There are several new initiatives at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (COFS) this year related to soil health, including soil researchers, new technology and practices.
Soils at Guelph, a new outreach initiative from the University of Guelph aims to bridge the gap between farmers and soil researchers. People involved in the initiative will be at the show and more on the initiative will be revealed during the opening ceremonies of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show on Tuesday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m.
“It’s an incredible honour to be asked to help kickoff Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show this year,” says Cameron Ogilvie, communications and outreach coordinator for Soils at Guelph.
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“Soil is the foundation of the agri-food industry — it’s agriculture’s bottom line. And the University of Guelph’s Soils at Guelph initiative is proud to join an amazing network of people emphasizing the importance of healthy soils, strengthening our farmland and improving life in Canada.”
Roller crimper demo
As more farmers make use of cover crops to improve soil health, there’s more need for technology that effectively terminates the crop and manages the large amount of residue that can come with cover crops.
Roller crimpers are one of those options and they will be demonstrated at COFS for the first time this year.
“Interest from manufacturers in producing roller crimpers has grown in step with demand for no-till and organic options,” says Owen Smelski, Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show field demonstration manager.
“We’re pleased to give farmers the opportunity to see this unique equipment at work in the field so they can make informed decisions about what will work best for their particular operation.”
The Roller Crimper Demo is sponsored by the Ontario Agriculture College, in collaboration with Grain Farmers of Ontario, Innovative Farmers of Ontario, Ontario Soil Network and the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association to collectively explore soil conservation practices. The roller crimper demo will take place at 11 a.m. each day in the Southwest Demo Field.
Looking at strip tillage and fertilizer
Strip tillage will also be demonstrated at COFS, especially relating to the placement of fertilizer with strip tillage equipment.
The ability to fertilize at the same time as strip tilling is one of the advantages of the practice.
“The ability to only work part of the field offers an opportunity to expose soil in the spring to sun and wind to dry out the soil. The system also supports equipment operation as the weight of the equipment is on the undisturbed ground, which is more resilient to compaction and smearing than worked ground,” says Ian McDonald, of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) field crops unit.
“Strip tillage also offers an ability to manage crop residues without having to bury everything, thus reducing soil erosion and offers increased protection of the soil.”
View the Strip Tillage Showcase 2.0: Putting Fertilizer in Its Place at 11:45 a.m. daily in the Southwest Demo Field.
