diagram of cross-seeding vs conventional

Introducing RAIN’s new Cross-seeding Forages Project

According to the 2011 Census of Agriculture, 18.35% of Ontario’s grazed agricultural land is in the north. This combined total of rough and seeded pasture comprises nearly a third of northern Ontario’s agricultural land use. While rough pastures make use of native plants as forage, many farmers choose to sow domesticated grasses and legumes that produce a higher quality of …

Sustainable New Agri-Food Products & Productivity (SNAPP) Program Is Announced!

In partnership with FedNor, Northeast Community Network, Eat Local Sudbury and Cloverbelt Local Food Co-operative, the Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) will be coordinating a multi-year funding program for farm and food businesses in northern Ontario. The Sustainable New Agri-Food Products & Productivity Program (SNAPP) will provide a grant up to $5,000 at 75% cost share to purchase equipment for eligible …

RAIN and OMAFRA to host remote location for Forage Focus 2016

**NOTE: LOCATION HAS CHANGED!** We will be hosting a remote location to the Ontario Forage Council’s Forage Focus 2016 held in Shakespeare, ON. This year’s theme is “Recognizing the value of forages for profit and the environment”. Keynote speaker is Eric Young, Agronomist/Soil Scientist from The William H. Miner Agricultural Research Institute. Topics include “Best Forage Practices for the Crop, …

We are hiring!

The Central Algoma Food for Everyone (CAFFE) project is being led by the SSM Innovation Centre (SSMIC) / Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) in partnership with North Channel Poverty Awareness Network (NCPAN) to collaborate with North Channel communities and organizations. The project aims to strengthen food security through a food processing and education pilot project that engages community members, farms and …

Falling Plate Meter

Pasture Growth Summary 2016

by Mikala Parr, Research Assistant RAIN has been doing a weekly pasture walk starting on May 24th, 2016, and finishing on September 27th, 2016. During the walks, the grass was measured using a falling plate meter. The falling plate meter is a device used to estimate pasture forage yield. It measures bulk height, a combined measurement of grass height and …

Sheep Preferences: 2015 vs 2016

by Mikala Parr, Research Assistant Click on graph to enlarge in 2015: sheep clearly preferred willows over poplars sheep seemed to prefer trees with higher calcium content, and avoid trees with higher copper contents in 2016: a mineral supplement was provided to balance the ewes’ diet while there were some minor differences in preference ranking between years, the change was …

Sheep Preferences 2016

by Mikala Parr, Research Assistant METHOD Sheep were rotated through three paddocks planted with biomass-producing varieties of willow and poplar. The flock was monitored daily to determine how early and completely they browsed the new leaves and stems. The order and extent to which they ate each variety was noted, and ranked from most to least preferred. The ewes were …

Rural-Agri Innovation Network and CleanFARMS team up to collect obsolete pesticide and livestock medication from Algoma farmers

Sites open next week in Echo Bay and Thessalon promote safe disposal and environmental stewardship Sault Ste. Marie (September 21, 2016): The Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) is organizing the collection of obsolete pesticide and livestock medication from Algoma farmers, which will be transported to the CleanFARMS collection site in Gore Bay, Manitoulin Island. CleanFARMS is an industry-led non-profit organization that …

RAIN to host Farm Finances Train-the-Trainer Event

In partnership with Agri-Food Management Institute and Rob Hannam from the Synthesis Agri-Food Network, RAIN will host a train-the-trainer event for farm business advisors to learn how to train others how to analyze their farm’s financial statements and take action.The workshop will provide information, tools and resources to help advisors successfully work with agri-food business owners. The workshop will introduce …

Eat Algoma teams up with the Sylvan Circle

The Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) will be hosting the Eat Algoma local food festival at the Johnson Township Community Centre in Desbarats on September 17, 2016 from 12 to 5 p.m. This third annual event features a “Farm to Fork” style paring, where local restaurants and chefs are paired with local food suppliers to create a variety of delicious bite …