Essex County Demonstration Farm

The Essex County Demonstration Farm (ECDF) was established in 1996. The 40 acre site, adjacent to Holiday Beach Conservation Area on County Road 50 in Amherstburg, is operated by ERCA in partnership with more than 25 private and public organizations and individuals. Holiday Beach was chosen as the project site because of its location next to Big Creek Marsh, one of the most significant wetlands in southwestern Ontario. The Farm was designed to illustrate an important message: agriculture and the environment can work together in harmony to produce a diverse and sustainable landscape.

The Essex County Demonstration Farm exists to:

• Demonstrate conservation practices and innovative products, techniques and technologies
• Educate the community about conservation farming and its relationship to the protection of our natural resources
• Promote the use of sustainable agricultural practices

Since the initiation of Farm, various improvements and accomplishments have occurred. Best management practices (BMPs) have been implemented, such as vegetative management through tree planting (to prevent top soil loss and reduce wind stress on plants). Further improvements include establishing wetland buffers adjacent to Big Creek Marsh and implementing tile drainage and no-till cropping techniques.

Demonstrating innovative and practical crop varieties, herbicide and nutrient management strategies, and various no-till strategies have been an ongoing component of the farming plan. Examples of these projects and research include bio-solid nutrient research using a corn- wheat- soybean rotation, potash fertilizer treatments, subirrigation using a constructed biofiltration wetland as well as corn hybrid demonstrations. These projects were designed to provide educational opportunities for the agricultural community in relation to current farming issues. Demonstrations and research into alternative crops such as rice production received media attention because of its success.

These projects have all been made possible with the aid of dedicated partners, and we will continue to focus on broadening the support group of the demonstration farm and continue to build on the projects and management strategies that currently exist.

Visit Us and Learn!

Education is one of the primary goals of the Essex County Demonstration Farm. Visitors to the farm will have the opportunity to see erosion and sediment control structures, woodlot demonstration, no-till farming, crop rotation, water quality monitoring, herbicide and nutrient management, buffer strips, trials of new products, windbreaks, wetland management, and much more!

Functions of Wetlands

Functions of wetlands include filtering sediments, recharging ground water supplies, reducting flood damage, offering recreational opporutunities and functioning as wildlife habitat.

Rock Chutes

The Rock chutes are erosion control structures which prevents soil loss by stabilized field furlow outlets.

Retiring Fragile Lands

Retiring fragile lands by reverting them back to woodlots not only increases soil quality, but helps clean our air and provides habitat for many wildlife species.

Essex County Demonstration Farm 2009 Annual Report

Essex County Demonstration Farm 2010 Annual Report

Essex County Demonstration Farm 2011 Annual Report

Thank You to Our Partners!
Essex Region Conservation Authority Canada Trust Friends of the Environment Foundation Agricultural Adaptation Council Essex Conservation Club Mycogen Seeds Christian Farmers Federation Hyland Seeds AGRIS Cooperative Ontario Oil and Protein Seed Crop Committee Essex Soil and Crop Improvement Association Jerome Deslippe Stratichuk Farms Pioneer Hi-Bred Ltd. Pride Seeds NK Seeds	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food FS Seeds Dekalb Canada Country Farm Seeds Essex County Federation of Agriculture Pro Seeds Cargill Ltd. Chevalier Drainage Ltd. BASF Canada Inc. Dupont Canada Inc. Monsanto Canada Inc. Bayer Inc. Syngenta Crop Protection