Amaranth, millets, quinoa, oh my! 

We spend a lot of time (and big players spend a lot of money) looking at wheat, but what about the potential of other grains in Ontario? Come to this session to learn a little more about three grains that growers are experimenting with in Ontario. 

Dean Orr has been experimenting with quinoa, working to find ideal varieties and agronomic practices to produce the crop organically in Ontario. Tune in to find out more about this finicky crop and how growers can work towards success. 

Ronaldo Eleazar Lec Ajcot at Luna Mia Farm has collaborated with other growers in EFAO’s Network to trial varieties of grain amaranth to find the best to grow in the relatively short growing season of Ontario. He’ll tell us about what’s been discovered so far, and next steps for this versatile, culturally significant crop. 

Dr. Manish Raizada is a professor at the University of Guelph and his lab focuses on the discovery of beneficial microbes to help farmers grow sustainably, and developing low-cost empowerment technologies for farmers internationally. He’s studied millets to discover beneficial endophytes, and evaluated their use in Nepal and the semi-arid tropics of Asia and Africa. But what is the potential in Ontario? What can we learn from this crop? 

Register to learn from these farmers and researchers about specialty crops with potential to diversify the grain landscape in Ontario. 

EFAO’s Small Grains Network is funded and supported by the Weston Family Foundation’s Soil Health Initiative.