Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Exploring Thien Canh Son Caves

After a great night’s sleep at sea, we got energized for the day ahead with a group Tai Chi lesson on the top deck of the Victory cruise ship. We enjoyed coffee and tea and a light breakfast while we made our way to Thien Canh Son cave, which means mountain landscape in the heavens.

The cave is located on Bai Tu Long Bay and set below a stone cliff. It was created by techtonic movement, volcanic eruption, sea regression and erosion from rain and sea water. It was beautiful on the inside, with a sparkling ceiling and stalactites.


After exploring the caves, we enjoyed an assorted buffet brunch, another delicious meal on the boat while we headed back to shore. We disembarked at 11:30 and started our four-hour bus ride back to Hanoi.

During the first half of our bus ride we had a Sponsor Spotlight from classmates, Kevin and Rebecca. They taught us more about Robinson Organization and Consulting Group, who taught us Gridworks during our first seminar. They help organizations and companies work together to implement change and help instill a common base of values.

After the Sponsor Spotlight, we participated in two facilitated discussions during which we shared with the class the most interesting/random thing we've seen on our study tour so far and things we've observed that are both the same and different as Canada. We talked a lot about the different food we have seen and random items being carried on scooters, as well as our shared values and surprising similarities and differences in agriculture between Vietnam and Canada, like our grocery shopping habits. Most Vietnamese pick up the food they are going to use fresh every day from a local market.


We stopped at Legend Pearl Farm to learn about the process of pearl farming and had a chance to browse the showroom and purchase authentic pearl jewellery made from the farm. There are three types of pearls, Akoya (classic) South Sea (white) and Tahiti (dark). Naturally, they take about ten years to form; however, on the farm they can speed up the process to five years.

We met Dr. Dao Xuan Cuong at our hotel to learn about the Syngenta corporation and Syngenta foundation in Vietnam which does extensive work to help farmers in Vietnam with sustainability, pesticide safety, and profitability.

We ended the night, and our time in Hanoi, with a buffet dinner at a local restaurant where we could interact with the locals.

Views: 493

Comment

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

Join Ontario Agriculture

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

Sask Farmer Say he Knows Why Fertilizer Companies Come Out Ahead When Markets are Disrupted

As fertilizer prices remain volatile, one Saskatchewan farmer argues the system is stacked against producers.

U.S. ethanol industry sets its sights on the world

Canada remains the top export market for U.S. ethanol, purchasing 757 million gallons of the fuel in 2024-25. The country blended the fuel at a 10 per cent level (E10) nationwide last year, with some provinces adopting an E15 mandate. “As they continue to move to E15, they could be our first billion-gallon market,” Ryan LeGrand, president of the U.S. Grains and Bioproducts Council, told delegates attending the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s 102nd annual Agricultural Outlook Forum. The United States shipped out a record 2.13 billion gallons of ethanol around the world in 2024-25, up from the 1.75 billion gallons exported the previous year. LeGrand said the goal is to continue expanding exports until the country is fully using its two billion gallons of excess production capacity. There are plenty of promising markets, but Mexico tops the list. The country passed an E10 mandate in 2017, but it was later struck down by the courts due to a technicality. Mexico’s new president, Clau

Secretary Naig, Iowa 4-H, Iowa FFA Announce Statewide Tree Planting Initiative in Honor of America250

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, in collaboration with Iowa 4-H and Iowa FFA, today announced a statewide tree planting initiative in honor of America’s 250th birthday. The youth-driven initiative aims to plant 250 trees across Iowa in 2026, connecting students with the state’s agricultural heritage and a commitment to stewardship and service. The initiative encourages Iowa youth to take an active role in conserving the land that has sustained generations of farmers while celebrating the values that have shaped our nation and our communities. “Planting a tree is a simple act that benefits future generations,” said Secretary Naig. “Through this initiative, Iowa 4-Hers and FFA members have an opportunity to honor our nation’s history while strengthening their communities. I encourage chapters and clubs across the state to join us in celebrating this milestone moment in our nation’s history by planting an official A250 tree in their communities that will live on for generations.

EMILI celebrates women producers during International Year of the Woman Farmer

2026 is International Year of the Woman Farmer, celebrating the essential, and often unrecognized roles that women play across the agrifood system. This International Women’s Day, EMILI is spotlighting six women producers who play an integral role in Canadian agriculture.  Over the past few years, we’ve had the privilege of connecting with several women who play an integral role on farms as part of our This is Agriculture campaign. Read more about each woman below, and follow the links to read their whole story. Jordyn Wiebe Jordyn Wiebe grew up on her family’s farm, J.P. Wiebe Ltd., in MacGregor Manitoba. She spent her childhood working odd jobs to help the farm’s potato operation, and while she initially began her career off the farm, she was drawn back to her roots when she returned to become J.P. Wiebe Ltd.’s bookkeeper and farm and food safety manager. Read Jordyn’s story here. Jill Verwey Jill Verwey lives and breathes agriculture, holding roles as the office manager for Ver

Ontario Veterinary College at U of G Names New Dean  

The University of Guelph is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Julia Montgomery, dean of the? Ontario Veterinary College (OVC).

© 2026   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service