Potato harvest deemed fair compared to last fall’s washout

by Joan LeBlanc After the disastrous fall weather in 2018 that left millions of pounds of potatoes in the fields, Maritime potato producers had their fingers crossed for better harvesting conditions this year. For the most part, they weren’t disappointed. “The harvest is completed and overall it’s at least an average crop in terms of yield and … better than last year, but not all areas experienced the same type of conditions,” said Greg Donald, general manager of the P.E.I. Potato Board, recently. Island producers plant some 85,500 acres of potatoes each year, the yields finding their way into fresh markets across North America. “Here on P.E.I., the early varieties were below average because of the hot, dry summer, and they didn’t get the benefit of the moisture late in the season,” said Donald. “But on the western end of the Island, particularly in West Prince (County) where we did get some rain in July and August, theirs was a better than average crop and everywhere else (on P.E.I.) were in-between – some average, some better, some worse.” He added that in Prince County, on the western side of the Island, producers did have to leave some crop in the fields due to excessively wet conditions. He noted that the rain that fell during hurricane Dorian and later in September helped boost the late varieties in the previously dry areas, but certainly made it more challenging in western P.E.I. Donald said that the actual count of unharvested crop had yet to be tallied. “But it’s nothing like last year when 6,800 acres were left in the field due to extreme wet conditions,” he said. “Every year, producers do the best they can, but in the end it’s up to the mercy of the weather.” CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGES Alvin Keenan Jr., who, with his brother Ray, operates the longtime family owned potato business Rollo Bay Holdings in Kings County, P.E.I., said recently that although they did manage to harvest their entire crop, the potato size was affected. He added that the change in weather patterns and conditions during the past few years have added new challenges to potato production. “As our climate is changing, we’re having more of these challenging effects to deal with,” he said. “It’s a huge issue for agriculture. We’ve always had to make adjustments as things change from year to year. Here on the Island, we’re working on ways to eliminate soil erosion from wind and water, and to build organic matter. There are about 100 things that go into growing crops but there are only three that humans have control over – nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash – the soil balance of nutrition.” Keenan added that transportation is always a big challenge. “There is more product moving today and the cost of short-haul trucking is expensive,” he said. “There is a big shortage of truck drivers and that’s a problem that affects the movement of goods in a big way. Efficiency is very important in business.” Keenan added that his family business is always looking for new varieties of potatoes that will be more resistant to climate change effects. NO POTATOES LEFT BEHIND Just across the Confederation Bridge in Malden, N.B., Strang’s Produce Inc. managed to get all of its potato crop out of the fields despite the challenges of a dry summer followed by heavy rains in September and October. “We got 400 millimetres of water here (during a five-week period in September and October), which is a year’s worth of precipitation,” said owner Richard Strang. “But we also got more sunshine and wind than we did last year so we got the harvest done where last year we left a million pounds in the fields.” Although yields are good, crop size isn’t as it should be this year, Strang noted. “The big potatoes that restaurants like just aren’t there this year, and that goes the same across North America,” he said. “There’s a shortage of potatoes this year and that means they’re going to be more expensive. All vegetables are going to go up in price over the next few months.” Strang too is continually trying new approaches to potato production, including more crop rotation, better ditching to improve soil drainage, and purchasing new technology equipment. Strang’s business does its own local and regional deliveries, but the transportation of his produce to markets farther afield is a big challenge. “We have to outsource as well,” he said. “Last year, we got some orders to go to the U.S., but we had to turn it down because we couldn’t find a truck to take it. There’s a lot of that happening now. Trucking is a big issue for a lot of businesses.” NORTHERN N.B. CROP VARIABLE In northern New Brunswick, the potato crop was variable depending on the location and general lay of the land. Potatoes NB chair Shawn Paget and his family grow rotation crops such as corn, beans, and grain in Simonds, N.B., near Hartland. They also grow about 800 acres of potatoes. “Our crop was up and down,” said Paget. “Some fields were above average, some were below, depending on where the rain hit. Compared to last year’s yield, I’m down this year. Just a few kilometres south or west of me, those guys had bigger yields. It depends on how the rain showers pass us in August. There’s a lot of rolling ground here. We plant crops around solid bedrock in places. We’re in a drier area here, but when all was said and done, I had an average crop.” Most all northern New Brunswick potato growers are under contract, with their crops going to local manufacturing plants for the production of French fries and potato chips. Potato growers in Nova Scotia experienced similar challenges this year with dry summer conditions requiring the use of irrigation whenever possible, followed by wet weather in the fall. Despite the challenges, most were able to harvest their entire potato crop. SUMMER IRRIGATION IN N.S. Brian Morse is an independent Nova Scotia grower and is also potato manager at Dykeview Farms, part of Nova Agri Inc. in Centreville, Kings County, in the Annapolis Valley. Morse said recently that despite the challenges of planting during a wet spring this year, the growing season shaped up alright. “Where we’re located, we always have a dry summer and we use irrigation to keep things moistened up,” he said. “It wasn’t a bumper crop at Dykeview Farms, but it wasn’t weak by any means either. I’d say it was a normal harvest.” Morse noted that despite rainy weather, workers were able to get the entire crop out of fields in a timely manner, which wasn’t the case during the fall of 2018 due to excessive wet and cold weather conditions. Dykeview Farms sells its potatoes for the fresh market and for processing.

Heatherton 4-H Club closing in on the century mark

by Bria MacDonald Heatherton is the birthplace of 4-H in Nova Scotia. The Heatherton 4-H Club was started in 1922 by the province’s first agricultural representative, Rev. Dr. Hugh MacPherson. He thought the Antigonish County community needed a way to keep youth involved in agriculture. The club meetings were held in the school and the teachers were the leaders. As word grew about the club, surrounding areas began to take an interest in the program and formed clubs of their own.  Around 1949, my grandfather Donnie MacDonald joined the calf club, mostly because everyone else in the area was involved in the club. Grandpa would take his calves up to Truro as well as to the exhibition in Antigonish. Dr. Hugh’s idea worked. My grandfather’s first job was with the agriculture department as the 4-H representative. He then went on to be the agricultural representative for Antigonish. My grandmother Mary Ellen also joined her local club in a neighbouring community as a youth and focused on the life skills area, especially sewing. Over the years, the Heatherton 4-H Club grew from a small organization in a schoolhouse to what it is now. It still serves its purpose, keeping youth involved in local agriculture, but it does so much more. It teaches kids basic life skills and helps them contribute to their communities. In the past few years, the club has organized a cookie decorating workshop, with the cookies then donated to our local group home’s Christmas concert. We’ve also made Christmas wreaths and donated them to seniors, as well as going door to door through the neighbourhood singing Christmas carols. Another activity we participate in is our annual community cleanup. Growing up, my father and his 11 siblings were all involved in 4-H as soon as they turned nine. They participated in every aspect of 4-H, from public speaking to showing livestock in the ring to displaying their sewing and crafts projects in the exhibition. My father even went to the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto. My grandmother became a foods leader and then went on to be the Heatherton 4-H Club’s general leader the following year. She remained in this position for 22 years. When my dad’s youngest sibling was asked why she joined 4-H, she was confused because 4-H had been what she’d grown up knowing. She wasn’t aware she had a choice to be in it. It was such a big part of her life that she just thought it was something everyone did, like going to school. Many of my cousins and siblings are part of 4-H. I’ve had the opportunity to have hands-on experiences that teach me about the importance of keeping the agricultural industry going. Our club and the 4-H program has grown a lot during the past 98 years. Many who are farmers today were part of the program. It continues to introduce youth to the agriculture industry. Today, the Heatherton 4-H club has more than 40 members and 10 leaders. Some projects I have participated in include dairy, goat, rabbit, crafts, photography, visual arts, cake decorating, and computer. Looking back, 4-H has come a long way. Without Dr. Hugh, we wouldn’t have 4-H and my life would be very different. I’m not sure where I would be without 4-H; probably not lying awake at night while counting down the days to exhibition or getting up at 4 a.m. to wash a calf before it gets clipped. Thanks to Dr. Hugh, we have developed a program that changes lives and I look forward to continuing to be a part of it in the future. (Bria MacDonald has belonged to the Heatherton 4-H Club for seven years and has previously acted as the club reporter. She lives in Heatherton and is in Grade 10 at Dr. J.H. Gillis Regional High School in Antigonish.)

The future of wild blueberry marketing is in adding value

by Dan Woolley Dr. Rémy Lambert, an economics professor at Laval University in Quebec City, told attendees at the Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia (WBPANS) annual general meeting in Truro on Nov. 14 that both the world supply and demand for blueberries is increasing. Lambert said that it’s at the intersection of supply and demand that the price point for cultivated and wild blueberries is set, and therein lies the challenge to adding value in the blueberry industry. He said world blueberry production “has exploded” and that it “appears the supply might outstrip the demand.”     However, he added that the number of countries importing blueberries has also significantly increased from 21 in 2000 to 50 in 2016.  Lambert said cultivated blueberries are grown around the world so they’re on store shelves every month of the year – although the international supply adjusts to consumer demand.  Wild blueberry prices are starting to increase as the inventory of frozen berries has declined, said Lambert, adding that cultivated blueberries lead the price in international markets. “We have to differentiate more and more wild blueberries from cultivated,” he said, adding, “Quebec producers are wondering if they should go organic.”  Lambert discussed the importance of adding value, explaining that 37 cents of every food dollar goes to the food service sector, 15 cents to food processors, 12 cents to retailers, and nine cents to the wholesalers. He said growers have to look into adding value at their farm gate by getting closer to consumers, highlighting the fruit’s health benefits, publishing wild blueberry product recipes, selling the fruit at farm stands and to local restaurants, highlighting the health benefits of the fruit, and offering processed products such as jams, jellies, juices, and chocolate-coated blueberries.  “You have to differentiate the right way,” said Lambert. “You can go for economies of scale by growing big or you could sub-contract marketing by selling the product to a large company which would market it as a private label.”  Lambert said an individual grower has to determine if adding value is right for them.  If so, the next step is establishing a value chain strategy, emphasizing product innovation and a strong relationship with processors, retailers, and consumers. “We have to share information with the consumers,” said Lambert. “We have to consult with each other. There has to be transparency and trust by everyone in the value chain. Tomorrow’s winner in blueberries will likely have a different business model. Mergers and acquisitions and collaboration are the ways to enhance market position.”  Lambert also said wild blueberry growers need to determine if they can improve efficiency, if they should review their business ties, if they have room for consolidation in their sector, if they’re cost competitive, if they should consider a regional, provincial, or even a national strategy, and how they can differentiate wild blueberries from high-bush blueberries. “The future is value-added, either at the farm gate or in the sector, recognizing we are a unique resource,” he concluded. “The resource is the base that binds the stakeholders in the value chain. We have to recognize the contributions of each stakeholder in the value chain.”  The cause of adding value to Nova Scotia wild blueberries received a significant boost on Nov. 5 when provincial Agriculture Minister Keith Colwell announced $650,000 over three years for wild blueberry research and development projects, including improved packaging. Colwell also announced $280,000 over two years to help fund the annual Wild Blueberry Solutions Challenge, which “encourages continuous development of value-added blueberry products.” The challenge is a joint venture of the WBPANS and the provincial agriculture department.

Winter gives beekeepers a chance to plan for next season

by Sawyer Olmstead For beekeepers, the beginning of December marks the end of a very busy bee season. Beekeepers can finally breathe a sigh of relief and spend some well-deserved time off with their friends and family. Fall is a busy time for beekeepers, who spend their time harvesting and extracting honey, managing pests and diseases, feeding bees, and preparing them for the long winter ahead. In our part of the world, bees are confined in their hives for up to five months during the winter. Therefore, beekeepers have to take extra precautions when preparing hives for overwintering. By this time, beekeepers should have all of their hive winterizing and fall pest management work done, and the bees should be snugly tucked away in their hives ready to ride out the long winter ahead. For the beekeeper, winter is the time to reflect on the past season and plan for the upcoming one. It’s never too early to start thinking about spring management, so check out the Atlantic Tech Transfer Team for Apiculture (ATTTA) spring management guide available on Perennia’s website at www.perennia.ca/portfolio-items/honey-bees/. By the time April rolls around, beekeeping work will be in full swing as beekeepers make use of the increased daylight, preparing hives for pollination and honey production. Therefore, it’s a good idea for beekeepers to use the winter to plan. PREPARING EQUIPMENT The winter can be a great time to take inventory of equipment, repair any broken supers or frames, and clean up frames and supers for next season. As bees collect honey in the summer, they will build lots of extra comb inside the hives on the tops and bottoms of frames and inside supers. This comb is commonly referred to as burr comb and can be removed before the supers are placed back on hives during the next season. This can save the beekeeper lots of time in the spring. Beekeepers who plan on expanding their hive numbers, or are just starting, should order their equipment ahead of time and assemble it during the winter months so it is ready to go come spring. ORDERING BEES EARLY Whether you are a new beekeeper or an existing beekeeper looking to expand hive numbers, it’s important to order your bees early. Many new beekeepers believe that ordering bees in January or February is too early, but it’s actually the perfect time. Bee supply stores and beekeepers who sell bees start taking orders during winter and will be looking to have their final numbers by March or early April. There are pros and cons to buying bees in different forms, so make sure to do your research and decide if nucleus colonies, packages, or full hives are a better fit for your needs or goals. When in doubt, ask an experienced beekeeper or mentor which option is best for you. POLLINATION CONTRACTS If you rent or plan to rent your hives for pollination of lowbush blueberries or other crops, it’s important to establish pollination contracts early. Winter is a great time to connect and reconnect with blueberry growers and start a discussion on pollination requirements. Although it’s often too early for beekeepers to know exactly how many hives they will have available, it’s important to get communication started and have a rough idea of how many hives you may be able to offer. If you are a new beekeeper and would like to supply pollination services or are looking to expand, one of the best places to meet blueberry producers from your area is at blueberry grower meetings. These meetings provide opportunities to network with blueberry growers and to learn more about wild blueberries. If you have additional hives for rent and are having trouble connecting with blueberry growers, you can list your hives on the Perennia marketplace at marketplace.perennia.ca. ATTENDING MEETINGS During the winter, there are also numerous beekeeping association gatherings in the Maritimes. No matter how many hives you have, it can be an enormous benefit to get out and attend as many of these meetings as possible. They often feature provincial apiculturists providing updates on issues facing the industry, specialists presenting technical sessions, and visiting speakers. There are also other beekeepers to network with. As an industry, it’s important to get together during the slow season to discuss challenges and successes, and to share knowledge because soon enough spring will be here and beekeepers will be “beezy” once again! (Sawyer Olmstead is an apiculturist with the Atlantic Tech Transfer Team for Apiculture (ATTTA) at Perennia Food and Agriculture Inc.)