Poultry Talk Ontario (pto.ca)

Feb 24 in Kemptville: U of Guelph Agriculture hall EOMF Eastern Ontario Model Forest woodlot conference
Details here: http://www.eomf.on.ca

March 9 Simcoe On : SONG winter conference (Society Ontario Nut Growers)

FEATURING: a day of presentations from professionals, farmers and hobbyists. Anyone wishing to speak at this day long nut growing adventure are welcomed to call Bruce Thurston at 519-740-6220. All members and visitors are welcomed to attend. The only prerequisite is an interest in nut growing. There will be a short business meeting, elections, and a motion to be voted on.
DATE: Wednesday, March 9, 2016. Please note the change of day from previous meetings held on Tuesdays.
TIME: 9:30 a.m. Registration 10:00 a.m. meeting start Lunch at 12:00 to 1:00
3:30 p.m. meeting over.
LOCATION: The Simcoe Experiment Station Hall, on Blue Line Rd at Highway 3, Simcoe, Ontario. From Hwy 3 on the east side of Simcoe, drive north to the open gate turn left to the parking area and side entrance.
COST: Registration at the door, $20 includes lunch. Call Bruce Thurston at 519-740-6220 to let him know how many to plan for.

This info is not on the SONG website. They're not a real tech group.

I'm going to be picking your brains about growing hazelnuts. In UK they just grow wild soooo easily we never really though about it. Perhaps you could do a little educational thingy on this site like the goat thread.

There is now a "misc educational topics and resources" forum topic....under "around the farm".....

I will probably be going to the Kemptville Winter Woodlot Conference on Feb 24th, usually take a few students from my Natural Resource Studies class I teach.

JimW

Killerbunny wrote:QR_BBPOST I'm going to be picking your brains about growing hazelnuts. In UK they just grow wild soooo easily we never really though about it. Perhaps you could do a little educational thingy on this site like the goat thread.

One of those things I have always wanted to do, but I think they would have to be covered by netting.
We have about half a dozen butternuts on the property and I think I have seen 4 actual nuts ever which the squirrels dropped by accident, otherwise striped clean every year.
Bert, we will all be picking your brains.

Ontario Hazelnut conference London On March 22. This is a serious "business" conference for farmers and industry. Anyone can go 8 am to 4pm $100
http://www.ontariohazelnuts.com
If you have ten acres of cleared land, and want a low maintenance perennial crop with a guaranteed market (Ferrero chocolate is begging people to plant these as demand keeps growing) then you must give this a good look.

I am very much an armchair expert on nuts as I've been evaluating it for my farm as an alternate crop for our "hobby" farm. Its really a feasibility study.

For the backyard hazelnuts are great. The bush is the size and shape same as lilacs and full production is reached in four years from a small transplant. Other trees: walnuts, heartnuts, etc. could take ten or longer.

Nuts are picked up off the ground then dried (think of a corn crib and fan) and there is no fruit around it to mess with (like walnuts). Shelf life is ok at room temps and much longer if kept frozen as "nut oils" go rancid over time. Nuts are roasted for eating. In small numbers pests and disease not a problem except squirrels and deer.
Hazels and filberts like sandy type soils, clay soils need work to make them suitable. The beauty of these is that they don't need deep soils unlike other nuts which put out a deep taproot. Renfrew (1 hour north-west of Ottawa) is zone 4 gardening zone and the northern limit. Kemptville and everyone south has many varieties to choose from.

I'll add more here later when I have time.

Thanks Baron...going to the Kemptville conference..awesome agenda..good deal...

Check the website of SONG and ECSONG (eastern chapter society ontario nut growers): lots of articles and old newsletters archived http://www.songonline.ca

Ernie and now Linda Grimo http://www.grimonut.com For regular nuts and
Rhora's Nut Farm & Nursery www.nuttrees.com the undisputed expert on pine nut trees (these two are long established and respected)

http://www.nutcrackernursery.com/nut-trees.php In Quebec

http://www.goldenboughtrees.ca near Napanee

http://www.greenbarnnursery.ca (Buyer beware with these guys: great to go for a workshop, not good reviews for shipping and business practices) bur definetly the go to people for Asian pears

Oh Bert what were you thinking????
That Goldenbough nursery at Napanee is a seriously dangerous place LOL. It has all sorts of things I hadn't been able to source. Looks like a take the van trip!

KB: be aware that there is a very narrow time when the nurseries dig up the trees and ship or sell them. order ahead is your best bet. trees gotta be planted: rain or shine.

"bare root" trees is the standard way to move trees, no soil and when trees are still dormant. they can be pulled in the fall and put in a big fridge (no freezing) and kept damp but not too wet. trees stay dormant and can be planted in spring when ground is workable. they can also be easily shipped by courier this way.