HALDIMAND COUNTY:
Creekside Poultry Farm - Jarvis
Creekside Poultry Farm knows how to get things squeaky clean. Cleaning
out a chicken barn is not an easy job, but Hans Veurink found a way
to dramatically reduce his labour and time with a simple tool. He
developed a blade-mounted squeegee that cleans off wet floors after
a high-pressure wash. The system is easy to use and affordable. It
has been sold to more than 80 other farmers and the market continues
to grow. By wiping out the extra work, this innovation makes it easier
to increase the frequency of barn cleanings, improving the impact
on food safety and animal welfare.
NORFOLK COUNTY:
Norfolk Apiaries - Brantford
Andreas Sperlich's engineering background helped him look at the apiary
world with a creative and functional perspective. He came up with
a sweet invention. The "Bee O Pac" is unique in that bees
pack their own product directly into thermo-moulded, consumer-ready
packages. This innovation has resulted into a field-to-fork experience,
with product uptake in Canada, as well as the US, Mexico and Europe.
Harvesting with Bee O Pac is efficient because it involves 75 per
cent less human handling and labour than other systems. The Bee O
Pac has added new value to a very old product.
B & C Nightingale Farms - LaSalette
When Bill and Caroline Nightingale saw 20,000 acres of fresh vegetables
flourishing under a canopy of high tunnels in Europe, they were convinced
the idea would help grow a better product and greater yields back
home in Ontario. They were right. High tunnels have extended their
growing season by six to eight weeks, doubled cropping opportunities,
decreased insect and disease pressures, and resulted in a quality,
consistent product. The Nightingales have implemented a change in
Ontario fresh vegetable farming - helping growers move from conventional
field production to covered production, and towards organic production.
Their company, Tunnel Tech Farming, makes and markets high tunnels
to other growers. When it comes to enhancing Ontario's fresh vegetable
growing opportunities - this farm has things covered.
Blueberry Hill Estate - St. Williams
Blueberry Hill Estate's tourism project introduced by Dale Vranckx
in Norfolk County will turn its existing farmers' market into a major
tourist destination, by adding an agri- and eco-safari, an education
centre, a winery and distillery offering tastings and tours, and an
outdoor expo. All this will be topped off with tunnel technology in
the blueberry patch. Covering the blueberry patch with tunnels will
make a completely sealed enclosure, eliminating pest problems, improving
berry quality and increasing yields of organically-grown fruit.
Florence Estate Winery - Langton
Terry and Margaret Marshall are toasting to their future. They have
embraced the idea of alternative crops by growing grapes and establishing
a winery in Southwestern Ontario's tobacco belt. The Marshalls showed
innovation by modifying tobacco equipment to accommodate grape growing,
irrigation, vine staking and harvesting. Their winery is in its second
year of full grape production, with 3,000 cases of wine ready for
sale this year. With their Florence Estate Winery, the couple plans
to attract tourism to the region by conducting tours and demonstrations
highlighting the history of tobacco in the area and the unique eco-systems
that exist in the property's Carolinian forest.
Kernal Peanuts - Vittoria
Back in 1977, farmer Ernie Racz was looking to exit the tobacco business
and planted a few rows of peanuts as an experiment. Today he is the
largest peanut grower in Canada. In addition to harvesting peanuts,
he hosts tours and has added a processing plant and retail store to
the operation. Kernal Peanuts Ltd. continues to be innovative. Used
peanut oil is stockpiled for use as bio-diesel fuel, peanut shells
are recycled on-site for fuel, and the farm has developed a new strain
of black peanut that will be marketed as a novelty item. While the
imported peanut market is a tough nut to crack, this business is helping
to move more Ontario product into consumers' hands.
The Cider Keg - Vittoria
An apple a day keeps the doctor away - but branded, value-added apple
products keep consumers asking for more. The T & J Haskett farm
in Norfolk County has developed a brand for its line of apple products
that includes cider, jellies and relishes that can be found on the
shelves of a national grocery retail chain. A recently published cookbook
featuring ideas for drinks, entrées and meal enhancements encourages
consumers to up their apple intake and enjoy the health benefits.
These value-added ideas have led to increased apple sales, and a diversified
income source that generates income for three households plus staff.
Y U Ranch - Tillsonburg
Home on the range in Ontario. Texas Longhorn Cattle now graze on former
tobacco fields as part of Bryan Gilvesy's farm. He has diversified
his business into a whole farm, eco-agricultural system by integrating
to a value-added, direct to consumer farm enterprise. The operation
conducts eco-agricultural tours and Gilvesy speaks to farm, environmental
and consumer groups about the role of the farmer in environmental
and community health. The farm also uses solar power for water pumping
and has plans to contribute power to the grid through the Standard
Offer Program.
OXFORD COUNTY:
Viewland Farms - Thamesford
Dave Older of Viewland Farms Ltd. installed a dairy compost bedding
pack system, adapting the design and implementation from an innovative
system used in Minnesota. The barn is designed differently to allow
a large pack area and tractor/aerator access. The cost savings from
this barn design are substantial, as it uses clay versus concrete
floors; requires no stalls to buy or install, and there is substantially
less liquid manure to store and pump. The longer storage capacity
results in long-term composting, reducing and concentrating nutrients
into a more dense material. When the bedding is excavated from the
barn, there is virtually no odour and it spreads like dust. This innovation
represents a 'greener' bed that results in an excellent compost product,
improved animal health and decreased labour costs.
Velrob Farms - Embro
Cool milk. Velrob Farms Ltd. knows how to produce it. Oxford-area
dairy farmer, Steven Veldman, has found an innovative way to improve
the operation of his milk pre-cooler. He developed a system that helped
to change the flow characteristics of cold water and milk to ensure
optimum cooling before the milk enters the bulk tank. His innovation
uses a pump and valve system that improves plate cooler efficiency
by 50 per cent, without compromising the quality of the milk. Oxford
County is known as the dairy capital of Canada - and with capital
ideas like these, it's living up to its name.
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