COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • OCTOBER 2019 No-till seeding showcased at field day


Project encourages resilient forage and innovative practices by ANGELA ABRAHAO


BIG LAKE—Researchers had an attentive crowd of 60 in late August for a field day focussing on innovative pasture rejuvenation practices at the Zirnhelt Ranch in Big Lake. The event was a collaboration between the BC Forage Council and the Thompson Rivers University’s Applied Sustainable Ranching (ASUR) program. TRU ranching students and local producers gathered to hear researcher Catherine Tarasoff and agrologist Allen Dobb discuss silvopasture and observe findings from the forage council’s no-till seeding trial. David Zirnhelt’s ranch is


one of four no-till


demonstration plots in the Cariboo. The plots compare the germination rates of various crop mixes under non-irrigated conditions. “We were comparing the germination of timothy, orchard grass and several alfalfas into our existing alfalfa stand – both purple and yellow alfalfa. We added some sainfoin, a legume that is new to us,” Zirnhelt explained to guests. “Then we tried turnips and radishes, which didn’t seem to do too well due to the competition. “The other thing about the trial is using no-till seeding into an area that had been grazed to reduce the competition rather than us spraying an herbicide.” The BC Forage Council is trialing innovative pasture rejuvenation practices on research pilots with new no- till drill equipment and techniques like intensive grazing and cover cropping with a focus on building soil health. The project is part of the Farm Adaptation Innovator Program, an initiative of the BC Agriculture and Food Climate Action Initiative, and part of a larger national initiative aimed at developing best management practices for carbon sequestration.


Producer participation


The field day was also part of a multi-year initiative that began last fall when Tarasoff delivered a module on testing forage or crop viability with on-farm research. Producers were invited to participate and the cost of training was covered by funding from the Investment Agriculture Foundation of BC. Tarasoff worked with ASUR


program director Gillian Watt to design the research component. Their aim was to


make research something students were comfortable with, explains Tarasoff. “Gillian and I hope that raising the next generation in research will spawn out and become the new foundation of how producers are managing their farms.” A champion for leadership


development in the field, Tarasoff began working with students and producers last fall with a train-the-trainers event as well as teaching the research component of the ASUR program. She developed a textbook specific to the needs of students and producers who wish to do on- farm research. The manual helps producers conduct their own research because, says Tarasoff, every farm is different. “We all know that what is happening here on this land is different than what is happening half a kilometre down the road. The soils could be different, the management’s different, goals are different, and even the precipitation and the moisture could be different. The on-farm research manual is really for a producer to take and make it something that’s for their farm. Then, once a group of producers is doing research, you can start to talk


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A large turnout for a field day at the Zirnhelt Ranch in Big Lake. ANGELA ABRAHAO PHOTO


to each other about it and look for trends across the landscape.” Collaborations between


groups and producers in the Cariboo is on the rise and the energy of having such a large gathering is inspiring for local producers and TRU students. Zirnhelt was happy with the attendance. “Turnout was tremendous.


The BC Bison Association (BCBA) would like to invite all British Columbia bison producers and enthusiasts to our upcoming


BCBA Annual General Meeting October 25-27 | Merritt


Join us for education, interaction, and socializing. The theme of the meeting is Emergency Preparedness with sessions covering farm emergency plan development, biosecurity and traceability. There will be sessions on bison nutrition and finishing, as well as the use of drone technology in agriculture by Dr. John Church from TRU. Nova Woodbury from the BC Association of Abattoirs will be speaking about the current state of the industry in BC.


Bison is on the menu, along with a tour of Pentangle V Bison Ranch.


Conference Registration & Information:


Conrad Schiebel | conrad@turtlevalleybison.ca Or visit www.canadianbison.ca/ producers/regional-associations/british-columbia


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I think it is because we have been working on building good networks and because of the topics,” he says. “People are interested in low-input improvements because we


have to be aware of the costs. There is an interest in multi- species crops – not destroying what is naturally there already but just adding to it.”


Canada’s Verified Beef Production Plus Program


VBP+ is an approved Certification Body for the CRSB Sustainable Beef Production Standard


Attention Ranchers BC feedlots want to purchase your 2019 calves!


Four feedlots are looking to acquire a combined total of 12,000 head of ranch direct calves from across the province. All weights of steers and heifers are wanted.


If you are interested, please contact any of the feedlots listed below for more information:


Coldstream Ranch Keith: 250.503.8616


Curtis Farm Ted: 250.260.0009


Interior Feeders Ltd. Mike: 250.558.9408 Mark: 250.371.4832 Joe: 250.319.5493


Westwold View Farms Ltd. Andrea: 250.371.7756


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