Ontario Soil Network

Rotational Grazing with Mike Swidersky
2023-07-24 11:00 (America/Toronto) | 681317 260 Side Road, Melancthon, Ontario, L9V 2M8, 681317 260 Side Road, Melancthon, Ontario, L9V 2M8, Canada
Join Mike Swidersky of Riverview Ranch Meat Co. to discuss rotational grazing. Mike and his family have spent the past 17 years honing the farm’s production practices and stewarding the land, raising and growing their flock of sheep and managing the grazing operation for cattle.

Twitter Space: Cover Crop Chats with Patrick Verkley
2023-07-18 19:00 - 20:00 | ON
Join Patrick Verkley for a live Twitter Space discussion about cover crops on July 18th from 7-8pm

*Note – this is a mobile only application so please join from your phone*

Monetizing Soil Health Practices with Reuben Stone & Beth Hunter
2023-07-12 10:00 - 14:00 | 18374 Hwy 17 Whitewater Region RR#3 Cobden, ON K0J 1K0, 18374 Hwy 17, Cobden, Ontario, K0J 1K0, Canada
Join Reuben Stone of ValleyBio Ltd. and Beth Hunter of FoodBridge to discuss the profit relationship between farmers and food processing. This shop talk delves into the importance of building relationships between farmers and the downstream food processing value chain from marketing and generating profit from alternative/regenerative cropping practices.

Lunch included – please register to receive lunch!

Getting Results with Biology with Michael Stangl & Larry Dyck
2023-07-10 10:00 - 15:00 | 1379 President Ct, St. Catharine’s, ON L2R 6P9, 1379 President Ct., St. Catharine's, Ontario, L2R 6P9, Canada
Join Michael Stangl and Larry Dyck to discuss biology within farming, how to use it and some outcomes. Gain valuable knowledge about soil health testing methods and what they can uncover with a demonstration from the Greenbelt Foundation’s Soil Health Specialist, Ryan Carlow.

This is a 2-part event with lunch included (make sure to register to receive lunch).

10am – 12pm (lunch) @ Michael Stangl’s – 1379 President Ct, St. Catharine’s, ON L2R 6P9

1pm – 3pm @ Larry Dyck’s – 4350 Moyer Rd. Campden, ON L0R 1G0

N Management 2023 - Did We Get it Right? with Jenn Doelman - Farmers for Climate Solutions
2023-06-27 19:00 - 20:00 | ON
Come join Jenn Doelman, OSN member and a Farmers for Climate Solutions mentor for a Twitter Space conversation about Nitrogen Management in 2023 – did we get it right? What would you have done differently? We would love to hear your thoughts.

Twitter Space is a mobile only application – so make sure to join us from your phone. Check out the OSN Twitter to set a reminder!

Linking Soil Health and Water Quality with Rick Kootstra & Mari Veliz
2023-06-21 13:00 - 16:00 | Huron View Demo Farm (behind the health unit) 77722 London Rd, Clinton, ON N0M 1L0, 77722 London Rd, Clinton, N0M 1L0, Canada
Come join Rick Kootstra, board member of Huron Soil and Crop Improvement Association (HSCIA) and Mari Veliz, Healthy Watersheds Manager at Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) to tour the Huronview Demo Farm and learn about the important connections between soil health and water quality and tour all the work being done at Huronview!

Social Networks for Healthy Soils Think Tank
2023-01-25 08:00 - 2023-01-26 08:00 | ON
Register Here

Join other Ontario Agri-stakeholders for a 2-day webinar to discuss the roles of social networks, social proofing and social norms as they relate to soil health across Ontario.

Schedule:

January 25, 2023

8:00 am – 10:30 am – a panel presentation on quantitative and descriptive aspects of social networks, followed by facilitated discussions

3:00 pm – 5:00 pm – a panel presentation on the behavioural science and socioeconomics of networks, norms and nudges, followed by facilitated discussions

January 26, 2023

8:00 am – 10:00 am – panel discussion on the previous two segments results followed by audience-engaging solution-generating activities.

Let's Talk Soil: Planting without seed treatments + Planting Green with Alan Willits
2022-09-10 09:00 - 11:00 | 42489 Salem Rd Wingham, ON N0G 2W0, 42489 Salem Rd, Wingham, ON, N0G 2W0, Canada
Join Alan Willits on Sept 10th for a conversation about planting without seed treatments as well as planting green! Come check out and discuss Alan’s plot where he has strip-tillled corn into green cereal rye, his no-till soybeans into green cereal rye and moving corn residue 2 days before no-till planting soybeans into dry soil.

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Making a Conservation Farming System Work
2022-09-09 11:00 - 15:00 | Denotter Living Lab Plot (42.100108, -82.774671), 3103-3309 McCain Side Road, Kingsville, Ontaro, N0R 1B0, Canada
AAFC & ONFARM researchers & Henry will discuss how he uses no-till and buckwheat to protect water & run a successful high yielding farm

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Rotational Grazing in Field Crops
2022-09-08 09:00 - 11:00 | ON
Rising plate meters and weigh scales make up some of the tools backing Mike’s precision rotational grazing schedule to combine field cropping and livestock under one operation. Join Mike plus OMAFRA and AAFC staff to learn more about what they’re fine-tuning in this Living Lab – Ontario project!

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Perennial Cover Crops Field Day
2022-08-30 14:00 - 16:00 | Van Arkel Living Lab Plot (42.5677567, -82.1760543), 11234 Cedar Hedge Line, Dresden, Ontario, N0P 1M0, Canada
How do nitrogen management and spraying programs change when the cover crops are perennial? Learn more with Woody and AAFC researchers!

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No-till Potatoes Field Day
2022-08-29 14:00 - 16:00 | Orchard Hill Farm Living Lab Plot (42.718197, -81.107942), 45415 Fruit Ridge Line, St. Thomas, Ontario, N5P 3S8, Canada
Ken Lang will walk you through the equipment, techniques, and covers he has tried for mid-scale no-till potatoes

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ONFARM Field Day w/Norm Lamothe
2022-08-25 11:00 - 14:00 | ON
Norm will share how strategies like diverse rotations, cover crops, organic amendments and precision ag are helping him reach goals of increasing organic matter and improving soil structure.

Lots more to see at Woodleigh Farms with projects like Biochar composting, malt barley and newly-planted Operation Pollinator habitat!

This event is FREE to attend. Lunch included. Registration is required. The tour will proceed rain or shine (barring severe inclement weather).

Note: Please use these coordinates as the meeting location for this event.

Questions can be directed to ONFARM@ontariosoilcrop.org.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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Economics of Soil Health
2022-08-22 09:30 - 11:00 | ON
Learn more about economics research being conducted to understand the costs and benefits of soil health practices in Ontario Agriculture. PLUS try out a new cost-benefit calculator developed by AAFC economists!

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Let's Talk Soil: Interseeding practices on Ken Lawton's Farm.
2022-08-19 14:00 - 16:00 | 11487 Boundary Line, Kent Bridge, ON N0P 1V0, 11487 Boundary Line, Kent Bridge, Ontario, N0P 1V0, Canada
Join Ken for a tour of his interseeded fields and talk of his practices, the species mixes in use, and equipment to get the job done! Bring a lawn chair and talk all things soil! We will also check out his pesticide free, biological only seed treatment demo plot.

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Soil Types, Technologies and Tactics for Healthy Soils
2022-08-18 09:45 - 14:00 | Woodrill Soil Health Site, 7732 Guelph Nichol Townline, Guelph, Ontarioi, N1H 6J2, Canada
It’s a jam-packed day with lunch included PLUS 1-in-3 will win a soil auger!

Agenda

9:45-10am : Registration

10-12am : Soil pits, auger samples and shovel tests to characterize 4 Unique soil types in one field (Ted Taylor, Dan Breckon, Ada Hayes & Caleb Niemeyer)

12-1 : Lunch

1-1:30 pm : Strengths and Weaknesses of technology options for managing soil health (Dan Breckon)

1:30-2 pm : Soil Health Management; what does it all mean (Caleb Niemeyer)

Stations:

Ted Taylor – Poor Guelph soil from a sol pit

Dan Breckon – Good Guelph soil with a shovel assessment

Adam Hayes – London oil with a Dutch Auger

Caleb Niemeyer – Parkhill soil from a soil pit

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No-till Organic Soys and Alfalfa-fueled Corn
2022-08-17 17:00 - 20:00 | 3Gen Organics Living Lab Plot (43.686316, -80.709676), 7881-7999 4 Line, Drayton, Ontario, N0G 1P0, Canada
Join Brett Israel to learn how double-cropping soys with winter barley and cereal rye + using alfalfa to fertilize corn is impacting yield.

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Relay Cropping Field Day
2022-08-10 14:00 - 16:00 | Vermeersch Living Lab Site, 252 2nd Concession Rd St, Courtland, Ontaro, N0J 1E0, Canada
Join Greg Vermeersch & AAFC researchers for a field day showcasing the Living Lab – Ontario relay cropping field trials and research

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#Let's Talk Soil Online: Soil Health in the Prairies
2022-03-28 19:00 - 20:00 | ON
Soil health and conservation practices in the Prairies can provide some food for thought to our Ontario practices and strategies. Stuart Lawrence, a farmer from Rosetown, SK, has been improving and understanding his land’s soil health for 4 decades. He already utilizes No Till, Precision Agriculture, GPS, a diverse crop rotation, and dabbled with cover crops and intercropping, among other practices.

***POSTPONED*** Rescheduling for later in the season.

Stuart utilizes technology to make data based decisions to help reduce costs and environmental impact. The importance of the soil has been known for decades, but there is still much to be learned and understood; Stuart and his family have been committed to conserving their soil resources as they know it’s importance in the now and in the future.

Living Lab Ontario: Healthy soil, clean water
2022-03-08 10:00 - 11:30 | ON
Join Leamington-area farmer Henry Denotter and Katie Stammler (ERCA) with others, to discuss the edge-of-field research being done by Living Lab-Ontario. This session is a stand-alone event coordinated by the Essex Region Conservation Authority, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority and Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority.

#LetsTalkSoil with Tim Williams
2022-02-25 10:00 - 11:00 | ON
Join Tim for some good discussion on keeping it simple when putting cover crops in clay soils. He will also touch on buffer strips and soil tests!

Covid-19 protocols will be followed during this meeting https://covid-19.ontario.ca/public-health-measures

Location and Contact info will be emailed after Sign Up.

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#LetsTalkSoil Online w/ Charlene & Ryan on Nitrogen Mngt Strategies
2022-02-23 13:30 - 14:30 | ON

#LetsTalkSoil Online w/ Mike Doelman on Combine Residue Management
2022-02-18 19:30 - 20:30 | ON
Come and talk with Mike about combine residue management! We all know Combines can have their good and bad days and some amazing stories and pictures come out of it, so to get everyone in the mood for combine talk bring your best story and/or picture to the meeting and we will have a prize for the:1) Most epic residue or combine fail (doesn’t need to be your own)2) Best #ResidueRemedy for solving your residue issues*If you have a picture to share you can send it over to Mike via WhatsApp or via text so that he can show it to everyone at the meeting, his cell number will be made available in the email you will receive with the Zoom link to this meeting!

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Living Lab Ontario: Full time cover crops
2022-02-17 13:00 - 14:00 | ON
Join Living Lab – Ontario farmers Woody van Arkel and Ken Laing as they push the envelope keeping the soil covered. Woody will talk about his perennial cover crop strips while Ken discusses his no-till organic plant green vegetables. They will be joined by Xueming Yang and Anne Verhallen to add their perspectives on soil health. This free session is part of the (not free) Innovative Farmers conference and registration is at www.ifao.com.

Innovative Farmers conference
2022-02-17 08:00 - 2022-02-18 17:00 | ON
The annual IFAO Conference is happening online again. Join us for learning and discussion!

Networkshop: How to manage your life!
2022-02-11 10:00 - 12:00 | ON
The last of our 5-part workshop series, we’ll discuss goal setting and time management, skills to apply to your farm but also to your life. (Your life will thank you)

Closed group, for 2022 Soil Network & Alumni

#LetsTalkSoilOnline w/ Gerrit on Cover Crops for Forage
2022-02-10 13:30 - 14:30 | ON

Living Lab Ontario: Grazing Cover Crops
2022-02-08 13:00 - 14:00 | ON
Join Mike & Lindsay Groot and federal researchers involved with the Living Lab -Ontario projects. What did they learn in 2021 and what is next for the project? This event is part of Ontario Soil & Crop Improvement Association’s annual meeting. Sign up for the rest of it at ontariosoilcrop.org

Networkshop: How to tell your story
2022-02-04 10:00 - 12:00 | ON
The fourth of our 5-part workshop series, we’ll discuss the art of communication. Whether to the media or giving a presentation, we’ll go through a strategy to get your point across.

Closed group, for 2022 Soil Network & Alumni

#LetsTalkSoils w/ Reuben Stone: Peaola
2022-01-31 13:00 - 14:00 | ON
