
Transition to Organics
12/01/21 • 45 min
Resources links
Check out the Rodale Institute resources, webinars and courses
https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-organic/organic-basics/
Education Course
https://rodaleinstitute.org/education/
https://courses.rodaleinstitute.org/p/rodale-institute-transition-to-organic
Contact Nic for more information about accessing consultant services and takin the
Education courses: [email protected]
+1(218)789-1044 (based in Minnesota)
Get some financial support during your transition to organics through The Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) “Support Organic Change Fund”.
https://www.canada-organic.ca/en/what-we-do/market-access/organic-conversion-support-program
Sponsor
Our podcast is supported by generous donations, grants and sponsorships. This episode was funded in part by the Canadian government through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the Prairie Organic Development Fund and the Conservation Trust. MOA is also thankful for its gold sponsors, Millview Farms, La Milanaise, SeCan, Kroeker Farms and XiteBio. If you would like to sponsor an episode, contact us at [email protected].
Guest bio
Nicholas Podoll
Midwest Organic Consultant
Nic is a lifelong organic farmer, having grown up and farmed with his family on their certified organic farm in southeast North Dakota, raising small grains and vegetable seed. Prior to working at Rodale Institute, he worked in Extension for the University of Minnesota and North Dakota State University. He also served several years on the NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher Grant Review Committee. Nic is IOIA certified in crops and holds a Master’s in Agricultural & Extension Education from North Carolina State University. He is located in north-central Minnesota.
Resources links
Check out the Rodale Institute resources, webinars and courses
https://rodaleinstitute.org/why-organic/organic-basics/
Education Course
https://rodaleinstitute.org/education/
https://courses.rodaleinstitute.org/p/rodale-institute-transition-to-organic
Contact Nic for more information about accessing consultant services and takin the
Education courses: [email protected]
+1(218)789-1044 (based in Minnesota)
Get some financial support during your transition to organics through The Canada Organic Trade Association (COTA) “Support Organic Change Fund”.
https://www.canada-organic.ca/en/what-we-do/market-access/organic-conversion-support-program
Sponsor
Our podcast is supported by generous donations, grants and sponsorships. This episode was funded in part by the Canadian government through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the Prairie Organic Development Fund and the Conservation Trust. MOA is also thankful for its gold sponsors, Millview Farms, La Milanaise, SeCan, Kroeker Farms and XiteBio. If you would like to sponsor an episode, contact us at [email protected].
Guest bio
Nicholas Podoll
Midwest Organic Consultant
Nic is a lifelong organic farmer, having grown up and farmed with his family on their certified organic farm in southeast North Dakota, raising small grains and vegetable seed. Prior to working at Rodale Institute, he worked in Extension for the University of Minnesota and North Dakota State University. He also served several years on the NCR-SARE Farmer Rancher Grant Review Committee. Nic is IOIA certified in crops and holds a Master’s in Agricultural & Extension Education from North Carolina State University. He is located in north-central Minnesota.
Previous Episode

Intercropping
Resources links
The WADO annual report with its 2020 results can be found here:
https://mbdiversificationcentres.ca/westman-agricultural-diversification-organization/
You can also use their search tool to find the results from all the trials they’ve conducted over the past decade.
Southeast research farm in Redvers SK also does lots of intercropping research:
https://southeastresearchfarm.org/
Sponsor
Our podcast is supported by generous donations and sponsorships. This episode was funded in part by the Canada and Manitoba governments through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership and the Prairie Organic Development Fund as well as our sponsors. We produced this episode in partnership with the Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization or WADO to focus on intercropping. WADO is an applied crop research group in Melita Manitoba with a producer board of directors, whose operating funding is provided by the Canadian Agriculture Partnership (CAP) and Agriculture Sustainability Initiative (ASI). Scott Chalmers is a provincial employee who manages the activities and research. Each year they publish an annual report, which can be found on the Manitoba Diversification Centre's website:
https://mbdiversificationcentres.ca/
You can find their new 2020 report & results and information about their annual field days usually held in July. They usually have 40-50 research projects, covering 2500 plots just at WADO and do lots of work over the years with intercrops, relay crops. They collaborate with commodity groups, AAFC, Universities, corporations, strategic funding initiatives, and private entities.
Guest bio for Scott Chalmers
Scott grew up on a small mixed farm operation near Carroll, MB. Scott completed his B.Sc. (Honours) degree at Brandon University in botany and chemistry in 2004. Scott worked at AAFC in Brandon, MB as a summer student with the plant pathology team headed by Dr. Debbie McLaren. Scott also managed the non-profit South East Research Farm, located near Redvers, SK, for three years until spring of 2007. Scott started working with Manitoba Agriculture as a Diversification Technician out of the Melita-Ag office 2007 conducting applied crop research and demonstrations at Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization (WADO). Scott then moved into the Diversification Specialist position in 2014 and continues to manage the WADO research program. Scott resides in Reston with his wife Tanis and two kids. Scott takes an interest in homebrewing, and intensive no till gardening.
Next Episode

Thoughtful Tillage
Resources links
Curtis mentioned Manitoba Agriculture’s Soil Management Guide as a great resource in learning more about soils in general and how to manage them:
https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/environment/soil-management/soil-management-guide/
Sponsor
Our podcast is supported by generous donations, grants and sponsorships. This episode was funded in part by the Canadian government through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership, the Prairie Organic Development Fund and the Conservation Trust. MOA is also thankful for its gold sponsors, Millview Farms, La Milanaise, SeCan, Kroeker Farms and XiteBio. If you would like to sponsor an episode, contact us at [email protected].
Guest bio
Curtis Cavers
Curtis is the site supervisor for the AAFC-Portage la Prairie sub-station which is part of the Brandon Research and Development Centre. Curtis has a focus in agronomy and soil science, specifically in the areas of nutrient management, soil health, tillage, water management, precision agriculture and general crop production.
You can contact Curtis at: [email protected] or reach him by phone: 204-871-7346
Our guest host for this episode was Allison Squires. You can find out more about Allison and her farm, Upland Organics at https://uplandorganics.ca/.
Book recommendation
Dale & Carter: “Topsoil and civilization”
https://www.worldcat.org/title/topsoil-and-civilization/oclc/924435
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