The OSN Road Trip 2025 Is Rolling In

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Field Tour with Ron Toonders
Location: 13034 Pages Corners Rd., Williamsburg, ON
Ron Toonders operates a cash crop and dairy farm in Williamsburg, ON. Join us in the field as Ron shares his work with switchgrass, no-till, and his recent experience with strip-till. His work not only improves soil health but also creates wildlife habitat and increases flexibility in his rotation.

12:00 PM – 1:45 PM
Lunch + Agronomic Update with Kelsey Banks
Location: 13034 Pages Corners Rd., Williamsburg, ON 
Kelsey Banks of Banks Agro will lead an informal agronomic update over lunch. As an independent agronomy consultant based in Eastern Ontario, Kelsey brings years of experience supporting farmers with insights on soil management and cropping systems.

3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Ottawa Valley Grain Tour
Location: 405 Donald B. Munro Drive, Carp, ON K0A 1L0
Tour Ottawa Valley Grain, a fourth-generation custom mill sourcing grain directly from local farmers. Learn how they support Ontario agriculture by processing high-quality Canadian grain while championing local supply chains and farmer relationships.

Partners: FaRM, Ottawa Valley Grain

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Field Tour with Arjan Leeuwerke
Location: Cumberland, ON
Arjan and his partner Chelsea run a small farm in Cumberland, ON, where they grow cash crops and raise beef cows. Join Arjan and the OSN team for a guided field tour focused on rotational grazing and the use of a 12-way forage mix. It’s a great opportunity to explore how rotational systems can work on smaller-scale operations.

Partners: FaRM

12:00 PM – 2:00 PM
Field Tour with Alan Willits
Location: 42489 Salem Rd, Wingham, ON N0G 2W0
Join OSN and Ben Van Dieten from Maitland Valley Conservation Authority for a tour of Alan Willits’s operation. Alan will discuss planting black beans into green cereal rye with strip-till, along with his ongoing trial using calcium nitrate to increase the Brix in black beans and soybeans. Ben will also provide insights into local funding opportunities for soil health practices.

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Farm Tour with Harrison Burgsma
Location: 36144 Dungannon Rd, Dungannon, ON N0M 1R0
Harrison Burgsma, a third-generation farmer near Dungannon, will lead a tour focused on no-till practices and water management structures. OSN and Ben Van Dieten will join to explore how practical improvements can be implemented across diverse operations. Harrison runs a mixed farm with cash crops, hogs, and broilers.

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Dinner
Location: On-site at Harrison Burgsma’s
Stick around for an informal dinner with OSN and other local farmers to continue conversations and connections.

Partners: Maitland Valley Conservation Authority, FaRM

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Thorndale Demonstration Farm Tour with Upper Thames CA
Location: Coordinates – 43°05’33.4″N 81°10’49.9″W (Parking along the road).

Closest Address: 16364 Thorndale Rd. Thames Centre, ON N0M 2P0

Host: Chris Van Esbroeck & Beth Wrona
In 2021, UTRCA established a 58-acre demonstration farm near Thorndale to research and showcase agricultural best management practices (BMPs). The site includes a contoured controlled drainage system using Agri-Drain structures over 14 acres, alongside conventional tile drainage for comparison. Other BMPs featured include stormwater control, erosion prevention structures, windbreaks, and pollinator plantings—demonstrating how practical design can protect water quality and support productivity in Southern Ontario.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch at Honeyland Ag Service
Location: 3918 W Corner Dr, Ailsa Craig, ON N0M 1A0
Host: Danny Jefferies
Join us for a casual lunch and agronomy chat at Honeyland Ag. Danny will share insights on tillage and sulfur treatment trials in soybeans just outside the lab. Depending on group size, there may be an opportunity for a quick lab tour as well. The vibe will be informal and practical—see the Eventbrite page for more details.

Partners: FaRM, Upper Thames CA, Honeyland Ag Services

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Field Tour with Henry Denotter
Location: 1240 Rd 3 West, Kingsville, ON (just past Jack Miner)
Join Henry Denotter, Patrick Handyside (Senior Water Management Engineer, AAFC), and Owen Ricker (Farmer Engagement & Research Liaison, OSCIA) for a discussion at Henry’s Living Labs Ontario site. Learn about ongoing research on BMP use and water quality, and how farmer–researcher collaboration is driving innovation to address climate resilience.

10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Cover Crop & Equipment Chat with ERCA
Location: Same site
Following the field tour, Essex Region Conservation Authority will host an open conversation around cover crops, equipment demonstrations, and program opportunities. This is also a chance to network with fellow farmers and bring forward your questions and insights.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch
Join OSN and partners for an informal lunch and continued conversation.

Partners: ERCA, AAFC, OSCIA, FaRM

8:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Field Tour with Mark Richards
Location: 29488 Robinson Rd, Chatham-Kent, ON
Mark Richards, a field cropper near Dresden, will lead a tour discussing his use of strip-till and system-wide approaches to improving soil health. Mark will also share how he’s implementing robotics and autonomous solutions into his operation.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Field Tour with Dr. Laura Van Eerd – Long-Term Research Plots
Location: 911# 20701 Victoria Rd (former Hwy 21), North of Gosnell Line, near Ridgetown
Dr. Van Eerd’s long-term research plots explore how various BMPs affect soil health. Her team has been tracking changes in soil organic carbon, nitrogen storage, and crop yield over time. This stop provides a unique opportunity to see how management practices like tillage, crop rotation, and cover cropping impact soil metrics at scale.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Lunch at Ridgetown
Location: 120 Main St. E., Ridgetown, ON N0P 2C0
Gather for an informal lunch to continue conversations and prep for the afternoon session.

1:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Farmer–Researcher Field Tours at University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus
Join OSN and researchers from the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus for a collaborative session exploring ongoing research and farmer-led innovation. This is a chance to network, ask questions, and build connections between farmers and researchers working on the ground.

Partners: FaRM, University of Guelph – Ridgetown Campus