Only organic potato breeding program in Canada

The Ontario Federation of Agriculture is calling on the Ontario government to take action in controlling the spread of noxious wild parsnip spreading on provincial lands. “Noxious weeds are more than an inconvenience. They can cause damage and loss to crops, seriously affect livestock, invade natural environments and they can be extremely toxic to humans,” Bruce Webster, a federation board member, writes on the organization’s website. He notes that several municipalities are taking the threat of wild parsnip seriously and implementing control measures. Ryan and Amanda Thiessen run Creek Shore Farms, a vegetable Community Supported Agriculture operation in the centre of the Creek Shores sub-appellation. They are also participating in growing out new populations of organic potatoes as part of the only organic potato breeding program in Canada. The Ecological Farmers of Ontario is hosting a field day on growing seeds to support a market garden, at Creek Shore Farms, 1167 Lakeshore Rd W. on the outskirts of St. Catharines on Aug. 29, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. More