March 13 Canada to California

This morning we visited the Avena processing factory where we were hosted by Kelvin Meadows, current Canadian Nuffield scholar. We had an interesting tour looking at the product of oats which is strictly produced for coeliacs and gluten intolerant consumers. Much care needs to be taken by farmers who grow these oats, to ensure no wheat or barley etc gets mixed up with the loads of oats. Thanks to Kelvin and Shelley Meadows for really looking after us. We drove to Regina airport and flew via Denver to Sacramento, California for 5 days in US agriculture.

March 13 - leaving Canada

Well unfortunately its time to leave Canada. I have really enjoyed my time here between Winnipeg, Steinbach, Brandon, Regina and Moose Jaw. The people are very friendly and the landscape is stunning with snow everywhere. I can only imagine how pretty the place is during the summer months. The part of Canada we spent our time in was the prairie country which is very flat - in fact we heard from one local that you can watch your dog run away for 3 days!!!!!

Other features that I will remember are the huge number of fast food shops, the very wide roads and the extreme utes. If I'm fortunate enough to ever return to Canada I would be keen to travel to the mountains and wilderness areas. Thankyou Canada. Next stop California.

Here's a couple photos of the northern lights, captured on camera by WA scholar Rhys Arangio.

March 12 - Pulses & Carbon credits

Today started with a tour of Simpson Seeds, a pulse processing plant specializing in Lentils. They process about 2500 tonne per week. This was a neat operation which took in raw lentils then graded and cleaned the grain. Some product is also split and sold all around the globe.

We then visited an ag risk solution business to hear about local crop insurance products. Also had a run down on the Canadian carbon credit scheme which is so very different from the Aussie model.

Farmers are paid a credit for the year they're in (in retrospect), based on a no till farming method. No locking up land for 99 years. Sounded simple and has wide spread support from farmers. Prices are based on the Chicago Stock Exchange and are currently about $17 / tonne. 

Then onto a large ag machinery manufacturer 'Brandt'. They make all kinds of machinery including augers, grain bins, etc. Items are shipped all over the world. Brandt has a very modern factory and is one of Canada’s largest businesses.

Overnighted in Moose Jaw.

March 11 - Regina/Moose Jaw

Drove from Brandon to Regina, a 4 hour drive. At Regina we met up with current Canadian Nuffield Scholar Kelvin Meadows and his wife Shelley. They coached us in a game of curling.

We went to a large indoor ice centre for a game. Curling is a favourite Canadian pastime enjoyed by young and old alike. It involves a player sliding a heavy rock with a handle attached, along the ice some 50 metres or so towards a bullseye. His/her teammates furiously sweep the ice with brooms immediately ahead of the rock to encourage it towards the bullseye. I was happy not to be the only scholar to spend time horizontal on the ice! Its a great laugh! 

Afterwards we travelled to the town of Moose Jaw where we are to be based for the next 2 nights. Moose Jaw is a medium sized town set up about 100 years ago to service the railway and surrounding farming district. It has an interesting history, well known for its colourful past in manufacturing and running moon-shine (sligh grog.) We went for a tour of the underground tunnel system which was used to assist the illegal activities to prosper. The tunnels were also used to house a cheap and poorly treated Chinese population which worked on the railway and laundry.

March 10 - Brandon, Canada

Left Steinbach behind and headed towards Brandon a 3 hour drive across very flat prairie country where the snow had begun to melt. Along the way we met up with a couple of broadacre farmers and an R&D farmer. We learnt about some of the local cropping systems used in this district.

In the evening once in Brandon, we went to watch a game of ice hockey between the Brandon Wheat Kings and Saskatoon Blades. It was the first time I had seen live ice hockey. It is a very fast game with a few big hits. Plenty of atmosphere in the stadium with a crowd of about 4500.

 

 

March 9 - visiting farms

Started the day enjoying the sunrise and  beautiful surrounds at Wally & Ruth's house. Snow and ice everywhere - so different to my hot and dusty home!

Today we visited a soyabean processing plant where the family enterprise produces soymeal and soybean oil for the livestock feed industry.

We then inspected a 720 cow dairy where cows are shedded in a modern barn out of the extreme cold and milked 3 times a day on a rotary milker.

We went on to visit an enterprising young farmer who performs mass braodacre contract cropping services but who has also just innovated machinery to produce a dustless hay product which is used as animal bedding. This product is used in barns and trucks and has wide application in Canada's livestock industry. It has big demand and competes favourably with sawdust and woodchips which up until now have been used for this purpose.

Also spoke to a large cropping family farmer who explained to us that his business model includes expanding his cropping area, recycling secondhand timber to manufacture usable building and furniture products, and development of a new health bar that is high in nutrition, from ingredients grown on his own farm - value adding raw material.

March 8 - Grain

After arriving late into Winnepeg, Canada last night, and a few hours sleep, we stepped outside our hotel and the view was incredible. Thick snow everywhere and icy footpaths and roads. Very attractive but also very cold at -18 degrees. A little uncomfortable to begin with, especially for the Queenslanders travelling with us - but once equipped with the right clothing (gloves, scarves, beanies) we soon adjusted.

These photos show snow in the hotel carpark, a fully enclosed bus stop and snow outside our hotel. 

Today we were based in the Canadian Wheat Board offices in downtown Winnepeg where we were given an overview of roles and a tour around the facility. These people are doing amazing work on grain sampling and grading. They also product test and innovate, plus quality test end product, their aim being to satisfy the customer base.

In the lab they were testing elasticity of wheat samples to see how the different proteins and growing conditions of the wheat influences dough elasticity. A disc of dough is placed in a machine, air is injected in to blow the dough like bubble gum. The size the ball gets to and its popping point are measured to assist in this grading.

This facility also has top class milling equipment plus all kinds of processing machines to make bread, noodles and snacks from not only wheat but all manner of cereals, pulses and specialty seeds.

They work very closely with large processors, millers and bread makers to assist and encourage sales of Canadian grains and pulses. This photo shows specialty noodles.

We also spent time with the grain grading department who gave a rundown on the different Canadian grain categories.

This photo is overlooking Winnepeg. We then drove about 60km to Steinbach where we were kindly hosted by Wally & Ruth Doerksen. Wally is a Nuffield Scholar and key person in selecting Canadian scholars to participate in the Nuffield program.