More than 50 members of the local agricultural community shared a day of knowledge and networking on Sunday, March 4 at the College of New Caledonia in Quesnel.
The one-day workshop was organized by the Kersley Farmers’ Institute and received sponsorship from the governments of B.C. and Canada, with local help from the Quesnel Farmers’ Market and Community Futures.
There were four topics discussed, with out-of-town speakers providing their professional perspectives. Two topics focused on soils and soil management, and were led by David Poon and Jeffrey Nimmo, both soil specialists with the Ministry of Agriculture in Abbotsford. Their main message was that farmers must know their soils well if they are to manage them efficiently, especially in the application of fertilizers and nutritional amendments. Soil tests are one part of this, but keen observation and local knowledge are equally important.
Afterward, their discussion on green manures and cover crops included a panel of five local producers who shared their experiences with cover crops, and their reasons for using them. Cover crops can help control erosion, suppress weeds, as well as supply important nutrients to the soil. They can also provide extra forage by being inter-planted with a commercial crop and allowing for livestock integration,.
A presentation was also made by Lee Hesketh, who is a co-owner of the Hesketh family’s Silver Hills Ranch, located near Lumby, B.C.
The 2,000 acre ranch has been in his family for generations. His land stewardship ethic was evident as he talked about creative grazing strategies. He too emphasized the need for soil testing so as to avoid nutrient overloading, protecting riparian areas and the management of grazing to insure adequate forage recovery and regrowth.
In recognition of Lee’s work, and Silver Hills Ranch’s commitment to environmental management practices, the ranch was awarded the Environmental Stewardship Award by the B.C. Cattleman’s Association.
A fourth topic of discussion was an introduction to the growing and marketing of Haskap berries. Haskap berries are in the honeysuckle family; they are a longish blue berry, tasting somewhere between a raspberry, a blueberry, and a Saskatoon berry. They have gained popularity with consumers over the last while, so commercial production has been ramping up. Dr. Eric Gerbrandt, from Sky Blue Horticulture Ltd in Chilliwack, is a berry specialist, who conducted his presentation via webinar. His main message was that aspiring producers should first try things on a small scale, learning both how to grow Haskap berries and also how to market them.
For some participants, this was their first exposure to the webinar format of teaching.
“I was really pleased with the webinar,” remarked Lynda Atkinson, secretary for the Kersley Farmers Institute.
“I can see this tool playing an increasing role in how we share information amongst farmers, especially when long-distance travel is not practical,” added workshop participant Mary Rossman.
– submitted by Rob Borsato