Field Trips and Labs (2016)

Resources

Resources (DOCX, 40KB)

Seminar Guidelines (DOC, 37KB)

Seminar Questions: Guidelines, and Good Examples (DOCX, 20KB)

Final Short Essay Guidelines (DOCX, 27KB)

Best Final Essays

Madi Mueller (PDF, 82KB)

Amanda Marshall (PDF, 93KB)

Rhett Andruko (PDF, 97KB)

Field trip to The Kitchen Garden local organic farm with Evan and Megan. September 27th 2016.

Evan: "The goal is to grow crops efficiently while limiting resource depletion - to use soil biology to facilitate nutrient cycling"; "Going bigger in scale is not necessarily economically beneficial".

Managing the soil to maximize its health is the most fundamental key to effective farm management

Protecting crops against early Fall frost

Evan: "Substantial groundwater access has been very useful"

Harris Ivens looks on as Evan shows them inside the greenhouse that is critical for early spring seedling production before planting out

Compost management - diversity of substrates is the key, and covering with black cloth tends to keep the temperatures warm as Fall approaches

Evan: "I focus my energy on the best areas of farmland within the property"

Evan: "The goal is to grow crops efficiently while limiting resource depletion - to use soil biology to facilitate nutrient cycling"; "Going bigger in scale is not necessarily economically beneficial".

Managing the soil to maximize its health is the most fundamental key to effective farm management

Protecting crops against early Fall frost

Evan: "Substantial groundwater access has been very useful"

Harris Ivens looks on as Evan shows them inside the greenhouse that is critical for early spring seedling production before planting out

Compost management - diversity of substrates is the key, and covering with black cloth tends to keep the temperatures warm as Fall approaches

Mature compost-amended soil

Evan: "I focus my energy on the best areas of farmland within the property"

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Charlie: "The dirt's the number one thing around here!"; I'd like to be growing real food, not corn that is manufactured into sugary supplements for processed foods".

Charlie explaining the hydroponic tomato production process and challenges

Wood pellet production facility on Charlie's farm

Farm machinery like this is very effective, but very expensive - "Go big or go home"

Charlie: "Monsanto brought us farmers out of the dark ages".

Charlie: "The dirt's the number one thing around here!"; I'd like to be growing real food, not corn that is manufactured into sugary supplements for processed foods".

Charlie explaining the hydroponic tomato production process and challenges

Wood pellet production facility on Charlie's farm

Farm machinery like this is very effective, but very expensive - "Go big or go home"

Charlie: "Monsanto brought us farmers out of the dark ages".

Hydroponically grown tomato plants

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Field trip to Ravensfield farm with Titia Posthuma. October 23rd 2016.

Titia: "As farmers and consumers, we can change where we're going - Our legacy is not fixed".

Titia: "The climax species in agroecosystems is Homo sapiens"

Harris Ivens outlining the potential benefits of certain granular rock additions to enhance soil health

Look at those root-bacteria symbiotic nitrogen-fixing nodules!

Evidence of fungal growth in Titia's organic-rich farm soil

Matt Smith and others in the new pathway workgroup moving some wood to strengthen the path's foundation

Irrigation from the nearby river helps to maintain production throughout the summer and early Fall

Titia: "Here on soil derived from glacial sand, clay is like gold".

Titia's pigs are an important component of farm income but also enhance soil fertility as a result of soil surface mixing and excretions

Titia: "The climax species in agroecosystems is Homo sapiens"

Harris Ivens outlining the potential benefits of certain granular rock additions to enhance soil health

Look at those root-bacteria symbiotic nitrogen-fixing nodules!

Evidence of fungal growth in Titia's organic-rich farm soil

Lunchtime in the sun

Matt Smith and others in the new pathway workgroup moving some wood to strengthen the path's foundation

Titia's composting pile: "All land deserves to be loved, and love for a farmer is bioremediation". "Forests have provided the primary substrate for all fertile agricultural land globally". Adding back organic matter in the form of compost and wood chip

Irrigation from the nearby river helps to maintain production throughout the summer and early Fall

Titia: "Here on soil derived from glacial sand, clay is like gold".

Titia: "For me, it's all about understanding the soil and its associated players - Training yourself to observe deeply is an amazing power"

Titia's pigs are an important component of farm income but also enhance soil fertility as a result of soil surface mixing and excretions

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Sample and data collection at Mark Millar's farm in Sydenham on Oct 22 2016.

Field and lab analysis project outline conceptual diagram for the following research question: Does agricultural disturbance significantly affect late season soil phosphorus availability?

Amanda, Samantha, Hudabia and Victoria really enjoying taking some soil samples

Madison and Claire doing some serious sorting - they looking for earthworms

Soil sampling from a hedgerow area beside the farm field

Autumn colours at Queen's Elbow Lake station

Derek, Gabrielle and Faustine were in charge of the onsite soil nutrient analyses

Harris and Paul trying to make a little music at Elbow Lake station

Field and lab analysis project outline conceptual diagram for the following research question: Does agricultural disturbance significantly affect late season soil phosphorus availability?