Thursday, September 12, 2013

Okanagan Agroforestry Field Day, Oct 18

Friday, October 18, 2013  1:00 to 4:00 pm
Hosted by Curly Frog Farm, Kelowna and Marshall Farms, Winfield

Join us for an informative afternoon discussing alley cropping, nut orchards, exotic fruit and hardwood production.  Free to attend.  RSVP Brenda at 250 491 3404.

Agenda

1:00 - 1:20 pm Curly Frog Farm, 395 Hereron Road, Kelowna

  • Brenda Dureault, Curly Frog Farm: Welcome and introductions; motivations for using agroforestry in small-lot agriculture.
  • George Powell: BC Agroforestry Industry Development Initiative (AIDI): Overview of agroforestry and the AIDI.
  • Dave Trotter, BC Ministry of Agriculture: Agroforestry development work around BC and its potential applications in the Okanagan. 
Okanagan Alley Cropping Demonstration

1:20 - 2:30 pm Tour of the Curly Frog Farm Alley Cropping Demonstration
  • Brenda Dureault, Curly Frog Farm: Lessons learned in establishing black walnut and pawpaw trees: sourcing material, planting, irrigation, weed and pest control.
  • Sandra Mah, Regional District of Central Okanagan: Gellatly Nut Farm Regional Park as a source for high quality Okanagan-adapted Carpathian (English) walnuts, Chinese chestnuts and hazelnuts (filberts).
2:30 - 3:00 pm Travel to Marshall Farms (see below for driving instructions)

3:00 - 4:00 pm Tour of Marshall Farms, 12349 Lake Hill Drive, Winfield

Marshall Black Walnut Stand Planted in 2000
  •  Jeff Marshall, Marshall Farms: Welcome and introduction to Marshall Farms (a third generation family-owned Okanagan orchard).
  • Michael Carlson, scientist emeritus, BC Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations: History of black walnut in the Okanagan, including Gellatly collection and Purdue University materials testing; variation in growth and form traits of black walnut families planted at Marshall Farms.
  • Jeff Marshall, Marshall Farms: Overview of black walnut orchard management, including irrigation, fertilization, spacing and pruning.

Please Note!

This field day is free to attend, but you must provide your own transportation to Curly Frog Farm and Marshall Farms.  Please ensure you dress appropriately for the possibility of inclement weather and have sturdy, water-proof footwear.

Curly Frog Farm also raises poultry.  If live or work on a poultry farm or have recently visited, or will visit a poultry operation after the field day, please refer to the following and observe standard biosecurity protocols to prevent the potential transmission of disease between flocks: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/biosec/aviafrme.pdf

Driving Instructions Curly Frog Farm to Marshall Farms:

  1. Drive west on Hereron Rd to Hwy 97N.  
  2. Turn right (north) onto Hwy 97N and drive 14.6 km through Winfield to Oceola Road.  
  3. Turn left on Oceola Road and proceed 1.1 km uphill.  
  4. Turn right on Lake Hill Drive and then after 50 m turn right to enter Marshall Farms (the first driveway on the right-hand side).  
  5. Proceed downhill approximately 200m to a parking area adjacent to the walnut plantation.