Garlic Field Day in Maberly, Ontario June 26

PROGRAM

GARLIC FIELD DAY 2011

AT THE SMALL-PLOT GARLIC VARIETY TRIALS SITE

BEAVER POND ESTATES, MABERLY, ONTARIO

SUNDAY JUNE 26, 2011 starting at 10:00 am

Morning Program:


09:00- 10:00 am : Arrival and registration. Name tags provided.

10:00 : Welcome & introductions – Paul Pospisil

: walking talk of the Garlic Trials Plots (sketch layout)

11: 00: Leek Moth Updates

- OMAFRA, Margaret Appleby

- A/AFC, Peter Mason, Andrea Brauner

- Solida Pheromones, Marc Charbonneau

- Row cover experiment, Carolyn Smith

- Discussion, all attendees

12:00: Lunch Break, own arrangements, complimentary coffee & drinks providfed

- sharing & sampling table

(eat your lunch around Ted Maczka’s van to see his latest projects)

Afternoon Program:


13:00: Bulb & Stem Nematode Updates

- OMAFRA, Michael Celetti

- New Liskeard Research Station, Becky Hughes**

- Discussion, all attendees

14:00: Marketing: Updates on Garlic Festivals planned for summer & fall 2011.

: Grower announcements

14:30: Networking: Discussion & Question session. Growers are welcome to buy, sell, or exchange their garlic and garlic information.

15:30: end of Field Day program. Attendees are welcome to stay and enjoy their outing at the “Beaver Pond”.

: This is the time to order garlic from the trials and renew memberships in the Garlic News.


**Nematode Sample Drop Off: Commercial growers participating in the GGAO/ OMAFRA Nematode testing program may drop off their garlic samples at the field day. Becky Hughes will collect them for testing

Aberfoyle Farmers' Market

After more than a year of planning the Aberfoyle Farmers' Market had a great launch. I resigned from the board of the Aberfoyle Farmers' Market Association so that I could assume the role of Market Manager.
We have an average of 30 vendors, and are truly a farmers' market. Our farmers are no further than 45 miles away, and with a few minor exceptions, all that they sell they produce.

Criteria For Choosing a Place To Grow 50,000 Garlic

I'm looking for a plot to plant an acre of garlic in October to November, about 50,000 cloves. They'll come from the approximately 8,000 bulbs I expect to harvest in July. I've been considering 5-6 farms to plant the garlic.  Thanks to my internship last year I have an idea of the questions to ask. But I've found that it's still a bit of a mystery to choose the "correct" place. I know what questions to ask, but figuring out what to do with the answers is another thing. Some of the questions I've used in my query are listed here. Items marked with a #1 are a priority, 2 are less important.

• Location    
• Growing Zone   
• Are Owners Aware of the features of their farm?    1
• Owner is Ok For Peter to get garlic plot Organic Certified?    1
• What is the Past Growing method in proposed garlic plot?    1
• Crop Rotation History    1
• Distance to Other Alliums on farm or neighbour's farm (to protect against disease such as stem and bulb nematode)?   
• Land Orientation & Slope   
• Soil Type    1
• Soil Properties    1
• Weed Types
• Access to Irrigation
• Exposure to wind
• Opportunity to plant living mulch in late Aug? 
• Cost to Access Certified Organic Compost    2
• Cost to Access Certified Organic Mulch    2
• Does soil Requires Spring Preparation for Oct, 2011 Planting?    2
• Access to min 1 ½ acres in 2011    2
• Potential To Expand to more acreage  in 2012 and beyond?    3

• Access to Labour in That Area?    2
• Access to Machines and reliable Repair    1
• Access to Handheld Tools    2
• Access To Curing Shed    1-2
• Access to Electricity? (for fan)   
• Access to Long term Storage    2

• Overnite Accomodation?   
• Ok To Bring Workers onto land?   
• Access To Outhouse (for workers)    2
• Access to Markets    2
• Someone to keep an eye on plot     2
• Consideration (method of payment)
• Opportunity to learn from farm owner    3
• Does Owner have Tax Exemption Certificate? (maybe they can get it through my garlic sales)?   
• What type of liability insurance do they have?
• Other Issues