Many local growers from the area attended the Kingston Area Seed System Initiative (KASSI) workshop titled “Planting for the Future: Building Capacity for a Regional Seed System”, which took place at the United Church in Inverary on November 15. The event was organized by KASSI board members Dianne Dowling, Cate Henderson and Kathy Rothermel.

The day began with an introduction to KASSI by Cate Henderson, who highlighted the various ways the organization hopes to reach its goal of “ensuring sustainable local food grown from local seed” and by doing so, “increasing local seed and food security in the Kingston and surrounding area by generating a robust regional seed system; growing and distributing heirloom and locally adapted seed; and creating a vibrant network of regional growers.”

To meet these goals KASSI plans to establish a local seed bank, host a seed library to facilitate seed sharing and exchange, and encourage local farmers to increase seed production by growing quantities large enough for large farm scale production.

The day-long event also included a panel discussion by a number of speakers, including Kathy Rothermel of Wolfe Island, who spoke of the different models of the regional seed businesses she discovered while traveling in England, the United States and in Canada. She spoke of three seed businesses in particular: Stormy Hall Seeds, Hawthorne Farm Organic Seeds and Fruition Seed. She also spoke about recent updates from the Eastern Canada Organic Seed Growers Network (ECOSGN) conference.

Aabir Dey of the Ontario Bauta Family Initiative on Canadian Seed Security, a national and regional initiative involving a network of partners working together to preserve seed diversity by promoting ecological seed production and improving the public’s access, while focusing on crops important for nutrition and food security, spoke about Bauta, the organization that funded the workshop and its various initiatives.

Last to speak was Mary Britain of Newtonville, who operates her own seed business called the Cottage Gardener. She spoke about her over 20 years in the business and of the “current trends, gaps and opportunities for regional seed producers”. Following the panel discussion there was a question and answer period, after which attendees split into groups and answered three specific questions: 1) How do they see themselves fitting into the regional seed system? 2) What assistance or supports might they need? and 3) What models do they envision to fairly compensate all participants?

Following lunch, attendees watched a presentation by local Verona farmers Pat and Kate Joslin of Bear Root Gardens in Verona, who produce over 50 varieties of seeds, which they sell along with their market garden produce at the Frontenac Farmers Market in Verona. The couple, who have been contracted to grow seeds for both Bauta and KASSI, demonstrated two different kinds of home-made seed cleaning devices, which save them hundreds of hours of time. The first was an air column seed separator that was built by students at LaSalle High School in Kingston under the direction of their manufacturing instructor Bob Chambers. The separator runs on a Shop Vac and is best used for separating smaller seeds like lettuce and broccoli. The second was a winnower seed cleaner that the Joslins built themselves, which uses a regular blow dryer to separate larger seeds. Plans for both devices are available on-line.

Following the demonstrations, attendees were encouraged to fill in a survey to give feedback to the facilitators.

Dowling said that the event's goal was to bring together “people interested in growing, producing or purchasing more locally grown adapted and available seed.” She laid bare her long term hopes for KASSI. “KASSI's dream is that in a few years there might be one or two small seed businesses in the Kingston area.” Her advice to local farmers wanting to produce their own seeds: “While it’s not impossible to integrate seed production with a market garden, it definitely takes a certain amount of planning and organization.” For more information about KASSI visit www.SeedsGrowFood.org

by Lorraine Julien

On November 1 this year, the Toronto Zoo held a presentation for participants who had reported sightings of wetland inhabitants - frogs, toads, turtles, salamanders and snakes. My husband and I were happy to be invited.

In the morning there were a number of informative presentations put on by people interested in protecting our wetlands and the little creatures that inhabit them. Presenters included a wildlife photographer, experts in many fields and just regular people like ourselves who have an interest in enjoying and preserving nature. Something new this year was a presentation by Rosemary Oliver, a Fibre Artist, who brought with her a display of turtles that were created using various fabrics and fibers. Accompanying this column is a photo of the turtles that were on display. If you’d like to see more of this talented artist’s work, her website is http://oli9603.wix.com/rosemary.

One of our own turtle experts, Mr. Pat Grace from Bob’s Lake, was once again there. I had the pleasure of chatting with him regarding this past season’s turtles. It seems 2014 was not a good year for hatching turtle eggs according to Mr. Grace and others who’ve been monitoring turtle nests. Probably the wet, cool summer was the main reason. Turtle eggs need the constant heat of the summer sun to incubate and hatch. Mr. Grace kindly provided a photo of one of his three baby Map turtles.

The Kawartha Turtle Trauma Centre (now known as the Ontario Turtle Conservation Centre) hosted a booth. They take in injured turtles, and, if possible, nurse the turtles back to health and then return them to a natural and safe environment. For more information you can check out the following websites and make note of the emergency phone numbers for next year: www.kawarthaturtle.org Tel. 705-741-5000 Chemong Road, Peterborough; Closer to home, there is the Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre in Napanee – www.sandypineswildlife.org Tel. Sue Meech at 613-354-0264; or The Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary at www.rideauvalleywildlife.org Tel. Linda Laurus at 613-258-9480.

Most turtle injuries are due to being hit by cars. Most do not survive but a few do and, if they are lucky, they’ll be picked up by good Samaritans and taken to one of the trauma centres.

After a morning of listening to experts, we were treated to a pizza lunch and then were free to roam around the zoo for the afternoon. Unfortunately, the weather was cold and windy and only a few hardy animals ventured outside their shelters.

If you observe turtles or frogs next year, the zoo’s Adopt-A-Pond Program would like to hear from you. By collecting information from all over the province, the program will have a good idea of how well or how poorly the turtle and frog population is doing.

It’s very simple to report sightings – just email Julia Phillips at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and give her your information. If you can send photographs, that’s even better as it helps to make positive identifications.

There’s been a lot of activity at my bird feeders recently. Some of the regulars are just plain hungry but there are a lot of birds stopping on their way south. I finally got a proper feeder pole with a really good baffle that keeps the squirrels from getting into the feeders. The squirrels aren’t exactly starving as there are lots of seeds thrown onto the ground by the birds. Our Hallowe’en pumpkin is now in the backyard also where the squirrels can feast on it and what is left will compost itself into my flower bed.

My bird visitors include a pair of cardinals (they visit every day), blue jays, purple and gold finches, juncos, cedar waxwings, chick-a-dees, nuthatches, a downy woodpecker, mourning doves. Over the past few weeks, I’ve also noticed groups of raptors circling high overhead as they work their way south.

Let’s hope this winter will be a bit more gentle than last year!

For 15-year-old Sydenham student, William Sanderson, it's a dream come true. Come Christmas Day the grade 10 student will be heading down south - way down south - and will be one of just 70 international students aged 14-18 boarding an ice breaker at the southern tip of Argentina and setting out to explore Antarctica.

The students will be part of a ten-day international youth experiential education program called Students on Ice. The program, which offers trips to both the Arctic and Antarctica, brings together students, scientists, artists, musicians and other leaders with the goal that they “become inspired, educated and empowered global ambassadors for a sustainable future.”

The expedition's home base will be an ice breaker and while on board students will learn from numerous polar experts, educators, researchers and scientists and will be involved in a number of hands-on research studies and experiments. Climate, the ice and wildlife will all be topics of study and for Sanderson it presents an opportunity to learn about and see one part of the world that most people never have a chance to visit.

Sanderson has always been interested in climate, the environment, nature and the great outdoors and as a youngster spent many hours with his teacher father at the Gould Lake Conservation Centre, experiencing the outdoors, nature and wildlife. “I've spent a lot of time in the wilderness and feel that when you're out exploring and living in nature you get a certain appreciation for it and a certain drive to protect it. The best summer experiences I have had have been in the outdoors and that is what inspires me to do something so that we can have these kind of places forever.”

The students will make their way by plane to Ushuaia, Argentina, where they will board the ice breaker and will spend a few days traveling up the Drake Passage. Planned stops include an excursion to Elephant Island where famed explorer Ernest Shackleton was stranded roughly 100 years ago. They will then travel to the Antarctic peninsula and will be stopping at a number of research bases there. Because it is the summer season there now, they will be making their way through open water and will likely see Emperor penguins, whales and other native species.

Sanderson is looking forward to meeting his shipmates, in his words, “people who will likely have similar interests as me” and to seeing the continent of Antarctica. “It is a place that, for the most part, has been untouched by humans and it will be really interesting to learn about a place that so few people have had a chance to see and study.”

The Students on Ice program requires participants to raise $14,500 for the trip. Since his acceptance in April of this year Sanderson has held many fundraising events and he says family, friends, the school, the Limestone District School Board and the community at large all made generous donations to help him fund his journey.

Of course he will be packing a camera and upon his return, as a new ambassador to the program he will be making presentations to local students about the trip.

As far as his future plans go Sanderson says that although he has not made any concrete plans he is hoping that the trip might show him a path or an opportunity that he didn't know existed before. "I'm really looking forward to seeing what this expedition might lead to.”

by Lorraine Julien

Late summer and early fall brings on the stereophonic sound of Field Crickets. Wherever there are open fields or near the edge of forests, you’ll hear these amazing insects. Once the chill of fall arrives, the fields become silent again with song birds having flown south and the cricket mating season over. While crossing some fields during the Thanksgiving weekend I was surprised to hear crickets, though much quieter than they were in the summer.

Though it may seem like a kazillion crickets are tuning up, it is only the males that make sound. Male crickets rub their two wing-covers together in a “song and dance routine” to attract females. The hardened wing covers amplify and resonate to produce the noise we all know.

Females hear the song through “eardrums” (the scientific name is tympanum) on their front legs. Once a female selects and approaches a male, they do a courtship dance by moving and swaying back and forth.

There is an old boy scout trick that supposedly you could count the number of chirps per minute (if you happen to catch a male cricket) and use it to calculate the temperature (they chirp more slowly as it gets colder). Might be easier to just use a thermometer!

Field Crickets do not survive the winter. They die once cold weather arrives. Eggs, however, can survive the winter and hatch the following spring. Predators include birds, frogs, toads, turtles and other insects.

Besides serenading us, Field Crickets help people by eating the seeds of a lot of pesky weeds which would otherwise spread. Some examples are crabgrass and pigweed. They also eat other insects pests such as grasshoppers and flea beetles. While the crickets do some good, they can also be a real nuisance for farmers, sometimes doing damage to crops. They also may enter your home during the fall seeking warmth. Though they are completely harmless to humans, they can do damage as they can feed on fabrics, leather, fur, etc. There is nothing more annoying than hearing the constant chirping of a cricket trapped in your house!

Field Crickets can be up to an inch long, dark brown or black, with long antennae. Note that the cricket in the accompanying photo is missing its left antenna. I couldn’t write this without mentioning the Field Cricket’s ugly cousin, the Mole Cricket which is twice as long, ugly, brown and hairy. Its front legs look like those of a mole with claw-like feet for digging.

In most places, huge numbers of Field Crickets are infected with horsehair worms and if you place the crickets in very shallow water, the worms will emerge. These horsehair worms are called “nematomorpha” and can range in size from 50 to 100 cm long (20” to 39”) given the right growing conditions in larger hosts. The larvae of these worms are parasites and can be found in many species such as beetles, cockroaches, mantids and crustaceans, just to name a few. It is extremely rare but I did read about a couple of people in Asia who were infected by these worms. I suppose this could happen if you eat the insects raw. Sounds very gross but then it is getting near Hallowe’en!

Observations: During this past August, I parked in a remote area of a Walmart parking lot (to avoid getting my car dinged). The lot had a number of squared off areas for shrubs. As I left my car, a pair of Killdeer hopped out of the bushes seemingly quite put out that I’d invaded their small territory. Perhaps this was just a stopover on their way south.

I saw my one and only Monarch butterfly this year on October 6. Poor thing must have been looking for milkweed. I plan to plant a clump of milkweed on my property next year.

By Susan Sentesy, MMLT

Beavers have always had a special relationship with humans in Canada. Almost extirpated at one time, today they are widely recognized as a symbol of our country. But how much do we really understand them and their role in our world? Who to better help us understand and appreciate beavers and life in their ponds than Michael Runtz, renowned naturalist and photographer?

On Friday, November 7, the Mississippi Madawaska Land Trust (MMLT) will hold its Annual Dinner and Benefit Auction at the Almonte Civitan Club Community Hall. Michael Runtz is our honoured guest speaker. The event also features a Benefit Auction offering a wide range of useful and uniquely interesting items, with proceeds going to help support the important work of the Land Trust.

Anyone who has ever heard Michael Runtz tell the stories of his wild adventures in the backwoods of Ontario will confirm that they are absolutely riveting. And these are not just tales – he’s got exceptional photographs to prove it!

Michael Runtz has won numerous awards for his education and conservation efforts and community involvement. He believes that through his work he can help people understand and appreciate nature. He is the author of 11 books that demonstrate his wealth of knowledge and passion for nature, brought to life with his outstanding photography and enthusiasm.

Michael’s many years of on the ground research into the habits and habitat of beavers back up this highly visual and entertaining presentation. It will provide an advance glimpse into his new book, Dam Builders: The Natural History of Beavers and their Ponds, due out next February. Many unusual beaver facts, including original observations and photographs, will provide a captivating, intimate glimpse into the world inhabited by beavers. Beaver ponds are some of the most complex and important habitats of our regions. Like watching a first-rate play with a constantly changing cast of characters — beavers, otters, birds, amphibians, plants, and other species — Michael will give us a tour of a dramatic show seldom seen so vividly.

This annual event is a fundraiser for the Land Trust, with proceeds helping support the ongoing costs of stewarding the properties under its care. To date, MMLT has protected 2,200 acres of conservation lands and is currently in negotiations with landowners for 500 additional acres.

The event begins at 6pm with dinner served at 7. Dress is casual. The Almonte Civitan Club Community Hall is located at 500 Almonte St. (Wolf Grove Rd). Tickets are $40, cheque or cash only, available at Village Treats in Lanark, Shadowfax in Perth. You may also e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 613-278-2939 to reserve tickets for pick-up at the door.

by Susan Moore

The 25th annual Trenton Woodlot Conference will be held on Friday, Nov. 21, 8am to 4:30pm at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 57 Stella Crescent in Trenton. Registration is required

The morning opens with Larry McTaggart of the Bancroft Area Forest Industry Association, who will explain the brand new Local Wood Initiative. Peter Hynard, Registered Professional Forester, will then describe the four historical forces that have shaped our forest landscapes today. Keynote speaker, Diana Beresford-Kroeger, is a self–described renegade scientist and author of numerous books. She is currently completing a film project, 10 Trees That Can Save the World (dianasjourney.com).

Following a hot roast beef and pork luncheon there will be a bus trip to the HR Frink Outdoor Education Centre and a trek through the woods and the spectacular wetland. The visit will feature tree identification with twigs and bark, benthic and riparian forest health, and updates on the Emerald Ash Borer. This outing will finish with a tour of Mapledale Cheese.

The option of an indoor program includes Ewa Bednarczuk, of Lower Trent Conservation, who will describe the Murray Marsh: Amazon of the Trent River. Dave Smallwood, of Quinte Conservation, will speak on small-scale forest operations and sustainable firewood harvesting. Rob Spence, of the MNR, will give an update on the Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program, a significant tax savings program.

The conference is, Ontario. Admission is $30, which includes lunch and bus transport to the field trip.

The conference is hosted by the Hastings Stewardship Council, and supported by area stewardship and conservation groups. To register by Nov. 7, please visit hastingsstewardship.ca, contact 613-391-9034, or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

by Susan Moore

Looking to plant trees on your land? Generous subsidies are available from Trees Ontario. And we supply the planting crew.

Planting trees on your property can help fight climate change, increase wildlife habitat and improve water conservation. Trees Ontario is working with many tree planting partners across the province to deliver the Ontario government’s 50 Million Tree Program.

Supporting landowners is our goal. Trees increase property values and improve the health of your land in so many ways. The 50 Million Tree Program makes planting very affordable. In most cases, about 75 percent of the costs will be borne by the program. Landowners with a productive area of one hectare or larger may be eligible.

Planting trees can support farmers by strengthening landscape resilience. Trees can shelter livestock and help control stock movement; provide shelter for crops and assist with soil management; reduce flood risk; and boost pollinators. A Trees Ontario rep will work with you to find the best solution for your property. Planting windbreaks, pond edges or marginal land can improve your operation. Simple hedgerows are a benefit to both crops and wildlife.

Contact Trees Ontario for a thoughtfully designed planting scheme tailored for your land, plus advice on tree maintenance and management. Ontario is committed to plant 50 million trees by 2025. Find out more about the program at www.treesontario.ca. Talk to local agent Tim Gray at 613-477-2981 or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for a planting consult. Idle land? Plant trees!

By Steve Blight

The other day I was nursing my second cup of coffee and contemplating the changing colours outside our window when a group of small birds flitting and darting among some branches caught my attention. Binoculars at the ready, the group turned out to be a mixed flock of chickadees, kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warblers and juncos. This is a common site in October as small songbirds migrating through an unfamiliar area often associate with resident chickadee flocks. Most birds that associate with chickadee flocks respond to chickadee alarm calls, even when their own species doesn’t have a similar alarm call. Other birds that may join up with these loose flocks include woodpeckers, vireos and creepers.

Kinglets are tiny active birds, scarcely bigger than hummingbirds. There are two species of kinglets in North America – Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Kinglets. Both prefer to nest in evergreen-dominated habitats found mainly to the north of our area. The Ruby-crowned Kinglet forages through lower branches of shrubs and trees. Its habit of constantly flicking its wings is a key identification clue. This plain green-gray bird has a white eye ring and a white bar on the wing. The male’s brilliant red crown patch usually stays hidden, so this cannot be relied on for identification. Ruby-crowns winter from southern New England southward, being seen in winter around here only very rarely.

Golden-crowned Kinglets are olive-coloured birds that are boldly marked with a black eyebrow stripe and rich, visible lemon-yellow head crest. Golden-crowns typically winter further north than Ruby-crowns and can often be found in our area during the winter. On winter bird counts I look for them in groves of hemlocks or cedars. To find them, listen for their high, thin call notes.

Dark-eyed Juncos are handsome little sparrows that generally breed in open northern coniferous forests, but are often seen in spring and fall foraging on the ground. Juncos don’t seem to be in any hurry on migration, as they can be seen for extended periods of time in our area in both spring and fall. They have dark grey or brownish-grey upper parts, white underparts, a pink bill and bright white tail feathers that they habitually flash in flight. I have not seen many juncos around here in the heart of winter, but they can occasionally be found near feeders or stands of Eastern White Cedar, and are more common in other parts of southern Ontario where winters are less harsh.

Yellow-rumped warblers are the most common and earliest of the warblers to arrive here in spring and the last to move through in the fall. In fall and winter they are streaky brown-and-yellow birds with distinctive, sharp “chip” call notes. In spring, their dull color pallet is transformed into a mix of bright yellow, charcoal gray and black, and bold white. Females are slightly more subdued but still very handsome birds. Yellow rumps breed throughout the province wherever there are extensive areas of forest dominated by confers but are largely absent from the agricultural areas of Southwestern Ontario.

Many people who are interested in birds find this time of year unrewarding, as the breeding birds of summer are largely gone and those that remain are lower in number, often dull-colored and hard to identify. However, watching for flocks of birds than contain familiar chickadees can reward the persistent birder with some interesting finds. Moreover, with fewer leaves on the trees to get in the way, many tree-top foragers can now be seen more clearly. October birding can be fun!

On October 2 a small group of tree lovers gathered at the Recreation Park in Arden for a special tree planting event in conjunction with the fourth annual National Tree Day. National Tree Day, which this year was on Sept. 24, aims to celebrate the benefits that trees provide for Canadians, namely clean air, wildlife habitats, reducing energy demands and connecting Canadians with nature.

At the recreation park, members of the Friends of the Salmon River and The Friends of Arden groups joined representatives from Home Hardware in Napanee and Tree Canada to plant four large 15 foot trees. The planting is one of many projects that the Friends of Arden have carried out in their efforts over the last few years to rejuvenate the hamlet of Arden. The event came about when Susan Moore, a member of the Friends of the Salmon River, approached the Arden group, making them aware that every year Napanee Home Hardware through a partnership with Tree Canada donates some of their end of the season tree stock to help celebrate Tree Day. Four trees - two red oaks and two sugar maples - were donated to the Arden group and six more were donated to the Friends of the Salmon River and planted in Tamworth.

Terry Kennedy, a member of the Friends of Arden, said his group was eager to be part of the event and was grateful for the support both of the township who gave permission to plant the trees on township property and to the Matson family of Arden who donated their backhoe to dig the holes for the trees.

Also present at the planting were Aaron and Marsha Beebe, owners of the Napanee Home Hardware (located on the 401 at Napanee) who in partnership with Tree Canada are able to apply each year for trees to donate to area groups. Marsha said she was thrilled to be approached this year by Susan Moore, who requested the trees. “It's so nice to have people who really cherish and appreciate the trees and who will take good care of them”, she said.

Also present was Dan Baker, a representative of Tree Canada, an organization that for over 20 years has “engaged Canadian communities, governments, corporations, and individuals in the pursuit of a greener and healthier living environment by providing education, technical expertise, and resources to plant and care for urban and rural trees.” To date Tree Canada has planted close to 80 million trees in more than 550 school yards across the country. The total value of the Arden trees is estimated at between $1600-$2000.

In an effort to encourage waterfront property owners to help keep their area lakes and shorelines healthy, the Malcolm Ardoch Lakes Stewardship Committee hosted a special presentation at the Clar-Mill hall in Plevna on September 14. Landowners from seven lakes in and around Plevna attended the event.

Barbara King, executive director of the Centre for Sustainable Watersheds (CSW), headed up the presentation and spoke about two programs that property owners can participate in that focus on creating healthy shorelines. Ross highlighted the importance of property owners taking the initiative to keep their lakes healthy. “While there are a lot of changes happening to Ontario lakes, there are not a lot of regulations, nor government agencies putting money into monitoring the changes. These days it is up to property owners themselves to take the necessary steps to protect their lakes now and into the future.”

The first program she spoke about was the Love Your Lake program, a shoreline evaluation and stewardship program developed by the CSW and the Canadian Wildlife Federation, who work together with lake associations to deliver the program. Participating lakes are assessed on a property-by-property basis and the evaluations are carried out by CSW staff so that landowners are not inconvenienced. All the information is confidential and once the assessments are complete, each landowner receives a report on their particular shoreline with recommendations for improvements. The lake association also receives a customized report regarding the overall state of the shoreline, which can be used as a guide for future community stewardship programs to be put in place by the association.

Shorelines are the focus of the program since they reduce erosion, filter pollutants, reduce the impacts of flooding and provide habitat for fish and wildlife.

The second program King spoke about was the Shoreline Naturalization Program, which is offered through the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) and the CSW. This program is aimed at individual shoreline property owners and offers free visits to landowners within the Mississippi Valley watershed by CSW staff, who advise landowners on how to create and maintain a healthy natural shoreline. Following the visit, staff prepare a customized planting plan with the assistance of the landowner, taking into consideration the wants and needs of the landowner. Staff will advise the landowner as to what kinds of species to plant and where to plant them. Once the plan is approved by the landowner, staff will coordinate the ordering, delivering and do the actual planting and will also provide all of the necessary tools, materials and labour, with the understanding that the landowner contributes 25% of the total cost.

King said that the goal is for staff to work closely with the landowner so that together they can create a plan that meets the needs and wishes of the landowner, improves the health of shoreline, and is also financially feasible. Ross mentioned that sometimes an individual may highly value the water quality of the lake but their actions (often unknowingly) may not support those good intentions. “That is where these programs can really help,” she said.

Alyson Symons of the MVCA was also present at the event to promote the lake stewardship planning that her organization has been involved with on various lakes, including Malcolm/Ardoch, Canonto, Mississippi and Kashwakamak. Symons wanted to put the word out that lake associations looking to develop a lake plan can contact the MVCA, who can offer partnership and assist by providing various resources and information regarding water quality, along with other environmental information. The MVCA can help associations through the process of creating lake plans and will connect groups with available partners. For more information visit www.watersheds.ca or call 613-264-1244.