This webinar series is offered in partnership between EFAO and Ignatius Farm. Register for the whole webinar series at a discounted rate here or register for individual events by visiting efao.ca/events or by following the links below.

If you live in northern Ontario, you are welcome to attend this workshop free of charge – please use the coupon code ECONORTH when filling out the registration form to receive free admission.

All Indigenous growers, land stewards and community members are welcome to attend this workshop free of charge – please use the coupon code IND2026 when filling out the registration form to receive free admission.

Introduction to ecological vegetable growing with Ignatius Farm

Have you been dreaming about growing your own vegetables? Whether you are starting a home garden, community garden, or a small market garden we will walk you through the important aspects to consider before you start.

Featuring experienced farmers in northern Ontario, this webinar series is designed for new and beginning farmers in the north, but all are welcome to join!

Webinars are recorded to allow participants to watch on their own time. Recordings will be emailed to registrants after the event.

• Tuesday Jan 13, 3:00pm – 5:00pm: Introduction to ecological growing
• Thursday Jan 15, 6:30pm – 8:30pm: Traditional ecological knowledge
• Tuesday Jan 20, 3:00pm – 5:00pm: Botany for farmers and gardeners
• Thursday Jan 22: TBA
• Tuesday Jan 27, 3:00pm – 5:00pm: Soil health
• Thursday Jan 29, 3:00pm – 5:00pm: Field and bed preparation
• Tuesday Feb 3, 3:00pm – 5:00pm: Principles of harvest and post-harvest
• Thursday Feb 5: TBA
• Tuesday Feb 10, 3:00pm – 5:00pm: Cover crops and green manures
• Thursday Feb 12, 6:30pm – 8:30pm: Irrigation basics
• Thursday Feb 19, 3:00pm – 5:00pm: Weed management
• Tuesday Feb 24, 3:00pm – 5:00pm: Vegetable crop disease management

Introduction to ecological growing

Tuesday Jan 13, 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Are you wanting to grow your own vegetables but are not sure how to get started? Join this webinar for an overview of how to start growing vegetables using ecological principles. Topics will include the basics of getting to know your site, common tools, site preparation, planting, pest management, and harvesting.  

Speaker: Lisa Conroy, Farm Educator at Ignatius Farm

Traditional ecological knowledge

Thursday Jan 15, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

This webinar will explore using traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to understand how Indigenous People see the everyday connections in a living world, and why it matters for the health and future of the planet. Discover how respecting and incorporating traditional practices can lead to more resilient food systems and a deeper connection to the land we cultivate.  

Speaker: Celeste Smith, Founder/Director of Cultural seeds and Ga Gitigemi Gamik

Botany for farmers and gardeners

Tuesday Jan 20, 3:00pm – 5:00pm

This webinar will provide an introduction to botany for gardeners, farmers, and foodies. Topics will include vegetable classification and why this is important, parts of a plant, and pollination.  

Speaker: Angie Koch, Fertile Ground Farm

Soil health

Tuesday Jan 27, 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Soil is the foundation of growing healthy food.  Learn the properties of soils and how to maintain and build soil health.  We will discuss the types of soils and their attributes, how to keep soils healthy and what activities contribute to degrading, maintaining, and building healthy soils.

Speaker: Sarah Larsen, Research and Small Grains Programs Director at Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario

Field and bed preparation

Thursday Jan 29, 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Before you can plant, you need to prepare the soil. This webinar will discuss methods of field and bed preparation, the dangers of over cultivation, and innovative no-till options. Primary and secondary tillage equipment will be shown as well as smaller-scale and hand-tool options.

Speaker: Misha Shodjaee, Verdant Fields Farm

Principles of harvest and post-harvest

Tuesday Feb 3, 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Harvest and post-harvest handling are critical steps to ensure good quality produce with optimal shelf life. Learn important tips on things like harvest hygiene, timing, and techniques as well as post-harvest handling, cooling, and storage. 

Speaker: Peggy Baillie, Three Forks Farm

Cover crops and green manures

Tuesday Feb 10, 3:00pm – 5:00pm

What is cover cropping and green manure? This webinar will answer these questions and discuss why they’re used in crop rotations. Learn how this practice can help increase soil health, crop health, and soil water retention. Hear from a market gardener how they have used cover crops in their vegetable crop rotation. 

Speakers: Stephanie Vickers, Horticulture Sustainability Specialist, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness & Martina Schaefer from Spiral Farm

Irrigation Basics

Thursday Feb 12, 6:30pm – 8:30pm

An introduction to the importance of irrigation on farms, water stress on plants, when to irrigate and how much. Participants can expect to learn about different irrigation options, discuss troubleshooting and where to source parts. A recording of this webinar will be available.

Speaker: Brendan Grant, Sleepy G Farm

Weed management

Thursday Feb 19, 3:00pm – 5:00pm

What are some common weeds and how do we manage them on a farm? This webinar will introduce the importance of managing weeds, the basics of weed identification, and various preventative and reactive control measures.  

Speaker: Mike Smith, Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Agriculture

Vegetable crop disease management 

Tuesday Feb 24, 3:00pm – 5:00pm

Identifying and managing plant diseases can be tricky. Join us for this introduction into what plant diseases are, how to identify them, and what you can do to prevent and control them. 

Speaker: Katie Goldehar, Pathologist – Horticulture Crops, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness

This webinar series is supported by funding from the Federal Economic Development Agency for Northern Ontario.