Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
The lure of organic production is tempting an increasing number of agriculture producers, in light of increased demand for products generated without the use of pesticides or other chemicals.
But what may seem to some as a quick and easy solution to reducing input costs in agriculture may not bring expected returns, warns Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food Livestock Development Specialist Sandy Lowndes.
“While one can attain good yields in organic farming, it takes years of building the soil organic matter, nutrients and biological activity before you will see these yields,” Lowndes explains. “And while it is now easier to market top grades of cereals and oilseeds, generally the lower grades still have to be sold into the conventional marketplace. Indeed, most livestock raised organically are still sold into the conventional marketplace.”
Lowndes encourages producers who are interested in organic agriculture to examine what motivates them, as the transition to organic production represents a substantial investment in itself.
“It takes three years after producers stop using chemicals before they can sell their agricultural products as certified organic. These are three transition years that must be absorbed by the farm operation, and that can only be avoided through exceptional circumstances where affidavits certifying that no chemicals have been used for three years prior can be sworn,” Lowndes says.
“Once the three years have passed, a producer may sell organic products, but the soil organic matter and microorganisms central to organic production may not be established at required levels just yet. It takes years to build that up.”
Lowndes likens the learning process around organic production to that of learning another language, or familiarizing oneself with another culture.
“You must learn how to establish suitable crop rotation, and how to incorporate legumes, because now this becomes your source of fertilizer. You have to learn how to manage weeds without chemicals.”
In Lowndes’ world of organic production, weeds assume a different identity. They become “diverse plant growths,” and a new resource to tap into. “If you have a grassy weed on your land, perhaps it can be harvested as green feed with your cereals.”
As Lowndes says, “organic farming is a great lifestyle, and it can bring a good living, but it generally takes a certain amount of mentorship initially to bring in practices that will generate acceptable income levels.”
In other words, if your farm operation is facing a crisis situation at the moment, “going organic will not put you back in the black in the short-term.”
For more information, contact:
Sandy Lowndes
Livestock Development Specialist
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 878-8816
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
How to make sleep work more effectively for us: that is the issue at the core of an upcoming conference in Saskatoon on December 6, co-sponsored by the Institute for Agricultural Rural and Environmental Health (I.ARE.H) and Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food’s Farm Stress Line.
“For agricultural producers, getting enough sleep is one of the major issues that need to be addressed when one looks at controlling injuries,” says Ken Imhoff, Manager of the Farm Stress Line. “If a person is experiencing stress because of his or her work life, getting enough sleep can be a challenge—especially in light of the fact that farming families are increasingly involved in off-farm income generating activities. This can lead to burnouts and accidents, causing injuries.”
The Farm Injury Control Summit is for rural municipal leaders and partners, and is aimed at helping to eliminate deaths and disabling injuries in Saskatchewan.
“This one-day workshop will serve to increase understanding of sleep dynamics and show how one can get the most out of their sleep,” says Imhoff. “The workshop will provide health professionals and agricultural interest groups with some practical information that can help farmers, their families and their workers manage stress,” explains Imhoff.
To facilitate this process, the organizers are calling on the experience of Jon Shearer, a sleep researcher since 1977 and a professor at Ontario’s Algonquin College, who will be conducting the “Sleepless in Saskatchewan” workshop. Shearer has studied the effects of sleep deprivation on shift-workers, such as nurses and police officers, for some time. He has lectured and conducted workshops for over 1,000 professional associations.
“His credentials include the publication of 25 articles on the subject, as well as serving as an expert witness in a number of shift-work arbitrations,” adds Imhoff.
The morning will feature an exploration of stress and its impact on our relationships with family, the people we work and deal with in our life. There will a segment on how, as stress builds up, it changes us, not only physically, but psychologically.
“As our behaviour changes, those around us begin to notice these changes,” Imhoff points out. “Participants will be given a series of warning signs to look for as stress creeps into their lives.”
Career orientation will be looked at, especially the relationship between career commitment and stress.
Participants will gain insight into the relationship between sleep and our natural biological clock. There will be emphasis on how our daily routines can enhance our chances of getting a good night’s sleep, which in turn increases our ability to operate in the most efficient and safe manner in our work and interpersonal lives.
The science of sleep will be discussed, as well as the ways to increase the amount of positive sleep we can get. One of the aspects discussed will be the impact of diet on sleep efficiency.
Lastly, the summit will focus on gaining an understanding of the effects of extended hours of work on our physical, psychological and emotional status, and how to cope with extended hours of work.
To register, contact Kendra Ulmer at I.ARE.H at (306) 966-6643. Sleepless in Saskatchewan will be held at the Saskatoon Inn.
For more information, contact:
Ken Imhoff
Manager, Farm Stress Unit
Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
(306) 787-5196
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Grazing forages may well be the most sustainable agricultural practice, and certainly the most economical method of value-added processing of forages, in Saskatchewan.
However, in order to achieve peak efficiency on an acre-by-acre and day-by-day basis, graziers must give forage plants enough time to regrow and recover their vigour after grazing, according to Dr. Jim Romo of the Department of Plant Sciences at the University of Saskatchewan.
“The importance of providing adequate rest after forage removal is well understood and applied by managers of forages that are used for hay. A conscious decision is made to allow plants adequate rest—or the opportunity to complete their growth—between haying operations. This ensures that the maximum quality and quantity is produced and harvested on each acre and in time,” says Romo.
“This principle of allowing plants to complete their growth would be equally advantageous to apply in grazing systems, and few pasture managers have so far capitalized on this opportunity because of the scarcity of information for forages other than those used for hay.”
To address this issue, Dr. Romo and his colleagues conducted studies in the Northern Mixed Prairie range on the Missouri Coteau in central Saskatchewan. Research was done over a three-year period on a Loamy Range Site in excellent ecological condition in the Dark Brown Soil Zone, with a view to determine the amount of time needed by northern wheatgrass (Agropyron dasystachyum), western wheatgrass (A. smithii), plains rough fescue (Festuca hallii) and western porcupine grass (Stipa curtiseta), among others, to recover their forage production potential following mowing.
“In June, July and August, regrowth for the six species or plant groups and soil water at the 0 to 30 cm depth was determined following a single mowing of the sward to a 7.5 cm stubble height in April, May, June, July, August, September, October or November on concave and convex landforms on north slopes and south slopes, as well as level uplands,” explains Romo.
“Mowing did not enhance current year standing crop and above ground net primary production (ANPP). Instead, mowing generally reduced current year standing crop and ANPP. Depending on the month of mowing, species or species groups and landforms, one to 25 months elapsed from the time of mowing until current year standing crop was similar to that in the ummowed control.
The documented recovery of forage production after mowing suggests that a deferred rotation grazing system should be used to maintain forage production by northern wheatgrass, western wheatgrass, western porcupine grass, forbs and shrubs, and "other" graminoids.
“However, it would appear that rest rotation grazing systems that incorporate one full year of rest after grazing are needed to maintain potential forage production of plains rough fescue and total forage production over the entire landscape. These documented responses of plant recovery after herbage removal can be used to develop grazing systems that sustain forage production,” concludes Romo.
“These recommendations should serve as guiding principles. However, the exact amounts of rest needed by plants after grazing may require modification for site-specific conditions and management objectives.”
For a copy of the complete Final Report, titled Landscape Level Variation in Recovery of Production in Native Rangeland After Grazing (#20000272), please call Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food at (306)787-5929.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Jim Romo
Department of Plant Sciences
University of Saskatchewan
(306) 966-5015
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Never underestimate how evocative your part of the world will be to people from afar.
That is a lesson which resonates in Bob and Charlene Siemans’ mind every time they get an inquiry from a potential guest.
Charlene and her husband own the Longview Bed and Breakfast in Fiske.
“We quit grain farming about 10 years ago, and all our land has been reseeded to tame grass,” Charlene Sieman says. “The conversion has been a gradual process. We have light soil that is very sandy. When we saw the land blow away in the ‘80s, it got us thinking about where the future lay for us.
“We now run about 100 cows that we work through the rhythms of nature as much as possible. The cows calve in April or May on green grass out in the open. This means we don’t get up in the middle of the night to check on them. The cows go through calving pretty much on their own.”
The Siemans have established a rotational grazing system on their land and the cattle graze out there most of the year, with the occasional bales fed to them during the winter months.
A few years ago, the family developed an interest in welcoming guests at a three-bedroom house they have in the yard, just on the other side of the garden. As Charlene started to market this experience, the Siemans’ witnessed some enthusiastic responses.
“What we offer is more of an autonomous stay in the rented house,” Sieman explains. “People have their privacy in their own house—their temporary homestead of a sort—but they still come have breakfast with us in the morning. There is nothing quite like waking up in the morning with the sound of the rooster in the summer.
“We get a lot of seniors and empty nesters, as well as young families seeking a unique experience. Most of them are city people. Their visits always lead to some pretty intense discussions around food and agriculture. In many ways, the urban guests we welcome here know a lot more about the issues and challenges we face on the farm than one would think.”
The real icebreaker is always breakfast time.
“The eggs we serve are from farm-raised chicken, as is almost every bit of food we serve: fresh baking, muffins, homemade bread, jams made from fruits grown in our raspberry or strawberry patch.”
What does Charlene Sieman like most about this business?
“Just meeting all these people. They come and bring their holidays to us. I find we get over the trivial conversations and into more meaningful topics real quick. Somehow, it makes us appreciate even more the lifestyle and the economic activity we have chosen for ourselves—it makes it all worth it.”
For more information, contact:
Charlene Siemans
Longview Bed and Breakfast
(306) 377-4786
http://www.bbcanada.com/1702.html
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
When it comes to sustainable tourism practices, Dave Weiman has set some noble ideals for himself. His company, Sawyer Lake Adventures, is based in the Preeceville area, where he raises Scottish Highland cattle, chickens and Siberian huskies and farms the old fashioned way, using heavy horses.
“My horses are of the Suffolk Punch breed, originally from the East Anglian county in Britain,” Weiman says. “The breed traces its roots back to the early 16th century and before. They are the smallest of the heavy horses, standing at about 16 hands. They have a very nice disposition, require comparatively lower rations than other horses in their weight range, and they are particularly suited to fieldwork.”
Guests who visit Dave Weiman’s camp and farm can learn how to drive horse and how to communicate with them using reins and other resources. They are exposed to a rich culture that hasn’t been interpreted to the public as much as it could.
“This is a fascinating part of the world, traveled through centuries by indigenous societies, and later on, by European settlers who came with high hopes to live off the land. What we especially love to share with guests is the interdependent relationship humans have with domesticated animals across our land,” Weiman says.
“The roomy country home and lodge were both built with white spruce logs that were harvested on our land and skidded using our horses. We milled them with a wood-saving bandsaw on our own land. The stamina and pulling power of the Suffolk are unquestionable. I use my horses constantly. They are also gentle and powerful mounts that our guests ride during both summer and winter. Our animals must be used for them to stay healthy.”
Weiman feels the same way about the dogs he raises.
“You know, 99 per cent of sled dogs are used for racing activities. Our Siberian huskies are raised as recreation animals. We use them to pull carts in the summer. In November, I move the dogs to the lodge for the winter months. From November to March, we are booked solid with guests on the weekends. I run the dogs and I log with the horses—and visitors get to participate in the activities.”
Weiman’s approach to tourism is rooted in sharing the authenticity of life at the camp and at the farm.
“We butcher the chickens in the fall, and we sell our Highland cattle beef at the farmgate. The trick is packaging the experience of spending time here as a product that the tourism industry is willing to market.”
Weiman will be the first to admit there is always something to learn when it comes to knowing your consumers.
“Saskatchewan is welcoming more and more new residents who come from other places in the world. When their family members come for visits, they are always seeking unique experiences for them to enjoy. I guess we are unique enough that people are tempted to come live with us for a while,” Weiman says.
“Family reunions are a big market for us. Can you imagine how conducive a place like ours can be to socializing, when relatives who haven’t seen each other for 15 years get together in the country? Sure beats meeting in a motel.”
Weiman’s practices have inspired some of his colleagues in the ecotourism/sustainable tourism field, where perseverance and the quest for excellence are prerequisites to success.
For more information, contact:
David Weiman
Sawyer Lake Adventures
(306) 547-4661
http://www.sawyerlake.com
Source: Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food
Once in a while, an agri-business idea so gutsy and so original comes along that it defies our own perceptions of what is possible here in Saskatchewan.
Enter Marty and Marie Bohnet’s Cypress Hills Vineyard and Winery project, just outside of Maple Creek.
“We used to ranch with my husband’s brother and his father,” explains Marie. “The operation wasn’t generating enough revenue to support three families. We wanted to keep living here because we are really attached to our community.
“A few years ago, we went on a holiday in the Okanagan Valley where we visited a number of wineries. We asked ourselves why we couldn’t do this in Saskatchewan. We have grown our own grapes for years. We have three 10 year-old vines that produce 38 pounds of grapes.”
The Bohnet family did some research and came across new grape hybrids from Wisconsin and Minnesota that were able to survive temperatures of 26 to 40 degrees below zero.
“We have never had any winter kill on our old vines,” proudly claims Marie. “Currently, we have 18 on a test trial to rate then for winter hardiness and production. The new varieties are mostly crosses between vinefere from Europe and the hearty American vitus labrusca variety. Together, these yield a wine similar to that made with European grapes, but you have the added advantage of plants that will survive prairie winters and have increased disease resistance.”
They planted 800 vines on their property last year and 1,000 vines this year, for a total of 3.5 acres of land. They plan on having 10 acres in the ground within four years.
“We get our vine stock from Ontario and Quebec, and every vine is watered through a drip line that allows us to use our water resources wisely. When we plant the vines, we take advantage of slope opportunities and, of course, shelter from the wind, which is always a concern. You know how windy it can get in the Cypress Hills.”
In planting their vines, Marie and Marty have established a low cordon system. This means that the actual trunk of the vine is six inches long. The first wire is just above that. The vines grow during the spring and summer. Grapes mature in the fall. When the plant is dormant in February or March, the vine is trimmed back to that short trunk.
“This is key to allowing the vine to survive,” says Marie. “Often, the trunk is buried under snow, providing extra protection against the extreme cold. It is funny, because when we used to be in the cattle business, we loved chinooks. Now we think a little differently thank most folk around the hills, because we don’t much like chinooks anymore. They can expose the vine to frost and wind, which could result in decreased production.”
While weighing these considerations, Marie is at the same time trying to establish the vineyard and winery in the most ecologically-friendly manner possible.
“Our aging facilities will be built underground, so as to minimize heating and energy needs. The vineyard is located over previously cultivated areas. We use a posthole auger to plant the vines in tame grass that is mowed. If you have sod cover, you get 10 to 15 degrees more frost protection. We stop mowing in August in order to allow the grass to hold the snow through winter.”
The winery is currently looking at licensing to produce wine, which is a complex process. As well, the Cypress Hills Vineyard and Winery is looking at organic production.
They plan on opening to the public in June of 2007, with 20,000 bottles ready for retail. They hope to be the first commercial grape vineyard and winery in Saskatchewan—cottage style. Guests will be able buy wine on the premises, tour the vineyards and sample the wines. They will be able to enjoy a rustic picnic or a bistro style lunch on the premises.
The greenhouse will help propagate and sell new grape varieties that are hardy on the Prairies. Their operation will also include one acre of raspberry, rhubarb and chokecherry production.
Because they are located right on Highway 271, 20 kilometres southwest of Maple Creek, they hope to draw on the thousands of visitors who visit Fort Walsh National Historic Site and the estimated 250,000 who visit the Cypress Hills each year.
For more information, contact:
Marie Bohnet
Cypress Hills Vineyard and Winery
Maple Creek
(306) 662-4395
"The World Archaeological Congress wishes to make known its sincere respect for Lakota scholar, Vine Deloria said Dr. Claire Smith, President of the World Archaeological Congress. "Without his insightful, powerful work on behalf of Native people, a truly decolonized archaeology would be a fantasy rather than the emerging reality evidenced by the successful Inter-Congress on Indigenous Archaeology recently held in Auckland, NZ."
When Vine Deloria left this world he left behind a legacy of strengthening American Indian peoples. He is known for having raised challenges to American institutions that threatened the sovereignty and dignity of Native peoples and one of his more enjoyable targets was the discipline of anthropology. "Speaking for myself as a Native American archaeologist, I have to say that Vine Deloria was one of the guiding lights for Native peoples in the 20th and 21st centuries. His shrewd wit and dedication to American Indian sovereignty freed anthropologists from the boundaries of scientific paternalism. His passing is a loss to Indigenous people worldwide." said Dorothy Lippert, Indigenous representative to the Executive of the World Archaeological Congress.
In his seminal work, Custer Died for your Sins, the chapter, "Here come the anthros" bewildered many anthropologists of the time, given that the prevailing notion was that anthropologists worked on behalf of Native peoples, working to inform the tribes about tribal culture. By puncturing the omniscient masquerade that anthropology had held until that time, Deloria pointed the way towards a new incarnation of anthropology in which Indigenous people are respected as leaders and partners in analyzing culture. The WAC code of ethics and The Vermillion Accords reflect the impact of his work.
BACKGROUND The World Archaeological Congress (WAC) is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization and is the only elected international body of practising archaeologists. WAC promotes interest in the past in all countries, to recognise the historical and social role and political context of archaeology, and endeavours to make archaeological studies relevant to the wider community. WAC acknowledges and recognises Indigenous methodologies for interpreting, curating, managing and protecting Indigenous cultural heritage.
Claire Smith, President, World Archaeological Congress, 20th November, 2005
Email: claire.smith@flinders.edu.au; URL: www.worldarchaeologicalcongress.org; Ph: 61 (0)8 82012336; 61 (0)8 82781934
Additional contact: Dorothy Lippert, dorothyl@alumni.rice.edu; Ph: 1 571-235-4297
