RAIN Symposium – Cold-hardy Fruit & Local Food Innovations
Posted: January 20, 2014
Categories: Events / Food in the News / GoodFoodBites / News from Sustain Members
The upcoming Rural Agri-Innovation Network (RAIN) Symposium, focusing on agriculture and food workshops, is scheduled for February 7 & 8, 2014, at Bruce Station Hall in Bruce Mines. Open to the public, this two-day event will focus on cold-hardy fruit production in the north and ways for producers to overcome barriers to accessing the local market.
Sustain Ontario Advisory Council Co-chair, Bryan Gilvesy, of Y U Ranch in Tillsonburg, will discuss innovative techniques that can help farmers shorten value chains, resulting in easier access to the local food market. Sharing his experience marketing Y U Ranch’s ecologically-farmed, grass-fed beef, Bryan will provide inspiration for other producers to identify new value propositions, or ways to satisfy new markets. Don’t miss Bryan’s presentation, “Marketing and Innovation for Local Food Producers” on the evening of Friday, February 7th.
In an effort to encourage Algoma fruit producers to try new cold-hardy fruit crops at reduced risk, RAIN has engaged Dr. Bob Bors, Assistant Professor of Plant Science, Domestic Plant Program Lead, University of Saskatchewan, to offer the full-day workshop, “Northern Hardy Fruit Production”, on Saturday, February 8th. Novice and experienced growers alike will benefit from Dr. Bors’ research and expertise regarding species selection, growth and breeding of cold-tolerant fruit in the north.
Saturday’s workshop will also include discussions by haskap berry producers, Greg and Mira Melien of Boreal Berry Farm & Winery; Ron Lewis of Lewis’s Hardy Fruit Trees & Giant Pumpkins; and Dale Jackson of St. Joseph Island.
Tickets may be purchased for one or both workshops:
Friday’s presentation, including dinner: $15.00
Saturday’s workshops, including a light breakfast and lunch: $25.00
Friday and Saturday, including above meals: $35.00
To register, visit Eventbrite online, or contact Erin Heeney, RAIN Local Food Researcher, at: eheeney@ssmic.com or 705-942-7927 ext. 3065. For more information on RAIN, please visit: www.rainalgoma.ca.
Thank you to Sustain Ontario’s advisory council member and RAIN Research Project Coordinator, David Thompson, for sharing this event, and to the Agricultural Management Institute (AMI) for funding Friday’s speaker presentation.