BEAUTIFUL OCTOBER HEART BY AMANDA BADGER OF SUNSET MEADOW ACRES PARKLAND COUNTY, AB October 2025 NEW TURKEY RESEARCH P5 | PEELINGS & FEELINGS P8 NEW BRUNSWICK NATURALLY P12 | PLOWING MATCH MARVELS P20
COMFORTS OF HOME RE-BOOT It is comforting how some things don’t change or don’t change that much. I have living proof from a visit I made to New Brunswick with my mother recently. She was born and bred in Woodstock, NB where the Meduxnekeag and the Saint John Rivers join. As we grew up, our family visited every summer. Summers were like a Maritime homecoming, full of the wonder of local potato chips, fiddleheads, the Saint John River, giant ice-cream cones, horses and hay. The same feeling struck me this visit, a feeling of being home with the steadiness and belonging it provides. Sure, things have changed, quite a few really, but the pace of change more moderate and history and tradition more considered. I appreciate that connection with things that have been. Looking back and appreciating and maintaining the value in what came before us rather than a complete tear down. Striking the right balance is important as sometimes you can’t give it back, like farmland for houses. In some regions in Canada the pressure to develop farmland is so high that many can’t afford to stay and small farms have already left. Up until the end of the Second World War Canadians were self-sufficient in fruit and veg. Industrialization changed that and trade became the main driver of agriculture and food policy. Food policy based so heavily on trade is precarious. Let’s strike a better balance and include small, community based and local. It is time for a food policy re-boot! 250 & UNDER Cover photo Amanda Badger Sunset Meadow Acres Parkland County, AB IN THIS ISSUE October 2025 | Vol. 1 Issue 5 EDITOR Julie Harlow | 1-866-260-7985 ext 272 Julie.Harlow@SmallFarmCanada.ca ADVERTISING SALES 1-866-260-7985 Sales@SmallFarmCanada.ca DESIGN | Andrea Williams CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTIONS Ashleigh Benedict | 1-866-260-7985 x252 Subscriptions@SmallFarmCanada.ca MARKETING & OPERATIONS Denise Faguy | Denise.Faguy@Farms.com PUBLISHER | Farms.com Canada Inc. PRINT: The print magazine for Small Farm Canada is published six times each year by Farms.com Canada Inc. Subscription rate for one year: $24.95 (+tax). Single copy price is $5.95. SUBSCRIBE NOW! DIGITAL: Small Farm Canada Lite is published 6 times each year, tandeming the Small Farm Canada magazine print issues. Contact INFO@ SMALLFARMCANADA.CA for your free subscription. Your privacy is important to us. Occasionally we may send you information from reputable companies whose products or services we believe may be of interest to you. If you would prefer to have your name removed from the list, contact us at Info@SmallFarmCanada.ca. Contents copyrighted by Farms.com Canada Inc. and may be reprinted only with permission. Copyright © 2025 Farms.com Canada Inc. All rights reserved. ISSN 1710 4955 Acceptance of advertising does not constitute endorsement of the advertiser, its products or services, nor do Small Farm Canada, or Farms.com Canada Inc. endorse any advertiser claims. The publisher shall have no liability for the omission of any scheduled advertising. 90 Woodlawn Road West, Guelph, ON N1H 1B2 www.SmallFarmCanada.ca PROUD TO BE CANADIAN OWNED! We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada. Get social with Small Farm Canada IN THE NEXT PRINT ISSUE: NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2025 SEED ISSUE Booking deadline: Friday, October 10, 2025 Ad material due: Friday, October 17, 2025 We’re planting seeds and ideas to year-end with a bang-up issue that includes a guide on seed. The 2026 SFC Seed Guide will feature over 140 seed dealers with news and information. The magazine will have a seasonal theme with stories on livestock wintering, food self-sufficiency and out-building prep for ice and snow. TOP: AMANDA BADGER | BOTTOM LEFT: PIXEL-SHOT - ADOBE STOCK | BOTTOM RIGHT: LORAIN EBBETT-RIDEOUT | JULIE HARLOW Want the print issue? Subscribe here! 16 RAIL FENCE REVIVAL ARTICLE BY CARY RIDEOUTOUT 20 2025 INTERNATIONAL PLOWING MATCH & RURAL EXPO PHOTO JOURNAL 5 NEWS & NOTES BY JUSTIN CARROW Dairy cows & beef calves, turkey AI research, New World screwworm, animal antibiotics & human resistance 22 RESTORING THE FARM BOAT BY DAN NEEDLES A priceless story of a dryland rescue & repair. 8 PEELINGS HAVE FEELINGS TOO ARTICLE BY AMY HOGUE & FINN HOGUE From cleanser to broth to potato chips, peelings can pack a punch and reduce waste. 12 A LITE LOOK AT NEW BRUNSWICK ARTICLE BY JULIE HARLOW Nice, novel, notable nourishing, nurturing, New Brunswick agriculture.
4 October 2025 TOP: CHATSWORTH FARM | MIDDLE: QUINN FARM | BOTTOM: VILOGSIGN - ADOBE STOCK 5 www.SmallFarmCanada.ca TOP: ADOBE FIREFLY | BOTTOM: PETRRGOSKOV - ADOBE STOCK Hello Julie, I hope your week is off to a wonderful start! It’s been a while since Alberta Open Farm Days, and we are still buzzing with excitement and gratitude. Thank you so much for your support of this year’s event at Chatsworth Farm, your support truly helped make it such a success. This year, our farm welcomed more than 650 visitors (a new record) from across Alberta, Saskatchewan, BC, Newfoundland, and even as far away as England, Wales, and Germany. We were also honoured to host numerous members of the County of Vermilion River Council plus the Economic Development Officer, Town of Vermilion Council, Town of Vermilion CAO and her family, as well as our local MLA, further underscoring the importance of this event within our community and beyond. In addition, we were thrilled to be featured as front-page news in our local newspaper, and several media outlets covered our event. All interviews and media features will be linked on our website and posted soon. We are so grateful for your sponsorship and for believing in the importance of connecting people to agriculture. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about the day or the report. I will be “out of office” from September 6th–11th attending the Canadian Cattle Young Leaders competition in Quebec City. The success of our Open Farm Days was a major factor in my being selected as a semi-finalist in this national program, and I’ll be competing for a finalist spot at the event. Many, many thanks, Charlotte W., Chatsworth Farm, Vermillion, AB ANTIBIOTICS USED IN FOOD-ANIMAL PRODUCTION LINKED TO RESISTANCE IN PEOPLE New research suggests that a class of antibiotics commonly used in poultry (and other livestock), but not in people, could contribute to antibiotic-resistant infections in humans. The antibiotic class is ionophores. They are used to treat coccidiosis in poultry and to promote growth and prevent disease in pigs and cattle. Ionophores are one of several classes of antibiotics used in food-animal production that are considered non-medically important because they aren’t used in human medicine, due to toxicity. Regulated less strictly than medically important antibiotics, ionophore use is significant in livestock and poultry. A study published in mSphere from Carleton University in Ottawa revealed that ionophore use could co-select for resistance to medically important antibiotics. They found that bacteria carrying genes that promote resistance to ionophores are widespread and present in both animals and people and carry multiple resistance genes to medically important antibiotics. “That really suggests that the assumption that ionophore use in animals is safe for humans is not a good assumption,” senior study author Alex Wong, PhD said. “We’re accidentally selecting for resistance to drugs that are important to humans. So, this is an issue we think we need to pay more attention to than we have.” Source: Chris Dall for ProMED-AMR A major Canadian research initiative is giving turkey and other poultry producers insights into how highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) spreads – and what they can do to better protect their farms without harming the environment. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) are collaborating on a research project to identify how HPAI is spreading, the role wildlife plays in this spread, and on-farm risk management strategies that producers can employ. The key being what can farmers do without harming the environment. HPAI outbreaks have had a devastating impact on domestic poultry but also on wild bird populations. For turkey farmers, who have been overrepresented in infection numbers, this means a clearer understanding on how to minimize risk. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) research scientist Dr. Jennifer Provencher is co-leading the effort with ECCC colleagues and Carleton University. They will study how biodiversity and landscape features may contribute to HPAI outbreaks. “What’s changed is the scale and impact of this virus on wild birds,” she says. “We’re seeing wild and migratory bird mortality events across Canada – dead seabirds on beaches, dead geese in the Prairies – which is why Environment and Climate Change Canada are now involved with a whole response team to look at how HPAI transmits across the landscape.” Avian Influenza transmission to domestic flocks has been anecdotally linked to wetlands and the presence of wild birds – such as barn swallows, but Provencher notes that there is no real evidence to suggest these links actually exist or are behind on-farm infections. Source: Canadianpoultrymag.com MYTH BUSTING AVIAN INFLUENZA WITH RESEARCH NEWS & NOTES LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Elwood and Pam are each longtime farmers and directors of Heritage Livestock Canada. - Julie Julie, I’ll tell you a little side story about my favourite Shropshire ewe, the cute nut-brown face with hay stuck on it. When she was almost one year old in 2016 she suddenly fell terribly ill. 2015 had been a severe drought in Ontario, similar to this year, though some say this one is even worse. Elwood can explain the plant physiology best, but basically if their food source is stressed it can sometimes cause problems to the animal due to lack of nutrients. She was the only one in a flock of 12 yearlings but nonetheless she reacted, with barely a pulse left. I spoke with Reuben, my vet here in Manitoba, and he said to immediately get a huge amount of B1 (Thiamine) into her. Elwood’s vet wasn’t available, so he opted for a bottle of tablets from Shoppers Drug Mart. He crushed the entire bottle and dissolved them in water, syringing the mixture down her throat. I believe he repeated this a few hours later and again the next day. The next morning she was standing up on her feet chewing her cud, a major sign of recovery! She never looked back except her sight was affected quite severely. We noticed there would almost always be a ewe on either side of her, especially when feeding. So if you ever hear people say animals don’t have compassion, dismiss it! She went on to conceive, never failed, giving Elwood twins every year & occasionally triplets. Her sight actually recovered or at least enough that her independence returned. She passed a couple of years ago sadly, having given us some lovely lambs & a heartwarming story. I still give Reuben gifts of local meat when I see him & his wife Yvette, also a vet though both retired now. Pam H., Heritage Livestock Canada, Nesbitt, MB Thanks Connor, we have updated SFC’s list of Canadian Meaderies! If you have a meadery we have missed, contact editor@SmallFarmCanada.ca.
7 www.SmallFarmCanada.ca TOP: RMD17- ADOBE STOCK | BOTTOM LEFT: PARILOV - ADOBE STOCK | BOTTOM RIGHT: ANDRY KUZMIN - ADOBE STOCK | VECTYX - ADOBE STOCK | ELBENEDIKT - ADOBE STOCK 6 October 2025 MARKET BRINGS DAIRY AND BEEF TOGETHER AGAIN Recent improvements in dairy cow reproduction technology have given farmers greater access to a lucrative market segment. In the past few years, more dairies have begun implanting beef cattle embryos to dairy-cow surrogates and are cashing in due to increasing demand for the calves in the US. Milk prices have been all over the map in the US recently and dairy farmers have looked to the beef market as a “risk management opportunity,” said Daniel Munch, an economist at the American Farm Bureau Federation. “They’re also becoming beef producers.” He said. Source: AgAlert.com The new world screwworm is a parasite that exploits any open wound of warm-blooded animals. Female flies lay hundreds of eggs in even the tiniest cut, scrape or orifice (corner of the eye, nostils, etc). From there, screw-shaped larvae, emerge to twist and bore into their victim, eating them alive and causing a putrid, life-threatening lesion. While sterile flies (sterile insect technique or SIT) are currently the most effective way to prevent the spread of NWS, technology continues to evolve. The USDA will provide up to $100 million to invest in viable innovations that show rapid progress of promising technologies. USDA will also construct a sterile fly production facility, at Moore Air Force Base, Edinburg, TX with proximity to the United States-Mexico border. It will produce up to 300 million sterile flies per week. This USA-based sterile fly facility will work in tandem with facilities in Panama and Mexico to help eradicate the pest. NWS was considered eradicated from North and Central America in the early 2000s. • Mexico has reported additional human cases of NWS myiasis in Chiapas, Campeche, Yucatan, and Tabasco • El Salvador has confirmed its fourth human case of NWS myiasis • Honduras has reported 2,496 animal cases of NWS, most of them on its border with Nicaragua; the sterile fly release in the region has also stopped, as all the sterile fly production in Panama is being sent to Mexico • Guatemala has reported additional cases of NWS in cattle, horses, pigs, and dogs • The US has confirmed its first human travel- associated case of NWS myiasis in a resident of Maryland who recently travelled to El Salvador Source: ProMed US BRACES FOR THE NEW WORLD SCREWWORM (NWS) SMALL FARM CANADA BARNYARD HUMOUR Help build a better internet in your community. GIVE US A HAND! Test your internet performance IF YOU BOIL A FUNNY BONE... IT BECOMES A LAUGHING STOCK! ...HUMERUS!
9 www.SmallFarmCanada.ca TOP: AMY & FINN HOGUE | BOTTOM: NATALIA MERZLYAKOVA - ADOBE STOCK This is Waste Not where we tip our hats to the creativity and ingenuity of small farmers who have long mastered the art of reimagining “waste” as potential. This column shares tips, innovations and recipes to help you make the most of every resource and embrace a waste-free lifestyle. CITRUS PEEL CLEANSER When trying to cut costs on grocery bills, eliminating costly cleansers can be a real money saver. This citrus peel cleanser can be your go-to all purpose cleanser that is easy to make and store. This recipe uses waste peels that would normally be discarded or used for composting, making it good for the environment as well (win-win). HERE’S HOW TO MAKE IT: TAKING STOCK: VEGGIE SCRAP BROTH Every time you make a meal that uses veggies, what do you do with the leftover onion or garlic skins, celery leaves, tomato seeds or any other type of veggie scrap? Most of these “discarded” scraps are thrown out or added to the compost pile, but they still have a lot of nutritional value in them. Next time you cut off the end of a carrot or peel a clove of garlic, throw your scraps in a container and toss them in the freezer until you have enough to PEELINGS HAVE VALUE TOO! ARTICLE BY AMY HOGUE & FINN HOGUE WASTE NOT 1. Save your discarded orange, lemon or lime peels (these can be kept in a container in the fridge until you have enough to make the cleanser). 2. Loosely pack citrus peels into a glass jar until the jar is full. 3. Top the citrus peels with white vinegar to fill the jar. 4. Optional: Add a few drops of essential oils to the jar to add another scent (we used peppermint oil with lemon peels). 5. Once you have added everything to your jar, shake it up then stick it in the fridge or on your counter for one to three weeks. To help encour- age infusion, you can give the jar a shake every few days. 6. Strain out the peels and transfer the liquid to a spray bottle for easy use. This citrus cleanser works great on glass or can be used to clean your bathroom, added to your dishwasher or used in your washing machine to freshen laundry. Note this product should not be used on granite, marble or other sensitive stone surfaces, natural hardwood floors or wood furniture as it can cause staining. CLEANING STRENGTH: White vinegar provides a natural but effective antimicrobial cleanser and citrus peels are known to have natural anti-fungal, antibacterial, insecticidal and deodorizing properties. USE A RECYCLED GLASS JAR TO KEEP THIS PRODUCT EVEN MORE ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS! OLD PICKLE OR SALSA JARS ARE THE PERFECT SIZE FOR THIS PRODUCT. 8 October 2025 TOP: AMY & FINN HOGUE make broth. These scraps can be used to add additional flavouring to bone broth or used on their own to make a lovely veggie scrap broth. HERE’S HOW TO MAKE IT: 1. Save your veggie scraps by tossing them in a bag or container and storing them in the freezer. 2. Once you’ve accumulated a variety of scraps (ie. onions, garlic, celery, carrot etc.) and enough to fill a four-cup measure, transfer them from the freezer to a large stock pot. 3. Fill the pot with water – ensure the scraps are completely submerged. 4. Season with salt and other spices as desired. 5. Add any leftover bones (optional). 6. Cover the pot and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for a minimum three hours, maximum six hours. If the water evaporates too quickly, top up with more water. 7. Strain the stock using a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl. 8. Add more salt to taste. 9. Compost or discard the leftover veggie scraps and bones. 10. Use the broth as a soup base or freeze into ice cube trays to use as stock cubes. Homemade broth can keep in the fridge for up to one week, or in the freezer for two months. POTATO PEEL CHIPS Have you noticed how expensive potato chips are at the store lately? Not only have the prices gone up but the bags have gotten smaller! What if you could make your own potato chips – for free? Next time you’re making a meal that calls for peeled potatoes, don’t toss out your leftover potato peels. Instead make these peels into potato chips, turning a waste product into a money saving snack. HERE’S HOW TO MAKE IT: 1. Make sure your potatoes are well cleaned, and you have removed any blemishes or sprouts (anything you wouldn’t want to eat!). 2. Peel the potatoes with a potato peeler. Avoid using a knife as that leaves too much of the potato flesh on the peel. 3. Soak the peels in room temperature or cold water for 30 minutes. 4. Rinse the peels and dry them – the drier the peels the more they will crisp up when baked. 5. Spread peels in a single layer and drizzle with a light coat of cooking oil. There should be enough oil to coat the potato peels lightly. 6. Salt the potato skins. 7. Optional: Add seasonings like garlic powder, barbecue seasoning etc. 8. Bake in oven for 15-18 minutes. For crispier results, broil them for a few minutes near the end. 9. Let cool and serve! NOTE: Potato peel chips are best eaten fresh, but you can store the potato skins in the fridge in a sealed bag for one or two days until you are ready to make the chips. IF YOU’RE HAVING TROUBLE GETTING YOUR SKINS COMPLETELY DRY, TRY DRYING THEM IN A SALAD SPINNER BEFORE PRESSING THEM INTO A TOWEL. WANT TO MAKE THIS INTO A BONE BROTH? FREEZE LEFTOVER BONES FROM CHICKEN, TURKEY, PORK, BEEF, FISH AND SHRIMP THAT YOU COLLECT OVER TIME. YOU CAN ALSO INCLUDE OTHER PARTS SUCH AS CARCASSES, WING TIPS, FEET AND NECKS.
10 11 www.SmallFarmCanada.ca October 2025 TOP: NOLAN - ADOBE STOCK BARN & BROADBAND: DOES YOUR INTERNET WORK AS HARD AS YOU DO? ARTICLE BY JEFF BUELL For many small farm operators across rural Canada these days, internet service can still feel like a stubborn old tractor: slow to start, unreliable and prone to breakdowns. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. More than one in five rural households still don’t meet the basic CRTC target of 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload speed. And while governments and internet service providers (ISPs) are working to close the gap, there’s something you can do right now to take control of your connection: run a test! WHY START WITH THE CIRA IPT? Running a farm today means being online, whether it’s checking weather forecasts, selling products through e-commerce platforms, or using precision agriculture tools. So, if your internet is slacking, it can be bad for business! The Internet Performance Test (IPT) is a free, easyto-use tool developed by CIRA, the national not-forprofit managing the .CA domain on behalf of all Canadians. The test is designed to give you a clear picture of how your internet is actually performing and not just what your provider advertises. Unlike many speed tests, the IPT measures performance beyond your provider’s local network, reflecting real-world conditions like uploading farm records to government portals or joining online training sessions. And here’s the best part: every test you run contributes to a national database that helps identify gaps in rural connectivity. Your results don’t just help you, they help your community and other underserved regions across Canada push for better service. You can run the test anytime at performance.cira.ca. Make it your default tool for checking internet speed— it’s accurate, transparent and built with Canadian users in mind. GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR TESTS To make sure your results are meaningful, here are a few quick tips: • Use a wired connection if possible. Plug your computer directly into your router with an Ethernet cable to eliminate WiFi interference. If that isn’t practical, get as close to your router as possible. • Pause other activities. Ask family members to hold off on streaming or uploading files during the test and close any programs running on your device. • Test at different times. Internet speeds often dip in the evening when more people are online. Running tests at various times helps you spot patterns. Once you’ve run a few tests, you’ll have a clearer picture of your connection and whether it’s time to make changes. WHAT MIGHT BE SLOWING YOU DOWN? If your results are lower than expected, your internet provider might not be the only factor. Here are some common culprits that you should be aware of: • Too many devices online. A typical household might have smartphones, laptops, smart TVs, and even connected farm equipment, all competing for bandwidth. • Outdated equipment. Routers older than four or five years may not support modern speeds. The same goes for older laptops and phones. • Connection type. Farms often rely on copper lines, unlicensed wireless, or satellite services. While these can work well, trees, hills, distance and wet weather can degrade the signal occasionally. • Weak WiFi coverage. In large farmhouses or outbuildings, a weak signal from your router can feel like slow internet. A WiFi extender or repositioning your router might help. Checking these factors can sometimes solve slowdowns without needing to call your provider. STILL SLOW? HERE’S WHAT TO DO If your connection still isn’t cutting it, here are a few steps to take: • Keep running tests on the IPT. Track your speeds over time in your profile and compare them to your plan. Look for patterns; do things slow down at certain times of day or during bad weather? • Restart your modem and router. A simple reboot can clear temporary glitches. • Upgrade your equipment. If your router can’t handle your plan’s speed, ask your provider for a replacement or visit a local tech store. • Limit device use. Disconnect non-essential devices and schedule farm-related online tasks during offpeak hours. • Contact your ISP. Share your IPT results and ask for support. Sometimes switching to a higher- speed plan or a different provider can make a big difference if alternatives exist in your community. Local and regional Internet Service Providers have deep connections to communities and have been working for years to try and improve access. In the past few years, we’ve seen 5G wireless and lowearth orbit satellite services expanding across rural Canada while governments are investing heavily in rural broadband infrastructure, especially fibre, so options are improving every year. A STRONGER CONNECTION WHERE IT MATTERS MOST Reliable internet isn’t a luxury for small farms; it’s essential infrastructure. It helps you stay competitive, connected and informed. Because better internet means better farming, CIRA is proud to invest the revenue generated through .CA domains to offer the IPT to all Canadians as part of our Net Good program. Let’s work together to make sure rural Canada gets the connection it deserves. Jeff Buell is a longtime Small Farm Canada subscriber and Internet Performance Test Program Manager at CIRA. RURAL ACCESS
12 October 2025 TOP: ADAPTICE - ADOBE STOCK | DAR - ADOBE STOCK | TRENDY IMAGE TWO - ADOVE STOCK | SLOWBUZZSTUDIO - ADOBE STOK| MIKA_48 - ADOBE STOCK | FARZAN - ADOBE STOCK | TATIANA MEASCOVSCAIA - ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS PHOTO | IRINA FOTINA - ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS PHOTO BOTTOM LEFT: JULIE HARLOW | TOP RIGHT: BRIGGS & LITTLE WOOLEN MILLS LTD. | BOTTOM RIGHT: DUMFRIES MAPLES TOP: COVERED BRIDGE POTATO CHIPS | MIDDLE: JULIE HARLOW | BOTTOM RIGHT: YKOKAMOTO - ADOBE STOCK SPEERVILLE FLOUR MILL Their humble beginnings can be traced back to a bitterly cold day in January, 1982 when Stu Fleischhaker and George Berthault left Grand Falls, NB with a half-ton truck of milling wheat bound for Speerville. Snow and vehicle troubles would not phase them and the mill’s first load of flour was ground and transported to Fredericton within 72 hours. Two years later, after struggling to market product as a fledgling flour mill, they signed on with Dolphin-Village Distributors of Moncton. Years later, they’re still a major distributor of Speerville Flour Mill products across Atlantic Canada. Since then, through many triumphs, pitfalls and even a change in ownership, their guiding principles have remained the same. A commitment to creating and promoting local food that is nutritious, sustainable and helps build strong rural communities. A BRIDGE IN THE HEART OF POTATO COUNTRY Covered Bridge Potato Chips is a fourth-generation family business located in Hartland, New Brunswick. Hartland is also the home to the famous Longest Covered Bridge in the World. In the surrounding Saint John River Valley, known as Canada’s potato county, are the farms where dark russet potatoes that give Covered Bridge’s potato chips their trademark golden-brown colour are grown. All Covered Bridge products are gluten free without preservatives, artificial flavouring or colouring with every batch carefully cooked for delicious natural taste and a satisfying crunch. They feature flavours like Atlantic lobster, jalapeño and “Storm Chips.” Storm Chips are an Atlantic staple to prep for snowy winter days with Creamy Dill, Homestyle Ketchup, Smokin’ BBQ and Salt & Vinegar all in one bag. CANADA’S OLDEST WOOLEN MILL In 1857 a man named George Lister started a wool mill in Harvey, New Brunswick called York Woolen Mills. The business changed hands several times in the ensuing decades before it was bought by Roy Little in the 1890s when it was renamed Little’s Woolen Mills. After an illness, Roy Little sold the business to Matthew Briggs and Howard Little in 1916, giving the business the name that has stayed to this day – Briggs & Little Woolen Mills Ltd. The business has withstood several fires, floods, shifts in the wool market and the wider economy but is still standing tall today as Canada’s oldest woollen mill. 13 www.SmallFarmCanada.ca FABULOUS NB FIDDLEHEADS! The name “fiddlehead” was inspired by the likeness of the unfurled fiddle head fern leaves to a fiddle’s scroll. Only a handful of fern species are eaten globally, but the ostrich fern holds the greatest significance. It is the only Canadian fern that holds potential as a vegetable. The Maliseet people from the Saint John River Valley in New Brunswick have traditionally harvested fiddleheads as a spring tonic and have also sold them locally. The ostrich fern, or fiddlehead fern, is recognized for its large, ostrich feather-like leaves. It is quite common across Canada, with high densities found in New Brunswick, southern Québec, and Ontario. It is typically found on flood plains in the vicinity of rivers and streams. The fiddlehead fern can grow up to one meter, or even two meters at times and forms clumps over one meter in width. Its leaves vary, with some being large and heavily divided, while others are smaller and narrower, each carrying tiny spore cases. Fiddleheads stay coiled for about two weeks (usually during late April/early May in eastern Canada) before unfurling. Harvested fiddleheads measure about five centimeters in length and two and a half centimeters in width. Once the leaved unfurl to seven and a half centimeters or more, fiddleheads are considered too bitter for consumption. Their flavor is described as a blend of asparagus, green beans, and okra. They are rich in vitamins A and C, niacin, and riboflavin. The ostrich fern has been deemed non-toxic, but it is a good idea to boil fresh fiddleheads for 15 minutes or steam for 20 minutes before eating, due to the odd occurrence of bacteria. ONE PRODUCTIVE PROVINCE! Potatoes are the king of crops in New Brunswick and its chief agricultural export. There are 49,000 acres in production with 56 per cent going to processing, 25 per cent to market and 19 per cent to seed. When it comes to fruit production, New Brunswick grows 800 acres of cranberries with yields of 30,000 pounds per acre. There are 500 acres of apples grown throughout the Southeast and Central regions as well as 100 acres of grapes. New Brunswick protein farmers produce 35 million kilos of poultry, 200,000 hogs and 10 million dozen eggs. 42 per cent of total livestock production is in the dairy sector with nine per cent in beef. With 83 per cent of the province under forest cover, it is no wonder that this story takes a sweet turn. Ten thousand honeybee colonies and 450 beekeepers call New Brunswick home, producing 125,000 kg of honey annually. Maple syrup is another sweet story in New Brunswick with the province now being the second largest maple syrup producer in Canada and third in the world. A LITE LOOK AT NEW BRUNSWICK ARTICLE BY JULIE HARLOW NB SWEET MAPLE SYRUP FACTS: • Exports to 35 countries • 250+ producers, maintain over 3,500,000 taps • Supports 2,500 jobs • 3,000,000+ liters of maple syrup produced annually DUMFRIES MAPLES Every spring, maple lovers from New Brunswick and the world, can enjoy a sweet adventure to the Dumfries Maples sugarbush. Dumfries Maples is located along the spectacular Saint John River Valley, about 35 minutes outside Fredericton and 45 minutes from Woodstock. The sugaring-off season typically runs from MidMarch to Mid-April with a variety of activities to experience. • Maple taffy on the snow • Pancake breakfasts in the Cedar Log Cook- house • Demos on how pure maple syrup is made • Walks & snowshoeing through the sugarbush • Bird and wildlife watching • Spectacular views of the Saint John River Valley
14 October 2025 LOGOS: CANADIAN WOOL CERTIFICATION | ALLEY CAT YARN - WABI SABI YARN PHOTO 15 www.SmallFarmCanada.ca NEW CANADIAN WOOL CERTIFICATION PROGRAM ARTICLE BY JULIE HARLOW & CANADIAN WOOL CERTIFICATION Fibre & Forge in Abbotsford, British Columbia has breed specific, small batch, pure wool yarn on offer. Briggs & Little Woolen Mills Ltd., Harvey, York Co., New Brunswick is Canada’s oldest woolen mill producing classic Canadian yarn and wool products. In Manitoba, Christel Lanthier of Ferme Fiola Farm produces sheep-specific yarn and felted goods. These products are made from the wool of her flock of Romney, Rideau Arcott, Rambouillet and CVM sheep. Despite the distance between these wool producers and millers, they all have something in common. All of them display a small, but significant symbol on their labels: the profile of a sheep with the words, “100% Canadian Wool: Grown & Milled.” This symbol offers assurance that the product is 100 per cent pure Canadian wool that was both grown and processed in Canada. The Canadian Wool Certification Program and the initial Tier 1 certification was launched by the Canadian Wool Collective (CWC) last year. The CWC are now offering two additional levels under their certification program. The CWC is a national grassroots non-profit with a mandate to identify, authenticate and promote Canadian wool. The Canadian Wool Certification Program is a three-tiered system. Tier 1 certifies a product is 100 per cent pure Canadian grown and processed wool. The Tier 1 certification was launched in August of 2024. Tier 2 certifies a product is 100 per cent Canadian grown but not processed in Canada. Tier 2 certifications were launched in January of 2025. Tier 3 certifies fibre blends contain a minimum of 50 per cent Canadian wool. This latest certification tier was launched in June of 2025. Others fibre producers, like Alley Cat Yarns in Ottawa, carry a Tier 2 certified wool product certification. While some of their product is Canadian farmed and milled, others are farmed and/or milled in other countries. On the west coast of British Columbia, New Wave Fibre’s signature yarn is Tier 3, and certified with 90 per cent bluefaced Leicester wool from Vancouver Island blended with 10 per cent Alberta alpaca fibre. The development of the certification program is the result of many Canadian wool producers and enthusiasts coming together with a passion for wool fibre and the woolly creatures that produce it. They are working to bring awareness to an incredible resource, that has often been thrown away or considered of little value in recent years. As more farms, processors and entrepreneurs become certified across the country, consumers will become increasingly familiar with Canadian wool products, and the individuals and businesses that produce them. SHAUNA MCKENNA The Canadian Wool Collective (CWC) not only have a certification system they also have a well-developed support system which includes monthly virtual meetings. They discuss matters of the Collective and feature presentations from their members. Shauna McKenna, from the Ottawa region, presented recently and explained her reasons for joining the CWC. McKenna started out as a “horse person” when she attended Kemptville College but has since developed her passion for sheep. When it was time to get educated she did the Master Shepherds course with Ontario Sheep. She then acquired seven well bred ewes. With no structure ready for them, she initially put the ewes with her horses. Step by step McKenna, with the help of her mother, is building her flock and her business of needle felted greeting cards, batts and other products using the amazing fibre that comes from her flock. The fibre aspect of raising sheep “is so positive” as other producers and Collective members are very willing to share knowledge and ideas. She has learned that keeping her flock happy and healthy is crucial as it “shows up in their fleece.” McKenna’s mother is a true partner and helps with shearing and lambing as well as skirting and washing the fleece. Re-valuing wool is not for the faint of heart, as McKenna demonstrates and is working toward raising and processing wool full-time. She also recently purchased a carder from British Columbia and has her eye and ambitions on more milling equipment in the future. In this too she draws much knowledge and inspiration from the Canadian Wool Collective. A list of certified producers and their products can be found at canadianwool.org. CERTIFIED CANADIAN @crooked.fence.farm.and.fiber TIER 1 TIER 2 TIER 3 Fibre & Forge British Columbia Alley Cat Yarns Ontario Ferme Fiola Farm Manitoba Briggs & Little Woolen Mills New Brunswick New Wave Fibre British Columbia
16 17 www.SmallFarmCanada.ca October 2025 RAIL FENCE REVIVAL ARTICLE BY CARY RIDEOUT PHOTOS BY LORAIN EBBETT-RIDEOUT Fencing has many roles in country life from enclosing livestock and keeping crops safe, to reminding the folks across the horse paddock where yours is and theirs ‘ain’t.’ Traditional options from barbed to page wire and stone walls have faithfully served pioneers and modern agriculturists alike. But for pure simplicity of purpose a split rail fence is second to none and like the smokehouse and root cellar this heirloom fixture is roaring back in popularity. It’s also self-supporting, adaptable to all land features and requires no post holes; homesteaders with more ledge than soil put up miles of split rail fence. This old-time system is very eco-friendly, does away with expensive metal fastenings and materials are likely right there on the farm. It soon becomes clear a split rail fence is worth considering. Tools are the same used for winter wood cutting (felling and splitting axes) with the addition of a stout sledgehammer, steel splitting wedges and a long pry bar. Once the fence direction is decided, look over the land features. Determine if there are rock piles, old manure spreaders or other field beauties to work around. As to the zigzag fence angle, some builders use 90 degrees but a gentler angle is generally easier to work. Walk your proposed fence line and try to envision the zigzag pattern. Walking it also helps determine the angle. A split rail fence moves in tune with geography not fighting it and can even tackle a hill if it goes straight up. PLANS TO MAKE A SPLIT? In the U.S. hickory was the favourite but our Canadian cedar (evergreen conifer) is long lasting, found everywhere and easy to work with. Perfection is not required, unlike when going to market, the logs can be crooked, partially rotten or hollow and still yield good rails. Just rough out the bad areas. All the imperfections add rural character! Once the cedar is cut and limbed up, peel the bark off in long strips with an axe or bark spud. Saw the trees into the proper lengths for rails. I run 8-10 feet as it handles nicely and does not sag as bad as a traditional 16 ½-foot rail. A mature cedar is good for three 10-foot logs sometimes with a skinny fourth. Rail length is your choice so don’t worry. Next, prepare your work yard for the splitting job to come. CHOCKS AND CHAINSAWS After all the logs are hauled out to the work yard there are still a few set-up tasks before the splitting begins. The first is to build a pair of cutting chocks. Cut two (or more) cedar logs into four-foot lengths. For longer lengths like 16 ½ foot rails, the traditional length, you will need more wedges and another chock in the middle to help stabilize the log for splitting. Cut deep notches in the four-foot lengths to firmly hold the logs as you work. A loose rolling log is an aggravation, not to mention dangerous. Roll a log into the notches and mark using a chalk line down the middle. Set wedges in and commence to pounding. It is a muscle job requiring steady hammering. But, there is an alternative, the wonderous chainsaw. This will tremendously reduce the hours of hammering and besides, what rural person does not like to run a chainsaw? Remember any chainsaw operator must wear steel toe boots, cutting pants or chaps, full head gear with ear and face protection and tough gloves. PEOPLE, START YOUR CHAINSAWS Fire up the chainsaw and cut downward into the logend at the chalk line until the bar is through. Cut slowly along the chalk line by working the chainsaw downward then backwards. At times you may not cut the whole way through, but not to worry, those portions will split later using wedges. Once you reach the opposite end, carefully cut out of the log. Next, shut the chainsaw off, pick up your sledge and tap in the wedges. Set your feet and power down hard with the sledge on the wedge. Most times the log will break leaving two lengths but if stubbornness appears, grab a long prybar and work the halves apart. Then roll one-half back in place into the wedges, chalk a line down the half and repeat the process. Like most chores all this will be clear once you turn out a few dozen! A 10” diameter log can split into four to six rails depending on the size you want. This is not a speedy job so go slow and take breaks. Watch for any hazards like the sawdust build-up underfoot and pile the finished rails out of the way. RUNNING RAILS CRISS-CROSS Before starting to build, you will need a measuring pole the length of the rails. You will also need a long length of string to guide you because a rail fence will wander if you are not careful. Also lift props to rest the ends of the first tier of cedar rail. Many use flat stones or varying widths of cedar log off-cuts. I utilize the stub ends or larger butt sections of rail logs for lift props. A stone is more of a field expedient measure or if going traditional. It can be dug in or revolved to suit conditions. Plus, they move with the frost and keep their place well. The props also help to keep the rails off the ground and to deal with ground level variation. The guide string should be staked out along the edge of the apex or boundary of the fence line. It will be useful for keeping each V apex at the proper distance. The fence’s angle can be adjusted as desired by altering the degree over two or three sections. Angle does affect the fences over all integrity but so does terrain. It is more of the part not the whole. As to hills avoiding anything but a straight accent helps. Also hills with more than say 40 degrees will need some staking at each junction in several spots. But some mighty Matterhorns have been scaled by a split rail fence! Begin at one end on the inside of the guide string, by setting three lift props. Take the first lift prop and set it firmly on the ground and set a rail on top, move to the angle of your choice to determine the location of the next lift prop. Set your measuring pole against the first rail and follow it to the extreme end, away from the guide string at your determined angle. Set another lift prop at this location and return to the last lift prop. Now comes the crucial moment when all the subsequent work can be ruined, but don’t sweat it. Slide the next pole under the first to make the first half of the V. Do the same from the second prop and add at the junction. Now move the V apex until the measuring pole fits the distance down from the upper junctions. The result ought to be a zig out, a zag back and a zig ready for the next rail. Allow a bit of each rail to run out past the junction so they will sit better. You will know things are on track if the rail-junctions line up. Follow the string line closely and keep FENCING As an extra bonus gather up all the discarded pieces from log cutting for next winter’s kindling. Remember any chainsaw operator must wear steel toe boots, cutting pants or chaps, full head gear with ear and face protection and tough gloves. You might ask, why not use a table saw to split rails? The main reason is longevity…by splitting the rails, the fibres split apart; by using a table saw, the cedar fibres are cut and will deteriorate more quickly.
19 www.SmallFarmCanada.ca SALE ON UNTIL MAY 31 ,2025 FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL US AT 519-669-2192 Email us @ efsaudersales.ca or vISIT US AT OUR WALLENSTEIN LOCATION Rotary Plow Power Harrow * SALE extended until october 31, 2025 Chipper/Shredder Precision Depth Roller RR3, 10 Nicholas Beaver Rd. Puslinch,ON., Canada N0B 2J0 www.easternfarmmachinery.com Phone: 519-763-2400 Fax: 519-763-3930 FORESTRY EQUIPMENT WINCHES 3 – 8 TONS 480 TRACTOR MOUNTED PROCESSOR, CUTS, SPLITS CONVEYS 19 FT FIREWOOD CONVEYOR SHARK 700C CIRCULAR SAWMILL GAS POWERED BUZZ SAW equal lengths of division between apex points. Stop often to look at the progress. As well, be watching up ahead for the obstacles mentioned earlier so you can work them into the design. Remember this style of fence can change quickly if an unexpected terrain feature comes along; just begin any turns slowly and then pull the fence back in. Once you reach the farthest end point go right back to the first rail and continue to work back across in the same fashion one tier at a time. How many rails high should it be? You are the designer so if four or five looks fine, stop. Smaller diameter rails will require more, perhaps as many as eight high. Fencing for those pesky climbers who appear from time to time can be tackled by jamming short sections of rail into the ground inside and outside of a V. Old fencing wire will pull the short stakes together for a stronger bond. This kind of strengthening will confound the aggressions of livestock or the wanderers who want to scale your fences! A good split rail build begins and ends in much the same solid way. A rail fence can run out, set into two posts with crossbars or hang on the limbs of a handy tree. I’ve even encountered old farm implements used to start or finish a split rail fence. Probably the simplest method and the most common is to stand the last free rail ends on blocks of wood and walk away. Regrowth of all sorts quickly find a friendly environment and the mixed shade/sun is loved by wild berries. Trees and shrubs as well find the untouched soil perfect with apples or hazelnuts soon sprouting. All the wild denizens that live on any holding will walk the rail fence line especially deer or turkeys and many a winter’s meat has been harvested there in the past. 18 October 2025 Making rails from your woodlot timber is not only celebrating an heirloom skill it’s far more economical than a purchased fence which can run up to $10.00 per foot of rail. Do some figuring and you will find a couple hundred feet of fence is as much as new tractor tires. Fence rail splitting is like any other farm chore the more you sweat the more you save! This traditional fence building can be addictive with the homesteader wanting to run rails all over the acreage. But consider this: to fence in an acre it will require roughly 800 linear feet for a single tier. If you lay five rails high the number of split rails needed gets up over 500. A real investment in time and muscle! But as explained earlier it’s a fence that lasts and lasts and, well, lasts. Split rails themselves have a long history as a valuable country commodity and general stores accepted rails as payment. I have a country store ledger from 1901 that lists 350 fence rails worth $7.00 traded for store credit. After planting among the stumps pioneer farmers spent the summers making rails for themselves or to keep the store “tick” down. HOW TO KEEP SPLIT CEDAR RAILS Recently a subscriber asked Small Farm Canada how to preserve cedar rails. We asked Cary Rideout, here is what he said: White cedar, if cut green, can run into many problems including splitting. If left with no curing time to let the sap dry out, rails will twist like corkscrews making stacking difficult. It is best practice to cut in cool autumn or early spring to allow curing time. Even better, roll them up on log skids to get them up off the earth and allow air flow on all sides. Let these rest all winter or most of the summer months. The logs will be tough to split and be prone to splinters or cracks. This can be resolved by cutting each rail with the chainsaw as much as possible. Wedges are still needed of course. Now as to preserving, I can’t say any of the old timers (myself included!) ever mentioned any preservative methods. Mainly because if split into workable sections and kept off the ground with stone at each stacking point, white cedar can last easily up to 80 years. The split rail fences of my youth were often 100+ years old and still on duty, be it property line or keeping the woollies in check. I suppose you could use wood preservative treatment of some sort. Pentox maybe? Red barn paint? 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20 October 2025 Child-power on parade Workwear for women with sizes to suit Canadian Cowgirls parade past Brass band parade finale Farmland Awareness at the Match Kindred spirits at the Match New take on traditional quilts Steam powered and amazing! Quilting traditions on display Congratulations Competitors! Plowing Match Royalty WHAT IS OLD IS NEW AGAIN AT THE IPM ARTICLE BY JULIE HARLOW PHOTOS BY GLENN RUEGG & JULIE HARLOW The International Plowing Match (IPM) began in Ontario with the first provincial plowing match in 1846. The first inter-provincial and international plowing match was in 1913. It was held at Sunnybrook Farm, Toronto. Today the farm site is located right downtown and is the location of Sunnybrook Hospital. The IPM was and is organized by the Ontario Plowmen’s Association, established in 1911. The match originally featured horse-drawn plows but by 1916 was balanced with tractor competitions. The IPM has been an annual event, with interruptions for World Wars and the pandemic. Today it is a largescale celebration of agriculture and rural living, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors to different host communities across Ontario each year. Thank you to the organizers and volunteers in beautiful Grassie, ON (Niagara Region) for hosting the 2025 plowing match! QUILTING TRADITION In the early days of the 19th century in Canada, quilts were an essential, they were used as blankets and even window coverings and furniture substitutes. Patchwork quilts were also a way of making use of every piece of material, including worn-out clothing, demonstrating the resourcefulness and creativity of farm women. Quilting provided an avenue for women’s artistic expression, creating beauty and color in simple farmhouses and soddies. As well as telling personal and family history, with each square building a material story. From families to communities, quilting worked to foster relationships in communities via the quilting bee. Today many quilters feel a strong connection to the past and want to keep the traditional art of quilting alive for future generations. As we go digital, there’s a renewed appreciation for handmade items, personal craftsmanship, and the effort involved in creating something by hand. PLOWING MATCH Senator Rob Black on the OFA wagon.
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