Ontario Region
HOST SITESFertile Ground Farm, St. Agatha Ironwood Organics, Athens
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EVENTSIronwood Organics, July 21, 2023: "Growing the Grain" Ironwood Organics, August 31, 2023: "Selecting the Seed" Fertile Ground Farm, August 23, 2023: "Demonstration Garden Tour and Vegetable Variety Tasting" |
SEED PROVIDERSThanks to the regional seed producers who provided seed for this project: Angie Koch . Backyard Seed Savers . Bob Wilfong . Duane Falk . Greta's Family Gardens. Hawthorn Farm Organic Seeds . Jennifer Sanders. Kitchen Table Seed House . Orchard Hill Farm . Seeds of Diversity Canada . SeedWorks Plant Breeding Club
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HIGHLIGHTSThe Demonstration Gardens at Fertile Ground Farm will showcase 80 varieties of vegetables, grain, and potatoes that have been regionally bred and adapted or are not currently available as organic, but may be well suited to regional vegetable production and seed production by local seed companies and seed stewards. This site will be performing variety trials as part of the Farmer-Led Research Program, including okra (thanks to leadership of okra aficionado Rav Singh, Shade of Miti), and red bell peppers, including the region’s first farmer-bred pepper, Renegade Red, developed by SeedWorks. As well, orange and red carrot varieties, including those selected by ecological growers in BC as part of the CANOVI work, will be trialed. Six varieties will also be grown out here for conservation and use by growers across Canada, in partnership with Seeds of Diversity. Find out more about their wonderful programs here. Chris Wooding of Ironwood Organics produces cereals including wheat, rye, oats and barley and is hosting the 2023 Grain Demonstration Gardens in Athens Ontario. |
SEED STORIES
- Seed Demonstration Gardens video, EFAO, 2023
- Planting the seeds of local and sustainability, Observer, 2022
- With food prices on the rise, how a seed producer on Wolfe Island is making produce more attainable, Global News, 2022
- New initiative looks at seed breeding to fight food insecurity, The Media Co-op, 2022