Workshops and trade show educate on modern agricultural practices
The 36th annual Guelph Organic Conference and Trade Show was held from Jan. 26 to 29. The conference presented over 40 workshops discussing topics ranging from organic home gardening to crop rotation to raising antibiotic-free animals, while the weekend trade show featured approximately 170 vendors located on three different floors of the University Centre.
Consumers were given the opportunity to personally connect with the farmers and suppliers of everything organic, including dairy products, wool, produce, and chocolate.
The Guelph Organic Conference also awarded the 2017 Eco-Scholarship to five University of Guelph students from a variety of organic, agricultural, and epidemiological-focused programs. These scholars were chosen by a selection committee from a number of essay submissions. This year’s recipients were David Borish, Sokhany Dosvanna, Nuzhat Jillani, Shanthanu Krishna Kumar, and Ben Morgan.
At the Friday workshop titled “Small, Organic, and Bountiful,” presenters Cathy Hansen of the Canadian Organic Growers and Heather Lekx from Ignatius Farm, who specialize in small-scale backyard and community gardens respectively, spoke about the tools and DIY techniques required to start your own herb, kitchen, or community garden.
Hansen and Lekx explained that the maintenance of a successful garden includes the strategic use of cover crops, mulch, and compost.Unorthodox materials such as kitty litter can even be incorporated into your compost, as long as you use a corn-based litter. By planning well and budgeting space wisely through block planting, succession planting, yearly crop rotation, and frequent weeding, these techniques will be able to help you attain an efficient and rewarding organic garden.
The Organic Growing Principles were emphasized throughout the workshop, including the promotion of building healthy soils, protecting the environment, protecting seed identity, and the prohibition of using fossil fuel-based fertilizers.
Organic farming is the agricultural production of foods such as fruits and vegetables; animal products such as meat, dairy, and eggs; fibers like cotton and hemp; and other plants and flowers without the use of any synthetic fertilizers, antibiotics, herbicides, pesticides, or GMOs. The objective of organic farming is the conservation of biodiversity and preservation of ecological balance.
It is a common misconception that organic farming doesn’t use any fertilizers or pesticides at all. Within the regulations of most organic certification organizations, farmers are able to use natural means to increase efficiency and productivity. Organic certifications, however, are strict and it can take between 15 months to three years to achieve certification and begin to market produce with a certified organic logo.
While it is debatable whether organic produce is more delicious or has a higher nutrient content value compared to conventionally-farmed produce, organic farming is conclusively more water- and energy- efficient than conventional farming practices. In a 22-year farming trial study conducted by Cornell University, professor of ecology and agriculture David Pimentel stated that, “Organic farming approaches for crops [such as corn and soybeans] not only use an average of 30 percent less fossil energy but also conserve more water in the soil, induce less erosion, maintain soil quality and conserve more biological resources than conventional farming does.”
On the other hand, organic farming is often criticized for having lower yields, being expensive to produce, and requiring more skill and time. As the planet’s population rises, the question of whether there will be enough resources to feed the world arises. Organic farming just isn’t able to be as productive as conventional farming, but it is much more environmentally sustainable in the long run.
Photo by Dana Bellamy/The Ontarion