Haldimand Pres - Farms: Harvest 2023

The Walpole Antique Farm Machinery Association’s Fall Online Farmers Consignment Auction consisting of Farm, Industrial, Landscape, Tobacco Equipment, Trailers & Miscellaneous Items. The complete antique engine & Lanz tractor collection from Walter Dedman. Estate of Ed Mcmurchy. Jordan Hill Farms. Walpole Lawn & Garden Jarvis Hereford Farms, Walker Farms, Clark Agri Service, Millhaven Farms as well as local farmer consignments. Consignments will be accepted until Monday September 18th. The Walpole Antique Farm Machinery Association has purchased a Certified Sea Can Kitchen and we are raising funds to pay it off. Donations of equipment are also being accepted. We have a loading dock and equipment to unload/load with. farmer consignments.

Consignments will be accepted until Monday September 18th.

The Walpole Antique Farm Machinery Association has purchased a Certified Sea Can Kitchen and we are raising funds to pay it off. Donations of equipment are also being accepted. We have a loading dock and equipment to

Auction Bidding Opens on Friday October 6th and Begins Closing Thursday October 12th @ 6pm.

Equipment Viewing Friday October 6th to Wednesday October 11th 9am to 4pm LOCATION: 3070 Highway 6 Jarvis, ON

THE HALDIMAND PRESS Farms

HARVEST 2023

A Haldimand Press feature on all things agriculture. PRESENTS

won’t be beat ®

If you find a cheaper price, simply show us and we will match. Owner: Ron Fairburn

Lucky number seven - that’s how many years we’ve been publishing this Farms: Harvest edition. Having seen the success of the annual Farms: Spring edition, started by former publisher Jill Morison, it only made sense to expand this special feature to print twice yearly.

It also only makes sense because, of course, farming is a full-time, year-round kind of job. We always need food, so we always need farmers. From fresh fruits and vegetables to dairy and meat, and prepared food and drink like cheese and wine, there’s a nonstop need and desire for locally grown and produced deliciousness (whenever possible).

Some harvest seasons are at their end. For instance, Foodland Ontario’s availability guide notes apples, cherries, currants, and gooseberries to be ripe for the picking from July through August. Meanwhile, blueberries, nectarines, and watermelon can be expected to continue through September, and cranberries, grapes, plums, and raspberries into October. Strawberries grown in a field are also expected to wrap up by October, but those grown indoors may thrive all year round. Crabapples and pears are early in their harvest season, with crabapples expected from September to November and pears from August to February. And that’s only some of the fruits!

The fact is, while we consider this time of year – when summer begins to cool off into autumn – as harvest time, what classifies as harvest time is actually a bit more complicated of a process, all dependent on the crops and what Mother Nature has to say.

We’re hopeful our ‘lucky number seven’ for the harvest edition will rub off on the farmers who are working away in Haldimand’s fields and barns, at whatever stage their operation is in, to bring them successful yields.

Inside these pages you’ll find some additional information about how our local farmers have been faring this year. You’ll also find a feature on a first generation farmer, plus a look at some of the younger members of our agricultural community. There’s plenty more to learn as well, from how area residents are promoting the industry (even if they work outside of it) to all you need to know about poop! (Manure, that is.)

If you’re new to this edition, welcome. We hope it brings you closer to our farming community here in Haldimand. If you’re a longtime reader, welcome still! We hope there continues to be new and interesting things for you to learn from the ag industry.

Finally, as always, thank you to all of our farmers and agricultural workers. We know it’s hard work what you’re doing, and we appreciate all your efforts.

Co-Publishers Kaitlyn Clark & Jillian Taylor

Say hello to Harvest Hannah

While taking a break from her farm work, Hannah was so excited to check out our seventh annual Farms: Harvest edition.

She ended up hanging out on some of the pages, and can still be seen there now!

Can you find the 8 locations where Harvest Hannah is hiding?

IThe shitty – and important – side of farming:

By Mike Renzella The Haldimand Press

t started with our preview of this year’s Dunnville Fair. One event in particular caught my eye: a ‘Scratch, Sniff & Plant Manure Station’, which promised to provide kids a fun workshop centered on the effects of growing seeds in different types of manure.

I realized that not only was my knowledge on the matter likely below the level of the kids taking part in the workshop, there was much more to this world of growing crops than most average people realize.

To learn more on the topic of manure, we spoke with OMAFRA Field Crop Sustainability Specialist Christine Brown and Hagersville Custom Farmer Mark Vaarkamp for a deep dive into what makes manure such a versatile and vital product for local farmers.

“As a farmer, soil health is important. We need healthy soil to grow the crops that animals and humans need. Healthy soil is vital to a sustainable farming operation. It keeps nutrients from running into water courses, and healthy soil doesn’t erode,” said Vaarkamp, noting that maintaining good soil health requires the “proper balance of nutrients and organic matter, PH levels, and good bacteria for the crop to grow.”

Brown said that in Haldimand, livestock manure is valued for its nutrients as they provide a fertilizer source for growing crops, feed micro-organisms in the soil, and improve water infiltration and water-holding capacity.

“For a livestock farmer, a by-product of raising animals is their manure,” said Vaarkamp. “This is all part of the nutrient cycle. The animals convert the nutrients out of the feed. They use some of it for their own growth and the rest comes out as manure, which is a usable form of nutrients for plants.”

“Using it as a fertilizer source helps reduce the need for commercial fertilizer. How much manure is handled depends on the number of livestock and the type and

“ This is all part of the nutrient cycle. The animals convert the nutrients out of the feed. They use some of it for their own growth and the rest comes out as manure, which is a usable form of nutrients for plants.

Mark Vaarkamp, Custom Farmer, Hagersville

amount of storage on the farm. Most farmers handle manure as either liquid or solid manure, and some handle both,” added Brown.

Brown believes that dairy-based manure is likely the most commonly found in the Haldimand area, with many poultry and hog farms in the area also producing manure. Less commonly found options locally include sheep, beef cattle, and horse.

While there are many different types of manure commercially available, not all strains are created equal. Brown touched on some of the variable factors that can impact manure’s effectiveness.

“Manure composition varies with different species of livestock. Livestock species, age, diet, and bedding (straw, sand, or sawdust) will impact the amount of nutrients in manure. Livestock eat feed, so manure represents the undigested portion of that feed mixed with bedding. Manure is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and has lesser amounts of secondary and micronutrients such as sulphur, zinc, calcium magnesium, and manga-

nese.”

According to Brown, nutrients in liquid manure are more quickly available for crop growth than solid manure, while poultry manure has the most concentrated nutrients and is generally in solid form. Feeder hog manure will have more concentrated nutrients than sows’. Liquid dairy manure will typically have a balance of ammonium (quickly available) and organic (slow release) nitrogen. About 75% of the total nitrogen in solid manure is in organic form (slow release).

Brown said that the most effective time to apply manure to a crop is when it is growing and can make best use of the nutrients: “Corn crops and grass-dominated forages generally make the most economic use of the nitrogen in manure; however cereals, cover crops, and legume forages also benefit from manure nutrients. All crops benefit from the organic matter that feed the microorganisms when manure is applied regularly at rates that meet crop needs.”

In Haldimand, on heavy textured clay soils, Brown said that wet soils in spring typically prevent manure application ahead of corn without delaying the planting or causing significant soil compaction.

She added, “For most farms on clay soils, the best application window comes when applying manure with a cover crop after winter wheat harvest or later in the fall after corn silage harvest, soybean harvest, or grain corn harvest.”

Vaarkamp continued, “The ground needs to be dry to be able to absorb the nutrients and to minimize ground compaction. Fields are very sensitive to ground compaction. Too much heavy traffic on a field with farm equipment compresses all the macro pores, which makes it hard for plants to grow roots. It can also damage the soil structure, decreasing pore space, limiting soil and water volume.”

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Libro Owners, The Egli Family

Libro Owner Frank & Libro Coach Matt

A look at how manure is utilized on our fields

Left: a dribble bar applying liquid dairy manure after an alfalfa forage harvest.

Above: manure being sprayed over a field.

He said farmers exercise caution when spreading manure due to its high value, noting a checklist that includes weather conditions, field conditions, sensitive features (wells, creeks, ponds, water ways), nutrient requirements for the upcoming crop, and soil nutrient levels.

“Improper application does reduce the benefits that come from manure application,” added Brown. “Rates that are too high, manure spread too often on the fields closest to the manure storage, and of course manure applied when soil conditions are too wet, frozen, or snow covered will increase the risk of nutrient movement to water courses.”

She noted that weather plays a huge role in manure application and impacts practices across different geographies throughout Ontario: “Good manure man-

agement requires planning, however weather conditions cannot be pre-planned except by what weather is typical. Injection of liquid manure is being promoted for maximizing nutrient utilization, but also to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In Haldimand, the heavy clay and often-wet soils at times when manure application occurs makes injection or immediate incorporation difficult without causing compaction, soil smearing, and potentially higher nutrient losses to the environment.”

She said that had local farmers known how dry the early season would be, they might have applied more manure ahead of planting their corn crops for the year.

“Frequent storms with quick, sometimes high volumes of rain will increase runoff and soil erosion. If manure was applied just ahead of one of those unpredicted thunderstorms, it would result in nutrient losses. However, where

FarmingThe Original Growth Industry.

At Millards we understand that farming is not only a way of life but a specialized business.

As with any business the numbers matter. Let us help with the financials and we’ll leave the growing to you. >>

manure is applied regularly, the higher organic matter and improved aggregate stability will result in better infiltration of rain and reduced soil erosion,” added Brown.

The commercial value of manure depends on the available nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. However, Brown noted that in some cases, the cost of transport could ultimately prove more expensive than the nutrient value.

Vaarkamp explained how modern technology is making a positive impact for farmers, with GPS mapping and on-the-go nutrient sensing giving them more information than ever before about exactly how much of what nutrients are going on their fields.

With so many factors, variables, and other issues to consider, it’s clear the world of animal poop is serious business for Haldimand’s farmers.

Olive’s Heirlooms finds satisfaction feeding the community as a first generation farmer

By Sheila Phibbs The Haldimand Press

First generation farmer Sarah Reynolds grew up in Hamilton, but she has found a passion for growing things in the soil (and clay) of Haldimand County.

Reynolds and her husband moved to their Canfield farm 20 years ago. A graduate of the Forestry program at Lakehead University, she was working for a tree company in Carlisle but admits, “That was a ways to drive.” The Canfield property provided a new opportunity: selling jams and preserves made from vegetables and fruit grown on the farm.

That opportunity led to the creation of Olive’s Heirlooms, the business Reynolds has been operating for 13 years. Reynolds shares, “I just like growing things. It’s very satisfying.”

“I like canning,” she continues. She tries to grow the produce she needs using her “corner of the farm” for heirloom tomatoes, zucchini, heirloom garlic, rhubarb, herbs, and a perennial garden. When she needs something not grown on the farm, Reynolds says, “I try my best to source locally.”

Networking with other growers is one of the benefits of attending local farmers markets, including Caledonia and Dunnville. Reynolds says, “We help each other out.” The markets are the primary mode of distribution for Olive’s Heirlooms.

With chili sauce as one of the top selling Olive’s Heirlooms products, it’s not surprising that heirloom tomatoes are among the main crops Reynolds grows. Like any farmer, she is fully aware of the impact of the weather during the growing season. For 2023, she admits, “The tomatoes are almost a lost cause. The garden has been saturated with water this season.”

But Reynolds also knows that with farming, you have to take things as they come: “Whatever I get out of it this year

“You grew it, you made it, now other people get to enjoy it.

Sarah Reynolds, Owner, Olive’s Heirlooms

(for tomatoes) is what I get.” On a more positive note, garlic, which is grown in raised boxes, has done well this year.

Along with the canning products, the Olive’s Heirlooms market stall offers a variety of garlic cloves, tomatoes, and plums. In the spring there are plants that Reynolds starts from seeds in her greenhouse. Baked goods are an additional feature and Reynolds says, “I always try to make everything fresh for the market.”

The inspiration behind Olive’s Heirlooms is found in the name itself. Olive was Reynold’s grandmother, an excellent baker who did canning as well. Reynolds attributes her baking skills to her grandmother and says, “I think I’m a lot like her.”

In turn, Reynolds is an inspiration to the next generation as her children are growing up close to the business and learning to be young entrepreneurs themselves. The children have gone to the markets since an early age and have made bracelets, fidgets, and other handmade items to sell alongside their mom.

With Olive’s Heirlooms as her main job, Reynolds enjoys a flexible work schedule that balances well with family life. She has the satisfaction of doing something she loves as she takes what she grows and transforms it into something that can be shared. She says, “It looks so nice in the jars. You grew it, you made it, now other people get to enjoy it.”

Sarah Reynolds of Olive’s Heirlooms is shown with her son Jacob, 9, at the Caledonia Farmers Market.

4-H program developing future leaders in agriculture

FBy Sheila Phibbs

The Haldimand Press

or more than 100 years, the 4-H program has given rural youth opportunities to develop practical and personal skills by following the motto: “Learn to Do by Doing”. This hands-on approach equips young people with valuable tools for everyday life. Jamie Heaslip and sisters Clarissa and Rebekah Passow demonstrate how Haldimand 4-H is enabling members to become the leaders of tomorrow.

Jamie Heaslip has been involved in agriculture for most of his life; he has been working full-time in the industry and farming since early 2019. As an agronomist for Clark Agri Service, based in the Wellandport location, he spends significant time working with farmers across Haldimand County. He explains, “I’m helping them manage their crops, soybeans, wheat, and corn throughout the year.”

Heaslip is also a farmer, raising commercial beef cattle and growing hay. He has always had an interest in agriculture stemming from being involved with his dad at the dealership (WJ Heaslip Ltd.) and on his grandfather’s farm. He shares, “I didn’t know for sure this was where I wanted to be until I started my involvement in 4-H.”

Heaslip’s 10 years of 4-H includes membership in several clubs: beef, livestock judging, square dance, and more. He is now a leader for the beef club and the field crops club. While 4-H wasn’t his only exposure to agriculture, he says, “I believe it was one of the influences that pushed me along even further down that path.”

As he looks ahead at his career in agriculture, Heaslip believes the future is going to necessitate producing more with less. He says, “As input/land prices continue to rise we are continuing to have to find creative ways to create as much food/crop per acre as possible to offset these costs.”

There is also concern over the amount of farmland lost every day and the need to recover that lost source

of production. But Heaslip is confident in the future of the industry locally.

He asserts, “Farmers in Haldimand are a lot better than some of our neighbouring counties when it comes to embracing innovation and trying new things to increase production.... If anyone will be able to get it done it will be us.”

Clarissa and Rebekah Passow share a passion for agriculture as the fourth generation (or more) in farming. Their early years were spent on the family’s farm in Mount Hope not far from the dairy and cash crop farm where their mother grew up. Both have memories of riding on the tractor and throwing hay bales when they were kids.

The Passows moved to their Jarvis beef and cash crop farm – Concordia Herefords – when the sisters were 10 and seven respectively. Along with working at home, both worked at dairy farms when they were teenagers.

In 2022, the family purchased a dairy farm in Hagersville and Rebekah is proud to now call herself a dairy farmer. The farm name, Victory Knoll Dairy, honours her maternal grandfather: “Victory” is for his first name, Victor, and “Knoll” reflects the landscape of the farm and the first initial of his last name Klein. Rebekah says, “He loved being a dairy farmer.”

“I love dairy farming and the cows,” she continues, “I wish he was here to watch.”

The herd of Ayrshires and Holsteins includes 45 milking cows. Rebekah looks after the breeding and calving on the farm and plans to increase the size of the dairy herd. She says, “I want to make the Ayrshires a better known breed. I want to promote their quality and be an advocate for them. I’m in it for the long haul.”

Clarissa’s heart is with the Concordia beef herd, which she helps manage. She is responsible for the feeding with special attention given to young stock. She also assists with breeding decisions. While she does have aspirations to work in the entertainment industry, possibly stunt acting, the farm is an important part of who she is.

She says, “I still want my life to be with agriculture regardless of my livelihood.”

The 4-H program helped reinforce that desire. Clarissa and Rebekah have been in beef and rabbit clubs for several years as well as field crops, sheaf, horse, vet, and dairy clubs. Other clubs include running and ‘on your own’ for Clarissa, and square dance and seed art for Rebekah.

The opportunity to exhibit at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair has been a significant part of their 4-H experience. Rebekah says, “It really opened me up to the beef cows and what you can do with them. Going to shows helps promote the breeds and the industry. You appreciate a lot more when you watch the process of the animal getting older.”

Through 4-H Clarissa has learned more about the beef industry and developed an interest in breeding and raising rabbits. She says, “It became more of an idea to stay in agriculture; 4-H opened my eyes to the world of opportunity and expanded where I was going with the rabbits.”

As a result, she started Riss Rachel Rabbitry.

Looking to the future, Rebekah is concerned that the roots of agriculture may be lost and forgotten. She believes, “Young people like us need to promote it. We need more young people to stay in it. You can make a living with it; 4-H can encourage youth to get into farming.”

Clarissa agrees saying, “I think we need to get younger generations focused on it (agriculture). If you want to go into it you should and we should help them.... The different streams of agriculture should work together to help future generations of farmers.”

Whatever the future of agriculture may be, one thing is certain – the Passow sisters will be in it. Clarissa says, “I don’t think I’ll ever leave the ag world.... When it’s in your blood you can’t leave it.” Rebekah agrees, adding, “I always knew I was going to stick to my roots…. I love it. I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

Clarissa (left) and Rebekah Passow at Victory Knoll Dairy.

—Haldimand Press photo by Sheila Phibbs.

Jamie Heaslip is an agronomist and beef farmer.

—Submitted photo.

What you need to know about ag drone sprayers:

DBy Tara Lindemann The Haldimand Press

rones have been used for warfare, safely scoping disaster survivors, and even delivering pizzas – and now they’re flying into the agricultural industry.

The Haldimand Press spoke with Jason Deveau, an application technology specialist for the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and founder of Sprayers 101, a Simcoe-based, global non-profit resource on best practices for safe and effective agricultural spraying.

Content has been edited for space and clarity.

What is an agricultural drone sprayer?

If you say a drone sprayer, that’s fine because it’s a colloquialism. But for us eggheads, it’s RPAAS - Remote Piloted Aerial Application Systems. They’re making their way onto farms as a valuable tool for spreading cover crops, scouting, and more – though pesticide application in Canada by drones is currently not permitted.

How do conventional methods differ from drone sprayers?

Conventional methods are the wheeled systems that have long horizontal booms for field crops or specialty road crops, vegetables, corn, wheat. Then there’s another form of application for three dimensional crops – orchards, vineyards – air blast foods where air is

used to blow spray up and sideways into those larger canopies. There’s a whole ton of them in greenhouses under glass when they don’t spray a lot, but when they do, they have their own unique system. Then we get into planes and helicopters, who tend to spray at about 50 liters per hectare. Planes leave a contrail, and helicopters, who have very low volumes, try to spread that as best they can over large areas. It’s the only way to make it an economically viable way to spray. Then we look at little drones and go, ‘they’re also pretty tiny, all things considered, and they’re also flying, and they also spray from half to over 2,000 hectares: so they must just be the same things – but the answer is no.

This is about physics.

If you’re driving in a car and you reach out the window and drop a golf ball – and please don’t do that – anyone watching from the road will see that that golf ball not only falls straight down, but also is moving forward because of the momentum of the car. That’s how the spray settles from a plane. When a helicopter is flying at an application speed, there is no down wash. The use of the spray from the helicopter looks exactly like the spray from a plane. But with a drone, no matter how fast a rotary drone flies, there is always down wash. It can never achieve a speed high enough for that to go away, which means it’s almost like an air blast sprayer for orchards.

‘It’s a very different way to do business’ >>

What are some other advantages of having a drone sprayer?

No trample. When you drive through a field, everything under the wheels is sacrificed. Plus, there’s soil compaction, which is bad for the soil in the short and the long term. In parts of the world, it lowers operator exposure to pesticides, and spraying on cliffs and terraces, and areas equipment could never reach, reduces liability.

So agricultural drones are game changing?

It’s inevitable. It’s a very different way to do business, and that makes it exciting and it makes it interesting. Drones are like any tool; it has to be used correctly. One of the things that we’re trying to establish is: does it make economic sense to use these in certain situations?

For example, do I buy a drone to spray, say, 400 hectares of wheat? Because it takes about eight or 10 minutes to empty, and then the drone has to come back, and the operator either swaps out the tank or refills the tank and swaps out the batteries, and then it lifts off again and picks up where it left off over and over and over and over and over. That’s a long day.

Is piloting drones complicated?

There are some companies that have worked very hard to make the interface simple and intuitive. But I don’t think we should be fooled by their ability to be quite autonomous and safe. There’s still things that can go wrong. Props can break, they can get lost, they can do crazy things, and we do not want to be near one when that happens.

Safety is paramount and that’s why they have to be licensed. So you have to know what to do if something like this occurs. You will need to register it with NAV Canada and you may find it easy to use and with practice and depending on the make and manufacturer.

“ I don’t think we should be fooled by their ability to be quite autonomous and safe. There’s still things that can go wrong.

Jason Deveau, Founder of Sprayers101 & specialist with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

Why are pesticides not allowed for drone spray in Canada?

Health Canada, our pest management regulatory agency, has no pesticides currently registered for that method of application. We technically have three pesticides that can be sprayed from a drone in Canada, but they’re all granules, not technically a spray. They’re intended to control mosquitoes and they can only be released over water where we would have mosquitoes.

What’s the excitement without pest control?

Drones are being used right now for spreading granular fertilizers and quite successfully, and they’re being used for spreading seeds for cover crops. But as people get used to hiring professionals for doing that, or perhaps getting their own licenses, producing their own drones and doing it themselves, that’s something that time will show. We’re trying to figure out their utility. It’s really difficult to get spray to the top of, say, a sour cherry tree here in Simcoe. We throw the spray up into the air and hope a little bit makes it at great expense and

waste. Imagine now that you have your air blast sprayer set up optimally, but you know you’re not going to reach the top. So you focus instead on the top two thirds of the tree efficiently and effectively, and then fly a drone over the top, spraying straight there with wind to get that top in. That is a recipe for success. It’s a high value crop, so it’s worth the money. And it would greatly reduce environmental contamination by focusing the sprayed down instead of up.

Is it time to purchase?

Please take what manufacturers and dealers tell you with a grain of salt. They’re not all the same and I certainly don’t mean to paint everyone with the same brush, but there are instances where certain information isn’t provided to the potential buyer. The technology is still fast changing, and research and regulatory discussions are still underway worldwide. This is a global issue, not just Haldimand’s.

What is Sprayers 101?

Sprayers 101 is a resource that was originally developed for Ontario, but working with a colleague of mine up in Saskatchewan, we’ve extended that and it’s become sort of a global lead on nonprofit information for best practices in spraying. We have guest authors. Whenever someone has good information that they’re trying to share and there’s no ulterior motive other than sharing good information, we welcome it.

HFA puts their money where their youth is with

By Rachel Vaarkamp

The Haldimand Press

An ongoing effort of the Haldimand Federation of Agriculture (HFA) for many years has been to encourage the next generation of agricultural workers through its annual bursaries for students going into post-secondary school.

This year the HFA had 13 students apply for the scholarships. Eight students were invited for interviews and four winners were awarded scholarships. The interview committee looks at community involvement, volunteering, strong

Theo Ricker of Dunnville

grades, and agriculture involvement.

The HFA scholarship is only open to those in an OFA-member family and enrolled in an agriculture-related program. The 2023 HFA scholarship winners included Theo Ricker of Dunnville and Abby Lise of Hagersville.

The Ewen McMillan award is open to any student in Haldimand, with this year’s winners being Vanessa Wiles of Cayuga and Kassandra Davidson of Dunnville.

HFA Secretary Charlotte Huitema said about the Ewan McMillan award, “This award allows us to pay tribute to a member of our community, Ewen McMillan. The board reviewed this with his family for creating the Dr. Ewen Mc-

Ridgetown College for Agriculture Business

What was the first job you had when you started working?

The first job I can remember having is picking up rocks in the field. Since then I have worked on our farm and my uncle’s dairy and strawberry farm.

What career path are you considering after post-secondary school?

There are lots of jobs in the agriculture industry. I plan to finish my two-year degree and go back to my home farm to work alongside my dad.

Have you volunteered in your community?

I have volunteered with our church at various church events. I have also volunteered with the Turkey Farmers of Ontario. I have been at the Caledonia Fair in the “Meet Your Local Farmer” tent informing people about turkey.

Was this – the program and career you’re looking at going to school for now – what you wanted to be when you “grew up”?

Yes; since I was young all I have wanted to do is be a farmer. I am taking a two-year agriculture business program in Ridgetown.

Millan Memorial Scholarship. Dr. McMillan was known to be an advocate for agriculture throughout the county and across Canada. He was an appreciated and respected veterinarian. He was heavily involved in 4-H, leading various clubs such as woodworking, sheep, and the vet club. He was a commendable role model and leader who understood the importance of volunteering.

“This award is given out to a first-year student who has aspirations and achievements that reflect the values and mindset of Dr. Ewen McMillan. “

All of the students agreed their scholarships will go a long way to help pay for books and some of their tuition.

Vanessa Wiles of Cayuga

Fanshawe College for Fine Arts and Foundations

What was the first job you had when you started working?

My first job was a soccer referee and at a dog rescue, and then I had moved onto (working at) the Cayuga Foodland.

What career path are you considering after post-secondary school?

I can become an art teacher, an artist, a museum curator, and those are all I can think of. I really want to become an art teacher at the end of my schooling.

Have you volunteered in your community?

I have volunteered for the Christmas parade, a little food festival, I have also helped out at a scrap drive as well.

Was this – the program and career you’re looking at going to school for now – what you wanted to be when you “grew up”?

This actually wasn’t what I wanted to be when I was little. I actually wanted to be a veterinarian when I was little; I really liked animals and wanted to help them, but as I got older I realized my true passion, which was art.

student bursaries

What was the first job you had when you started working? My first job was on a goat farm, and I milked goats.

What career path are you considering after post-secondary school? I’m not sure what I want to do just yet, but I think I want to work in soil and water management.

Have you volunteered in your community? Yes, I volunteered with a U11b Girls hockey team.

Was this – the program and career you’re looking at going to school for now – what you wanted to be when you “grew up”? I actually wanted to be an obstetrician for a long time, but then realized I loved working in agriculture and wanted to have a career in the field.

HFA Director Bruce Armstrong of Cayuga and HFA Secretary Charlotte Huitema of Dunnville present the Ewan McMillan scholarship to Kassandra Davidson of Dunnville (no interview answers provided).

—Haldimand Press photos by Rachel Vaarkamp.

Learn more about the HFA!

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) represents those with agriculture and rural interests in Ontario. The OFA’s work includes research, lobby efforts, media relations, training, government relations, farm policy development, and so much more.

The local branch of OFA – Haldimand Federation of Agriculture (HFA) – held their annual summer barbecue on the evening on Thursday, August 17, 2023 at the Fisherville Lions Hall. Current HFA President Henk Lise of Hagersville opened the evening with an overview of their work over the last year, including the Municipal Candidates Debate, Meet Your Local Farmer at the Caledonia Fair, OFA Annual General Meeting in Guelph, Grand River Antique Society Antique Farm Show and Tractor Pull, and Ward 4 By-Election Debate.

Shown above at the August barbecue are HFA Directors: (back, l-r) Jamie Heaslip, Robert Cruickshank, Bruce Armstrong, Will Stoneman (OFA Member Service Representative), Wayne Downie, Rick Armstrong, (front) Charlotte Huitema, Nick Huitema, Henk Lise, and Ron Young. Absent from the photo are Directors Cody Snyder, Dave Link, and Justin Clappison.

The HFA invites everyone to their AGM on Wednesday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kohler Agricultural Hall.

Taking an active role in representing ag is rewarding

TBy Ethan Wallace, Board Director, OFA To The Haldimand Press

he strength of organizations lies in the commitment and passion of their members and volunteers. That’s particularly true for an advocacy organization like the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA).

We represent the interests of our farmer members all across the province, whether it’s to all levels of government or other stakeholders, media, consumers, or in local communities through the activities of our 51 county and regional federations.

Through a democratic process, it’s the members of these federations who elect the people who will represent them on our provincial board of directors.

However, OFA also has three director-at-large positions, which are open to any OFA member from anywhere in Ontario.

This year, one of these director-at-large positions is open for election and delegates to our annual convention in November will vote on who will fill that role for the next three years.

Being an OFA board director is not a small commitment, but it is an incredible way to become involved and influence meaningful change for farmers and rural Ontario.

Directors advocate on behalf of Ontario farm businesses, connect with grassroots members and industry partners on key issues and priorities impacting the agrifood sector, and influence policy development and strategic planning for the organization.

I am a dairy farmer in Huron County, and being involved in agricultural organizations has always been an important way for me to give back to our industry.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) is the largest general farm organization in Ontario, proudly representing 38,000 farm family members.

It includes 90 Policy Advisory Council members providing grassroots input on key issues and policy direction and 44 experienced staff members located across the province dedicated to serving and supporting OFA members and their communities.

Twelve years ago, I first became involved with the Huron Federation of Agriculture, when the local dairy producer committee selected me to be their representative to that organization.

From there, I became a member of the OFA’s Policy Advisory Council and was eventually elected president of our local federation of agriculture.

Three years ago, the provincial director who had represented our region on the OFA board decided not to run for re-election and he encouraged me to consider the role.

At the same time, I had the opportunity to take part in the OFA’s Queen’s Park advocacy day as a future leader delegate. It was an interesting and fascinating experience to meet with political representatives and share our story with people outside of agriculture – and I decided to let my name stand for that provincial director position that was opening up.

There’s no doubt that it’s a time commitment on my part and one, to be honest, I wasn’t sure I would be able to make, but it has been a rewarding decision.

I’ve always believed that if I want to be in the agriculture industry for the long-term, I need to do my part to help shape it and ensure it is both profitable and sustainable into the future for the next generation of farmers.

It’s a big step, but it’s one that I encourage anyone

We recognize the incredible contributions our community’s farmers make to our lives and economy. From food to fiber, the efforts of today’s agricultural industry are essential to the producers we count on to feed, clothe, and protect ourselves and our families each and every day. Thanks to all those whose hard work, dedication, and innovation in the field enrich our lives and keep our community growing.

who is interested in making a difference to consider taking.

Getting involved the way I did by becoming active in the local organization is a good way to gain experience – and I don’t know of a local federation in the province that wouldn’t welcome new people and new ideas.

Every fall, the OFA offers a unique opportunity to learn more about the activities of our organization and the impacts that we can have through our actions – our regional meetings.

It’s where you can learn more about the activities, events, and programs your local federation is involved with to help promote agriculture, meet your provincial director and member service representative for an update on OFA’s activities, and find out how you could take a more active role in our organization.

It’s also your opportunity to bring questions, concerns, issues, and priorities to the attention of your local and provincial leadership and choose who will represent you on the Policy Advisory Council and at the OFA annual convention this fall.

A full calendar of meeting dates and locations is available on the OFA website, with events happening right through until November.

Nominations for director-at-large candidates will be accepted from October 15 to October 30. More information is available on the OFA website at ofa.on.ca.

When non-farmers support agriculture: telling the stories of farming through a video camera’s lens

By Sheila Phibbs The Haldimand Press

In an era of misinformation, when people look to social media instead of experts for information, sharing the truth about agriculture is essential. Raised on a dairy farm, Jodie Easson understands the importance of agricultural advocacy and is doing her part to tell stories of farming in Haldimand one video at a time.

Easson’s first experience promoting agriculture was as Haldimand Dairy Princess from 1983 to 1985.

Her communication skills were further developed while studying Radio and Television Arts at Metropolitan University in Toronto. Though a career in media kept her in Toronto, Haldimand was always home and her roots in the rural community remained strong.

One of the earliest ag themed video projects Easson did was to help a teacher with an assignment for his Master’s program. The first intentionally educational agriculture video Easson worked on was for her eldest daughter, Jessica’s, Grade 3 class in Etobicoke for the urban and rural curriculum unit. It was called “Jessica’s Rural Roots” and was shot in Haldimand.

With her mother behind the camera, Jessica spoke to different farm people and took pictures at the Caledonia Fair. She presented the video to all the Grade 3 classes at her school. “That was really the start to creating educational videos,” says Easson. Her video production business is called Lythmore Media.

As a volunteer and director of the Caledonia Agricultural Society, Easson found the opportunity to create more videos focused on farming in Haldimand. The first video installation she created was for the Caledonia Fair theme “Celebrate the Family Farm”. Visits to more than 20 farms in the county resulted in a 30 minute video with captions. She says, “When you walked through the exhibition hall at any time you could stop by the screen for just a moment and go away having learned something about local agriculture.”

Easson has created many videos for the fair, including ‘Dairy, Then and Now’

depicting the advancements in the industry; milking goats; and several videos for the virtual fair in 2020. She is currently working on a hay video, the third installment in a crops series that already features videos on winter wheat and corn. These videos are shown on a large LED screen at the main stage in the Riverside Exhibition Centre. Videos are also shown in the dairy barn.

The Caledonia Fair is an ideal platform for educational videos according to Easson, who recognizes that consumers want to know where their food comes from. She says, “I lived in Toronto for 25 years. People would ask all the time if it (farming) is really like what is seen online. If we don’t tell our stories, someone else is going to. That’s part of the purpose of the fair, to educate the public on agriculture.”

Assisting behind the scenes is her husband, Jamie, who is a broadcast engineer. Easson describes Jamie as “the tech support”; he has drone certification, which has taken their production abilities “to the next level”. Easson says, “He’s my toughest critic but he’s usually right. He helps make everything I do much better. This is all done on personal time; he knows it’s important to me and he’s very supportive.”

While trained in video production, Easson acknowledges, “These days everyone is making content. It’s important to tell stories that we are interested in and that others are too.”

She asserts, “The more we tell the truth about what goes on in agriculture – rather than letting people tell their impressions – the more understanding there will be.”

With this in mind, Easson strives to create videos that are relevant and current. She concedes, “I’m hardly an expert; I’m just helping to tell the story to get the message across. I learn a lot every time I do this. I grew up in the rural community but things have changed so much.”

“I like telling stories through video production,” Easson concludes. “It’s important for the fair to educate the public on agriculture and food production. If I can contribute in this way, that’s terrific. I’m glad they let me do it – it’s fun.”

“ I’m hardly an expert; I’m just helping to tell the story to get the message across. I learn a lot every time I do this.

Jodie Easson, Agriculture storyteller, supporter, & Caledonia Fair member

—Haldimand

Jodie Easson is always ready with her camera to capture Haldimand farm stories.

Press photo by Sheila Phibbs.

Farming in Haldimand: 2023 Harvest report card

By Mike Renzella The Haldimand Press

Haldimand farmers were faced with some challenging conditions early in the 2023 growing season as a prolonged dry spell led to difficulties with planting seeds.

At the time, we spoke with three local agronomists for a report card on how the season was progressing. As we enter the harvest season, we caught back up with all three for an update on how the season played out after that shaky start.

Jamie Heaslip, Sales Agronomist at Clark’s Agri-Service, said that conditions have done a complete 180-degree reversal over the summer: “Since planting, the tap seems to have turned on and hasn’t turned off since, which has caused a whole different suite of issues.”

Early in the season, hard clay led to issues with the planting process and impeded seeds’ ability to break through the surface, leaving many local farmers with the dilemma of whether to plant then anyways and hope for the best, or wait for better, wetter conditions.

Heaslip said that while the jury’s still out, “It does seem that waiting was the correct call in most cases. The rains that we started getting as we got to the middle of June and later softened up the soil nicely, so the planting process went smoothly and seed was able to get up and going.”

He noted corn as an exception, as it has to be in the ground earlier: “Typically the soil is worked so getting the seed to where it needs to be is easier, and it is typically planted deeper where it is more likely that there will be enough moisture.”

He said that farmers who attempted to till their fields despite the hard surface ultimately had more success than farmers who utilized a no-tilling approach this year, noting, “A lot of no till fields ended up needing to be re-seeded.”

According to Jacob Elgersma, Owner of Gralex Agronomy Inc., a Dunnville-based seed dealer, Haldimand saw 6.5 inches of rain in July and 4.5 inches in August on average, with some areas receiving up to 10 inches in July.

“Everything was planted and replanted in decent time this year since growers were able to start planting mid-May,” said Elgersma. “We were going into the end of June and July in pretty good shape, then the smoky days and many cooler nights started. Currently we are

Teresa Doughty Sales Representative

behind 250 CHU – which means development for the corn and soybean crops has been slower than usual. In order to get the crop matured properly we are praying for a hot September and a late frost. The yield potential is looking very promising, but is very dependent on how the crop finishes out the rest of the season.”

Jarvis-based Independent Agronomist Susan Gowan, CCA, said that despite early concerns, those who were forced to replant crops earlier in the season are looking much better now.

“I am extremely happy with how replanted fields look. Many replanted fields were planted and emerged in five to nine days and really haven’t had anything stand in their way since then. Lots of moisture and adequate heat have kept them growing unrestricted. Replanted beans led to higher and more consistent population counts across fields than what we saw with the initial first planting. On clay, more plants tend to lead to more yield. The combine will tell the final story, so we’ll have to wait and see, but I am very optimistic at this time.”

She added, though, that variable staging of corn and soybean crops driven by uneven germination and emergence created some complications as the season progressed.

“Herbicides have a recommended crop stage window to be applied at. When a field has a wide range of stages, it becomes a balancing act to choose the right herbicide that will be safe on the crop as well as effective on the weeds. Similar to herbicides, fungicides also have an ideal crop stage to be applied at. This year the variability in corn pollination meant fungicide application timing based on the majority of the field being at the ideal stage went from 80-90% of the field down to 7080% in some cases,” shared Gowan.

While the mid-summer rains helped keep local crops growing, the continued onslaught of rain that followed brought challenges of its own.

“Some fields emerged perfectly whereas some got caught under a crust and needed replanting. Some early planted fields seemed to struggle more with root rot when conditions turned wet,” said Gowan. “A sudden switch to wet really stressed out the plants and allowed disease to move in. Overall, the consistent rains have really kept the crops growing this summer.”

Elgersma added, “With this moisture all of sudden the focus is on late season disease like White Mould, which thrives under cool wet conditions.”

According to Heaslip, another challenge of a dry-

“ The combine will tell the final story, so we’ll have to wait and see, but I am very optimistic at this time.

Susan Gowan, CCA Jarvis-based Independent Agronomist

to-wet season causing replanting is that once the ground is wet, original seeds can kick back in and start to grow after new seeds have been laid down, leading to too many plants per acre, something he says can actually hinder a yield.

One particular type of crop, wheat, fared well this season: “Most growers reported slightly above average yields, which is incredible for how dry and wilted some of those stands looked late May,” reported Elgersma.

Gowan added, “The rain came about a week after heading in wheat. Weekly rains and a prolonged grain fill period led to an above average crop yield and many producers setting new field record highs. We won’t know the full extent of what the rains have done for corn and soybeans until harvest, but it definitely saved them. There are some excellent looking fields out there and I can’t wait to see what the fall brings … as long as it dries up enough to get the combines in.”

Heaslip noted that “incessant” rain can give wheat farmers a headache, leading to a “huge decrease in quality of both the straw and grain as growers struggled to get their crops off the fields.”

He continued, “As the crop remains in the field through the prolonged wet period, the individual kernels will convert starches in the grain into energy to go towards germinating the seed, which in turn decreases the quality of the flour you get as a result. The yield in a lot of cases still ends up being good, however.”

From livestock farmers starting the season thinking they would need to grow emergency forages and grain farmers worrying about a crop failure before the crop was even started, to fields of “fantastic looking corn and beans around the county and some very subsequent cuts of hay,” Elgersma classified the 2023 season as a “roller coaster” for local farmers.

Gowan concluded, “I’ve seen so many examples this year of a community working together. When wheat harvest was a challenge, those who were finished their own fields offered their help to neighbours who needed it so the crop could get off in a timely manner and quality could be preserved. I want to tip my hat to anyone who operates a sprayer – either for their own farm operation or as a custom applicator. Herbicides, fungicides, and nitrogen all seemed to overlap this year with limited days to be applied. Everyone was run off their feet prioritizing tasks and checking off as many to-dos as possible, while still being safe. Somehow it all got done and with a positive attitude. Well done!”

A healthy field of corn just outside Selkirk

Dealing with Haldimand’s deadlier gas wells

By Tara Lindemann

The Haldimand Press

Selkirk resident Jacob Peele and his wife Sarah are the surprised owners of an abandoned gas well, but in the expensive process of getting it capped came a newer discovery: another well that looks to be viable and was already registered as active.

“Won’t get the same realtor again because of these surprises, but we’re going to save a huge gas bill as we build up this farm,” he said. “It’s a huge relief to know we now have this resource, because it cost us a huge chunk to take care of the surprise discovery of the abandoned well.”

The Peeles moved into their Selkirk farm just before the pandemic with dreams of turning their property into a hobby farm.

“One day I was out back clearing scrap up to till the back field that had been a dumping ground, and I heard a massive thunk,” said Peele. “I thought it had been a random junk pile until then, but it was the remnants of an old gas well.”

The Peeles had saved $80,000 for renovations to their home and barn, but that was sunk into decommissioning and capping the well.

“We’re in process of trying to recoup the money through the province,” said Peele, noting they have learned about the Abandoned Works Program, which funds capping oil and gas wells.

“We didn’t want to wait; we didn’t feel safe knowing it was there, and there was considerable work done to make it safe,” said Peele on capping the well before provincial funding was approved. “We probably would recoup all of the money, but peace of mind is priceless.”

The benefits of active gas wells – and the problems that come with abandoned wells – are no stranger to many a Haldimand farmer. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry stated there are 4,227 gas wells in Haldimand County and 2,955 of them are private or commercial wells on agricultural property,

with 457 of them licensed. Of the gas wells on agricultural land in Haldimand, 1,149 have been abandoned (with another single well abandoned and junked), 302 are active, 49 are suspended, and one is classified as capped.

Natural gas is considered a clean – and affordable – energy source, and the farming community uses them to heat their barns and workshops, greenhouses, and homes. But managing the well can be problematic, with some taking maintenance into their own hands to save costs, or leaving them abandoned and creating risks of leaks – both in the groundwater systems and more dangerously, surface toxins.

Retired well engineer Michael Beamish said most farmers “don’t often tinker with their wells, but when they do, they’re taking their life into their hands.”

“These wells can emit methane and hydrogen sulfide in deadly concentrations,” he said. “These gasses will escape and contaminate the water, harm or even kill people and animals, and there can be risks of explosion.

“It’s imperative the government caps the ones needing capping, and protect

the landowner and families, without having them pay for it, because it’s a costly endeavour.”

He said that the problem is not unique to Haldimand, but it is a problem that will only become more dangerous as time goes on.

“Many of these wells were drilled long ago, and it’s increasingly difficult to find specialists to deal with these, which will ultimately slow down provincial efforts to get ahead of inevitable disasters,” he said.

The Province has announced the doubling of funds for its Abandoned Works Program to cap oil and gas wells without the farmer or property owner forking over tens of thousands of dollars.

Since 2008, 58 wells have been plugged in Haldimand under the Abandoned Works Program, to the tune of $2.2 million. Additionally, six more have been contracted for plugging, and spokesperson Sarah Figueredo said a total of 71 wells in the county were to be plugged.

“This will relieve Haldimand County landowners of approximately $3.16 million in plugging and rehabilitation costs once the wells are plugged,” she said.

The province has invested $26 million to address the problem – $23.6 million of it would go toward creating an “action plan that will support plugging abandoned wells, science and research, and to help municipalities address the risks and challenges associated with legacy oil and gas wells in their communities.”

As part of the plan, the government will spend $7.5 million over three years focused on supporting municipalities in their efforts to reduce risks from legacy oil and gas wells and enhance emergency preparedness within their communities. For 2023-2024, or year one, the County is to receive funding for eligible activities related to old oil and gas wells, including staff training, awareness-raising communications for residents, and a monitoring program, including the purchasing of any required equipment and updating municipal emergency responses to include petroleum emergencies.

If anyone is aware of or discovers a well on their property, they are encouraged to contact the Ministry’s Petroleum Operations Section at posrecords@ ontario.ca or by phone at 519-873-4634 to discuss eligibility for the program.

Using UV rays to make strawberries disease resistant

Report by Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada

To The Haldimand Press

In Canada, one third of fruits and vegetables are lost every year to fungal or bacterial diseases. To help producers that grow vegetables in greenhouses or tunnels, a team of scientists from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) has been studying a sustainable, pesticide-free approach that can help plants combat these diseases.

Strawberries were one of the crops tested, along with lettuce and tomatoes. Strawberries rank sixth among the fruit grown in all provinces. Its production in Canada totalled 24,158 metric tons in 2020. With a growing market for greenhouse strawberries, scientific research on the topic is of the utmost importance.

The project was led by Marie Thérèse Charles, a scientist at AAFC’s Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu Research and Development Centre (RDC), in collaboration with other researchers. Based on their studies of tomato, lettuce, and strawberry, the team achieved two major scientific breakthroughs in the fight against fungal and bacterial diseases. The main objective of these research activities was to test a viable alternative to pesticides.

“The overuse of synthetic pesticides may lead to the development of pathogen resistance, compounding the problem to be solved,” explained Charles. “It is important that growers wishing to reduce the application of chemical pesticides have sustainable alternative options. Our work shows that low-dose UV treatments that activate plants’ natural defences can be counted among these alternatives.”

The first milestones of this research project

Nearly 40 years ago, American, Canadian, and Israeli scientists independently demonstrated that ultraviolet light (UV-C) could control post-harvest disease in fresh fruit and vegetables. UV-C treatments were seen as a viable alternative to reducing reliance on synthetic pes-

ticides. Unfortunately, for this treatment to be effective, the fruit or vegetable had to be exposed in its entirety. This meant turning them so they could be exposed from every angle. Knowing how fragile some of these products are, it was difficult to do this without damaging them.

In 2009, Charles’ research team proposed treating the whole plant before harvest. After some preliminary trials, they found that it was more advantageous to apply treatment continuously during part of the plant’s development. What a paradigm shift! All the established parameters were about to be changed. They had to find the right dose and duration of treatment, specific to each of the species they had chosen.

Creation of a pilot system for treating strawberries in greenhouses

As part of their research, the team discovered that exposing growing strawberry plants to UV-C improved their ability to defend themselves against disease. As UV-C rays are a component of solar radiation, it is safe for humans to consume strawberries that have been exposed to them.

To study the impact of ultraviolet rays, the team modified a growth chamber by adding neon lights emitting UV-C at a wavelength of 254 nanometers. Working with specialized electronics and the engineering team at AAFC, they were able to develop a first-generation pilot system that could be used to treat plants in greenhouses.

After receiving low doses of radiation, the plants are

able to withstand light stress and strengthen their own defences. Scientists had to establish the precise dose of UV-C rays and the frequency of repetition of the treatment that would produce the expected beneficial responses. If the dose is too high, growth is adversely affected and the harvest decreases. In fact, overexposure to UV-C damages plants, just as overexposure of the skin to the sun’s rays causes sunburn. The team also demonstrated that low doses of UV-C rays do not have a negative impact on fruit quality and maintain big, juicy strawberries!

A surprising discovery about the strawberry plant’s self-defence system

The second discovery is a real breakthrough in strawberry research! Scientists were able to observe and accurately describe how the strawberry plant manages to improve its own self-defence system. When specific types of genes are stimulated, they inform the plants to activate their defence system. The plants then create their own barrier against pathogens by reinforcing their leaf surface structure. It then becomes extremely difficult for diseases, such as the fungus that causes common leaf spot, to enter the leaves and infect them. In addition, other molecular components of plants become active and act as antifungal or antibacterial agents.

What this study means for the future of other fruits

and vegetables

Once the commercial-scale studies have been completed, this eco-friendly method using a low dose of UV-C rays to preserve crops will offer huge potential for greenhouse and field strawberry production, particularly for the organic sector, because it will reduce the use of pesticides to combat fungal and bacterial diseases. This method is also promising for other fruit and vegetable growers that could see similar results.

With such scientific advances, all you have to do is find your family recipes for strawberry shortcake, pie, and jam to rediscover this much loved red fruit!

Sitter, Karen Zandersons, Connie Jepson Heather Wonder, Valerie Bolton, Julia Fess

2023 is the International Year of Millets

Report by Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada

To The Haldimand Press

Hearty, nutritious and versatile, millet is one of Canada’s lesser known cereal crops. While it is often thought of as animal feed or bird seed in this country, it has many applications and is an important staple food source in many areas of the world.

An ancient cereal, millet is considered a super grain – naturally gluten-free and nutritionally dense. It’s also a climate resilient and sustainable crop, able to withstand short growing seasons, poor soils, and environmental stress, with low fertilizer and irrigation needs. This versatility also makes millet an excellent forage or cover crop, and it even shows promise as an effective bio-fuel.

With stats like these, it’s no wonder the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations has declared 2023 the International Year of Millets.

To help celebrate, we’re featuring some of the important research Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists from across the country are leading on this mighty little super food and adaptable crop.

The mighty little millet

Little millet (Panicum sumatrense), a member of the millet family grown mainly in southeast Asia and Africa, is an annual grass with tiny seeds that could make a global impact on nutrition security.

About 25% of the world’s population suffers from “hidden hunger” caused by eating food that is low in nutrients and vitamins. Little millet is a nutritionist’s dream: rich with fiber, protein, antioxidants, and minerals like zinc and iron. And with a short life cycle (about 80 days) and high environmental stress tolerance, this nutritional powerhouse can be successfully grown in many areas of the world – including Canada.

Unfortunately, despite the crop’s potential, little millet is among the least studied crops. Dr. Raju Soolanayakanahally, an AAFC scientist in Saskatoon, is working

with research partners in India at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore to change that. Together, they have created a roadmap for future study of little millet using vast genetic resources. The result is a genetic atlas of the different stages in the little millet plant’s life cycle to identify the super-food properties of this cereal plant.

The atlas is an important step toward uncovering the genetic networks that give this cereal plant its unique nutritional and stress tolerant features. This data could be used to breed new improved varieties with enhanced uptake of iron and zinc, ultimately helping to curb hidden hunger around the world.

The benefits of millet as a cover crop

On Prince Edward Island, where spuds are the cream of the crop, Dr. Judith Nyiraneza is researching ideal “high residue” cover crop mixes that can improve soil health and potato yields as part of AAFC’s Living Lab – Atlantic initiative.

When crops are harvested they can leave materials in the soil called crop residue. This residue, if incorporated into the soil, can increase the yield of next season’s crop, and can store more carbon in soils, which helps lower greenhouse gas emissions.

One of the cover crops that caught the eye of Dr. Nyiraneza was pearl millet, an annual grass crop that usually grows one-to-three metres high. A relatively new crop for PEI farmers, Dr. Nyiraneza was keen to see how pearl millet stood up to other effective cover crops like sorghum sudan grass. She discovered that pearl millet was returning more carbon to the soil than any other cover crop she researched, while also reducing harmful nitrates from entering soils and increasing potato yield. Pearl millet can even reduce root-lesion nematode populations, microscopic worm-like organisms that target roots and cause yield loss. Dr. Nyiraneza’s research further solidifies pearl millet as a valuable and versatile crop.

Seeing double: the dual benefits of sweet pearl millet and sweet sorghum

In Eastern Canada, researchers are busy exploring ways to maximize the potential of sweet pearl millet and sweet sorghum as dual purpose crops – providing both raw materials for bioethanol, a renewable energy source, and good-quality silage.

Dr. Annick Bertrand and Dr. Gaëtan F. Tremblay, AAFC research scientists at the Quebec Research and Development Centre, have set out to prove the dual benefits of these crops as both fuel and food. Harvested plants can be pressed in-field; the juice extracted from pressing can be used for bioethanol production, while the remaining residue, called the bagasse, provides silage. However, it’s a balancing act to ensure enough carbohydrates are extracted from the juice for fuel and enough nutrients are retained in the bagasse for silage.

Dr. Bertrand and Dr. Tremblay were able to optimize a process for in-field pressing. Their work shows that the plant biomass can be pressed twice, with a favourable water to bagasse ratio. The resulting juice is effective for bioethanol production, while the bagasse still retains sufficient carbohydrate and nutrient composition to provide good-quality silage.

With work like this going on in Canada alone, it’s easy to see why the FAO has chosen to declare 2023 the International Year of Millets.

@FAO Aldo Youssouf

Spiced pumpkin muffins

As nutritious as they are delicious, these muffins smell incredible as they’re baking. Serve them as a dessert or a quick snack.

DID YOU KNOW?

Every row of corn on a corncob has the same number of kernels and the average ear of corn has 800 kernels.

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 12

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 2 eggs

• 1 can pumpkin purée (398 ml)

• 1/2 cup melted butter

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

• 12 walnuts, whole

• A few fresh mint leaves

FISHERVILLE

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line a muffin tin with paper cups.

2. Whisk together the flour, white sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and spices in a large bowl. Set aside.

3. In another bowl, combine the eggs, pumpkin purée, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix gently until the batter is smooth.

4. Add t he chopped pecans and gently stir to combine.

5. Place about 2 tablespoons of t he batter into each cup. Top each with a whole walnut.

6. Bake for 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Place the cooled muffins on a serving platter and garnish with mint.

Easy carrot soup

This bright, fragrant soup is easy to make. Adding rice will give it a pleasingly smooth texture.

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 6

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 3 cups diced carrots

• 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth

• 1/3 cup uncooked rice

• 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped

• Salt and pepper to taste

• A few basil leaves for garnish

• 2 cups homemade or store-bought croutons for garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot, heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic without letting them brown.

2. Add the carrots, broth, rice, and ginger. Bring to a gentle boil.

3. Cover and simmer for 25 minutes.

4. Mix in a blender or food processor until smooth.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Serve with garnishes.

Simple couscous royale

This traditional dish is over a thousand years old and has many variations. Here’s a simplified – and delicious – version you can make in the oven rather than on the stovetop.

INGREDIENTS

Servings: 4 to 6

• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 large onion, sliced

• 400 grams stewing lamb cubes (collar)

• 400 grams chicken thighs, deboned and cut into large pieces

• 2 large carrots, diced large

• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tablespoons tomato paste

• 2 tablespoons couscous spices (see box)

• Salt to taste

• 1 litre chicken or vegetable broth

• 1 small zucchini, diced large

• 6 Merguez sausages

• 300 grams medium-grain durum wheat semolina couscous

• 1 tablespoon butter

• Parsley, for garnish

CREATIVE

SEASONING TIPS

Don’t have ras el hanout to spice up your couscous? Use the following blend, taking time to ensure they’re well ground: 1 teaspoon finely grated ginger, 1/2 teaspoon coriander seeds, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, and 1/2 teaspoon cardamom. If that mixture seems too complicated, simply buy an extra Merguez sausage, chop it into tiny slices, and add it to the dish before baking. The broth will absorb the characteristic Merguez flavours.

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the oil in a large oven-safe sauté pan or casserole dish like Le Creuset. Lightly brown the onions and add the lamb and chicken. Sauté for a few minutes.

2. Preheat the oven to 300 F.

3. Add the carrot, turnip, chickpeas, garlic, tomato paste, spices, and a dash of salt.

4. Add just enough broth to cover the mixture. Add water as needed.

5. Cover and bake for 60 minutes. Add the zucchini and then return the dish to the oven for another 30 minutes.

6. Grill the sausages in a pan.

7. Just before serving, cook the couscous in 1.5 times its volume of boiling water (approximately 2 cups), or by following the cooking instructions on the package. Add butter and fluff with a fork.

8. Serve the meat and vegetables with the broth on a bed of couscous. Garnish with parsley.

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