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

Steady Ontario Planting Progress

Ontario producers continued to make steady planting progress over the past week, although intermittent rainfall and uneven field conditions are still creating a patchwork of advancement across the province. Corn planting reached 86% complete as of Wednesday, according to Grain Farmers of Ontario’s weekly field observations report on Thursday. That is up from 74% a week earlier. Progress varies widely by region, with some areas wrapping up seeding while others remain delayed due to rainfall differences, heavier soils, and lingering wet field conditions. Corn development remains in its early stages, ranging from emergence to the two-leaf stage, but warm temperatures forecast this week are expected to support rapid crop growth. As planting windows narrow, some producers are beginning to shift intended corn acres into soybeans, the report said. Soybean planting also accelerated during the week, reaching 61% complete compared to 39% previously. However, heavy-clay regions remain behin

Canadian Farm Debt Rises in 2025, but at Slower Pace

Canadian farm debt continued to increase in 2025, although at a slower pace. A Statistics Canada farm income report released earlier this week pegged total nationwide farm debt at the end of last year at $179.1 billion. That is still a 7.5% increase from the previous year but well down from the 14.1% increase in debt that farmers took on in 2024 compared to 2023. Meanwhile, StatsCan data shows farm interest expenses reached $9.19 billion in 2025, up $90.99 million from $9.1 billion in 2024, representing a modest year-over-year increase of about 1%. The increase in 2025 interest expenses followed a much steeper jump in 2024, when annual farm interest expenses surged by roughly $2.02 billion to $9.1 billion — an increase of 28.6%. That sharp rise in 2024 interest expenses reflected the impact of higher interest rates across the economy, which significantly increased borrowing costs for producers at a time when many farms were already facing elevated expenses for inputs, machinery,

Chicago Close: Weaker into Weekend as Crude Falls

Losses in crude oil weighed on crop futures Friday, as easing geopolitical tensions and improving crop prospects combined to pressured into the weekend. Wheat led the declines as traders removed weather and geopolitical risk premium from the market. Benchmark Chicago wheat fell for the sixth time in seven sessions amid improving weather conditions across key production regions. Losses in crude oil, due to growing expectations the U.S. and Iran could move closer to a peace agreement, added to the downside. July Chicago dropped 13 ½ cents to $6.10 ½, and July Kansas City dropped 15 ½ cents to $6.49 ¾. July Hard Red Spring tumbled 36 ½ cents to $6.72 ¼, and July Minneapolis lost 13 ½ cents to $6.63 ¾. Corn futures also moved lower as traders reduced risk exposure ahead of the weekend. Export demand offered limited support, with USDA reporting 1.015 million tonnes of old-crop export sales for 2025-26, near the lower end of expectations and down sharply from the previous week. However,

At Olds College Smart Farm, everything is new

If you take Alberta’s Highway 2 south from Edmonton toward Calgary, the landscape is pure prairie. The highway bisects fields that unfold endlessly toward a horizon that most evenings is a pastel blend of mauve and sherbet orange. There’s little else along this stretch of rural paradise, save for rest stops and the occasional lonely highway casino, their parking lots full of F-150s. Driving this route between Alberta’s major cities can become so routine that the only way to tell you’re actually moving is to count the passing farms that dot the landscape. One of those farms is distinctly not like the others. Just 45 minutes shy of Red Deer, in Olds, Alta., sits the Olds College Smart Farm. The 3,300 acres on which this part of a century-old post-secondary institution sits look like most other farms in the area. The fields rotate with the seasons between green, canola yellow, and gold. Its herd of purebred Red Angus cattle and flocks of sheep graze leisurely in the feedlot. But l

Lamb 'too costly' for some Muslims in Manitoba ahead of Eid al-Adha celebrations

A halal grocery store owner in Winnipeg says the rising cost of lamb has made it difficult for some Muslims to buy the animal or meat ahead of Eid al-Adha on Wednesday. The Festival of Sacrifice is an Islamic holiday that celebrates the prophet Ibrahim's obedience and loyalty to Allah, reminding Muslims of community and to practise gratitude and selflessness. On this day, it's traditional to have a lamb slaughtered — a practice known as Qurbani — and share its meat with family, friends and those in need. Khaldoun Majani said the price of lamb has nearly doubled to $28.50 per kilogram at his store since he started running Alsham Food Market in Winnipeg more than a decade ago. A lot of people want to buy lamb for Eid al-Adha, "but at the same time, they feel like it's out of budget," he said. "That makes it [a] little bit hard for some people." The Manitoba Islamic Association expects some community members, especially newcomers, to find alternatives to slaughtering a lamb themselv

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