Our
Approach

"I never liked the get big or get out attitude being pushed through agribusiness" 

- Scott Beaton

Being a first generation farmer with little desire or opportunity to farm lots of land margins were narrow relative to investment into the conventional system. Being organic meant many things on top of placing significant value on natural capital. It meant endless opportunity to improve soil, create diversity on every acre, allow for an easier transition for livestock integration,  a diverse crop rotation, never have to be on a sprayer in July, never harming surrounding flora and fauna, my family and neighbours, and the people we ultimately feed. 

When it comes to making decisions at the farm conservation and diversity are often at the root. We try to make sure practices stay environmentally friendly as possible and seek ideas that continually increase plant, insect, and wildlife diversity. We believe diversity helps keep ecosystems in balance and in turn might benefit farm outcomes along the way. Some of our practices and actions are as follows:

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• Organic - no harmful chemicals 

• 30% of the farm is conservation land, specifically forest, grassland and riparian habitat.

• Solar system that is able to produce as much energy over the year as we use.

• 8000 tree shelterbelt that increases habitat, insect, and wildlife diversity as well as farm outcomes (more below).

• The creation of two ponds has increased wildlife to the farm

• Both Inter-cropping and year round ground cover creates the ability to store more water on the land than other systems resulting in a more resilient system with less run off. And less weeds.

• Having ruminants roam the fields helps cycle nutrients fertilize the land naturally without the need for external inputs, reducing soil erosion, and other indirect benefits to the ecosystem. 

• Shelterbelts help to improve yields of a number of crops that we grow through increased snow trapping as well as moisture retention through decreased evaporation. They also play a role in managing wind erosion on our farm as we do more tillage at times than many of our neighbors. As such, we have been busy planting shelter to manage wind and keep the cows happy whenever we get a chance.

• Shelterbelts, forest habitat, pasture, and pollinator strips help increase the opportunity for native pollinators to persist on and benefit the farm. 

1. Competitive Crop

2. Green Manure Phase in Rotation

3. Inclusion of Perennials in Rotation

4. Tillage with expensive equipment and fuel

Pea / Oat Crop helps to manage risk of moisture variablility

July 1, 2019                                                       August 1, 2019

Cleaning our grain prior to marketing is a good way to keep our grain buyers happy by ensuring we deliver high quality grains while producing screenings that help other small livestock producers in the area.

• Adds diversity to the cropping system.

• Break pest cycles (manage weeds).

• Shake up timing of seeding/harvest etc.

• Fix atmospheric nitrogen for the system.

• Grow more carbon manage moisture, and improve soil health.