Friends of the Central Experimental Farm Fall 2013 Newsletter Volume 25 No. 4 Partners at the Farm as it was then known, to establish a wildlife area in the Arboretum. People gathered in June 1990 for a ceremony to turn the sod, plant a butternut tree and celebrate the beginning of this natural space. Members of the Field- Naturalists gave tours of the area, the Tally-Ho wagon gave tours of the Arboretum and Friends of the Farm grilled hot dogs and hamburgers for a picnic. Barry Cottam (Page 12) writes about how and why the FWG began, about the various habitats at the Garden, and about the work and research conducted there. Organic Demonstration Garden In June 1989, the Canadian Organic Growers (COG) and Friends of the Farm f f i presented a one-day lecture and l c h demonstration program on urban sustainable c n i agriculture. Throughout that summer, the H . R two organizations combined to provide a Red Maple (Acer rubrum) in the Arboretum composting display at the gardens. In the following spring, coinciding with hey’re going wild over at the Central Experimental the launch of the FWG, work began on an Organic Demonstration Farm,” wrote Nicole Baer in the Ottawa Citizen on Garden in the Ornamental Gardens. With assistance from “T September 23, 1990. “No, Agriculture Canada Agriculture staff, volunteers with the local chapter of COG employees are not in revolt and the piglets remain safely penned.” installed plots adjacent to the large parking lot off Prince of Wales She was writing about the new wilderness area that was to Drive. The Garden has been a feature at that location ever since. become known as the Fletcher Wildlife Garden (FWG). Telsing Andrews, on Page 8, writes about the Organic Also that year, garden plots were introduced to the Farm Demonstration Garden and how it has evolved. on the other side of Prince of Wales Drive to demonstrate the organic option for urban and rural landowners. Maplelawn Garden In this newsletter, we salute the Fletcher Wildlife Garden and Although not at the Central Experimental Farm, the Canadian Organic Growers’ Demonstration Garden, which, Maplelawn Garden on Richmond Road has a past connection like the Friends of the Central Experimental Farm, are to the Farm. long-standing partners at the Farm with Agriculture and Over the last two decades, a dedicated group of volunteers Agri-Food Canada (AAFC). has restored this important part of the heritage of Ottawa and Canada, and we congratulate the Friends of Maplelawn Garden Fletcher Wildlife Garden on their 20th anniversary this year. Ann Nowell, on Page 10, writes about Maplelawn, its The Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club and Friends of the Farm connection to the Farm, the volunteer group and their began negotiations in August 1989 with Agriculture Canada, celebration activities. Page 2 Friends of the Central Experimental Farm • Fall 2013 Farewell Message from the Outgoing President his will be my last message as The indoor events have also done very President. After three years in this well, and I expect that the remaining Tposition, it is time to let someone events this year will show similar results. else take over. I have enjoyed presiding This year’s bus trip was a great success. over the many improvements and changes One major initiative that started last to the Friends. During my term, many of year and will continue for the next several the directors I served with have moved on years is the Friends’ plans for our and others have stepped in to fill those contribution to mark Canada’s 150th vacant positions. The same holds true for Anniversary in 2017. A committee the volunteers who work in the composed of the Friends, Agriculture and Ornamental Gardens, Arboretum, Agri-Food Canada and others have been Shelterbelt, office and on our many events. meeting to come up with ideas and I look forward to continuing as a volunteer funding proposals. Hopefully we will be with the Friends and as past President on able to start some of these projects prior the Board of Directors. to 2017, with a major initiative ready This summer’s weather has been an for 2017. improvement over last year, although we Once again our work to support AAFC had to contend with the effects of last in the maintenance and preservation of year’s drought that damaged some of the the Central Experimental Farm has been trees in the Arboretum and the Shelterbelt. greatly facilitated by the excellent Also, with the onslaught of the emerald ash working relationship we have with the borer many of the ash trees on the Chuck Craddock grounds staff of the Farm. I would like to Experimental Farm have died or been badly thank the many volunteers and members diseased and have had to be removed. Japanese beetles were not as hard on the without whose dedication, tireless work On the other hand, thanks to good roses this year, but the dog-strangling vine and financial contribution the Friends growing conditions the Ornamental excelled in the Arboretum. could not carry out their operations. Gardens have fared quite well as have the The good weather also contributed to I thank you all for letting me serve as Hosta garden and the Shelterbelt. The the success of the Friends outdoor events. your President for the last three years. Message d’adieu du président sortant l s’agit de mon dernier message à l’Arboretum et du brise-vent. De plus, à titre de notre contribution pour la titre de président, poste que l’agrile du frêne s’en est pris à un bon célébration du 150e anniversaire du Ij’occupe depuis trois ans. Il est donc nombre de frênes de la Ferme Canada en 2017. Un comité formé des temps pour moi de céder la place à expérimentale, lesquels ont été Amis, d’Agriculture et Agroalimentaire quelqu’un d’autre. Alors que j’assumais détruits ou gravement touchés, et Canada (AAC) et d’autres groupes ont les fonctions de président, j’ai été nous avons dû les abattre. participé à des rencontres pour agréablement fier de voir se réaliser de D’autre part, grâce à des conditions élaborer des idées et des propositions multiples améliorations et changements de croissance favorables, les jardins de financement. Nous espérons être chez les Amis de la Ferme. Durant mon ornementaux, les plates-bandes en mesure d’aborder certains de ces mandat, bon nombre de mes collègues d’hostas et le brise-vent ont donné projets d’ici 2017 et, d’ici là, de du conseil d’administration ont accepté d’assez bons résultats. Cette année, les réaliser un projet intéressant en d’autres défis, et d’autres encore sont rosiers n’ont pas subi d’attaques trop temps opportun. venus remplir ces postes vacants. C’est vigoureuses de la part des scarabées De plus, notre travail qui consiste notamment le cas pour les bénévoles japonais; par contre, le dompte ‑venin à appuyer AAC dans l’entretien qui œuvrent dans les jardins de Russie a joui d’une excellente et la préservation de la Ferme ornementaux, l’Arboretum et le croissance dans l’Arboretum. expérimentale centrale a été rendu brise-vent, ainsi que les personnes qui La température clémente a plus aisé grâce à l’excellente relation travaillent aux services administratifs ou également contribué au succès des de travail que nous entretenons avec participent à d’autres activités. Je me activités des Amis, tant pour celles qui le personnel sur le terrain de la Ferme. réjouis à l’avance de pouvoir servir à la se sont déroulées à l’extérieur, que Je désire remercier les nombreux fois comme bénévole avec les Amis et pour celles tenues à l’intérieur. Je suis bénévoles et membres pour leur comme président sortant du conseil donc confiant que les autres dévouement, leurs efforts incessants d’administration. événements de l’année en cours et leur contribution financière. Leur La température estivale de 2013 a obtiendront de tels résultats, à l’instar apport essentiel a contribué pour bénéficié d’une amélioration par de l’excursion en autobus qui, beaucoup au bon fonctionnement rapport à celle de l’an dernier. Nous d’ailleurs, a été des plus réussies. des activités des Amis. avons dû toutefois lutter contre les Une nouvelle initiative majeure Je vous remercie tous de m’avoir effets de la sécheresse de l’été entreprise l’an dernier se poursuivra donné l’occasion de servir dans le précédent qui avait causé des effets au cours des prochaines années. Il poste de président au cours des trois néfastes à certains arbres de s’agit des plans que les Amis formulent dernières années. Friends of the Central Experimental Farm • Fall 2013 Page 3 Eric Jones: Friends' President Wears Many Hats By Mary Ann Smythe here are two important things to know where the note about Eric Jones: first, he has plaques were located Tconsiderable knowledge of trees should a donor enquire. and, by way of his wife Sheila Burvill, From there, Eric a former president of the Ottawa decided it would be Horticultural Society, a great appreciation of plants, and second, he is calm, cool "kind of neat" to have a and collected. database of all the trees Eric's knowledge of trees, appreciation in the Arboretum, and of plants, and calm demeanour stand him took it on as a personal in good stead as he assumes the project. Thanks to his presidency of the Friends of the Central painstaking work, there Experimental Farm (FCEF). are now over 3,000 trees in the Location A life-long interest Guide posted on the in trees Friends' website.