Covering our Tracks-Field day

This field day will tour the family farms of Keith Buckingham and Garry Richards, of the Bangor SK area. It will also feature a presentation“Benefits to soil from legumes in a system”: Soils data from polycrop study by Dr. Jeff Schoenau, Professor of Soil Fertility at University of Saskatchewan, & Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program (SRP) Chair in Soil Nutrient Management.

It is a bus tour departing from Regina, SK (Old Costco Parking Lot), arriving first at the Bangor Community Hall, then driving to Keith Buckingham’s farm, back to the community hall for lunch and presentations, continuing on to Garry Richard’s farm, and finally arriving back in Regina. Riding the bus is encouraged but of course optional for those who don’t live in the Regina area and will be driving themselves (see below for more information).

At the Family Farm of Keith Buckingham you will observe:

Fencing demonstrations, moving of cattle, custom grazing options, and cropping in 2019 on two fields – one of which was cover crops and one of which was summer fallow the year before.

Keith Buckingham Bio

Keith and Emily Buckingham and their 2 daughters moved from Admiral SK to south of Yorkton in 2016 and started the transition process the same year. They utilize livestock and cover crops to build soil health along with intercropping to help control weeds on crop land. Some of the cash crops they grow are oats, peas, barley, lentils, and flax. The Buckingham’s are of the belief that all land should have grazing livestock to be part of a healthy ecosystem.

Lunch & Presentations: Organic beef on a bun lunch at Bangor Hall followed by a Presentation

“Benefits to soil from legumes in a system”: Soils data from polycrop study by Dr. Jeff Schoenau, Professor of Soil Fertility at University of Saskatchewan, & Ministry of Agriculture Strategic Research Program (SRP) Chair in Soil Nutrient Management.

Dr. Jeff Schoenau Bio

Dr. Jeff Schoenau is a professor of soil fertility and professional agrologist who works in the Department of Soil Science at the University of Saskatchewan. He holds the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Soil Nutrient Management Chair in the College of Agriculture and Bioresources, and is a fellow of the Agricultural Institute of Canada. He was born in Saskatchewan, raised on the family farm near Central Butte, and completed his undergraduate and graduate degrees in the College of Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan. He continues to be involved in farming with his wife Lynne.

At the Family Farm of Garry Richards you will observe:

Soil from the view of a trench, Intercropping, cover crops, cattle grazing systems, soil health, and more.

Garry Richards Bio

Garry, his wife Lynn, and their three children Rebekah, Evan, and Caroline have a mixed grain and cattle farm near Bangor, southeast of Melville. They came back to Garry’s family’s farm in 2000. At that time Garry was a pharmacist, Lynn was a nurse, and it was their goal in the first few years to determine whether or not the farm would be viable without long-term subsidies from off-farm income. The farm was a straight grain operation in 2000, but beef cattle were added in 2002. In 2003 Garry and Lynn took a Holistic Management course. In 2009 they started growing cover crop cocktails in an effort to become more sustainable. One of their goals was to measure the changes they were making in the soil as a result of their regenerative management, so they now have lots of data on what is happening in their soil and are involved in a number of projects looking at soil health. They strive to integrate the cattle and grain enterprises on their farm to achieve healthy land, healthy people, and healthy profits.

BUS TOUR BONUS: interesting videos related to regenerative agriculture and plenty of networking time!

Itinerary

The below link contains times, descriptions and locations. Please read carefully.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD ITINERARY

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

BUS PASSENGERS: Bus leaves the OLD Costco Parking lot at 8:00am SHARP.. Registration opens at 7:30am. Arrive before 8:00 so you don’t get left behind!

INDIVIDUAL DRIVERS: Be at the Bangor Community Hall by 10:10am. The bus will be arriving approximately then, we will process your registrations, and everyone will follow Keith Buckingham out to his farm (sorry-Google maps is unable to pinpoint his exact farm location)

Tickets

*IMPORTANT: IF RIDING THE BUS, YOU MUST PURCHASE ADMISSION TICKET PLUS BUS TICKET*

Ticket prices include lunch and snacks. Please bring your own reusable water bottle for the field.

The Early Bird Deadline has passed. Prices are now:

• Door Price Admission: $50.00 +GST/Person
• Bus Ticket: $30.00 + GST/person