Ontario Agriculture

The network for agriculture in Ontario, Canada

Last day of the North American Study Tour and on the road again!

 

BrIght-eyed and bushy-tailed, Class 15 was up early and headed to Native Offerings Farms (NOF) in Little Valley, New York, an hour and a half outside of Painted Post. A few great "off the cuff" moments and a beautiful serenade by Linda made the time pass quickly.

At NOF, Deb and Stu Ritchie run a 180-acre farm and produce a variety of certified naturally-grown produce and offer farm- raised pork and locally-produced beef. We toured the barn, met some of their hogs and had the opportunity to ask some questions to a couple of fellow Ag Leadership enthusiasts: Deb is currently enrolled in NY's ag leadership program (LEAD New York) and her husband Stu graduated from the previous class. 

A quick drive and we were at 21 Brix Winery in Portland, New York, owned by Kris Kane, also a member of LEAD NY class 15. We toured and sampled some of their great wines with his employee Jay, a former LEAD New York 13 alumni. 21 Brix has only been in business for three years and are already producing 40,000 gallons of wine!  We are looking forward to coming back and visiting them and the 27 wineries that are on the wine trail that runs right through the valley.


Back on the bus and headed home.... We are excited to meet up again with Deb and Kris and the rest of the LEAD NY group at our next AALP seminar in Ottawa in October.  But in the meantime, back to the family and friends that support us and home for some much needed rest.

 

Views: 185

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

Scrap to Steiger: Teen’s Metal Tractor Turns Heads at County Fair

At this year’s Dodge County Fair, one youth exhibit is sparking curiosity and admiration: a hand-built metal tractor crafted from 120 recycled parts by Columbus FFA member Jack Yelk.

Sustainability and productivity the focus of Manitoba 4R Day

Implementing 4R practices improves agricultural productivity and minimizes impact on the environment, helping farmers grow food in a sustainable way. EMILI hosted nearly 100 people at Innovation Farms on August 6 for Manitoba 4R Day, where attendees learned first-hand from industry experts about how to put the 4Rs – Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time, Right Place – into action. The morning began with a panel discussion between Bryce Geisel from Koch Fertilizer, Lyle Cowell from Nutrien and Marla Riekman from Manitoba Agriculture, moderated by Wendy McDonald from Manitoba Pulse and Soybean Growers, on real-world examples of 4R stewardship practices, common barriers to 4R adoption and use cases of enhanced efficiency fertilizers on farms in western Canada. The audience then rotated between three stations in the field. At the Managing 4R Stewardship with Innovative Technologies station, the audience dove into innovative technologies being tested, validated and demonstrated at EMILI’s

Young Innovators: USask researchers giving canola producers never-before-seen insight into their crops

To get a bigger picture of canola’s growth cycle, University of Saskatchewan (USask) graduate student Hansanee Fernando is turning her attention towards the sky, past the whips of cotton clouds, and into space, where she is harnessing satellite imagery to help canola producers monitor and grow healthy crops. “My PhD work aims to support farmers by identifying key growth stages and estimating yields, or how much the crop will produce, early on,” said Fernando. “I’m hoping to empower farmers to make informed decisions and optimize their management practices while potentially reducing costs, within the growing season.” To achieve this, Fernando is collecting images from open-source satellites and using these to map large scales sections of farmland across Western Canada. While optical satellite imaging is a commonly used technique that captures clear, crisp pictures of the Earth below—like you’d see on an online map—there are certain limitations that prevent researchers from collecting

Shokupan: Baking an Icon

Shokupan bread is just one example of how strong trade relationships can cross oceans, bridge knowledge gaps, and help maintain equitable market access for years to come. Also known as Hokkaido milk bread or Japanese milk bread, Shokupan is a staple food in Japan. Found in convenience stores and bakeries across the country, the iconic, pillowy-soft white bread reflects the fast-paced Japanese lifestyle—where quality and convenience intersect. Shokupan has a complex baking process which is the result of careful refinement of traditional processes and recipes. To achieve the signature fluffy texture and comforting flavour that Japanese customers expect, skilled bakers require ingredients that they can count on. The choice of many Japanese millers and bakers is Canada Western Red Spring wheat, known for its quality and functionality. “The exacting nature of Shokupan production, with its long fermentation process and minimal use of additives, requires wheat with a perfect balance of str

Growing and diversifying ag research

Alberta’s agriculture sector has a well-earned reputation for making the world’s best agri-food products, from high-quality honey to top-shelf triticale. That reputation is owed in part to innovative research the province’s two crop diversification centres (CDC) have been conducting for decades, that directly benefits farmers. With that in mind, Budget 2025 earmarked a total of $5.2 million for repairs, upgrades, replacements and operational support at both CDC North in northeast Edmonton and CDC South, southeast of Brooks. “Alberta’s farmers are the best in the world, driven by a tradition of constant innovation. Investing in our crop diversification centres ensures world-class research continues to deliver practical solutions that help our producers stay competitive.” Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta The funding supports upgrades and replacements to greenhouses, labs and administrative buildings at both sites. It also funds essentials that have increased in cost, like fertilizer

© 2025   Created by Darren Marsland.   Powered by

Badges  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service