Ontario Farms Fill Your Thanksgiving Table

Oct 03, 2024
By Jean-Paul McDonald
Assistant Editor, North American Content, Farms.com

Fresh Local Produce Stars in Ontario’s Fall Festivities

Ontario’s farms are bustling with activity, providing an abundance of fresh produce just in time for Thanksgiving. This season, take the opportunity to immerse yourself in the local flavour and tradition that define Ontario’s agricultural landscape.

October 7 to 13 is 2024 Ontario Agriculture Week, a perfect prelude to Thanksgiving, offering a time to reflect on and celebrate the vital role of agriculture in sustaining and enriching our lives.

Ontario farmers are pivotal in producing an array of products from fruits and vegetables to dairy and meats, all essential for a traditional Thanksgiving feast.

Local markets come alive with the hues of autumn, offering everything from apples and pears to squash and pumpkins, all ripe for your holiday table.

These markets are not just places to shop; they are community gatherings where you can meet the growers and understand the journey of your food from farm to table.

For your Thanksgiving dinner, consider the classics: roasted Ontario turkey, accompanied by a medley of side dishes such as mashed potatoes, brussels sprouts, and homemade cranberry sauce sourced from local cranberry bogs.

The indulgence continues with desserts like apple crisps and pumpkin pies, crafted from locally harvested ingredients.

This holiday season, the OFA’s Home Grown campaign is in full swing, aiming to educate and encourage consumers to support local farmers.

Photo Credit: pexels-rufina-rusakova

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.