Join our host Scott Beaton in conversation with organic grain expert Joanne Thiessen Martens to talk about taking soil samples and plant tissue samples. Learn when to take sample, how to take the sample, where to send your samples and how to interpret the results. Sampling and testing can help you understand what's happening on your farm and make management decisions or interventions if required. In organic systems, mainstream soil tests might not capture everything that you need to know to make management decisions and by adding plant tissue samples it can give you a better picture of what's happening in your fields.
Bio: Joanne Thiessen Martens grew up on a small mixed farm at Austin, Manitoba. She earned a B. Sc. In Agroecology at the University of Manitoba in 1999 and has since been working in the area of sustainable and ecological agriculture. For much of this time, Joanne has been a part of Dr. Martin Entz’s research team in the Department of Plant Science at the University of Manitoba. Her recent areas of focus include cover cropping, integrated crop-livestock systems, and farming systems design.
Resources discussed in this episode:
Credits:
Host: Scott Beaton
Producers: Dana Penrice, Iris Vaisman, Cari Hartt, and Tierra Stokes
Grain on the Brain is a podcast of the Prairie Organic Grain Initiative
Rodale Institute has some excellent information around composting as well
https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-organic/organic-farming-practices/composting/
One fantastic way to build soil health and improve the water infiltration capacity of your soil is to integrate livestock onto your land. For grain farmers who don’t own livestock, MOA and MFGA have built a website to help facilitate partnerships between grain and livestock farmers. It’s a great way to terminate and reincorporate your green manure and build your soil biology. FInd out more here: https://manitobagrazingexchange.com/
The panel mentioned Mark Shepard’s keyline permaculture design, so we thought we’d include a link to a presentation he made last year at Manitoba Forage and Grasslands Association conference: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7c8302QJk5k
If you’re in Manitoba, you can out more about the programs and support offered by the Watershed Districts and find out who your local district is here: https://manitobawatersheds.org/
In Canada, other groups providing watershed and soil health support include Ducks Unlimited https://www.ducks.ca/ , and ALUS https://alus.ca/.
Our podcast is supported by generous donations, grants and sponsorships. This episode was funded in part by the Canadian government through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the Prairie Organic Development Fund and the Conservation Trust. MOA is also thankful for its gold sponsors, Millview Farms, La Milanaise, SeCan, Kroeker Farms and XiteBio. If you would like to sponsor an episode, contact us at info@manitobaorganicalliance.com.
Producer and Manager, Assiniboine West Watershed
Ryan Canart received a degree in Natural Resource Management at Thompson Rivers University in 2002 but began his love of working with the land in 2000 when his family purchased their property near Hargrave Manitoba. Ryan has a passion for regenerative land management, which started with a keen interest in agroforestry. He applies that passion by managing his grass-backgrounding ranch with AMP grazing, planting trees, growing food, and taking advantage of the many opportunities rural living provides. Ryan has been involved with the watershed district program since 2003. Currently he is the General Manager of the Assiniboine West Watershed. He has also been involved with organizations over the years including the Manitoba Rural Adaptation Council, the Prairie Improvement Network, and the Assiniboine River Basin Initiative.
Research Scientist, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Brandon
Henry Wilson has been a Research Scientist with AAFC in Brandon, Manitoba since 2011. He conducts research on the hydrology, nutrient cycling, and stream ecology of agricultural systems. His current research is focused on developing knowledge to reduce eutrophication and flooding problems in agricultural watersheds, design of more sustainable and resilient production systems, and understanding potential environmental benefits and trade-offs associated with agricultural management changes. He earned his Ph.D. from the Watershed Ecosystems program at Trent University, in Ontario and was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship through the Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies, USA before becoming a Research Scientist with AAFC.
You can contact Neal Wagar, Manitoba Technical Sales Rep via email neal@overtonee.ca or phone (204-218-2221) for any questions about Ecotea.
Recent study results have been uploaded to our website as well in the Resources section: https://manitobaorganicalliance.com/podcasts/season-3-episode-6-biologicals/
Our podcast is supported by generous donations, grants and sponsorships. This episode was sponsored by Overton Environmental Enterprises and funded in part by the Canadian government through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the Prairie Organic Development Fund. MOA is also thankful for its gold sponsors, Millview Farms, La Milanaise, SeCan, Kroeker Farms and XiteBio. If you would like to sponsor an episode, contact us at info@manitobaorganicalliance.com.
Dale Overton
I am a highly motivated and hard working individual interested in applied ecology and sustainable landscape management. My goal is to work with industry partners to create realistic and economical solutions to complex ecological problems. I am also interested in developing, manufacturing and marketing various biological soil amendments and organic fertility products (Eco-Tea and Essential Organics). I am also involved in waste reduction and transformation projects using advanced composting techniques. Currently, I am involved in many innovative research projects both in Canada and Internationally, which focus on organics waste management, sustainable agri-systems, soil ecology and revegetation.
My family and I live on a 97 acre farm in the boreal-parkland transition ecoregion. My wife and I share a beautiful daughter and son. We have dogs, cats, rabbits, horses and chickens all raised as holistically and sustainably as possible.
Curtis mentioned Manitoba Agriculture’s Soil Management Guide as a great resource in learning more about soils in general and how to manage them:
https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/environment/soil-management/soil-management-guide/
Our podcast is supported by generous donations, grants and sponsorships. This episode was funded in part by the Canadian government through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the Prairie Organic Development Fund and the Conservation Trust. MOA is also thankful for its gold sponsors, Millview Farms, La Milanaise, SeCan, Kroeker Farms and XiteBio. If you would like to sponsor an episode, contact us at info@manitobaorganicalliance.com.
Curtis Cavers
Curtis is the site supervisor for the AAFC-Portage la Prairie sub-station which is part of the Brandon Research and Development Centre. Curtis has a focus in agronomy and soil science, specifically in the areas of nutrient management, soil health, tillage, water management, precision agriculture and general crop production.
You can contact Curtis at: curtis.cavers@agr.gc.ca or reach him by phone: 204-871-7346
Our guest host for this episode was Allison Squires. You can find out more about Allison and her farm, Upland Organics at https://uplandorganics.ca/.
Dale & Carter: “Topsoil and civilization”
https://www.worldcat.org/title/topsoil-and-civilization/oclc/924435
Check out the Rodale Institute resources, webinars and courses
https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-organic/organic-basics/
Education Course
https://rodaleinstitute.org/education/
https://courses.rodaleinstitute.org/p/rodale-institute-transition-to-organic
Contact Nic for more information about accessing consultant services and takin the
Education courses: nic.podoll@rodaleinstitute.org
+1(218)789-1044 (based in Minnesota)
Get some financial support during your transition to organics through The Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) “Support Organic Change Fund”.
https://www.canada-organic.ca/en/what-we-do/market-access/organic-conversion-support-program
Our podcast is supported by generous donations, grants and sponsorships. This episode was funded in part by the Canadian government through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the Prairie Organic Development Fund and the Conservation Trust. MOA is also thankful for its gold sponsors, Millview Farms, La Milanaise, SeCan, Kroeker Farms and XiteBio. If you would like to sponsor an episode, contact us at info@manitobaorganicalliance.com.
Midwest Organic Consultant
Nic is a lifelong organic farmer, having grown up and farmed with his family on their certified organic farm in southeast North Dakota, raising small grains and vegetable seed. Prior to working at Rodale Institute, he worked in Extension for the University of Minnesota and North Dakota State University. He also served several years on the NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher Grant Review Committee. Nic is IOIA certified in crops and holds a Master’s in Agricultural & Extension Education from North Carolina State University. He is located in north-central Minnesota.
The WADO annual report with its 2020 results can be found here:
https://mbdiversificationcentres.ca/westman-agricultural-diversification-organization/
You can also use their search tool to find the results from all the trials they’ve conducted over the past decade.
Southeast research farm in Redvers SK also does lots of intercropping research:
https://southeastresearchfarm.org/
Our podcast is supported by generous donations and sponsorships. This episode was funded in part by the Canada and Manitoba governments through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership and the Prairie Organic Development Fund as well as our sponsors. We produced this episode in partnership with the Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization or WADO to focus on intercropping. WADO is an applied crop research group in Melita Manitoba with a producer board of directors, whose operating funding is provided by the Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP) and Agriculture Sustainability Initiative (ASI). Scott Chalmers is a provincial employee who manages the activities and research. Each year they publish an annual report, which can be found on the Manitoba Diversification Centre's website:
https://mbdiversificationcentres.ca/
You can find their new 2020 report & results and information about their annual field days usually held in July. They usually have 40-50 research projects, covering 2500 plots just at WADO and do lots of work over the years with intercrops, relay crops. They collaborate with commodity groups, AAFC, Universities, corporations, strategic funding initiatives, and private entities.
Scott grew up on a small mixed farm operation near Carroll, MB. Scott completed his B.Sc. (Honours) degree at Brandon University in botany and chemistry in 2004. Scott worked at AAFC in Brandon, MB as a summer student with the plant pathology team headed by Dr. Debbie McLaren. Scott also managed the non-profit South East Research Farm, located near Redvers, SK, for three years until spring of 2007. Scott started working with Manitoba Agriculture as a Diversification Technician out of the Melita-Ag office 2007 conducting applied crop research and demonstrations at Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization (WADO). Scott then moved into the Diversification Specialist position in 2014 and continues to manage the WADO research program. Scott resides in Reston with his wife Tanis and two kids. Scott takes an interest in homebrewing, and intensive no till gardening.
The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security supports a national Participatory Plant Breeding Program - PPB - with the University of Manitoba that puts farmers in the driver's seat to select varieties that are adaptive to their organic growing conditions, and their climates. To find out more about this innovative work, please visit www.seedsecurity.ca
You can also learn more about the PPB program on the University of Manitoba’s Natural Systems Agriculture page:
https://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/naturalagriculture/ppb.html
Our podcast is supported by generous donations, sponsorships and partnerships. This episode was funded in part by the Canada and Manitoba governments through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership and the Prairie Organic Development Fund, as well as through our sponsors. In this episode we’re collaborating with The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security, a program of SeedChange. Climate-resilient agriculture in Canada requires that farmers are engaged in every aspect of food production, and that includes plant breeding. Since 2013, The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security has been supporting a national Participatory Plant Breeding Program - PPB - with the University of Manitoba that puts farmers in the driver's seat to select varieties that are adaptive to their organic growing conditions, and their climates. To find out more about this innovative work, please visit www.seedsecurity.ca
Iain is currently doing a Masters of Geography at Carleton University, focusing his thesis in areas of agricultural geography and agricultural development. He comes from a background in environmental science and through his undergrad was strongly swayed towards the areas of sustainable agricultural production, food security, and food sovereignty. He has worked as well in seed breeding and plot research in Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Quebec. His current research focuses on farmer-researcher participatory programs for crop development. His research is supported through a MITACS internship with the organization SeedChange to review their Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB) program, funding provided by the Organic Farming Research Foundation. Outside of school he enjoys hiking, biking, skiing, playing music, and experimenting with his own small organic growing.
Aabir developed his passion for seeds while he was completing his Sustainable Farming Certificate at Everdale, a teaching farm in Hillsburgh, Ontario, and supporting research trials for Seeds of Diversity's collection of over 3,000 different Canadian seed varieties. After completing a Master of Environmental Studies at York University, researching organic seed systems in Ontario, Aabir joined the The Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security, as Regional Program Coordinator for Ontario. Aabir has co-authored publications on Canada’s seed system including the Canadian Organic Seed Sector Environmental Scan, the Discussion Paper on Seed Policy in Canada, and Canadian Organic and Ecological Plant Breeding Priorities for Vegetable Crops. He has been instrumental in shaping and leading the training, research, and policy programs developed for The Bauta Family Seed Initiative. Aabir loves working in the field with seed producers and farmers all over Canada, and is thrilled to continue to steward The Bauta Family Seed Initiative at a national level into the future. Aabir works remotely from Guelph, Ontario.
Check out Dr. Kris Nichols’ website to learn more about her work and soil health resources:
She has a method in her Resources section for COLLECTING SOIL AGGREGATES AND MEASURING AGGREGATE STABILITY
https://www.cog.ca/every-day-should-be-world-soil-day/
For more about the Canadian Organic Growers “Canadian Access Project”:
https://www.cog.ca/the-canadian-access-project/
We are looking for organic pea, oat, beef, carrot, and blueberry producers who would like to discuss supply chain barriers for these commodities. Also, we are looking for participants from these five supply chains as well as other organic producers who are interested in assessing the impacts of organic production on ecosystem services particularly carbon sequestration.
Participants will form a producer committee, which will meet virtually about 3-4 times in 2021 and participate in an interview and 2-3 virtual meetings summarizing the data collected from the interviews through March 2022. If desired, producers could just participate in the interviews and follow-up meetings. We are targeting producers that have 1 or more soil tests including organic matter or organic carbon values and are willing to share their anonymized data for analysis and modeling.
https://www.cog.ca/the-canadian-access-project/ and https://www.realagriculture.com/2020/09/canadian-organic-growers-project-seeks-to-build-made-in-canada-supply-chains/
If you are interested or want me information about the project, contact Kris Nichols at kris.nichols@cog.ca .
Our podcast is supported by generous donations and sponsorships. This episode was funded in part by the Canada and Manitoba governments through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership and the Prairie Organic Development Fund, as well as through our sponsors; Millview Farms and XiteBio - a dynamic biotechnology company engaged in microbial technology and agri-inputs. You can learn more about their products at xitebio.ca
Dr. Kris Nichols is a leader in the movement to regenerate soils for healthy crops, food, people and the planet. She is the Research Director at MyLand Company LLC in Phoenix, AZ. She is also the founder and principal scientist of KRIS (Knowledge for Regeneration and Innovation in Soils) Systems Education & Consultation; Soil Microbiology Research Advisor with the Food Water Wellness Foundation in Olds, Alberta; Research Director with Carbon Sync in Freemantle, Western Australia; and Soil Health Consultant with COG (Canadian Organic Growers) in Ottawa, Ontario. She is also working with Dr. Arjun Makhijani, President of the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, on a project combining Regenerative Agriculture and Renewable Energy (RARE) to reduce the economic risks in transitioning to regenerative agriculture. Kris participates on the Advisory Board for the Real Organic Project; Scientific Advisory Board with the Savory Institute’s – Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV)program; Land Use & Agriculture Task Force for the HRH Sustainable Markets Initiative; and as a Soil Science Advisor with Health First. Kris’s voice is heard in a number of forums where she speaks about the value of healthy soil in food production systems, and I am really happy to have the chance to talk with her today.
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