Down to Earth - Guide to Organic Food
Connecting consumers to the farms where their food is produced was the intent of the third edition of the guide to organic food in Manitoba, ‘Down to Earth’. The guidebook to organic food was produced by the Organic Food Council of Manitoba (OFCM). Organic food has become very popular in recent years but many people are still unaware of where their food comes from, or where their money goes. ‘Down to Earth’ is about supporting producers right here in Manitoba.
Down to Earth Guide to Organics in Manitoba, is aimed at putting information into the hands of consumers about organic sources close to home. Earlier editions of the guide simply provided a list of all organic producers in the province. Included in the list where producers growing crops for sale to other farmers. This third edition is unique as it focuses on products that are in demand from consumers in urban centers and offered them a glimpse of the farms where their food is produced.
David Neufeld, an organic greenhouse operator near Boissevain, collected the information about each farm and compiled the booklet. While producing the third edition David contacted all the organic producers in Manitoba speaking on the phone at least once with each producer. David asked producers two questions 1. do you grow something that you want Manitoban’s to buy for their kitchens 2. do you need help with advertising, free of charge. He was quite surprised to find that some producers did not need help with advertisement, but they were still happy to contribute to the book.
Producers are given half a page in the booklet and are encouraged to contribute the information about their own operation. Entries may vary from fully text to simply having the farm logo. Some producers struggling with the writing so David, a writer for rural various sources, took what the producers told him about their farm and put it into words. When all the information had been compiled printing and publishing is done locally by the newspaper in Boissevain.
The 84 page book, include more then 50 organic producers and more then 100 local processors, retailers, distributors and restaurants that sell organic food. The book sells for $6.95 at most independent grocery stores, proceeds going to OFCM. Both producers and retailers had a very positive response towards the guidebook
Work has already begun on a fourth edition of the organic guidebook, planned to be released in December 2007. The first steps towards the fourth edition are to see if the third guide has actually made a difference in sales for producers, and if it is worthwhile to do another. David will be contacting producers to talk about the guidebooks. If he finds that the guide has not helped the OFCM will try to find another way to assist the producers.
For this future guides, David and OFCM enlisted the help of Sharon Taylor, a Winnipegger who helps with advertising support and distribution of the guide. Most of the guidebook sales are in Winnipeg.
Funding for the program came from retailers who paid for advertisement space, and from Manitoba Agri-Venture Initiatives.
OFCM paid David and Sharon to compile the contents and distribute it to retailers. Printing and publishing was done by the Boissevain Recorder - a small town newspaper.
Holistic Management - Guilford Hereford Ranch
Don Guilford has never sowed a single seed of any of Manitoba’s native prairie plants, but his pasture land is a thriving tall grass prairie. Don is a big believer in the benefits of native prairie plants: he knows that they are good for the land as well as for his cattle. With proper land management, the native prairie plants sitting dormant in the soil flourished over the years. Don practices Holistic Management (HM) on his ranch north-west of Clearwater, Manitoba.
Holistic Management (HM) is an agricultural management system which strives to create balance between agriculture, the environment, finances and the family. The management strategy pushes people to take a holistic approach to their lives, to realise that these components of life are interconnected. Holistic Management is a sustainable approach to agriculture which puts emphasis on long term decision making and management, and involves reflection on operation decisions and the family’s lifestyle. The management practices involved with HM maximise profit by decreasing dependence of fuel, machinery companies, and banks. At the same time HM requires less human labour.
Don Guilford uses intensive grazing techniques on his land for short periods of time. Where Don would have once had 40 cows grazing for an extended period, he now has 200 cattle grazing for only two days. His rotational grazing practices reduce the human and machine labour required on the ranch. The pasture land is divided into triangular shaped paddocks centered around one watering station. The paddocks are divided by a thin electrical wire which is easily moved every second day. Although the water is located at one central point, cattle spread throughout the paddock, resulting in even land disturbance.
The grazing technique used by the Guilfords and others practicing HM is intended to replicate native grazing patterns before modern agriculture, when bison and elk moved through the land. HM recognizes that the North American grasslands were once healthy and productive because of intensive grazing. The prairies were once characterised by bursts of severe grazing, resulting in the soil being turned up, trampled, and fertilized by the animals moving through. Herds would then leave for other land, leaving the grazed land to fully recover. Those practicing HM use their cattle to manage the quality of the land rather than simply managing cattle. A common viewpoint of many practicing HM is to keep to a minimum anything that rusts, rots and depreciates. The result of HM have proven to be decrease production costs and increase profits.
“My real interest is cattle, not running machinery.”
The pasturelands of the Guilford Hereford Ranch are rich in diversity. Native plants include northern and western seed grasses, blue gamma, little blue stem, and big bluestem. A diversity of wildflowers is also present, which provide a source of selenium for cattle that would have otherwise have to be provided artificially. Don also has non-native alfalfa and smooth brome growing in the pasture, because these plants bring benefit to the land and his cattle. The plants growing today came from what prairie plants which remained in the soil throughout the years, these plants grew once modern agricultural practices of planting exotic species and chemical applications were halted.
From the land already thriving as tall grass prairie, Don intends to harvest seeds to spread over new land. Don Guilford admits that some of his land is probably the worst in the area. He has recently acquired land that has been over grazed throughout the years; it is hilled and dotted by sloughs. But he knows that he can make it healthy and profitable with proper grazing techniques. Although the land would be able to return to its natural state on its own given time, spreading seed heads will give the prairie a head start. By putting his cattle on this land, the heavy hoofs of the animals will quickly work the seeds into the soil and speed up germination time.
Rotation grazing practices end in October, and the Guilfords then turn to bale grazing for the winter months. By ending rotational grazing in October, there is enough plant matter left on the ground to prevent the ground from freezing, and to maintain moisture. As a result in the spring there is earlier plant growth and grazing can begin in early May for the May-June calving season.
For winter bale grazing, all bales are brought onto the field at once. Grazing is managed simply by moving an electrical wire every second day. The work to move the cattle takes about 15 minutes and no heavy machinery is involved. With this method the cost of machinery, fossil fuels, labour and fencing are all very low. Because cattle are on the land year round manure doesn’t have to be hauled onto the land again resulting in lower fuel and machinery costs.
For protection from the cold winter winds, fourteen wind breaks were built for the cattle. The Guilfords found funding for the wind breaks through the joint provincial and federal Environmental Farm Plan (EFP). The wind breaks also double as a corralling pen. Don also developed shelter belts under the EFP.
Soil and Wind Power
In 2004, Don Guilford added wind and solar technology to his operation which supplies water to the cattle year round. The dugout system used prior to the new technology had resulted in foot disease in cattle and damage to soil and water quality. The technology is particularly useful for remote pasture lands where hydroelectricity would be costly. Information on the technology came from one of the many beef seminars Don has attended.
The power from the wind turbine is used to pump water to the water barrel. The solar energy is used to power backup batteries in case the wind energy fails. The batteries would allow the water pump to last two days without wind or sun. The equipment on the ranch was designed in order to allow for expansion of the system in the future.
Holistic Management Community
Don Guilford has taken the Holistic Management course three times. The first two courses were out of province, Don attended to gain a better understanding of the management practice. Finally, when the course was offered close to home, Don signed up once again. This time, he enrolled simply to become a member of the HM club that would grow out of the course. Today the club consists of 9 families, stretching from the Boissevain area to Clearwater. The group meets regularly for potluck dinners and to discuss their operations. The meetings provide the opportunity for the families to learn from one another and are an important source of support. Don recognizes one benefit of meeting as group as gaining the ability to eliminate some of the experimentation in agriculture. Different techniques are practiced on the 9 farms and the result of the techniques are shared with the group. Benefits and drawbacks are weighed and further decisions are made using what is learnt.
Organic Green House - Room to Grow
David Neufeld and Maggie Andres’ farm exemplifies sustainability and diversification. The farm offers an opportunity for learning and discovery whether people come for the organic plants, to stay in the strawbale guest house, to WWOOF or as a school group to learn about sustainability and the environment. A few organic greenhouses have come and gone but Room to Grow remains the only certified greenhouse in Manitoba. All parts of the farm are intertwined and add to one another.
David and Maggie didn’t have much when they settled into their land after their ten years of volunteer work with the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). When they return they decided against moving to David’s fathers land, but rather turned to a small forested property near the Turtle Mountains. They had bought the land before they took off with MCC, so were able to live debt free. Maggie began to teach, while David worked on making their small piece of land into a home. During this time David converted an old church into a house, developed the garden and the yard site.
David and Maggie soon knew they weren’t going to make end meet this way anymore, so they began renting and operating a greenhouse in the town of Boissevain. It was a learning process as neither had experience working in a greenhouse. They were taught how to run a chemical dependent greenhouse from the previous owner. But soon realized that they did not want run a greenhouse in which they had to shield themselves from the chemicals they applied. The family made the transition to organics within the first year of operation.
David worked in the greenhouse in town for four years, Maggie was also involved in with the greenhouse fulltime for three years. There were a few years of experimenting where things weren’t growing as well as they would have likes, but the community continued to provide support and buy the products. The operation was eventually moved onto the farm where a new greenhouse was built. From the greenhouse and garden Room to Grow offers herbs, specializing in medicinal and culinary herb, annual and perennial flower, and an assortment of fresh vegetable bedding plants in spring.
Maggie and David approached the Organic Producers Association of Manitoba (OPAM) for certification. But the organization was unable, because there were no standards for greenhouses. So David got together with other local organic producers, and contacted organic greenhouse operators in other provinces where standards existed. The group examined what was reasonable in Manitoba and pulled together a set of standards for Manitoba organic greenhouses. These standards were given to OPAM, who then used them to certify David and Maggie’s Greenhouse. These standards continue to be used today.
Once Room to Grow was certified organic the potential opened for marketing in Winnipeg, Brandon and other places where the demand is greater. Room to Grow sells its bedding plants in various places throughout the province, including Winnipeg, Brandon, the Morden Folk Festival, and three places in Boissevain. Customers can also come to the farm and buy plants from the greenhouse. Some canned goods are also produced for sale but most is saved for the families own consumption in the winter.
Throughout the years David and Maggie also became involved in the WWOOFing program (World Wide Opportunities On Organic Farms). This program has provided a lot of help in the greenhouse, garden and with whatever building projects may be happening on the farm. WWOOFers become involved in the decision making on the farm. Some WWOOFers stay for three days or for the entire season, some return year after year. The farm has seen up to 25 WWOOFers pass through in one growing season, but David and Maggie only ever have 1 or 2 at a time to make sure that attention is not distracted from their own family. David feels that the long term workers really get emotional involved in the farm and learn what it is really like to be a farmer.
“Everyone is just such a blessing, the work and the personality, the world that they bring in.” (David Neufeld)
David is currently working with two different groups in the province looking to set up organic greenhouses. David guides the groups through what it takes to operate an organic greenhouse, and OPAM certification. He has written a manual and works closely with the groups, consulting on plans. The groups also visit Room to Grow to watch David at work.
Other activities happening at Room to Grow include a Strawbale Guest House, Camping, and School Tours.
Contact Maggie or David at Room to Grow
Phone: (204) 534-2303
http://www.roomtogrow.info/
roomtogrow@mts.net
Box 478, Boissevain Manitoba
R0K 0E0