Farm Focus

It could be said that 21-year-old Ila Matheson of Albion Cross, P.E.I., is in her comfort zone as she makes her way around her familys Springwater Farm, right down to sporting bare feet in the barnyard. Springwater Farm focuses in particular on raising sheep and specializes in fresh, local lamb. Open Farm Day in Newfoundland and Labrador is a provi... ncewide initiative held in conjunction with the rest of Atlantic Canada and designed to raise awareness of the agriculture industry. This years Open Farm Day was held on Sept. 20 and was a different kind of event than in previous years. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the decision was made to host a virtual event. When fruit trees are planted, they offer the promise of a future harvest. But those plans can be thwarted when trees decline and die. At the end of another season, I reflect on issues from farm visits and how, in hindsight, tree losses are preventable. Located in the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia, the Western Kings 4-H Club began as one of the many agriculture/homemaking clubs in the early 1930s. Today, the club is one of five 4-H clubs in Kings County. Lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) are an economically important fruit crop in Canada, and Nova Scotia is one of the most important production regions. Weed management in this perennial monoculture is difficult, and weeds contribute to a significant variation in annual yields. From their home in Queenstown, N.B., Hugh and Mary Harmon feast on a panoramic view that stretches for miles. As their property slopes to the east, the view, sequentially, includes Otnabog Lake, the tree-lined channel of the Saint John River, Musquash Lake, and the expanse of Washademoak Lake. Farmers are stewards of the land and their animals. Progressive dairy farmers are constantly seeking opportunities to achieve greater financial stability and resilience. The high-performance herd certificate at Dalhousie Universitys Faculty of Agriculture is designed for just such an individual. The program will be highly ...Read More