Fall Events Lineup
We've been busy planning some exciting events for the fall, won't you join us?
Farmer Mixer 2.0 - Last Minute Reminder!
We had such a great time at our first mixer back in February that we just had to throw another one! Farmers and foodies of all ages are invited to The Spill in Peterborough for another night of music and merrymaking, as we celebrate the growing farming communities of east central Ontario. Whether you’re a new, transitioning or veteran farmer, or even just a farming enthusiast, we invite you come and meet and mingle with some new folks from the community. Farm band, The Sandy Pockets will be on hand to get your hips shakin', and we'll have some delicious local eats from the amazing Night Kitchen. $5 / pay what you can. Bring your friends, everyone is welcome!
Holistic Management Course offered in Central Ontario this fall
Most of us get into farming with a bunch of disjointed hopes and dreams- and as the years go by sometimes we realize that we have got pieces of our dream but also endless hours of work and very little economic return, if any, and we burn out and don’t enjoy it as much as we had envisioned...
Wherever you are in the continuum of creating the dream, trying to make your dreams into reality, or frustrated that you haven’t managed to make it work the way you wanted to, Holistic Management is a decision making framework that step by step helps you make decisions that will take you towards your dream.
This course is a whole farm planning course, allowing each farm to incorporate personal values into farm life, improves communication between the farm management team, and includes HM's unique financial planning tools, grazing techniques, land planning, and time management tips. It takes 6 days because each farm team works with their own values and dream and creates their farm plan while learning the HM techniques.
Our fall Holistic Management Course for Family Farms will be held at Whispering Pines Farm and Garden near Phelpston, northwest of Barrie this fall. It will be held October 24, 25 & 26 & November 14, 15 & 16 which are both over weekends which will hopefully accommodate farm teams where some members work at off farm jobs. Cost $1100 & HST for up to 2 people. Eligible for Growing Forward cost share. Past participants can come for a refresher for half price. For more details or a registration form, contact Tony & Fran McQuail, mcqufarm@hurontel.on.ca, or 519-528-2493.
Pollinator Day in PTBO County
Thanks to the generous support of the Peterborough Foundation, Farms at Work is pleased to present a day-long workshop on pollination and beneficial insects in Peterborough County!
On Saturday November 1, 2014, pollination biologist Susan Chan, will present a full day workshop designed for farmers, landowners and concerned citizens. Susan will outline the fundamentals of pollination, as well as habitat requirements for pollinators and beneficial insects. Case studies will be presented, and strategies for mitigating threats to pollinators will be proposed.
Susan has been invited to give presentations to thousands of people across Ontario, and her extensive research is inspiring farmers and landowners to implement pollinator conservation plans on their own properties.
Participants will each receive a copy of Farms at Work’s A Landowners’ Guide to Conserving Native Pollinators in Ontario, and will participate by building a nest for cavity-dwelling bees to take home for use on their own properties.
There will also be ample time to interact with exhibitors, stewardship organizations and businesses that provide pollinator-friendly plant material and services to landowners. If you are interested in becoming an exhibitor, please let us know!
Spots will fill up quickly for this exciting workshop, so make sure to get your tickets early! To reserve your seat online, go to: www.pollinatordayptbo.eventbrite.ca. For more information, contact: jay@farmsatwork.ca | (705) 743-7671.
Northumberland Niche Processing Facility
Join us as we tour the brand new Northumberland Niche Food Processing Facility in Colborne, ON. Designed to extend the seasonality of fruit and vegetable products from across the region with packaging and freezing processes, this new facility will allow farmers to explore secondary sources of income through cost-effective, value-added production. Contact jay@farmsatwork.ca | (705) 743-7671 to receive updated details on this exciting tour as they become available.
Ecological Farmers Conference 2014
When: December 4-6, 2014
Where: YMCA Geneva Park Conference Centre, Orillia
Presented by EFAO in partnership with FarmStart and Supporting Partners, Farms at Work, Bauta and Everdale
To celebrate our 35th Anniversary, we’re launching our first annual conference. We expect 250 participants on beautiful Lake Couchiching with over 30 intermediate and advanced level workshops on vegetable and livestock production, soil health, seed saving, grains and more!
A practical conference for ecological farmers, by ecological farmers!