Holding the Reins 2011

Holding the Reins Links Landowners and Consumers to Sustainable Agriculture

The OWC Rural Team would like to thank everyone who attended the 5^th Annual Holding the Reins on February 10th and for making it a great day to catch up with neighbours and to get inspired! The watershed stewardship group and land use group updates proved how big an impact can be made when we work together. We also learned about wind development and landowner rights, a pilot program for composting livestock to reduce carnivore attractants and a landmark process for creating biofuels from manure and other waste. The keynote presentation by Don Ruzicka provided good food for thought. Don and his wife switched from a large industrial farming operation to a small, diverse operation and have dramatically increased their sustainability and quality of life. Don’s presentation and the digital stories told by local producers also fuelled us to connect stewardship and conservation to consumer choices. The day solidified the fact that each one of us has a role to play in finding “practical solutions to sustainability in agriculture” - the theme of the day - whether it is the choice of what we eat or how to run a farm.

And a BIG thank you to the OWC Rural Team for organizing such a great day!

Agenda

Theme: Practical Solutions for Sustainability in Agriculture

9:00 - 9:30                     Registration

9:30 - 9:45                     Welcome

9:45 - 10:00                   Introduction of OWC Board Members and Rural Team Update

10:00 - 10:45                 Landowner and Watershed Stewardship Group Updates

10:45 - 11:15                 Break

11:15 – 12:00                Closing the Loop: Linking Food and Energy Production for a Sustainable Ecosystem – Mike
                                     Kotelco (Highmark Renewables)

12:00 - 1:00                   Lunch and a Sneak Preview of the Digital Stories produced by REAL Beef Producers: 
                                                 Ranchers Enhancing Alberta’s Landscapes – Michael Gerrand (Cows and Fish)

1:00 – 1:45                    Livestock Composting Program – Jeff Porter (Southwestern Alberta Conservation Partnership) and Tim Romanow (Cardston County)

1:45 - 2:30                     Wind Energy in Rural Alberta – Kristi Anderson(PembinaInstitute) 

2:30 – 3:00                    Another Sneak Preview of the Digital Stories produced by REAL Beef Producers  

3:00 - 3:30                     Break  

3:30 – 4:30                    Keynote Speaker: Stewardship+Diversity+Biodiversity: On a Path to Sustainability, Don Ruzicka (Ruzicka Sunrise Farm)

4:30 - 5:00                     Bringing it All Together: Synopsis of the Day, Panel of Speakers and Discussion from Floor