Algoma Traceability Workshop March 11

This free one-day workshop will focus on how you can gain a competitive advantage and improve your bottom line with your traceability system. Real life examples and business profiles focused on traceability best practices will be examined throughout the workshop. Learn how to assess your current traceability system to identify gaps, and methods to improve your traceability system in order …

3 Seed Saving Workshops in Algoma

Farmer Seed Social March 6th 12:30 pm – 2:30 pm Johnson Township Community Centre 1 Johnson Drive, Desbarats Farmer Potluck! Free Admission! Network with Algoma farmers and seed growers to talk about your favourite varieties and how to grow them in your region! Seed-saving in Northern Ontario: The Fundamentals March 7th: 10:30am – 12:00pm. Sault Ste. Marie Seedy Saturday Essar …

Public Consultation on Chicken Allocation and Northern Ontario

All interested parties, farmer, processors and consumers are invited to join a consultation about the chicken quota allocation in Ontario. The Ontario Farm Products Marketing Commission, Chicken Farmers of Ontario and the Association of Ontario Chicken Processors, as Team Ontario, is undertaking broad consultations on how to allocate growth in the Ontario chicken industry. The goal of the process is …

2015 RAIN Symposium – February 7th

The 4th-annual RAIN Agriculture & Food Symposium, focused on pollinators, will be held in Bruce Mines this February 7th . This year’s event will focus on pollinators in agriculture and will be of interest to farmers, gardeners and beekeepers alike. The event will provide an opportunity to connect the agriculture community while bringing knowledgeable speakers to the region, including Susan Chan, …

Hiring: Food Action Coordinator (Internship)

RURAL AGRI-INNOVATION NETWORK (RAIN) FOOD ACTION COORDINATOR INTERNSHIP The Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN), Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre (SSMIC) and NORDIK Institute (Algoma University) are seeking a new graduate to work with a diverse group of stakeholders to facilitate skills development and event coordination to benefit the food and farming sector of Algoma. The individual will implement opportunities for networking …

2015 Winter Events

Winter Markets Open Saturday January 10th, 2015 Algoma Farmers’ Market 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Wellington Square Mall Mill Market 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. at 35 Canal Drive Algoma Cattlemen’s Association – Annual General Meeting January 14th, 2015   7:30 p.m.  Presentation by Barry Potter (OMAFRA) and reports from Matt Bowman (BFO) Bruce Station Hall (109 Station Rd., Bruce Mines) …

A letter from David Thompson, RAIN Research Project Coordinator

The Future of the Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) RAIN’s Focus for 2015 and Beyond – Infrastructure, Research and Innovation It is hard to believe that RAIN is approaching the third and final year of the pilot project that set out to build capacity  for thriving farms and agri-food businesses in Algoma. In the beginning, areas of focus included: developing infrastructure …

Foodies and Farmers Discuss Local Food Strategy for Sault Area

On November 21st and 22nd, 2014, the Sault & Area Food Summit took place in downtown Sault Ste. Marie. Organized by the RAIN, the two-day Food Summit kicked-off Friday evening with a Harvest Dinner Fundraiser which raised nearly $5,000 for the Soup Kitchen’s Good Food Box. Saturday, the Food Summit continued with an interactive community discussion. Guest speakers from across …

Farm Tour for New Farmers Sun Oct 5th

RAIN is excited to be on the advisory committee of the Northeastern Ontario New Farmer Network, which is is kicking off their 2014 fall/winter activities with a farm tour at Field Good Farms this Sunday October 5th. Please pass the following information on to any new farmers (or prospective farmers) that you know! New Farmer Training Series: Fall in the …

Pasture Improvement with Ben Bartlett (photos)

Ben Bartlett, Grazing Specialist from Michigan State University, visited the Algoma Pasture Improvement Project site at a recent Algoma Soil & Crop Improvement Association (ASCIA) event on July 31, 2014. During the tour Ben clearly demonstrated that the current pasture forage was a reflection of how the livestock were managed. A short presentation was given on the difficult topic of …