A weekly report prepared by the staff of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) and the Ministry of Rural Affairs (MRA). If you require further information, regarding this report, call the Elora Resource Centre at 519-846-0941. Office hours: 8:30am to 5pm. For technical information, call the Agricultural Information Contact Centre at 1-877-424-1300 or visit the OMAF and MRA Website: www.ontario.ca/omafra
THE 2013 ONTARIO AGRICULTURAL FAIRS AND EXHIBITIONS BOOKS/BROCHURES ARE NOW AVAILABLE
Pick up your copy at your local OMAF and MRA office. For more information, visit: www.ontariofairs.com or www.ontarioagsocieties.com.
GARLIC MUSTARD
John C. Benham, Weed Inspector, Wellington County
Garlic Mustard is becoming very invasive. In fact if you have one plant going to seed this year, you will have a patch next year. From then on you will have difficulty keeping up to it. It is a kind of mustard where seeds in the ground will likely be viable for many years.
It is an annual but sometimes biennial, reproducing only by seed. It grows about 3 feet tall with small, white four-petal flowers in May and June. In the spring you may notice a rosette of kidney shaped leaves that are rounded but soon it bolts into a plant with narrow pointed leaves and a typical mustard appearance. One of the distinguishing features of this plant is the garlic odour of the leaves when crushed or chewed.
It is of special concern in forests and tree plantations. When established it forms such a dense cover that the desirable tree seedlings and forest plants such as trillium, are smothered out. Although it is not on the Noxious Weed list, this is another one of the invasive plants that must be controlled as individuals, before they become a problem. If it is a small patch, pulling maybe the best solution for this year but there will be many seeds in the ground waiting for future opportunities. Don’t let it go to seed.
CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF FARM ADVISORS (CAFA) CURRENT AND CONNECTED CONFERENCE
Thursday, June 6, Quality Inn, Woodstock: For farm advisors and consultants. Featuring:
• Robert Fuller, Brimage Law Group – Key legal issues surrounding farm succession will be explained
• Jaye Atkins, Agricultural Credit Corporation – Advanced Payments programs for Ontario farmers
• Gayl Creutzberg, Gumbootgourmet.com – Ag3.0: New choices for agriculture
• Jenny Butcher, Organic Meadow – How traditional dairy compares to organic
• Steve Boles, Kuzuka Ltd. – Supply chain initiatives for sustainability and the impact on Ontario farms
• George Sinker, George Sinker Law Office – Executor liability and changes to the Estates Administration Tax Act
• Matt & Kate Korpan, Great Lakes Lavender – How they did it!
For more information please go: www.cafanet.com.
SAVE THE DATE FOR THE NATIONAL FARM BUSINESS MANAGEMENT INNOVATION ROUNDTABLE!
June 12-13 – Ottawa, Ontario
Farm Management Canada (FMC) is holding a National Farm Business Management Innovation Roundtable in conjunction with their Annual General Meeting (AGM) June 12-13 in Ottawa.
The Innovation Roundtable is the only meeting place for a national conversation on farm business management between farmers, government, industry, academia, associations and organizations and all industry stakeholders working together to build a sustainable and competitive agriculture industry in Canada through innovative business thinking.
See more at: http://www.fmc-gac.com.
DURHAM FARM & RURAL FAMILY RESOURCES PRESENTS PROGRESSIVE AGRICULTURE SAFETY DAY FOR KIDS
Saturday, June 8 from 9:30am – 12:30pm at the Port Perry Fairgrounds. We welcome all children who live on or visit farms aged 5-18 years. Participants will be grouped according to their age and rotated around to each of the stations (15 minute intervals). $5 each or $15/family (includes lunch & snacks)
Topics to be covered: All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) Safety Tractor; Power Take-Off Safety (PTO) Safety; Grain Safety; Chemical Safety; Large Animal Safety; Electrical Safety; Sun Safety; Emergency Preparedness and Wrap up Speaker. Please register by June 3.Contact: onfarm@durhamfamilyresources.org or 416-571-2572.
COMING EVENTS:
May 25 Spring Wellington Rural Romp – a self-guided tour to farms, nurseries and local food businesses. Time: 11am to 4 pm. Approximately fourteen farms, markets, gardens, restaurants and a B and B in Mapleton, Minto and Wellington North will open their doors to the public. Take part in a day in the countryside, meet local farmers, and enjoy real taste. For more information, check the website: http://guelphwellingtonlocalfood.ca.
May 25&26 Food Farms Fish and Finance – A strategic forum exploring the delicious, diverse and delicate potential for social finance and impact investing in our food system – Centre for Social Innovation – Annex, Toronto; foodfinance@sustainontario.ca.
June 4 Wellington Federation of Agriculture, monthly board meeting at OMAF and MRA Elora at 7:30pm. For information, contact Lisa Hern at 519-848-3774 or email: jplh@golden.net.
June 5 Public Lecture – Bioeconomy Seminar: 1:30-6:00 – Cutten Fields, 190 College Ave. East, Guelph. The Bioproducts Discovery and Development Centre is hosting this seminar which includes: Dr. John Williams (United Kingdom) – How Important is the Bioeconomy? Dr. Manfred Kircher (Germany) – Bioeconomy Value Chains – Commercial and Technical Options and Challenges and Dr. Robert Fireovid – Status of US Government Funded Research. To register contact: Rachel Campbell Murdy at: rachelcm@uoguelph.ca by May 27. A networking session will be held from 5 to 6 p.m.
June19&20 Ontario Pork Congress, Rotary Complex, Stratford at: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Check the website: http://www.porkcongress.on.ca/.
