Demonstration research happens all season long at Discovery Farm, home of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show, but during the show itself, farmers can see research occurring right on site.
Discovery Farm now has 330 acres of land due to an expansion of the original Woodstock site.
The twice-daily Off The Beaten Path tour will start at the Discovery Farm display and a people mover will take visitors through the demonstration research farm next door. They will hear from researchers and project partners about how their work is going and how it will be relevant to the industry.
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“It will be interesting to see people’s reaction when they see what’s new and what’s coming in agriculture,” says Brayden Bell, field manager with Discovery Farm.
The tour will take 30 to 45 minutes and will run through various crop research plots and the Field of Excellence, where companies collaborate within the same space toward a common research goal.
This year, Bell says the goal was to minimize yield gaps within the field.
Discovery Farm Woodstock recently joined the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network and is the only eastern Canadian location. It is the eighth site to be part of the network that works collaboratively to advance agricultural technology solutions and sustainability across Canada.
The Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network, led by Olds College in Alberta, comprises Smart Farms that support Canada’s agriculture sector to enhance efficiency, sustainability and resilience in response to emerging opportunities and challenges in the industry.
The network fosters collaboration among researchers, producers, industry partners and other stakeholders nationwide to drive innovative projects that address critical issues in ag tech development and adoption.
“I’m happy to welcome Discovery Farm Woodstock into the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network as our fifth expansion site, which also expands the network further east into Ontario,” says Joy Agnew, vice-president of research at Olds College.
“Discovery Farm Woodstock brings production practices and soil types more common in Eastern Canada into network research activities, as well as specific expertise in soybeans and corn.
“The network’s continued expansion across different agricultural zones and land bases brings depth to the network’s projects and technology evaluations, which benefit farmers and developers. Together, we’re working to drive innovation and growth in Canada’s diverse agriculture industry.”
Lynda Tityk, corporate director for Discovery Farm and Events with Glacier FarmMedia, echoed Agnew’s enthusiasm.
“We’re thrilled Discovery Farm Woodstock is a member of the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network, and is expanding the network and research into a new province and new agricultural zone.”
The Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network launched in 2021. In addition to Discovery Farm Woodstock and Olds College, it includes Discovery Farm Langham near Saskatoon, Sask.; Lakeland College at Vermilion, Alta.; University of Saskatchewan Livestock and Forage Centre of Excellence near Saskatoon.; Manitoba Beef & Forage Initiatives Inc. near Brandon, Man.; Enterprise Machine Intelligence & Learning Initiative near Winnipeg, Man.; and Lethbridge College in Lethbridge, Alta.
With funding from the Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network, the Pan-Canadian Smart Farm Network initiative is designed to accelerate development and adoption of ag technologies and systems and help producers manage risks so they can improve the productivity and sustainability of their farms.
