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

Ontario farmland prices cool down after years of double-digit jumps

Though the recent year-over-year increases in farm prices are levelling off in southwestern Ontario, good land remains too pricey for many people with dreams of becoming an owner. "Anything like 100 acres, you're just not going to find it for under $5 million," said Crispin Colvin, a farmer and area director of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture for Lambton and Middlesex counties. "There isn't really any cheap location to get into farming." A report released this week by Farm Credit Canada, a Crown corporation that provides financing to the agriculture industry, said the average price of a farm in the southwestern Ontario region rose by 3.2 per cent in 2024, reaching an average per-acre price of $33,700. That rate of increase is down considerably from recent years, which have seen double-digit increases in average farm prices: 2021: 22.2 per cent. 2022: 19.4 per cent. 2023: 0.7 per cent. Colvin said he's seen prices well above what's laid out in the Farm Credit Canada repo

Ontario building set to stop smoking days after fire

A large agricultural storage building was destroyed in a fire today in Ontario, Oregon, that threatened nearby businesses and fuel storage facilities. Ontario Fire and Rescue (OFR) responded to the structure fire at 152 SE 9th Avenue, finding the approximately 25,000-square-foot building engulfed with flames visible through the roof in multiple locations. According to OFR, the fire threatened Murakami Produce to the south and a Farmers Supply COOP bulk fuel storage facility to the east while also spreading through vegetation to the west. "Rescue 1 established a water supply and started a defensive attack on the south end of the building to protect exposures," OFR stated. Firefighters used three nearby hydrants to flow master streams, successfully containing the blaze to the building of origin and protecting neighboring structures. No injuries to civilians or firefighters were reported. The response included five engines, two ladder trucks, one water tender, two brush trucks, thre

How one agricultural society is taking inspiration from the 1800s to keep its fair relevant

It would cost about $80,000 to bring in the calibre of carnival rides that would rival Rockton World’s Fair or the Norfolk County Fair. It’s money the Burford Agricultural Society just doesn’t have. It operates on a “shoestring budget” from fundraising, Brant County grants, and donations from the community, society president Chris Howell said. After its longtime midway provider retired from the business several years ago, the society has struggled to set itself apart from the nearby fairs that also run over Thanksgiving weekend. But the event is “so much more than just the midway,” Howell told The Spectator. It’s “a celebration of farming, agriculture and rural life in Ontario.” When the Burford Fair started in 1860, it was a way for the farming community to gather to celebrate the end of harvest and see “who could grow the biggest pumpkin, who (had) the best horse,” he said. It’s that spirit the society wants to bring back.

Ontario Agri-Food Discovery Centre holds AGM

As it continues its journey towards an eventual opening, the Ontario Agri-Food Discovery Centre welcomed guest speaker Kerry-Leigh Burchill, director general of the Ottawa-based Canada Agriculture and Food Museum, to its annual general meeting to shed some light on what the group in Listowel can do to be successful. As Burchill explained to attendees at the Thursday morning meeting, the agriculture industry is one that is very dynamic and ever-changing, meaning the Discovery Centre will have to continuously invest in lifelong education for its team. “That you’re putting together a Discovery Centre intuitively expects that it is dynamic, but we really need to make sure that we continually support our staff and our volunteers to make sure that they are aware of those stories and can answer questions from the public because I can guarantee that the questions from the public are becoming more complex as they have access to more and more information and, oftentimes, misinformation,” Burch

How a trade war could boost small-scale farming in southwestern Ontario

A southwestern Ontario farmer hopes the ongoing U.S.-Canada trade war encourages the country to look inward to keep itself fed, while making itself more resilient in the face of future crises. It's a hope shared by some farmers with smaller operations, as they search for upsides in a situation that could have dire consequences for the Canadian economy — and agribusiness on a larger scale. "I think it's really important that we know how to supply ourselves," said Chris DeVries, the owner of Common Ground Farm in St. Thomas, who believes "we could 100 per cent produce all the food we need." The former engineer grows a wide range of vegetables year-round in a combination of fields, greenhouses and hoop houses, taking his harvest to farmers' markets in London and Kitchener. Common Ground also runs a delivery service in London and St. Thomas. A number of industries across Canada have already started cutting back as tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump — and a resulting lack o

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