SUMMER 2018 | VOLUME 10 ISSUE 02

LOTS TO CELEBRATE AT ORGANIC

ALBERTA!... PAGE 3

MARKET PRICES AND TRENDS... PAGE 5

A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF ALBERTA'S ORGANIC

FOOD PROCESSING SECTOR... PAGE 8

NEMATODES... PAGE 11

IF YOU HAD 10 MILLION DOLLARS...

PAGE 12

STALE SEEDBEDS FOR WEED MANAGEMENT

IN VEGETABLE PRODUCTION... PAGE 13
SUMMER 2018
Mission: To represent and support
Alberta's entire organic industry.
Vision: A strong, sustainable and united
organic community in Alberta.
Editor/Submissions & Advertising
Editor: Debbie Miller
587-521-2400
debbie.miller@organicalberta.org
Copy Editor
Brenda Frick
306-260-0663
organic@usask.ca
Graphic Designer  Buyers focus on long term markets and long-
Cari Hartt
587-521-2400
cari.hartt@organicalberta.org
Executive Director
Becky Lipton:
587-521-2400 
becky.lipton@organicalberta.org
Board Members
Representatives elected by region:
(N) North (S) South (C) Central
(M) Member at Large
• President: Charles Newell (AB federal
level):
780-809-2247
newellsfarm@gmail.com
• Vice President: Dawn Boileau (C):
780-218-2430
dawnboileau@gmail.com
• Treasurer: Heather Kerschbaumer (N):
780-835--4508
gaseeds@kerbagroup.com
• Secretary: Trevor Aleman (S):
403-308-4003
trevor@busybeasmarketgarden.com
• James Thiessen (N):
603-480-1158
jkthie@telusplanet.net
• Arnold Van Os (C):
780-312-1052
vanosdairy@xplornet.com
• Abbie Stein-MacLean (M):
780-984-3068
asteinmaclean@gmail.com
• Bernie Ehnes (S):
403-666-2157
behnes@gmail.com
• Frank Maddock (M):
780-727-2333
jaspersprings@live.com
• Tracy Smith (M):
northerncookinglake@gmail.com
Fall 2018 deadline is Friday, September
14th. Please send comments,
suggestions, ads, and/or articles to
editor@organicalberta.org  insurance program, something that
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR'S REPORT
By Becky Lipton, Executive Director
Imagine it is 2022. There is a major
drought and an economic recession.
Crop yields are down, and sales are down
further. People in agriculture, the agri-
food sector and rural Alberta are
worried. However, in the organic sector,
things are not looking so dire. Organic
farmers have been doing well. Higher
prices and decreased input costs make
them more profitable. They benefit from
access to organic agronomist services
through Organic Alberta, as well as
strong science-based extension
programs. A significant amount of
organic research is happening leading to
new information on how to effectively
deal with weeds, increase soil fertility
and increase yields. All of this means
changes in overall practices at the farm
level across Alberta, and farmers are
seeing the benefits.
That isn’t the only thing going for them.
Organic farmers have a variety of crops
growing at one time, so although they
may have a failure in one, others pull
through, ensuring they don’t have a total
failure. Intercropping means fields more
closely mimic natural ecosystems, and
they don’t seem to be as badly affected.
Agronomists are saying that higher
organic matter and soil biodiversity are
making the soil more drought resistant.  with more research and more leading
In addition to heading into the drought
and recession with a little more money in
the bank, and not nearly as many crop
failures, there is an organic crop
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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 02
didn't exist when we were hit with a
recession in 2008. Now farmers are better
compensated for crop failures. 
Organic farmers went into this drought with
good market information and knew not to
grow crops that were showing signs of being
potentially affected by the recession. Buyers
and farmers have developed good
relationships and innovative programs.
term commitments with farmers. Transitional
farmers have long term contracts, so they
get premiums while in transition. Buyers
have been working together to grow new
emerging markets, as well as collaborating to
supply new companies. They work together
to find new sales channels.
Consumers understand the value of organics,
and sales continue to be strong.
  
Compared to the 2008 recession, very few
organic farmers are lost, more farmers have
transitioned successfully into organics, and
organic sales have bounced back after a
relatively small dip.
What’s the difference? Resilience. The
scenario above paints a picture of a resilient
system.
How do we get there? 2 key things. Capacity
in our provincial associations, such as
Organic Alberta, and large-scale, prairie
wide, collaborative and high impact
programs.
When associations have capacity, they can
advocate for programs that support the
sector, they can identify sector wide
challenges and implement strategic plans to
overcome them.
And when we work together collaboratively,
through programs such as the Prairie
Organic Grain Initiative, we have a larger
voice, we gain more credibility, we end up
innovative programming, we can have strong
marketing campaigns, and greater
collaboration across the value chain.
Ultimately we end up with a resilient organic
sector.  
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SUMMER 2018
LOTS TO CELEBRATE AT ORGANIC ALBERTA!
OVER $13,000 $200+
RAISED IN      Prairie Point Holdings & Herman A.
Friesen   
ORGANIC HERO Art & Kathy Baker, Dan & Joanne Harris,
Edwin Wieler, Ernest & Rebecca Peters,
CAMPAIGN!
Terry Sheehan, Keith Jones, Vital
Greens Farm, John Simpson, Gumboot
$13,000 Cattle Ltd., Fairwinds Farm Ltd.,
Rosemary Wotske & Cam Beard, Becky
Lipton
$100+  organic legislation since 2009.
      Frank & Shirley Doerksen, Ruzicka
Sunrise Farms, Highwood Crossing Farm,
Jerry Kit, Gerrit Brouwer, John & Caroline
Martens, Daniel & Marilyn Wiebe     Everyone who uses the term “organic” in
Jeff & Denise O'Reilly, E. Roselyn Elford,
John Hofer, Morinville Municipal Seed
Cleaning Co-Op, OCIA International-
Canada, Paul Schneider, Phoenix Farms
Ltd., Scott Palmer, Tyran & Janice
Shelton, David & Karen Doerksen, Cam
Our campaign was a success as
Beard, Trevor Aleman,  Herman & Maria
over 86 heroes opened their cheque
Friesen 
books to help ensure we can
continue to represent, support and $50+
grow Alberta’s organic industry! 25       Charles & Susan Wieler, Soames
of you were brand new donors, and Smith, Sun Prairie Mills, John Doerksen,
your average donation was more Daryl Cole, Greg Wedman, Frank &
than $150. Thank you! Brenda Maddock, Elizabeth Chrapko
Andrew & Anna Wiebe, Daryl & Patricia
Special thank you Toma, Free Spirit Cattle Co., James & Jodi
to our SuperStars - Bozarth, Larry Van Slyke, Logber Ranch,
your continued Pierre Fillion, Stan & Marion Peacock,
support over four Michael Scott, Herb & Derra Mantey,
SUPERSTAR or more years is Peter Wolfe, Teun Van Den Broek, Don
DONORS very much Bogen, Sun Prairie Mills
appreciated!
Under $50
$1000+  appreciation to everyone who has helped
      Keith & Bev Everts, Michael & Loraine
      Steve Snider
Futoransky, Keith & Lois Burger, John H.
Rodney Friesen
& Susan Wiebe, Valerie Schafers, Jack &
Darlene Trudgeon
$500+
Nathan Manning, Dean Hjelte, William
      Mans Organics
Gaugler, Blue Mountain Biodynamic
George & Mary Jansen, Jim Schoepp,
Farm, Chickadee Farm and Herbs, Valerie
Bernie Ehnes, James Thiessen,
Schafers
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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 02
ALBERTA ORGANIC
HISTORY IS MADE!
Alberta organics took a giant step
forward on May 30 when the NDP
government passed organic legislation
as part of the Supporting Alberta's Local
Food Sector Act. Organic Alberta
members have been actively lobbying
this and past governments to adopt the
And now it is time to celebrate!
Alberta must now be certified to the
federal organic standard. Most
importantly it means that consumers can
have complete confidence in the word
organic, as it will always mean certified
and third party inspected to ensure that
the products have been raised, grown,
and processed according to the rigorous
Canadian Organic Standards. The
organic legislation will come into full
effect April 1, 2019.
There are other components in the
Supporting Alberta's Local Food Sector
Act, such as the Local Food Council, that
will provide opportunities for us to
influence strategies and programs
supporting the local organic food sector.
You will be hearing more about that
later. Now is the time to celebrate our
success and express heartfelt
to make this happen. From Board
members who showed up again and
again to meet with MLAs and Ministers
to individuals who wrote letters, emails,
phoned and visited their elected
representatives, together you showed
that we can make history in Alberta.
3
SUMMER 2018
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
ORGANIC SANITATION: DON'T GET LOST IN THE WOODS
Few people would ever embark on a
hike in the Rockies without a map and a
compass. A trek in the wild through
unfamiliar terrain can be dangerous,
even deadly, without reliable guidance.
A hipster hiker may want to rely on a
GPS program on their smartphone.
Nevertheless, a good map and a trusty
compass need not battery power nor
satellite signal, and they point the way
consistently.
Navigating the plethora of regulations
and standards for an organic sanitation
program can be as challenging as a hike
in the Alberta backcountry, though not
as threatening to life and limb. That
may seem melodramatic, but to a small
or medium-sized processor with limited
resources and facing an audit, the
feeling can be the same as being lost in
the woods.   remain on surfaces.
Fortunately, there is a map – and a
compass.
The “map”, is the Organic Production
Systems General Principles and
Management Standards and the
Permitted Substances Lists (or PSL)
established by the Canadian General
Standards Board (CGSB).   Fortunately, there is also a “compass”
The PSL itemizes what cleaning
products are considered organic. A
processor can compare the list of
ingredients on the Safety Data Sheet of
the products used in their facility to
those in the PSL. The problem is that
sometimes the chemical names are
variances of the same name, leading to
confusion and potential for audit non-
compliance.   Product Reference Guide for
Additionally, some chemical suppliers
have chosen to “sanitize” the SDS by
removing non-organic ingredients from
the document, though these remain in
the formulation. This practice can be
misleading, and to combat it, auditors
are increasingly demanding access to
the actual confidential formulations,
withholding organic approval from
chemical suppliers that do not comply.
In addition, there are allowable
exceptions to the PSL. If an organic
cleaning product cannot remove the
residues properly, a non-organic
product could be used, but with certain
conditions. A processor must prove
that the organic products failed to
clean the surfaces properly through
documented validation. Then, any non-
organic products used must be
subjected to a potable water rinse, and
be proven that no chemical residues
Facing the potential for confusion,
possible misinformation and the need
for validation, and with so much at
stake – loss of certification – it is no
wonder a processor could feel like
Hansel or Gretel in the deep, dark
forest.
to help find the way: the Product
Reference Guide for Organic
Production developed by Sani Marc.
Sani Marc has experience in helping
hundreds of processors across Canada
successfully pass organic audits with
relative ease. Designed in response to
the circumstances of the
Canadian organic industry, Sani Marc’s
Organic Production is reliable and
consistent for making the right choices
for an organic sanitation program.   1-800-361-7691
WWW.ORGANICALBERTA.ORG
VOLUME 10 ISSUE 02
Carefully researched and validated, the
Product Reference Guide identifies both
those products accepted and those
accepted with certain conditions, and
notes references to applicable sections
of the CGSB Organic Standards. The
information is visually clear and simple
so that choices are made with
confidence and ease. Moreover,
auditors will appreciate the detailed
references at their fingertips.
Should an auditor challenge a product,
Sani Marc stands ready to support
quickly and efficiently. A library of
additional documentation for each
product is maintained and available to
auditors upon request. If validation is
required, qualified Sani Marc personnel
are happy to supply guidance. Never
has establishing an organic sanitation
program been so easy.
A walk in the woods on a summer’s day
breathing the crisp mountain air is
gratifying, especially if you do not get
lost. So too with the organic certification
process.  
Navigating organic standards
successfully with the right “map” and a
reliable “compass”, subsequently
achieving Organic Certification, is
rewarding. It leads to consumer
confidence, processor’s peace of mind,
and increased profitability.  
THAT is like a breath of fresh air.
For more information visit:
http://foodandbeverage.sanimarc.com/
products/organic/ or call
PAID ADVERTISEMENT
4
 SUMMER 2018 VOLUME 10 ISSUE 02

WHAT TRENDS ARE YOU CURRENTLY MARKET PRICES

SEEING IN THE ORGANIC GRAIN MARKET? OrganicBiz gathers and posts monthly price
information at organicbiz.ca/category/markets/. The
Grain Millers: We are seeing the away from sugary drinks like pop.
following prices are from late June.
shift back in acres from more It also reflects the decreasing
specialty crops like peas, lentils, market share for fluid milk. CROP SPOT PRICE PREM.
and mustards, to more traditional Convenience foods that are
WESTERN CANADA NEW CROP
crops such as oats, wheat, and healthy are also selling very well
barley. Producers have realized as families are becoming smaller    Wheat - Feed    $10 - $17 ($367 - $625) 199%
that the consistency just isn’t and the percentage of single    Barley - Feed    $6.75 - $7 ($310 - $322) 129%
there with production of the people as part of the population
   Oats - Feed    $6.50 ($421) 243%
specialty crops, so they have is at all-time highs. Plant based
   Flax - Brown    $33 - $34 ($1299 - $1339) 279%
reduced acreage of those and proteins like pea and hemp are
gone back to easier crops to grow also popular, especially pea    Flax    $34 - $36 ($1339 - $1417) 292%
and market. protein given it’s lower price    Peas - Yellow    $16 ($588) 245%
point than hemp.
   Flax - Gold    $35 ($1378) 292%
Hemp Production Services: More
regions of the world are Kamut International: We see a    Flax - Ground    $35 ($1378) 292%

increasing organic hemp grain
production and are competing
with Canadian product on the
global market. This lower priced
organic grain has forced prices
lot of large questions about the WESTERN CANADA 2017 CROP
organic grain market. We are a    Wheat - Feed    $9.50 - $18.50 ($349 - $680) 206%
small company who has
   Wheat - Soft White    $16.50 - $17 ($606 - $625) 308%
historically had a confident
market presence in Europe. We    Wheat - Hard Red    $15 - $20 ($551 - $735) 280%

down. However, global demand are seeing an interruption caused    Wheat - Einkorn    $0.50 167%
has increased significantly, and is by some non-tariff trade barriers.    Wheat - Khorasan    $30 ($1102) 162%
expected to continue in the We are focusing our efforts on
   Barley - Feed    $6.50 - $7.50 ($299 - $344) 131%
future. Canadian growers the North American
collectively have many years of specialty/artisan users market to    Oats - Feed    $5.75 ($373) 215%

experience to draw from and cope.    Flax - Brown    $33 - $36 ($1299 - $1417) 288%
access to an established
   Flax    $36 ($1417) 300%
processing infrastructure. With W.A. Grain: We’ve been seeing
   Peas - Yellow    $16.50 - $18 ($606 - $661) 264%
improved genetics and robust producers utilize better
agronomy support, returns to technology and farming practices    Lentils - Large Green    $0.85 - $1 402%
Canadian organic growers can still for soil management.  Producers    Lentils - French Green    $0.90 - $1 380%
be strong even at lower pricing. in the prairies are also beginning
   Lentils - Red    $0.69 406%
to experiment with regenerative
   Beans - Pinto    $0.75 - $0.85 276%
Organic Trade Solutions: Organic farming practices.
grain follows a lot of trends in the    Hemp - Seed    $33 ($1452) 460%
natural products industry. For For more commentary on the    Mustard - Yellow    $0.90 - $1 264%
example, alternatives like oat, organic grain market
   Mustard - Brown    $0.90 264%
hemp, pea, coconut and almond visit: http://www.pivotandgrow.co
drinks are hot as consumers move m/resources/prices/    Rye    $8 ($315) 200%

ORGANIC MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

CLASSIFIED ADS
For Sale: 97 round bales alfalfa/grass hay; 24 round bales wheat straw; 250 bushels Red Fife wheat; all certified organic by EcoCert.
Call Don at 780-385-2474 or email ruzickadon@hotmail.com.
Growers’s International is buying all varieties of wheat, durum, barley, oats, flax, spelt, peas, mustard and lentils.  Call one of our
buyers today! Mark Gimby: 306-652-4529, Tom Allen: 306-203-9168.
Are you looking for a consistent supply of organic soybean meal? Shafer Commodities can assist you with all of your organic
needs, we are also buying HRS, durum, flax, barley & peas 403-328-5066.

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SUMMER 2018 VOLUME 10 ISSUE 02

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 SUMMER 2018
The Organic Alberta Team toured the Leduc Processing Development Centre! They offer assistance in establishing
a food manufacturing business, from finding ingredients all the way through to marketing. Is it your dream to
turn Grandma’s best recipe into a viable business? If so, they're the people to talk to!
A BIRD'S EYE VIEW OF ALBERTA'S ORGANIC FOOD PROCESSING SECTOR
By Becky Lipton & Keri Sharpe, Organic
Specialist, Alberta Ag and Forestry
A 2017 study of 884 organic food
processing companies across Canada
identified several themes. Most
companies were experiencing year on
year growth and were challenged to find a
steady supply of organic ingredients and
access to capital. They are innovative in
the products they make, and in their
marketing and packaging. Organic
standards were not a significant barrier to
these companies. The companies studied
were centered primarily in ON, QC and BC.
Is the same thing happening in Alberta?
Organic Alberta and Alberta Agriculture
and Forestry decided to find out. Six in-
depth interviews with a variety of
companies processing organically were
carried out and some of the finding
highlights are below.
Alberta Resources
Alberta’s strongest asset in terms of
organic processing is its abundance and
quality of primary production. Our climate
is ideal for the production of grains and
beef, and with over 580 organic producers
we are well placed to supply local and
distant markets. The strong consumer
base in Calgary and Edmonton provides
growth markets for organic products and
opportunity for less shelf-stable products
such as fruits, vegetables and dairy.
Alberta government has many resources
directed at the processing sector.  These
include the Food Processing Development
Centre (FPDC) in Leduc plus many Alberta
Agriculture and Forestry (AF) programs
and staff support both food processing
research and product development.   structure that compensates all the players
Organic Processing in Alberta
The 78 companies that make up Alberta’s
organic food processing sector range in
complexity from seed cleaning to multi-
ingredient products. Some are producers
adding value to a product they grow;
some are using organic products to
create their line of processed goods;
other companies have a single line in a
larger processing plant using purchased
and imported ingredients combined to
create a new product.
Grain is the largest agricultural sector in
Alberta. Many producers clean grain
before selling, some also bag it. We have
both large and smaller companies that
mill or process organic grain into food
ingredients in Alberta. A number of
producers sell grains direct to consumers;
some add value to their products by
dehulling, cracking, splitting or milling
grain into flour, or combining ingredients
to create cereals, quick cooking grains,
pasta and baked goods.  and cheeses.
Animal-based products are key to
Alberta’s image. Beef, chicken, pork,  processing of vegetables is cleaning and
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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 02
sheep and bison are grown and
processed organically. The challenges for
this sector include carrying out all the
stages of the value chain from birth to
plate in compliance with organic
standard, and development of a pricing
adequately without intimidating the
consumer.
Simple meat processing – butcher, cut,
wrap – is common among livestock
producers, as is some small-scale sausage
production. Most is sold direct to
consumers and the local specialty stores.
One of the largest certified organic meat
processors in Western Canada is located
here; however, we don’t have enough
finishing stations in Alberta to be able to
access this processing plant.
We have two very large and two smaller
dairy processors who handle the
production from our 6 organic cow dairies
(7,900,000 liters) selling it as fluid milk,
cream or yoghurt.  There is a supply
challenge, especially for the smaller
processors, because there is not enough
fluid milk available to generate the
volume of cream that is needed in order
to value add into butter and cheese
production.  We have one fully integrated
goat dairy that produces milk, yoghurts
The simplest and most accessible
 
8
 SUMMER 2018
bagging. While seasonal fresh
product is produced for farmers’
markets or direct sales, we also
have some bagging for wholesale
markets and even a couple of
companies that are not farmers at
all, but that only pack and label
organic produce. Larger markets,
such as frozen vegetables, require
large volumes and more complex
growing relationships and
processes and are being explored.
Processing also includes mixing and
bagging teas, and grinding health
food powders.
Summary
We see companies getting into
processing in order to capture more
of the income gained from value
adding here in Alberta. More
complex processing including
bakeries and cookie companies
using multiple organic ingredients
are growing and we are seeing
everything from baby food, to
protein powders, wine, juices, crisps
and more being produced here.   organic when they buy organic.
Processing
Many of the processors are also
farmers. Farmers have a diverse
and specialized skill set; however,
the skills needed for successful
complex processing and marketing
can be quite different. The breadth
of these skills makes it challenging
for a single farm to expand to
become a successful complex
processor.
VOLUME 10 ISSUE 02
During early stages of business
development, most processing is
backed and funded by the farm that
provides its base. Scaling up often
requires investors.  Alberta
Agriculture and Forestry and the
Food Processing Development
Centre have been helpful in the
development of processing that
involves proprietary techniques.  
In contrast many of the processors
entered the field without primary
production. The result is a diversity
of processing activities which is
good for the Alberta organic
processing sector
Challenges in Organic Processing
The processors we spoke to did not
consider organic processing
standards to be a barrier. They had
three main concerns: First, the
organic label must remain pure in
consumers’ eyes.  Fraudulent
claims need to be policed and
eliminated for consumers to have
real trust that they are getting
Secondly, the organic playing field
must be level across countries.
Thirdly, transportation is a hurdle
for all processing and can be very
challenging for organics as they
tend to be smaller players and do
not always have economies of
scale,especially when shipping bulk
or relatively heavy products.
Stay tuned as we dig deeper into
the Alberta organic processing
sector in future issues of the
magazine.
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Photo credit: NNehring/E+/Getty Images
NEMATODES
By Samantha Flasha, Organic Grain
Program Coordinator, Organic Alberta
Nematodes are non-segmented,
microscopic worms, sometimes
referred to as roundworms. They are
typically about 1mm in length.
Scientists have discovered over 25 000
different species of nematode. It is
usually the harmful, parasitic
nematodes that receive attention, but
many nematodes play a beneficial role
in soil health. Free-living nematodes can
be divided into four categories based on
their diet. There are bacterial-feeders,
fungal-feeders, omnivores, and
predatory nematodes - who eat other
nematodes and protozoa. The predatory
nematodes can be useful because they
kill harmful pests, such as cutworms.
They can even be purchased as an
organic form of pest control, and are
best used as a preventative measure,
applied in the spring.
Like protozoa, nematodes play a part in
the mineralizing of nutrients into plant-
available forms. When most nematode
populations are at a sustainable density
they promote growth of prey
populations. This means that bacterial-
feeders promote bacterial growth and
plant-feeders promote plant growth.
They encourage nutrient cycling by
accelerating the decomposition of
organic matter. Though if their
populations become too high, the
nematodes will overrun their prey, and
this could affect plant growth and may
negatively impact decomposition. While
many nematodes consume disease-  great impact on soil health!
causing organisms, such as those that
feed on roots, there are also populations
that can cause disease.
Nematodes can be found wherever their
food source is - which is just about
anywhere! Bacterial feeders can be
found where bacteria collect, fungal
feeders near fungal biomass, root-
feeders can be found concentrated
around the roots of vulnerable plants,
and predatory nematodes are likely to
be found in soils with high nematode
populations. Due to their size,
nematodes tend to be more numerous
in coarse soil. The average agricultural
soil can support about 100 nematodes
per dry gram of soil. Their numbers will
increase if there is a high number of
bacteria and fungi in the soil. Predatory
nematodes tend to have higher numbers
in less disturbed soil, suggesting they
may be susceptible to disturbances.
Because of their participation in many
levels of the food web in soils,
nematodes can be a useful indicator of
soil health. Although nematodes may be
small and unnoticeable, they have a

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW

YOUR NEMATODES?

ACROSS DOWN

2. What a bacterial 1. Nematode size

feeding nematode eats
4. Type of nematode that
eats cutworms
5. Type of soil with the
most nematodes
7. Organic matter does
this when nematodes are
present
9. Another word for
nematode
12. One dry gram of soil
can support this many
nematodes
3. Number of nematode
categories
6. Place to find nematodes
7. Some nematode
populations can cause
this 
8. What happens to prey if
nematode population is
high
10. Microscopic worm
11. Best time to apply
nematodes for pest
control

Find the answer key in the Fall 2018 issue of the Organic
Alberta Magazine!

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 SUMMER 2018
IF YOU HAD 10 MILLION DOLLARS
Creators of Over Easy Acres: Daniela Pratt, Aylssa Sison, Cassidy Kabanuk, Max Kinsella, Mark Lin, Claye Harsany,
Bayley Facette, Alexandra Petorious, Tianna Notenbomer, Jonas Bateman, Rebecca Mah and Tasha Huffman
By Dana Penrice, Young Agrarians
Program Coordinator
If you had $10 million to start a farm
from scratch, what would you do?
Students in the University of Alberta’s
Animal Science 200: Principles of
Animal Agriculture got to imagine just
that. Along the way, students learned
about the management, production,
marketing, and regulations of a farm.
In this class project, called “The Game
of Farm Life”, each group was assigned
a type of livestock production and given
a fake budget of $10 million to design a
farm from scratch. Once in their
groups, they elected a farm manager
and the other students in the groups
took on jobs which included
nutritionists, animal health advisors,
breeding stock experts, marketers,
biosecurity experts, land managers,
financial managers, etc. Each team
member did research, spoke with real
industry experts and created a plan for
their area of the farm. Teams met with
real farmers with experience in their
production type. Groups created a full
plan for their farm and budgeted the
$10 million for start-up costs and the
first year of production.
On April 10th, 2018, a presentation night
was held that was open to the public
where each group presented their farm.
The group assigned to eggs created a
farm called Over Easy Acres and decided
to go organic.  to have a greater appreciation of the
“At Over Easy Acres, we believe that
being an organic farm allows us to
provide healthier, better quality eggs
to our local customers. Our eggs are
an eggcellent source of omega-3,
protein, vitamins, and minerals.
Our farm aims to build a wholesome
relationship with our customers by
being transparent about our values
on organic farming. It is important to
know where your eggs come from.
After all, good nutrition begins on the
farm.”
The group built a 3D model of their barn
design and created a biosecurity plan for
their operation with the goal of creating
a healthy environment for their flocks.
They also developed a nutrition plan that
included a focus on raising Omega-3
eggs by feeding higher levels of flax.   v=MhuDQMgDJlo&feature=share
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VOLUME 10 ISSUE 02
In reflecting on the project, Claye
Harsany said: “What I gained from this
project was a heightened understanding
of the market consumer concept of the
organic marketplace. It also allowed me
hard work and dedication from our
Alberta Farmers to produce healthy,
wholesome and nutritious food, from
farm to fork.”
Animal Science 200 is the introductory
course to animal agriculture at the
University of Alberta and is often the
first exposure students have to the
livestock industry. Professor of the class
Dr. Frank Robinson said that “Students
are diverse in background and career
objectives. About 20% of the class have
farm and animal experience and 70% of
the class are in a pre-veterinary
program.” Dr. Robinson created this
project to provide students with the
opportunity to gain detailed background
knowledge in a commodity area and
introduce them to potential careers in
agriculture they might not have
considered. 
For more information
visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?
 
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STALE SEEDBEDS FOR WEED MANAGEMENT IN

VEGETABLE PRODUCTION
By Sarah Preston, Program Coordinator, The high temperatures sterilize many even a single round can flush out the
Organic Alberta weed seeds and can even reduce soil majority of weed seeds in the germination
pathogens. Black plastic requires several zone.
Any organic farmer knows the battle weeks, but may work better for tough,
against weeds all too well. In organic perennial weeds. Black plastic exposes The significant lead time for stale seed
vegetable production weeding is time- weeds to heat stress, smothers them, and beds and solarization can be a challenge,
consuming and options are limited, so starves them of light. This is a slower- but once you prep the beds and lay the
good weed management practises are acting but stronger combination for plastic, it requires very little effort. The
incredibly valuable. The stale seedbed targeting well-established weeds. To get extra time taken at the beginning of the
technique requires some extra prep and the best results, patch any holes in the season is worth it because this is one of
time at the beginning of the season, but plastic and secure the edges to trap as the few ways to easily get a head start on
it can be an excellent way to get ahead much heat as possible. Tough patches may the weeds that would have choked out
of the weeds, even the ones that would need multiple rounds of solarization, but  your crop.  
grow up amongst the crop. The idea
with stale seedbeds is to till, prep, and
water the seedbed as early as possible
to germinate the first flush of weeds
before planting your crop. A
combination of tilling and irrigating
provides the best conditions for
germination, but good irrigation is the
real key to getting those weed seeds to
sprout.

Before seeding the crop, kill the first

flush of weeds by flaming or with a very
shallow cultivation. Stale seedbedding
targets weed seeds in the top two and a
half inches of soil, the germination
zone. If you cultivate, be sure to keep it
very shallow since soil disturbances will
bring up a fresh supply of weeds. 

An even more effective variation is to

use solarization by covering the stale
seedbed with black or clear plastic for
two to eight weeks.

Always check with your certifier

to have your plastic approved
before using, and don’t forget to
remove it all from the field at
the end of the season.

Clear plastic kills annual weeds most

effectively because it warms the soil to U of A Students created Over Easy Farm, a model for an organic egg farm.
higher temperatures than black plastic.

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