright, very engaging people and just talk about something that we’re very passionate about. And drink cider.”

Jody is a great little helper on her parent’s dairy farm. She is the daughter of Sarah and Roy Schrijver who farm on Talbot Line near Eden. (AE/contributed)

New U of G apple variety could hold promise for cider industry from University of Guelph A University of Guelph researcher has developed a new apple variety that holds promise for the cider industry.

Dr. John Cline, a professor of pomology and tree fruit physiology in the Department of Plant Agriculture at the Ontario Agricultural College, bred and developed Providence, a crab apple that has crimson-coloured flesh and produces crimsoncoloured juice when processed or fermented.

Providence’s distinctive features make it ideal for the cider industry.

“Providence is fairly unique – there are not many apples that generate red juice,” he says. “My interest in the cider industry and the possibility of producing a rosé cider inspired me to see if there’s a market for this.”

Cline’s research began in 2001 at the Ontario Crops

Research Centre – Simcoe in southern Ontario. He crossdeveloped several crab apples, including Providence.

He selected Providence over the other varieties because of its red leaf, showy pink bloom and crimson fruit flesh. In 2007, he established a research orchard with other crab selections in Simcoe. At the time, Providence was designated “B17Crab7,” and Cline had yet to realize its full potential.

“We discovered there actually could be uses for this apple that we really didn’t consider at first,” Cline says. “It was rather serendipitous in the sense that I started to get involved in cider research, and I was looking at other cider-specific apples and Providence was sitting there right in front of us.

“There are several potential commercial opportunities for it that we’ve started to pursue.”

A University of Guelph researcher, Dr. John Cline, has bred and developed a new crab apple variety, Providence, which he believes might be a boon to the cider industry in Canada.

(AE/contributed by University of Guelph)

Cline says there’s a demand for rosé cider in the United States, but few apples can produce this juice colour. Rosé cider in Canada is often made using other red fruit juices such as cranberry, raspberry or strawberry.

While the apple is too tart and high in tannins to eat as a fresh market apple, these traits are ideal for cider.

“Those qualities are why it’s particularly good for cider and processing,” Cline says.

Providence is larger than most other crab apple varieties but is noticeably smaller than the fresh market apple and is more like a plum in size and shape.

Cline thinks Providence

might be used to make a nonalcoholic juice or a sour that can be mixed with other juices.

He’s still studying fermentation processes.

Currently, he is working with the U of G Research Innovation Office (RIO) to secure plant protection in the United States.

“We’re looking at making trees available to the U.S industry to grow this variety,” Cline says. “RIO has licensed a Canadian nursery to produce the trees and now they are commercially

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available to the apple industry in Canada.

“This apple has so much potential.”

The Government of Canada’s Research Support Fund is an important source of funding for support of research facilities, research resources, management and administration of the University of Guelph’s research enterprise, regulatory requirements and intellectual property and knowledge mobilization.