Reducing our environmental footprint with technology

We are the first farm in Canada to use the new Condor Endurance sprayer from Agrifac. This is a self-propelling sprayer from Europe that we just received in the summer of 2015. Its high tech design makes it extremely accurate and efficient at ensuring the spray goes (and stays) where it is supposed to. Not only will this mean we’ll need less water when we spray, but we’ll also need fewer crop protection products – both benefits that will help lower our farm’s environmental foot print.

Water management research

We worked with the Grand River Conservation Area on several water use and management projects through both the Water Resource Adaptation Management Initiative (WRAMI) and Water Allocation Management and Quality Initiative (WAMQI) programs managed by Farm & Food Care Ontario. Through participating in that project we were able to help trial innovative technologies and solutions for water conservation and efficiency in agriculture related to adapting to climate change. To learn more about these programs and the projects that were carried out, please visit http://www.farmfoodcare.org/environment.

Irrigation methods that help reduce the amount of water put onto the fields

We know that water is a precious resource, and while irrigation is essential to grow our crops, we also recognize the need to use it responsibly. To that end, we’ve switched to new nozzles on our irrigation systems so that we’re using less water. We’ve also started using soil moisture probes – they tell us how much moisture is already in the soil so that we’re only irrigating when the soil and the crops really need it. 

Crop rotation for healthy soil

We use a soil management method called crop rotation on our farm. This means we grow different crops on our fields every year – for example, if we grow soybeans on a field this year, we will grow a different crop like wheat or corn, on that same field the next year. Different pests attack different crops, so a rotation schedule prevents a major build-up of certain diseases or insects. Different crops also have different nutrient requirements, so changing what we grow where each year helps the soil stay healthy by not draining it of nutrients. This all means we can use less fertilizer and fewer crop protection products. And fewer passes through the field with our equipment means less fuel consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions – all wins for the environment.