The Ignatius Farm New Farmer Training Program is a collaboration between the Ignatius Jesuit Centre, EFAO, Everdale and the National Farmers Union Ontario. 

Educational content is geared toward new farmers, but is open to all farmers who might be curious about a certain topic, wishing to expand their farming knowledge, or in need of a refresh.

Important Information:

The 2022 Ignatius Farm New Farmer Training Program is FREE for everyone! This program is a project of Employment Ontario and is funded in part by the Canadian Government and the Ontario Government, and is a collaboration between the Ignatius Jesuit Centre, EFAO, Everdale and the National Farmers Union Ontario.

*Funding stipulations require participants to fill out a pdf registration form, which you will receive upon registration for this event. Data will be collected and handled by Ignatius Jesuit Centre and the NFU -O and will be treated as confidential and only shared with the funding agency.

Neither EFAO nor Everdale will view, handle or store any of the information in this form.

Term 2: Applying Farm Knowledge

*Register for the whole term or choose individual events.  

**All events are recorded to allow participants to watch on their own time. Recordings will be made available on the course platform (Moodle) within 48 hours of the event.

May 2, 7:00pm – 8:00pm: Full term participants meet up, Online

May 4th, 9:30am – 11:30am: Optional in-person Field Day: Small Plot Agriculture at Ignatius Farm, Guelph

If you’re in southwestern Ontario, join us for this optional in-person field day at Ignatius Farm in Guelph to talk about small plot agriculture.

*Please sign up ahead of time using the Sign-up form on Moodle. 

May 9, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Field and Bed Preparation, Online

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. Guest Farmer Seb Ramirez will contrast the differences between tractor, BCS, and no-till techniques. A recording of this webinar will be available.

Speakers: Lisa Conroy, Ignatius Farm & Seb Ramirez, The Community Farmer

May 11, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Weed Management Techniques, Online

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.  A recording of this webinar will be available.

Speaker: Lisa Conroy, Ignatius Farm

May 16, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Principles of Irrigation, Online

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: David Alexander, Everdale

May 18, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Principles of Harvest and Post Harvest, Online

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. A recording of this webinar will be available.

Speaker: Karen Campbell, Everdale

June 1, 9:30am – 11:30am: Optional In-person Field Day: Seedling Production at Trout Lilly Nursery, Guelph/Eramosa

If you’re in southwestern Ontario, join us for this optional in-person field day at Trout Lilly Nursery to talk about seedling production.

*Please sign up ahead of time using the Sign-up form on Moodle. 

June 1, 1:30pm – 3:30pm: Optional In-person Field Day: Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Farming, Guelph

If you’re in southwestern Ontario, join us for this optional in-person field day at the University of Guelph’s Guelph Centre for Urban Organic Farming to talk about farming within an institution.

*Please sign up ahead of time using the Sign-up form on Moodle. 

June 6, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Urban Farm Set-up, Online

Want to farm but stay in the city? Join us for this webinar on setting up an urban farm.  We will discuss what you need to consider before you start and some of the challenges you may face along the way. A recording of this webinar will be available.

Speaker: Elana Evans

June 8, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Keeping Sheep, Online

Have you been wanting to keep livestock?  How about sheep!  Join Brenda Hsueh as she talks us through starting a sheep farm, the challenges and benefits of integrating this into a vegetable farm.  Brenda and her family run Black Sheep Farm; an organic farm, producing vegetables for CSA members and raising sheep on pasture for lamb meat, fiber, and tanned lambskins. A recording of this webinar will be available.

Speaker: Brenda Hsueh, Black Sheep farm

June 13, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: No-till Market Gardening, Online

Join us for this webinar delving into practical ways to integrate no/low till methods into your garden/small farm.  Seb will discuss different tools and techniques he has found effective in a market garden setting, as well as what some other growers in the no-till field have been exploring. 

Speaker: Seb Ramirez, The CoOmmunity Farmer

June 15, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Cover Crops and Green Manures, Online

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. A recording of this webinar will be available.

Speaker: Anne Verhallen, Soil Management Specialist (Horticultural Crops), Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

June 20, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Flower Production, Online

Join Melanie Harrington of Dahlia May Flower Farm for this webinar discussing some of the differences between vegetable and flower farming: from starting seeds to marketing and sales. From humble beginnings eight years ago, Dahlia May Flower Farm has been featured by Better Homes and Gardens, The Toronto Star, CBC television and radio, PayPal, Google, Canadian Florist Magazine and more. Dahlia May was named Agri-Business of the Year in 2019 at the Quinte Business Achievement Award and Melanie was awarded the title of Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2018. 

Speaker: Melanie Harrington of Dahlia May Flower Farm

June 22, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Bee Keeping at Tuckamore Bee Company, Online OR Optional in-person field day in Puslinch

What’s the buzz about beekeeping? Join the Tuckamore Bee Company crew to learn about the basics of keeping bees, what you need to get started and some common challenges for beginners. A recording of this webinar will be available.

Speakers: Tuckamore Bee Company Crew

*For the in-person field day, please sign up ahead of time using the Sign-up form on Moodle. 

July 6th, 9:30am – 11:30am: Optional In-person Field Day: Fiddlehead Nursery, Kimberley

If you’re in southwestern Ontario, join us for this optional in-person field day at Fiddlehead Nursery in Kimberley.

*Please sign up ahead of time using the Sign-up form on Moodle. 

July 6th, 1:30pm – 3:30pm: Optional In-person Field Day: Sideroad Farm, Markdale

If you’re in southwestern Ontario, join us for this optional in-person field day at Sideroad Farm in Markdale.

*Please sign up ahead of time using the Sign-up form on Moodle. 

July 11, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Composting, Online

Learn how to recycle nutrients back into the soil to build your growing space and community! This webinar will include a recorded tour of an on-farm compost operation using passive windrow, ASP, vermicomposting, and three-bin composting systems for re-processing valuable farm and food resources into compost. Designed for growers on numerous scales we will cover the basics and mechanics of composting along with an open Q and A to answer any of your compost-related questions. Participants will also get access to an online book about recycling food resources and compost in Ontario. A recording of this webinar will be available.

Speaker: Fianna Dirks, Foodshare

July 13, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: How to Strengthen and Get Fit While Farming, Online

Join us for a hands on webinar where you will be lead into a practice on how to do simple + effective exercises and movements to strengthen and stretch your body to prep & thrive the ascending season. It will start with body awareness, then posture and finally targeted exercises. There will be a PDF that you can print and use as a tool to practice “off the mat and into the field” what you have learned. A recording of this webinar will be available.

Speaker: Julie Bradley-Low, Stonegrove Wellness Studio

July 18, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Orchard Care, Online

Join us for a holistic fruit tree care workshop focused on summer pruning, and how pruning integrates with key aspects of fruit tree botany and physiology, pest management strategies, and other best practices for maintaining a healthy and productive home orchard. 

Speaker: Matt Soltys, The Urban Orchardist

July 20, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Beyond Land Acknowledgements, Online

Join farmers Denise Atkinson from Thunder Bay, traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg Peoples in Northwestern Ontario and Paul Wartman from Nova Scotia (Mi’kma’ki) for a creative exercise that guides participants through a 4-step planning tool to include reconciliatory justice into our everyday actions. Informed by their experiences, participants will reflect on how they can take meaningful action. You will leave with resources to continue learning, next steps to integrate better relations into your lives and farming careers, and inspiration from the group. Plus, you’ll be practicing a sweet little planning tool that you can apply to any situation. Everyone welcome, bring a pen/pencil, and paper. A recording of this webinar will be available.

Speakers: Denise Atkinson, Aweya Farm/Tea Horse & Paul Wartman, Flororen Farm

July 25, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Pasture-raised Chickens, Online

Are you thinking of starting pasture raised poultry? Join Éric as he takes us through both the set up and day to day activities of pasture raised chickens as well as the business side of marketing and distribution. A recording of this webinar will be available.

Speaker: Éric Blondin, Three Forks Farm

July 27, 2:30pm – 4:00pm: Growing Medicinal Herbs, Online

Join Shabina as she shares her experience with  growing herbs for medicine and tea. How is growing herbs different from vegetables, harvest and drying techniques, as well as tips and tricks she has found useful. A recording of this webinar will be available.

Speaker: Shabina Lafleur-Gangji, Seed, Soil and Spirit School

Full program details available here  >