All Blog Posts (764)

I was introduced to strip till in 1975. It worked pretty well, very well actually; but it didn't sell.

Almost every soil scientist on the planet is recommending strip till as the most economical, most environmentally friendly way to produce corn but only a handful of growers are actually putting strip till into practice. 

What's the deal? 

Corn seems to like it! 

The soil seems to like…

Advancements in equine health and welfare were on the agenda at a research evening for equine practitioners at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) last week.

Researchers at OVC and the Ontario Agricultural College provided practitioners with updates on wide-ranging equine research at the University of Guelph, including studies in reproduction, cardiology, biomechanics, respiratory disease, stem cell discovery,…

Guelph, Ontario, Nov. 3, 2016–AALP Class 16 met up in Toronto on October 23, 2016 with our LEAD New York counterparts for a jam-packed three-and-a-half days together looking at provincial/state political processes, urban society and media.

On Sunday, after becoming acquainted with one another, our stateside friends hosted us for the evening with many of the delights that New York has to…

Day 13 Brasov - Bucharest: The AALP Alumni and Friends Tour group are bound for Bucharest and the airport today for their flight to Toronto. The group left Romania today in the rain. It was a wet walk from the hotel to the bus but the group made it only a little worse for wear. Three hours to the airport and the flight to Frankfurt then on to Toronto. It has been a worthwhile trip for all and one each of them will remember for some time!…

DAY 11: Piatra-Neamt – Brasov The first and only stop this morning was at a large farming operation near Piatra-Neamt. The group spent the morning at Ferma Zanesti Grupul de Firme TCE 3 Brazi to better understanding this fully integrated operation producing cereals and other crops on about 6000 ha of land.

What isn’t subsequently used in their dairy, beef,…

DAY 9 Sighisoara – Targu Mures – Gura Humorului The AALP Alumni and Friends tour group woke up to wet weather this morning. Despite the rain many of the group enjoyed a walking tour of the old citadel, up and down numerous steps, cobblestones and roadways. 

Of note, Vlad Dracul, father of Vlad Dracula (Dracula) lived here in one of the houses, at a young age, from 1431 to 1435.…

DAY 7 Bucharest - Costesti - Saliste - Sibiel - Sibiu. Much of the day spent on the bus today. Leaving Bucharest the group traveled northwest across a mountain range to Transylvania, to a 1900 ha cereal farm growing wheat and soybeans, located near Costesti, on the way to Sibiu. Much of the acreage is rented from small subsistence farmers enabling the cultivation of larger tracts of land up to 120 ha in size. Geography is much different in this part of the country.…

DAY 5 - Overnight train ride from Budapest, Hungary to Bucharest, Romania saw the AALP Alumni and Friends tour group arrive at noon in Romania. The overnight train ride was a first for a number of the travelers. It was interesting to note that two train cars (in line) with berths were from different originating countries and so had different passenger service levels. One group enjoyed cloth towels and breakfast served along with coffee. The other enjoyed very little - no service, no…

DAY 3 - The group traveled from Eger to Nagyrede to Szilvasvarad and back to Eger. Today the group visited Bukk Naytional Park, north of Eger. Established in 1976, it is the largest national park in Hungary and 97% of the area is wooded. Before heading to the park, the group visited the National Lipizzaner Horse Stud Farm to see these magnificent horses up close and personal. The breeding of Lipizzaner horses in Hungary began in the early 1800s. The group was carried around town in carriages…

DAY 1: The AALP Alumni and Friends Tour 2016 got underway on Friday, Sept. 30, with a "Welcome to Hungary" dinner on the Danube. Twenty-two AALP and AGLead New York alumni and friends raised a glass at dinner to celebrate the start of their 14 days in Hungary and Romania. Friday saw the group visiting a number of sites in the City of Budapest with the history going back more than 2000 years. The group then traveled to rural Hungary to learn more about typical farm and rural life.…

Each summer DVM students from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph delve into hands-on, practical experience at veterinary clinics across Ontario and additional locales during their Externship Veterinary Course. Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), students must complete an eight-week Externship Course between third and fourth year in a rural veterinary practice that works with food animals and/or equine, as well as…

Each summer DVM students from the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph delve into hands-on, practical experience at veterinary clinics across Ontario and additional locales during their Externship Veterinary Course. Funded by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA), students must complete an eight-week Externship Course between third and fourth year in a rural veterinary practice that works with food animals and/or equine, as well as…

Guelph, ON, July 25, 2016 - Over 10 days in early July, the future agricultural leaders that make up the current Advanced Agriculture Leadership (AALP) class were exposed to interactive learning through their North America Study Tour (NAST).

The 2016 NAST included stops in Eastern Ontario, Quebec, New York State, Washington DC, Maryland and Pennsylvania focusing on production challenges, unique marketing initiatives, environmental obligations and the evolving concept of social…

As we pack up the bus for the last time open, we begin to prepare for the long ride home. Many are excited to see their family and friends, to share their experiences during our NAST and to get back to normal life.

We start off our journey with off the cuff (impromptu) speaking, responding to questions about our thoughts regarding specific speakers and stops along our travels. We hear members reflect on the importance of the relationship between Canada and the USA, our…