Press Release
Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists
Submitted by Cliff Bennett
Feb. 23 2003

Growing Food Naturally

In keeping with its broad mandate of concern for our natural world, members and guests of the Mississippi Valley Field Naturalists were treated to a dynamic presentation on organic farming, at its Feb. meeting, held in Almonte. Bruce and Janet Duncan, who operated a certified organic farm on County Road 17 in Ramsay Ward of Mississippi Mills, enthralled their audience with a slide show of their farm and its operations, complimented by a vivid description of the history of their farm, how they got into organic growing and finally, a description of the current state of organic growing in Canada. They noted that most of their products from their 150 acre farm, are sold locally.

Key to the Duncans’ presentation was the fact that, through maintaining rigid values in organic farming, they are not only enhancing the health of all citizens who consume organic products, they help protect the environment from continual contamination by chemical and artificial agricultural practices. On their organic farm, the Duncans grow a diversity of crops, using low and no till operations, all without the use of pesticides and herbicides. As a result, critters on and in the ground are not poisoned nor are the birds which eat them.

Introduced by MVFN Chair of Environmental Issues Susan Fisher, Janet and Bruce entertained questions from the audience which lasted well over one half hour. In thanking them, Susan presented the Duncans with a gift of an environmental book. Refreshments were served after the meeting.

The next MVFN event will be a meeting on Thursday March 20, at which noted birder and naturalist Paul Jones, will present documentation and slides on the current on-going Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas.