Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Earth Day is fast approaching us (Friday April 22) and I was curious to find out what other people in Ontario are doing to celebrate and if you celebrate or recognize this event at all.

 

I have been a huge fan of Earth Day since grade school, where we were all required to go outside for the afternoon and plant trees, help clean up garbage and learn how to tend gardens. It was so much fun and a great excuses to get dirty outside on school time. Now however I am not forced to by my teachers to go out and help the planet, and honestly I have missed it.

So I thought I would share of the ways I try and help the planet on a daily basis and maybe you can try them too! And what better way to get a kick start, then trying them out on Earth Day!!

 

ps: I'm hoping for great sunny weather tomorrow here, as I plan to plant a few trees and clean up some garbage around my town!
If your out taking pictures of your events tomorrow, I would love to see them!! I'll post mine and you should too :)

 

Mackenna's Favourite ways to Help the Planet!

1) Food Choices

- I try to buy local products that come from farmers in my area. The further my yummy summer corn has to travel the better it is for everyone!

 

2) Transportation

- I need a car. I live in the country and need to get to the city for school and work. So it is very unrealistic for me to tell you to not drive your car. But I do plan my trips carefully and try to go in to the city once to go to school, get my shopping done, go to the gym and what not. I also try and carpool with my family so we can have less of our cars on the road. It's a pretty easy way to help the environment and save on rising fuel prices.

 

3) Washing my Clothes

- I live on a farm so our barn clothes need to get washed a lot. Which uses valuable water and energy to run the washers and dryers. When possible I always try and hang my clothes to dry outside in the summer and in the basement in the winter. Not only do my clothes last longer, they have an amazing fresh summer scent that no dryer additive can create!

 

I look forward to your pictures, tips and thoughts on Earth Day from the people who take care and work off our Earth :)

 

Mackenna

Views: 107

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

We spent some time walking in the woods appreciating nature.
Thanks

Thanks Mackenna,

Good points.

I have always like planting trees and will do so this spring.

My father always made sure we planted hundreds each spring and a wide range of species as well...I love seeing them years later as new forests take hold.

Joe

 

 

▶ Reply to Discussion

RSS

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

Farm tractor struts its stuff on F1 track

A Valtra T236 reached 54 mph at the Red Bull Ring in Austria

Diploid Potato Breeding May Improve Yield and Storage

AAFC researchers have found that diploid potatoes offer improved genetics, high yields, and disease resistance, providing a resilient alternative for Canadian potato growers.

Boosting soybean protein: The essential role of zinc and sulfur in sustainable crop production

Soybean is a critical element of the global food supply: Between its use for animal feed and human consumption, it accounts for roughly two-thirds of plant-based protein meal output world-wide. Canada is a global leader in sustainable soybean production, with 70% of its crop, one of the country’s top three by value, exported annually. According to Brazilian scientist Gabriel Montanha, soy production has “exploded” in recent decades to meet demand – but there hasn’t been a corresponding increase in soybean’s protein content. “To ensure soy remains a sustainable crop, we need to increase the protein content of soy seeds,”  says Montanha, who is doing a postdoctoral fellowship at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France. “It's critical we find ways want to generate more protein without increasing the amount of land we’re currently cultivating.” Montanha and colleagues used the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan (USask), and Brazil

New insights into lung health risk for female farmers

Exposure to a mix of common airborne agricultural contaminants could lead to lung effects in females, a new University of Saskatchewan (USask) study has uncovered. Farmers are exposed daily to a variety of potential contaminants such as endotoxins (substances associated with certain bacteria) in dust, which are well-known to trigger lung inflammation and asthma. However, how endotoxins specifically impact women’s health is not well understood, particularly when there is also exposure to a herbicide called glyphosate, widely used in agricultural work. Now, USask researchers have detected lung effects in female mice models just five days after a combined exposure, simulating the same quantity of endotoxins and herbicide farmers could breathe over a work week. The team was able to take detailed images of the affected lungs thanks to the powerful X-rays of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at USask. These images showed that fluid had built up in the lungs during this short exposure perio

Wet harvest? Protect Stored Cereals from OTA

Wet harvest conditions across parts of the Prairies have put added focus on how cereal grain is managed in storage. Cool, wet weather has slowed harvest progress in some areas, with reports of tough cereals and grain quality concerns. For growers bringing grain off at higher moisture levels, careful drying, cooling and monitoring will be especially important this fall. Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a mycotoxin that can develop in stored cereal grain when moisture and temperature conditions are favourable for fungal growth. Unlike deoxynivalenol (DON), which develops in the field as a result of Fusarium infection, OTA develops during storage. Grain stored above safe moisture levels, condensation or water entering the bin, contaminated dust or soil, and residues from previously stored grain can all contribute to OTA development. Even a small pocket of damp grain can create problems. That means managing the entire grain mass, not just relying on an average moisture reading. Make Storage Manage

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service