CountryTalk FALL 2014 Agriculture Master Plan for Strathcona County In 2003, Strathcona County published its ‘Future of Agriculture Study’. This study identifi ed strengths within the agricultural industry and provided recommendations for future opportunities. The purpose of the Agriculture Master Plan is to • Include a comprehensive public consultation build on this study and create a plan that will strategy. assist in directing the continued preservation, • Raise the profi le of agriculture by promoting growth and development of agriculture in the importance of agricultural stewardship Strathcona County. This document will provide and the protection of heritage farmland. consistency to administrative decisions surrounding agriculture and the agri-food • Identify future trends in agriculture to Municipal Land industry. advance opportunities in Strathcona County. • Develop a long-term vision and policy that Licensing Program Strathcona County is a large and diverse county. will protect agricultural operations within a It includes the urban centre of Sherwood Park, diverse land use framework. and surrounding rural territory with several Strathcona County is offering Municipal Lands • Identify measurable implementation hamlets, acreage developments, farms and two to license for hay or pasture purposes. A list of strategies. airports. The agricultural fl avor within the County available lands can be obtained by visiting is diverse; it includes a spectrum of homegrown www.strathcona.ca/landlicensing to commercial production operations. Questions about the development of the Agriculture Master Plan can be directed to: Packages are also available for pickup at: Plan requirements Transportation and Agriculture Services Strathcona County Hall The Agriculture Master Plan will address the 780-417-7100 Planning and Development Services following goals. Land Management Services 2001 Sherwood Drive • Provide agricultural recommendations that Sherwood Park, T8A 3W7 align with Strathcona County’s strategic plan and sustainability pillars. Further information Planning and Development Services 780-464-8263 780-410-6524 Agricultural Service Board Councillor Bonnie Riddell, Chair 780-464-8003 Transportation and Agriculture Services Joel Gould, Manager, Agriculture Services 780-417-7100 www.strathcona.ca Pruning Tips Mild fall weather may have you thinking about pruning your trees and shrubs but it is best to wait until spring. Pruning a little branch or two is fi ne, but bigger tasks such as thinning the crown or cutting a big limb should wait until after the fi rst hard frost. Prune trees and shrubs in late winter or early spring The best time to prune trees and shrubs is when the leaves have fallen and the trees are fully dormant. For most trees, this is in late winter to early spring. Don’t prune when wet Manure Management for Horse Owners As a general rule of thumb, don’t prune when it Along with the joys of owning a horse come the responsibilities of manure management. is damp outside as it promotes the spread of diseases. Damp weather encourages the growth of microbes. The manure that can build up from one horse in • Walls to contain the pile and facilitate Keep your pruning tools clean and sharp a year is substantial, and must be managed in the use of small equipment order to avoid intestinal parasites, fl ies or other Disinfect your pruning tools between cuts if you 3. Compost it: Transforming yard wastes into insects, and objectionable odours. A poorly are working on a diseased tree. This is extremely compost can be one of the most useful things managed manure pile can become an important when pruning black knot infested trees. to do with manure. Composting reduces environmental contaminant due to runoff and odour, kills existing parasites and weed seeds Do your homework leaching into sensitive riparian areas and water in the material and reduces the size of the bodies. waste by up to 50 percent. Be sure you do the research on your trees and shrubs before you make that fi rst cut. Remember, To prepare an effective management plan, it is By using a composting system, one can also once you take if off there is no going back! important to estimate a realistic amount of dispose of other common yard wastes like manure from your operation. For example, an grass clippings and leaves. Advantages to pruning in late winter to 1,100 pound horse may produce 31 pounds of early spring feces and 10 litres of urine per day. • Piles should be a minimum of one cubic metre. • Trees pruned in the fall may not have time • Manure and bedding can be added to recover before winter. Manure management tips directly to the pile. • Better able to see the tree’s structure and 1. Break it up: Using harrows to break up • Temperature of compost heaps should be identify disease and insect problems. clumps of manure can assist in manure monitored weekly and kept between • No new growth is stimulated while the tree breakdown. When harrowing, spread the 55°C to 65°C. is dormant. clumps around; the more surface area that • Turn and mix piles for even degradation. • Vigorous spring growth will hide pruning can be created, the faster the natural break wounds, especially in evergreens. down process can occur. This option is most Finished compost can be used as a soil feasible for operations that have one horse amendment, growth media, mulch or Always check for overhead power lines and per acre of pasture. fertilizer. On average, a well-managed pile can contact 310-Wire if there are branches growing 2. Store it: Manure storage can be considered be composted in two to three months in the into power lines. a temporary solution before further disposal. summer or four to six months in the winter. Site selection for manure storage is important Under the Alberta Agricultural Pests Act (APA), and must follow all guidelines set out by the Further information the Elm Pruning Ban is in effect between April 1 Agricultural Operations Practices Act and and September 30. This pruning ban is in effect Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development Regulations. Storage facilities require the throughout Alberta to prevent the spread of Dutch www.agric.gov.ab.ca following: Elm Disease. • Floors that reduce leaching (i.e. concrete Transportation and Agriculture Services Further information or hard packed clay) 780-417-7100 Transportation and Agriculture Services • Roof or covering to reduce runoff and 780-417-7100 seepage Poster contest In the spring of 2014, the Agricultural Service Board held its annual poster contest for grades 3, 4 and 5 students from Strathcona County and Fort Saskatchewan. The students were asked to draw posters with the theme Fur and Feathers on the Farm. Strathcona County Council selected the winners who were each presented a cheque at the June 17, 2014 Council meeting. The Agricultural Service Board wishes to thank all the students who entered the contest. Watch for wildlife on roads Many species are more active during dawn and dusk, particularly deer and moose during the fall mating season. Reduce the chance of a collision • Stay alert and drive at a speed appropriate to the road conditions, especially along rural roads. • Reduce speed at night, especially where wildlife What’s in Your Water? frequently cross, i.e. near water, wooded areas and open spaces. • Use high-beams when possible. A free test of your well water can protect can be very important to a well owner if things • Look for more than one animal - some species your family and your property. go wrong. “Routine testing can pick up changes travel in groups. in water quality early on and help a well owner • Leave plenty of room when driving around an Those who live in urban municipalities seldom realize that certain maintenance procedures animal; a frightened animal may run in any worry about whether or not their water is safe need to be done to preserve water quality direction. to drink, because regulations are in place that and increase the lifetime of a well,” says Jamie require municipalities to treat and test water Wuite, Executive Director of Alberta Agriculture quality on a regular basis. For rural residents and Rural Development’s Irrigations and Farm who rely on wells for their household water, Water Division. “A baseline is also important access to an adequate supply of clean drinking information to have when you suspect your water is not as simple as turning on a tap. water quality has been negatively affected by Those who get their water from private wells another party. If you never tested your water are responsible for managing and maintaining quality, it’s hard to prove that it has been their wells and ensuring their water supply is negatively affected.” tested regularly and is safe to drink. Over time, land use changes or structural “Even though testing is free of charge for degradation of an aging well can change or residential users through Alberta Health affect water quality. Private well owners can’t Services, we’re fi nding that some people aren’t take water quality for granted. Regular testing testing their water,” says Debra Mooney, an of well water is vital to preserve the health of environment health consultant with Alberta rural families and to ensure that ground water Health and an advocate for the Working Well remains safe for many generations to come. Program. “People need to know what’s in their water. Some well water has high nitrate levels which can be harmful to small infants when Learn How to Manage Your Well Weed inspectors wrap mixed in their formula. Other harmful Online resources and free community-based up another busy season substances can also make their way into wells workshops offered by the Working Well and since water quality can change over the program provide well owners with the Thank you to everyone for working cooperatively with lifetime of a well, regular testing is the only information and tools they need to properly Strathcona County’s weed inspectors this past way to be certain that well water is safe for care for their wells.