Wrapping up our Stories of Regeneration tour, we land in Ottawa at Just Food Community Farm, a 150-acre farmstead located in Ottawa’s Greenbelt that is championing small-scale, viable agriculture businesses and initiatives like Chi Garden and Urban Fresh Produce. Dedicated to cultivating a thriving local food economy and sustainable farming sector,…

On the second-last stop in our Stories of Regeneration tour, we returned to Alberta, making a stop at Peony Farms in Lacombe. Facing his daughter’s health issues, rancher Craig Cameron and his family turned to regenerative farming to grow the healthiest food possible for her. Craig, alongside his father-in-law Peter DenOudsten, shifted their tradit…

In these final three episodes of the series, we’ll be doing some light exploration into the relationship between society and regenerative agriculture and how one can help advance the other. But the real meat and potatoes of the last three episodes, just like in all the other episodes in this series, will be about getting to know and understand the …

For this very special French-language episode of the Rural Routes to Climate Solutions podcast, recorded in the late summer of 2023 during the Stories of Regeneration tour, Sara Maranda-Gauvin of Regeneration Canada talked with brothers Vincent and Simon-Pierre Bolduc of La Station: an organic farm and cheese factory in the Eastern Townships of Que…

If you are a lifelong learner, being an agricultural producer is almost the perfect profession for you. Other economic sectors evolve and adapt over the years, but since nature doesn’t work off of blueprints, learning and adapting in agriculture can happen over days, even hours. You never know what Mother Nature is going to dish out, whether it is …

During the growing season of 2023 as summer turned into fall, the Rural Routes to Climate Solutions podcast and Regeneration Canada were on the final leg of the Stories of Regeneration tour. After covering most of the Prairies and most of central and eastern Canada in the summer, our months-long journey came to an end in Canada’s two most western p…

2023 was a challenging year for Canadian farmers and ranchers and for humanity in general. We had droughts, wildfires, floods, an affordability crisis and a number of armed conflicts. According to scientists working with the European Union, 2023 smashed temperature records globally. And yet, someone like Nova Scotia agricultural producer Rachel Lig…

Fifth generation farmer, Rébeka Frazer-Chiasson believes strongly in the practices of regenerative agriculture. Located in Rogersville, New Brunswick, her farm Ferme Terre Partagee currently operates as a coop based on common values and objectives including peasant agroecology and food sovereignty. Welcome to Stories of Regeneration, a podcast seri…

Soil is very much alive. And hungry too. Some estimates go as far as saying that there is more life in a teaspoon of healthy soil than there are people on the planet. You just need a microscope to see the vast majority of it. Or you do what grain farmer Blake Vince did, and bury a pair of “tighty whities” (underwear) in the soil to produce proof of…

During the growing season of 2023, Rural Routes to Climate Solutions teamed up with Regeneration Canada to connect with agricultural producers across Canada who are tackling the pressing social and environmental crises through the adoption of regenerative agriculture. One such farm is Axten Farms, situated in Minton, Saskatchewan. With a steadfast …

If you’re still wondering how best to incorporate regenerative technologies into your daily operations then you might need a crash course, or at least a motivating podcast episode, that speaks to the business of bacteria. In this kick-off episode of the Siksikaitsitapi Agriculture Project podcast series, we sit down with Joshua Day Chief to discuss…

In the summer of 2023, a diverse group of storytellers, organizers, and strategists visited 10 farms and ranches in Canada. These farms and ranches were carefully chosen to represent different aspects of Canadian agriculture, including fruit, grains, beef, veggies, and even a vineyard. The purpose of this project, which included videos, articles, a…

The Stories of Regeneration podcast series is a 10-episode, in-depth look into the practices, motivations and lives of a dozen agricultural producers who are determined to remain profitable and regenerate the land, communities and ecosystems through their agricultural and agribusiness practices.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

Have you ever found yourself scratching your head trying to make sense of all those terms like polycultures, cocktail crops, intercropping, cover crops, companion cropping, and relay crops? It's understandable! They all seem to be part of the vast landscape of good land stewardship practices, like sustainable agriculture, organic agriculture, agroe…

Our hope is that the series can help with the mental health issues the agriculture sector is grappling with right now. Farming and ranching are stressful businesses, but that’s brought to a whole new level when drought hits. By equipping cow-calf producers with information and words of advice from colleagues and peers in the sector on the best ways…

Dugouts play an important role in cow-calf operations across Alberta. While some farmers have access to well water, most rely on these man-made reservoirs to provide the necessary water that their cattle need to thrive. However, building, repairing, or expanding these dugouts can come at a high cost, which is why it's smart for producers to seek ad…

Ben Stuart, who runs two successful farming operations (one in Saskatchewan and the other in Hardisty, Alberta), uses stockpile grazing to extend the grazing season on his farms. But if the grass isn’t growing, how do you stockpile what isn’t available? That’s where preparation comes in. Join us as we discuss stockpile grazing and all the different…

In this episode, we chat with Dr. Masaki Hiyashi from the University of Calgary about the often-overlooked importance of groundwater, especially during dry spells. We discuss how groundwater sustains ranches, supports wildlife habitats, and provides water for a variety of household tasks. Join us as we unravel the significance of groundwater and wh…

Have you ever given any thought to what the perfect cow would be for the conditions we experience in Alberta?In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Susan Marcus of Lakeland College to talk about selecting and managing cattle traits so that your operation can be profitable during a good year while also getting you through a dry year.…

For the remainder of the Getting Through Drought series, we’ll mainly be focusing on grazing management and adjusting grazing during a drought. To start things off, ranchers Blusette and Mark Campbell, out in Meadow Lake, Saskatchewan joined us to share some of what they’ve learned about grazing and herd management.…

Sometimes the public's perception of agriculture doesn’t quite fit the reality. For many, when thinking about agriculture, the farmer is often tall, broad - and let's be honest - masculine. With the number of female farm operators increasing, you’ve got to wonder if this outdated image is about to change.…

In recent years, mycorrhizal fungi have become a hot topic, especially when talking about soil health. Mycorrhizal fungi are vast networks of nutrient exchange between plants and other microscopic critters you can find in the soil. Fortunately, the management practices for maintaining this conduit of nutrient exchange tend to be the same ones we’d …

Riparian areas can be a value-added project of the wetlands on your land if you choose to leave your wetlands intact. The wetland itself is great for maintaining the water table and can become an important source of water for your cattle. In this episode, you’ll be hearing from Art Goerzen of Adullam Ranch to get an additional perspective on why ri…

You could argue that compared to other livestock, cattle are pretty simple to feed - get them grazing during the growing season and feed them bales in the winter. However, this relatively simple feeding system begins to fall apart when you get hit by a drought; forage isn't growing in your pasture and the price of hay goes through the roof. During …

If you manage them properly, riparian areas can be a savings account that you can tap into during a dry year. There are plenty of good reasons for fencing off and protecting bodies of water on your land, like giving biodiversity a boost or keeping water clean for livestock. Not to mention how handy that strip of greenery adjacent to a wetland can b…

When it comes to soil amendments, charcoal is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. But if you really think about it, charcoal is carbon that's been locked up, in the same way that coal is carbon, perfectly sequestered. There's a catch - you can't burn it. But if we can't burn it, how do we activate the carbon in biochar?In this episode,…

If you live in Alberta and raise cattle, odds are you're going to try every possible way to keep that spring melt, or heavy rain, on your land. A tried and true method of ensuring that water doesn't go wandering off is the dugout.In this episode, Norine Ambrose, Executive Director of Cows and Fish, helps us understand the importance of protecting r…

There are very few things that can mess up your grazing plans like a drought. Join us as we chat with Sean McGrath, of Round Rock Ranching, about creating a plan to help minimize the impact that a drought can have on your operation.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

With fertilizer prices hitting $1,000 a ton, it’s no surprise that cover crops are a hot topic. It makes sense that non-synthetic inputs like cover crops are becoming more and more appealing to producers. There’s many benefits to cover crops - including feeding livestock and pollinators, improving water filtration, suppressing weeds, building soil …

This episode is all about reflecting on the past and anticipating the future. We’ve covered so many great topics and had the most amazing speakers join us. While we can’t highlight or cover it all in our “podcast tour”, we picked ones that impacted the podcast’s trajectory.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

We sit down with agricultural producer John Kolk of Iron Springs, Alberta to discuss Canada’s next Agricultural Policy Framework or APF.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

In this episode, knowledge holder Dr. Leroy Little Bear shares his work to restore the Iinnii. Little Bear sheds light on why this work is important, not only for the land but for the people and their connection with songs, ceremonies and stories centred around the Iinnii. He also highlights the importance of working together with the air, land, an…

Cattle ranching on the Blood Reserve can be a rewarding endeavour, however, it comes with challenges. Mike Bruised Head from Kainai shares his experience and how climate change has impacted his ranching.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

Three Alberta agricultural producers discuss what the 'regenerative mindset' is and why it is important for those transitioning to regenerative agriculture.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

Feedlot manager Andrea Stroeve-Sawa shares low-stress livestock handling tips we can use to have constructive conversations on the livestock and the environment issue.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

Communications strategist Sarah Wray discusses communications techniques we can use to have constructive conversations on the livestock and the environment issue.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

Author and leadership advisor David Irvine discusses the strategies we can use to have constructive conversations on the livestock and the environment issue.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

The thrilling conclusion of our exploration of post-secondary research and regenerative agriculture with Jason Bradley of Olds College and a solid lesson in asking ourselves why.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

Take a deep dive with Jason Bradley of Olds College into post-secondary agriculture research and how research can assist the acceleration of regen ag in Alberta.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

Cyrus and Roy Weasel Fat of Kainai First Nation share their success story of farming and ranching on the Blood Reserve in southern Alberta.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

Co-operatives have a long history in Alberta of getting the job done. We ask Rod Olson of YYC Growers if co-ops can assist in advancing regenerative agriculture in the province.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

Cutting hay is not the only thing an agricultural producer can do these days when the sun is shining. A crash course in on-farm solar from A-Z with Lee Sinal of KCP Energy.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

The conclusion of our conversation with Dana Penrice of Young Agrarians on how new and aspiring farmers and ranchers can be a farm solution that is also a climate solution.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

A recent report by the University of Alberta provides new evidence that AMP grazing improves water infiltration in ranchlands on the Prairies. Hear from the researchers involved in the studyRural Routes to Climate Solutions

Dana Penrice of Young Agrarians discusses how new and aspiring agricultural producers are a farm solution and a climate solution that could do a lot good on the Prairies.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

Agricultural producer Jianyi Dong talks design, growing potential and extending the growing season with his commercial passive solar greenhouse in Olds, Alberta.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

We team up with Grain on the Brain and ask Karen Ross, Director of Famers for Climate Solutions, about a $300 million investment in Canadian agricultural producers.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

In this episode, I talk to Dale Jarvis, intangible cultural heritage officer for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador and research associate at the Folklore Department at Memorial University, and Natalie Dignam, a researcher and a broadcaster based in St. John's. We talked about intangible culture heritage along Baccalieu Trail in Newfoundland…

Darrin Qualman of the National Farmers Union takes us through a set of recommendations for building thriving farms and ranches and reducing agriculture's carbon footprint.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions

Colorado-producer Brandon Rockey talks regen ag, soil health, plant diversity and potatoes with Alberta rancher Steve Kenyon in GRO's Coffee Shop Talk series.Rural Routes to Climate Solutions