Farmers considering leveling out fields or deepening soil are being cautioned by one of their own to do their homework on the potential pitfalls of hiring someone to bring fill onto their land without learning all they can about them first.
“I was trying to build privacy berms because the highway has gotten busier,” said Kristian Lerchner, a fourth generation farmer in Hamilton. “So I found somebody on Facebook and I didn’t look too much into them. He said he could help me out.”
James O’Connell and Joey De Athe of SoilCycle Environmental. The company works with farmers to protect their most important asset – their land.
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That help would turn into a nightmare when, unbeknownst to Lerchner, the company he hired to provide what he had assumed would be clean soil ended up dumping truckloads of illegal fill on his property, a circumstance that placed Lerchner in legal and financial jeopardy that could very well have cost him his farm.
“That’s how you ruin fields,” he said.
James O’Connell, one of the owners of Milton-based Soil Cycle Environmental, has seen it all before.
“Farmers’ ignorance is being preyed upon regarding environmental assessments, permitting, soil chemical and physical characteristics,” he said.
“Mass contamination is taking place across Ontario.”
And that concerns him.
James from from Soil Cycle Environmental explains the dangers of contaminated fill and how farmers can protect their greatest assets: their land and water.
“Our families and children eat the produce and livestock these farms generate,” O’Connell said. “It’s important that we collectively work together with the various governing bodies, municipalities and the agricultural community to create long-term healthy, sustainable farming.”
Soil Cycle Environmental specializes in bulk excavation, site alteration permits, farm and quarry rehabilitation and engineered building pads throughout the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA). The company provides safe, clean fill that preserves the health of agricultural lands. Soil Cycle also takes care of all the planning and paperwork necessary to complete projects in accordance with legislation. Most importantly, it helps farmers avoid costs associated with remediating soil that’s been compromised by contaminated fill, something that can run into hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Phil creates a free marketplace to create excess or import listings and get daily matches.
Mike McCrone, a small business owner in the GTHA, took over a dormant farm three years ago and when it came time to convert 10 acres of land back into crop production, he called on O’Connell’s company to manage the project. He’s impressed with what he’s seen.
“Soil Cycle has brought in drones. They’ve brought in environmental companies. They’ve done all the testing and all the permits,” he said.
McCrone has since contracted the company to put another 10 acres of farmland into production.
“I can’t say enough about the guys at Soil Cycle. They’ve been very helpful. They’ve kept me informed with everything they’ve been doing.”
Chris Weatherhead, owner of Weatherhead Tree in Oakville, agrees. He purchased a 92-acre farm in 2017 that was overgrown with buckthorn and other invasive species and spent the next four years cleaning it up. When it came time to address issues with the soil, he asked Soil Cycle to take the project on.
“I’m going to have a tree farm at my place as well as some foodgrade crops. I wanted to make sure that the soil was clean and not contaminated and everything was taken care of properly,” he said. “Soil Cycle’s commitment to agricultural protection and rehabilitation is absolutely priceless.”
For farmers who find themselves in a bind as a result of accepting contaminated soil or failing to adhere to legal requirements, Soil Cycle is always ready to help, something Lerchner knows well.
“Soil Cycle has taken it upon themselves to help the little guy fix the mistake we made and it’s a big weight lifted off our shoulders,” he said.
And Lerchner has some advice for other farmers: “You’ve got to make sure that you double-check your sources.”
