Thanksgiving – thank a farmer



(NC) -- Now here's a common scenario: you're fumbling for your keys at the back door after work, when that aroma from your neighbors barbecue hits you: a thick juicy steak spitting and spatting out there on the grill has your mouth watering (with envy)!

This Thanksgiving, the farmers and ranchers across Canada invite you to take moment to pause, stop salivating and honor the day – it's truly a marvel – the abundance of food that's available to us in Canada -- thanks much to their fine work.

The commitment to bring good to the table is a noble cause and a responsibility that is not taken lightly. Taking care of the land is part and parcel of the process – the land gives and farmers give back. Any farmer will tell you that preserving and even enhancing the land is a top priority – fundamental to their life's work.

Take raising beef cattle for example: Canadian cattle farming and ranching families manage and care for 50 million acres of grass land and 14 million head of cattle each year. “Keeping the land and waterways clean is a big part of what we do on our farm here,” explains Ontario beef farmer Bill Sheard. “We had to come up with a system to make sure rainfall gets to our neighboring creek close to as clean as when it fell from the sky.”

Bill teamed up with conservation authorities and environmental consultants to develop an Ontario Environmental Farm Plan solution. For Bill, it meant installing a system of catch-basins to divert as much rainfall as possible from the farm.

Bill also installed a clever homegrown solution, setting hay bales along the creek-bank to slow any water flow from the farm and filter it. Tall grasses sprang up and add to the system – soaking up excess nutrients. It's a clean and healthy creek just downstream from 1,400 cattle.

“It's a great solution that's been a real team effort.”

Thanks Bill or all that you do.

For more information visit www.beefinfo.org

www.newscanada.com


Comments

There are 0 comments on this post

Leave A Comment