Farms.com Home   News

Focusing on plant diversity

The Stanley Soil Management Association (SSMA) held its AGM last week.

Joseph Gardiner, Co-founder of Covers & Co. at Crystal City, Manitoba, was the keynote speaker.

He talked to the virtual group about plant diversity.

"We have a common conception of how agriculture works and that is monocropping. We grow a field of wheat or field of canola and our eyes fail to look at the blueprint that mother nature has put out for us. A high grade variety of plants, plants that grow at different heights capturing sunlight at different heights, rooted different levels, capture sunlight at different times, have different growing seasons."

Gardiner says the key is creating diversity with the plants that are growing and capturing photosynthetic energy at different times of the year.

"By doing that, we can capture sunlight more efficiently and feed the biology in the soil eco-system, so our soils can infiltrate water and air and create homes for biology that are responsible for growing the plants that we need to survive."

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Better Farming Ontario - Proudly Serving the World's Best Farmers for Over 25 Years

Video: Better Farming Ontario - Proudly Serving the World's Best Farmers for Over 25 Years


For over 25 years, Ontario Federation of Agriculture members have trusted Better Farming as a source for information to help them farm profitably, with insights and best practices for cash cropping, soil health, pest and weed control, livestock, and farm business management.

Watch this video to learn more about Better Farming and its relationship with producers across Ontario.

Message from Better Farming:

To our OFA farming readers, thank you for your time and your trust, for 25 years now. We look forward to continuing the journey with you.