Day 3: More farms and fun in Quebec

After participating in the famous local tradition that is Montreal International Jazz Festival, the class packed up and headed for the border, making stops along the way before crossing.

The first stop was La Ferme Quinn, a 150-acre agri-tourism farm on the borders of Montreal. We were enthusiastically greeted at the farm by Farmer Phil and his wife Stephanie, and we eagerly jumped on a wagon ride for a full tour. With so many different crops on the farm, including strawberries, sweet corn and Christmas trees – each available in u-pick for the public – Farmer Phil stressed the importance of his success by providing each guest on their farm with the best quality product and the best quality experience. This includes communicating to the public all on-farm practices that go into producing the best quality product. This open communication allows for people to have a greater connection to what they are eating and why they are paying the highest price in the province for the product. To end the tour, we were able to walk through their construction zone, where they are expanding their storage and retail space threefold. Their pride and spirit for the farm was contagious and there was an urge for more as we all headed back to the bus.

Continuing our travels, we stopped for lunch at Centre de santé Euro-spa. This quiet country inn was certainly spa like. After a delicious buffet, Robin lead the class in a few needed stretches on the lawn. Then it was back on the bus. Our next stop wasn't far off, the Bonduelle plant in Bedford, Quebec. The plant manager Robert Deschamps met us at the spa and led us to the site. We split into two groups to alternatively tour the plant with Sebastien Smith and learn about Bonduelle from Robert. During Robert's presentation, we watched a video about the multinational and learned just how large this multinational company is. The plant in Quebec is one of 44 plants in 11 countries. Their mission is "Living well through wholesome vegetables" and they take quality, safety and relationships with stakeholders very seriously. It's obviously working. They package 100 brands for other labels, co-pack and have their own brand Arctic Gardens. This multi-pronged approach is very effective as Bonduelle enjoys 85% of the Canadian market share. With 12 plants in North America including Quebec, Ontario and Alberta they focus on having plants very close to the farms who supply them due to the perishability of the product. Timing is critical.

Next it was off to tour the plant. We watched as cutting edge equipment received, cleaned, sorted and blanched about a trillion peas an hour. Kidding of course, but it sure did seem like it, as waves of peas worked their way through the various processes. You could tell that Bonduelle doesn't entertain tours here regularly and it was just another example of the AALP program opening doors for us.

After thanking Robert and Sebastien, it was back on the bus. Our border crossing was uneventful and the day ended at the Ramada Inn in Albany, New York.

All in all, another great day of learning, touring and spending time together.

Comment

You need to be a member of Ontario Agriculture to add comments!

Join Ontario Agriculture

Welcome to
Ontario Agriculture

Sign Up
or Sign In

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

Investing in Alberta’s future vets

A new program funded by the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership will encourage veterinary students to work and stay in rural Alberta. The two-year, $250,000 Veterinary Student Recruitment and Retention Pilot Grant Program is aimed at enticing rural practices to hire summer veterinary students and encouraging students to continue their careers in those communities. The program focuses on practices that provide livestock veterinary services and have a current or anticipated veterinarian vacancy. Albertans need vets they can rely on in all corners of the province. The demand is especially high in rural communities, where veterinary access is essential to livestock producers’ livelihoods. Rural vet clinics can apply now for the pilot grant program. Eligible clinics will receive up to $10,000 as a wage incentive, for one veterinary student who works at the clinic between May 1 and August 31. Applications for 2027 will open next year.

Province Celebrates International Year of the Woman Farmer

The Government of Saskatchewan celebrates International Year of the Woman farmer and the women whose leadership, innovation and hard work continue to strengthen the province's agriculture sector. "Women have helped shape every part of our agriculture sector, strengthening both our economy and our communities," Agriculture Minister David Marit said. "From farming and ranching operations to research labs and processing facilities, their leadership across the value chain is driving the innovation that continues to keep Saskatchewan at the forefront of Canadian agriculture." Saskatchewan is home to more than 34,000 farms, most of them family owned, many of them operated by husband-and-wife partnerships, and a growing number run by women. The province has an active network of female agriculture professionals who strive to connect and encourage women in the industry and serve on various industry association boards and committees. One such network is Saskatchewan Women in Ag. "Saskatche

Youth Recognized for Creating Sustainable Solutions Through AgriFood Challenge

4-H youth across Canada are proving they have what it takes to tackle some of the biggest issues facing our planet. Through the AgriFood Challenge, a national initiative delivered by 4-H Canada in partnership with Syngenta Canada, 4-H members developed actionable solutions to support sustainable agriculture and food security in each of their communities. From building bee hotels to growing and donating fresh produce to food banks and community organizations, 4-H members turned ideas into action. Youth also taught others how to grow, cook, preserve, and waste less food. Through creative soil health experiments, food rescue advocacy, and community education, these projects show how young people are connecting agriculture, sustainability, and community care in practical, meaningful ways. “This is a testament to the skills and talents of 4-H'ers. When given the chance to be innovative, they can solve difficult problems” said Christina Franc, CEO of 4-H Canada. “The projects submitted t

More ag superstitions for Friday the 13th

Beef and dairy producers appear to be surrounded by weather forecasters

Map: February Precipitation Reduces Prairie Dryness, Drought

February brought notable dryness and drought relief across the Prairies, although localized areas continue to suffer. The latest monthly update of the Canadian Drought Monitor shows 47% of Prairie agricultural lands were being impacted by abnormal dryness or some form of drought as of the end of last month. That is down from 62% in both January and December, and 71% in November. Most of the Prairie Region experienced above-normal precipitation during February, with large portions of the region receiving 115% to more than 200% of normal. In contrast, southern Alberta and parts of southwestern Saskatchewan remained comparatively dry, with precipitation totals below 85% of normal and localized pockets receiving less than 60%. Snow cover was initially reduced during early February due to warm, dry conditions, but late-month winter storms increased snowfall across much of the region, bringing totals back to near or above normal in many areas. Although winter precipitation through the

More…

Badges | Report an Issue | Terms of Service