Farmer’s Blog

Farmer's Blog

Transitioning to No-Till Organic Agriculture for Climate Resiliency—Sundog Organic Farm, Sturgeon County

Jenny Berkenbosch and James Vriend manage Sundog Organic Farm, a 14-acre certified organic vegetable and herb operation, located north of Edmonton in Sturgeon County. They grow a wide range of field and greenhouse vegetables and herbs, and sell their organic produce to customers through a summer and fall Farm Share program, and as well, at Edmonton’s Strathcona Farmer’s Market.

Farmer's Blog

From Urban to Rural Agriculture — Reclaim Organics, Leduc County

Ryan Mason, owner of Reclaimed Organics, a certified organic vegetable and herb farm in Leduc County, spent most of his twenties traveling the world studying agriculture and food systems. He travelled across several continents, working alongside campesinos in Mexico and wakulimu (small farmers) in Tanzania.

But Ryan’s roots on the Canadian prairies travel even deeper. He spent the first eighteen years of his life on his family’s farm — a small-scale chicken operation — in Pigeon Lake, Alberta. Ryan has fond memories of growing up on the farm, helping feed the chickens, and picking raspberries with his brother. After graduating from high school, Ryan pursued an undergraduate degree in global development studies at Augustana University in Camrose. “It was there where I rediscovered my passion for food and food studies,” he says.

Farmer's Blog

Generating Resiliency on the Ranch in the Face of Drought—WR Grazing—Irricana, Alberta

Tim Wray grew up on his family’s cattle ranch in Irricana, a small town located 50 kilometres northeast of Calgary in southern Alberta. As a child, he always dreamed of following in his parent’s footsteps and one day becoming a farmer, but first he pursued post-secondary education and later studied at a seminary to become a pastor. His first parish was located in a small agricultural community, which put him back in touch with his childhood dream.

“I lived around farmland and was surrounded by farmers,” says Tim. “I was really in tune with the movement of the seasons and the farm cycle—and I enjoyed that.”

Farmer's Blog

Biodiverse Organic Grain, Custom Grazing, and Plant Breeding for Seed Security – Midmore Farms, Sturgeon County

For Ward and Joanne Middleton, organic grain and oilseed farmers, planning for environmental and financial resiliency has become critical to adapting to extreme weather events on the farm. Over the past 27-years, the couple has managed Midmore Farms, an 850-acre certified organic farming operation, located northwest of Edmonton in Sturgeon County.

Today, Ward and Joanne are practicing with a wide variety of climate solutions, including intercropping to reduce soil tillage and integrating livestock on the land through custom grazing. They’re also investing in renewable energy technology and participating in seed saving initiatives. But these solutions haven’t happened overnight. Farming, says Ward, has been a dynamic, evolving process in observing interactions between soil, environment, climate, animal and plant vitality. “We’re always striving for continuous improvement,” he says. “There’s always room for improvement.”

Farmer's Blog

No-Till Farming for the Future — Jackson Homesteaders Farms Ltd., Strathcona County

As a fourth generation grain and pulse farmer in Strathcona County, Colin Jackson has seen many changes to the way food is grown on the Canadian prairies. He grew up on the very land he stewards today with his wife, Laura, and their family. They run Jackson Homesteaders Farms Ltd., a multi-enterprise farm that resides on 180-acres of land, located north of Sherwood Park, Alberta. The Jacksons farm around 5000 acres (owned and rented) of grain and pulse production, manage a horse boarding operation, tend honeybee hives, run a community garden and care for a huge flock of ‘rescued’ chickens and ducks.

Farmer's Blog

In Conversation with Beekeeper Tracey Smith – Beanstalk Honey – Strathcona County

Tracey Smith grew up near North Cooking Lake in Strathcona County and in Edmonton. During her undergrad degree in conservation biology at the University of Alberta, she became intrigued by questions of food security in the North. After graduating, Tracey moved to Fairbanks, Alaska to pursue a Master’s of Arts at the University of Fairbanks. Her research on the North compared the carbon footprint of raising backyard laying hens compared to that of importing eggs from the lower 48 states. Around the same time, Tracey began volunteering on a vegetable farm near the university. The farmer also kept a few hives for pollinating the vegetables. At the time, Tracey was living in a rustic cabin – no running water – and becoming disenchanted with academia. She wondered what kind of career to pursue.

Straight From The Farmer's Mouth

(Well, from the Farmer's laptop technically.) Here's what agricultural producers around Alberta are doing with climate solutions to build successful and resilient farms and ranches.

Transitioning to No-Till Organic Agriculture for Climate Resiliency—Sundog Organic Farm, Sturgeon County

From Urban to Rural Agriculture — Reclaim Organics, Leduc County

Generating Resiliency on the Ranch in the Face of Drought—WR Grazing—Irricana, Alberta

Biodiverse Organic Grain, Custom Grazing, and Plant Breeding for Seed Security – Midmore Farms, Sturgeon County

No-Till Farming for the Future — Jackson Homesteaders Farms Ltd., Strathcona County

In Conversation with Beekeeper Tracey Smith – Beanstalk Honey – Strathcona County

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