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Avia Eek
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  • Holland Marsh, Ontario
  • Canada
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Wet Weather in Holland Marsh
4 Replies

Well, usually I am a very up-beat, optimistic person. Today, not so much! This year has been really challenging. Worrying about white rot in the wet onion fields, sclerotinia in the carrots, Onion…Continue

Started this discussion. Last reply by Avia Eek Oct 10, 2009.

Holland Marsh Freshness
5 Replies

We're very excited here in the Holland Marsh. There is a new television show, Fresh Life, airing on SUN TV, and they are featuring the Holland Marsh in several episodes. The film crew has been in the…Continue

Started this discussion. Last reply by Roadrunner Sep 20, 2009.

Low crop prices in the Fall
4 Replies

Onion and carrots prices have been reasonably decent this year. Last year, not so good we were getting paid what my husband's parents did in 1978. Currently, carrots are $4.50 to $5.00 for 50#, and…Continue

Started this discussion. Last reply by Avia Eek Oct 1, 2009.

 

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Avia Eek's Blog

Beginning of the End

Well, it has begun—sort of! It is March 31, 2010, 10:30 a.m., I am sitting in the King Township Council Chambers. The Ontario Municipal Board hearing is about to get under way with respect to the site plan for the York Energy Centre. A 393MW (but licensed for 435MW) natural gas-fired peaker power plant to…

Continue

Posted on April 14, 2010 at 1:21am

Pulling the Plug...

Part II—You Can’t Eat Energy!!



Monday, January 18, 2010, was a night for small victories for the Farmers of the Holland Marsh, the citizens of King Township, and the people of Ontario!



This was the night our Township Council voted, unanimously, in favour of an interim control by-law. Basically, if upheld by the OMB, it halts the building of the power plant slated to be imposed in the Greenbelt, on agricultural land in the Holland Marsh. This will allow Township staff the… Continue

Posted on January 31, 2010 at 4:24am — 2 Comments

Democracy lives in King Township

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,… Continue

Posted on January 12, 2010 at 6:00am — 2 Comments

You Can't Eat Energy--Peaker Plant in the Holland Marsh

PEAKER PLANT IN THE HOLLAND MARSH





My name is Avia Eek. My husband, Bill, and I farm in the Holland Marsh. My husband, and many of the farmers in the Holland Marsh are descendants of the first pioneers who broke this land in 1934. Although, it should be noted the first industry here was the harvesting of the marsh grass for mattresses. This business took place from 1880 to approx. 1915, when it peaked.



The soil in the Holland Marsh is organic based, the result of… Continue

Posted on December 19, 2009 at 6:03am — 1 Comment

Comment Wall (13 comments)

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At 9:43am on November 1, 2010, OntAG Admin said…
Congrats Avia: Good luck with your new political career.
From your friends at OntAg.
At 9:49am on September 11, 2010, Joe Dales said…
Avia for King...it has a nice sound.

Good luck,

Joe
At 2:43pm on July 14, 2010, Roadrunner said…
Good luck Avia on your Council Election run....look out Council....
All the best.
At 9:38am on January 19, 2010, Avia Eek said…
A little typo in my paragraph" ...apparently, there will be a negligible..." should read, "...apparently, there will be no negligible...".
At 9:35am on January 19, 2010, Avia Eek said…
It does SOUND promising, but this small victory is only at the municipal level, although we will take what we can get to stop this ill-advised project. The provincial government initiated this project with layers of conditions that would have to be met by the proponent, and decided upon by lower-tiered authorities. So, you would think, in the grand scheme of things that our municipality, knowing what is best for its residents, would actually HAVE the final say in this regard, but no. We still have to go to OMB and hope they give us their blessing. The provincial government can still step in and say the peaker plant will be built here, but for now it is halted. Infrastructure can be put into an area of the Greenbelt under the Green Energy Act as long as it "supports" agriculture, and is compatible with it, or words to that effect. The proponent interprets this to mean that since we use electricity, this power plant is compatible with agriculture--quite a twist, in my opinion. What I'd like to know, however, is why OMAFRA has on their website what damage is caused to crops as a result of air pollution, yet where this power plant is concerned, apparently there will be a negligible effect on crops! Hard to believe since it would be emitting nitrous oxide, VOS volatile something or other, PM2.5 (particulate matter) that is known to cause respiratory problems, etc. and is considered "air pollution". Further, in my opinion, the proper studies were NOT conducted properly. Hell, the environmental assessment for this facility (393 MW, natural gas-fired, simple cycle power plant running at 35% efficienty) is the same as a 2 MW windmill. I'm no scientist, but even I know there is a huge difference is these two forms of energy makers.
At 6:21am on January 19, 2010, Roadrunner said…
Congrats.... It sounds promising that the gov't has listened to your group...
Good luck.
At 2:55pm on January 14, 2010, John Kikkert said…
Yes I am the person who was elected vice chair of AAC. Thanks
At 5:11am on December 16, 2009, Avia Eek said…
Thanks Rein. Our operation is 85 acres, and my husband works off the farm in the winter, but I would say you could JUST make a living with 35 acres. We are definitely affected by the imports from other countries--especially pricewise. Many of our trading partners do not have the same rules and regulations for food production, food safety, human resources, etc. that we must adhere to, therefore, their costs are considerably lower. Consumers like lower prices. On the other hand, 40%-50% of the produce in the Holland Marsh is exported as well. Naturally, we would prefer Canadians to be benefiting from our produce, but it's a global market, and it's out of our hands unless the Consumer is educated as to the benefits of eating local, and they start demanding more locally grown food.
At 6:57pm on December 15, 2009, rein minnema said…
Hello Avia,

congratulation with keeping your seat.
now a question
how big of a producer do you need to be to be able to have living and make payments and how are you effected by the imports who likely not meat allour production standard.
At 3:21am on November 18, 2009, Joe Dales said…
Hi Avia: I was wondering what Sobey's position on supporting Canadian Agriculture was....is it lip service or are they committing resources? Thanks, Joe
 
 
 

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

Volume of Saskatchewan's Agri-Food Exports to India Sees Over 70 Per Cent Increase

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Government of Saskatchewan Commits $15 Million to Global Institute for Food Security at the University of Saskatchewan

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Funding to provincial farmland conservation organization to support specialized course on rural land use planning

The Ontario Farmland Trust (OFT) and the University of Guelph’s Rural Planning and Development (RPD) master’s program have partnered to develop a specialized course in farmland protection

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