Horticulture Online Community

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This group is being set up for fruit and vegetable growers and stakeholders to discuss issues and share information.

Location: Ontario
Members: 15
Latest Activity: Nov 28, 2012

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Peach Research

Here's a neat video on research OMAFRA and the University of Guelph is working on to help make the peach growing season a little longer.…Continue

Tags: research

Started by Andrew Campbell Oct 20, 2009.

Vineland Research: To deliver commercialization opportunities to the horticulture sector: Any Ideas for them?

I wondered what feedback people had on this announcement? Thanks, JoeGOVERNMENTS PARTNER TO BUILD NEW MARKETS FOR HORTICULTURE PRODUCERSAgCanada News ReleaseVINELAND, Ontario, October 16, 2009 –…Continue

Started by Joe Dales Oct 19, 2009.

Peaker Plant in the Holland Marsh & NIMBYism

An individual responded to something on Facebook with respect to the proposed peaker plant for the Holland Marsh and made a connection to NIMBYism. I responded politely to his ignorance, but then I…Continue

Started by Avia Eek Sep 12, 2009.

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Comment by Avia Eek on January 12, 2010 at 5:54am: Last night was a tremendous night for the Farmers of the Holland Marsh, and the citizens of King Township. We are fortunate to have so many astute individuals willing to take up this cause, and do battle with the Ontario government! As one Councillor put it "I never would have thought we would ever have to deal with the building of a power plant in the Holland Marsh"--yah, no kidding! A hydrological study has been done, independently, which does not favour the peaker plant builder's position, and this is very good. Now, as the Township Solicitor pointed out, if the provincial government really wants this project to move ahead--it will, but they can just as easily quash the entire project! The site for this facility is in a floodplain, which goes against the Provincial Policy Statement, and as well, is not "compatible" with the business of farming in this highly productive, specialty crop area. Apparently though, the Ministry of the Environment sees nothing wrong with building a 400MW natural gas-fired power plant, and claims there will be "no negligible affects to the area". I don't know how they have arrived at this particular conclusion, since they also didn't think anything other than the most basic environmental assessment was required (i.e. the same assessment that would be given to a small windmill project). This project flies in the face of so many "protected" area policies, and different pieces of legislation that anyone who is given just the tiniest bit of information about this area is flabbergasted that this was the chosen location! Anyway, our hope of hopes is that this project will be scrapped in its entirety, so that we Holland Marsh Farmers can get on with the business of feeding the people of Ontario!

Comment by Avia Eek on December 7, 2009 at 3:31am: http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2009/12/05/12048366-sun.html This past Friday, December 4/09, Mike Schreiner, Leader of the Green Party of Ontario came to the Holland Marsh and stood with the Farmers opposing the building of the 393 MW peaker plant slated to be built here. It's puzzling you know, the transformer station that was built nearby had to be moved because IT did not conform with the Provincial Policy Statement, and other criteria put in place for this area (it was to be have built on this same parcel of land that the proponent has purchased). It is absolutely astounding that this facility, York Energy Centre was even allowed to get this far. They have no connection point, the property is part of a floodplain (which according to the PPS prohibits any development OR site alteration on a floodway), it's part of the Greenbelt, Protected Countryside, and many other pieces of legislation, so why are we still having to fight this project? Why isn't the government stepping in and protecting this Specialty Crop Area? This facility will not benefit this area at all!

Comment by Avia Eek on November 18, 2009 at 2:26am: So then, what is it that you do? Do you have a farm? What do you grow? Have you ever heard of Fusarium Dry Rot (carrots)? Glad to have you on board. I'm looking forward to more conversations with you.

Comment by THIRUCHELVAM THANARAJ on November 17, 2009 at 5:07pm: I am an academic in the field of horticulture and postharvest technology would like to join this group and share my knowledge and experineces.

Comment by Avia Eek on October 1, 2009 at 1:00am: It's nice to see the hollandmarshgold.com website up. It has lots of interesting information with respect to the Holland Marsh, on-going events, and amazing photos.

Comment by AgOntario on September 30, 2009 at 2:13pm: The HMGA News September 2009 http://www.hollandmarshgold.com/members

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Agriculture Headlines from Farms.com Canada East News - click on title for full story

Canadian Corn, Soy Stocks Tighter as of March 31

Canadian stocks of both corn and soybeans were lower as of March 31, even as production of both crops was higher in 2023. A Statistics Canada grain stocks report Tuesday showed total nationwide corn stockpiles as of the end of March at 8.267 million tonnes, down almost 9% from a year earlier but still above the March 31, 2022, stocks level of 8.147 million. National soy stocks came in at 2.046 million tonnes, down 0.9% from March 31, 2023, but still up from 1.888 million two years ago. Canadian corn output in 2023 amounted to 15.076 million tonnes, up about 3.7% on the year, while soybean production increased 6.6% to 6.981 million. Today’s report implies corn usage between December 2023 and March 2024 at 3.03 million tonnes, up from 2.78 million during the same period a year earlier. For soybeans, December-March usage of 1.68 million tonnes was above 1.42 million the previous year. StatsCan also noted that Canadian imports of corn were up 62.4% to 1.8 million tonnes as of Ma

All eyes on Russian weather as wheat rebounds

Wheat futures have gained back much of the ground they lost since the start of the year in the last couple of weeks. There is a tendency for ridge-building in parts of Russia in years when there is a transition from El Nino to La Nina. There was a foreshadowing of that this spring when a ridge emerged, resulting in portions of Ukraine, southern Russia and western Kazakhstan receiving less than half their normal rainfall amounts in March and April. That has analysts like SovEcon already contemplating reduced yields for the country’s winter wheat crop. Drew Lerner, president of World Weather Inc., said the ridge has gone away, but he expects it to return by the end of May and to dominate summer weather patterns. “The infamous drought in Russia of 2010 was a byproduct of this same environment,” he said. “That was a really nasty year.” The bad years tend to happen when it is a strong ridge that sets up further west in the country’s wheat growing region. However, there have been oth

Canadian borders on alert for avian influenza in dairy cattle

The Canadian government is expanding its surveillance program for a form of avian flu amid a growing outbreak in U.S. dairy cattle. Fragments of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been detected in pasteurized milk sold in the United States and a statement from Canada’s health agencies said lactating dairy cattle being imported from the United States will now require negative tests. Officials will be conducting enhanced testing of milk at the retail level to look for viral fragments. Voluntary testing will also be available for cows that are not presenting with clinical signs of HPAI, as part of enhanced industry biosecurity efforts. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said last week about 20 per cent of milk samples from across the country tested positive for fragments of avian flu. The Canadian statement said commercially sold milk and milk products remain safe to consume and pasteurization of dairy products is effective in inactivating the virus that causes HPAI, eve

Moisture should help Sask. farmers, agronomist says

The recent rainfall across north-central Saskatchewan should help farmers with seeding, according to one agronomist. Elliott Hildebrand, who covers the area around Saskatoon, said this spring’s precipitation could create better conditions for farmers after dry conditions in recent years. “We’ve been in a moisture deficit situation for several years now,” said Hildebrand. “So this is all welcome moisture now to help…better conditions maybe than we’ve had for a few seasons, so it’ll definitely be helpful.” After a wet week in the region to start the month of May, more precipitation is expected this week. “We haven’t had much precipitation in the last few years, so I’d say the outlook (for the year) is cautiously optimistic at the moment. It’s a more positive start than we’ve had for a few seasons,” Hildebrand said. “We’re going to need more (precipitation) through out the season as always. But it’s pretty normal at this point. Routine to good relative to the last three, four seasons

CPKC Update

The Teamsters Canada Rail Conference announced the results of its strike vote this week, with 98 percent of members voting in favor of a strike mandate.

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