After a full day of learning and connection at Gathering Ground – A Producer Development Day, we’ll close the evening with live music from Mayerthorpe’s own Dusty Golden — a professional bull rider and rising country singer-songwriter whose songs reflect the grit and stories of rural life. Get a taste of his sound with his single “Against the Grain.”

We’re excited to announce our first keynote speaker for Gathering Ground – A Producer Development Day! Annessa Good-Hassard of Peak Heritage Consulting Ltd. will open the day with “Boots on the Ground: Succession at the Ground Level,” sharing real-world strategies to help farm families navigate succession with clarity and courage. Registration opens October 7, 2025 — plan to join us with your partner, family, or friends for this one-of-a-kind day.

On September 17, Farming Forward hosted What a Waste in Blue Ridge and online, bringing producers and ag partners together to tackle on-farm waste challenges. From recycling ag plastics to carcass disposal and predator conflict, speakers shared practical solutions and regulatory insights. Assar Grinde (APRG) highlighted Alberta’s plastics recycling pilot, Jason Moodie (Alberta Agriculture) outlined carcass disposal rules, and rancher Louise Liebenberg (Grazerie) showed how poor carcass management can attract predators.

Carcass composting is gaining ground in Alberta as a practical, year-round way to handle livestock losses. By combining carbon materials with time and microbes, producers can turn mortalities into safe, stable compost that deters scavengers, protects water, and recycles nutrients back into the soil. Learn more about composting and other carcass management options at our What a Waste seminar and webinar on September 17.

Producers gathered in Lac Ste. Anne County for the Story of the Weeds Breakfast Plot Tour, combining breakfast, expert talks, and field demonstrations. Highlights included presentations on weed biology and biological controls, updates on Farming Forward’s thistle rust fungus project, a virtual demo of the Weed Zapper, and a look at our weed suppression research plots and new soil sampling truck.

When Farming Forward staff joined Parkland County’s Agricultural Service Board and ALUS Parkland on a tour of local conservation projects, we saw how marginal farmland is being reshaped into thriving natural areas. From eco-buffers that filter water and provide wildlife habitat, to pasture pipelines, riparian fencing, and pollinator plantings, these projects highlight how voluntary, farmer-led stewardship can benefit both agriculture and the environment. The success of a seven-year-old eco-buffer shows what’s possible when producers “farm the best and leave the rest.

Soil scientist, speaker, and global thought leader Dr. Jill Clapperton is passionate about helping farmers build thriving agroecosystems from the ground up. In this blog, get to know Jill’s philosophy on soil health, root canopies, and why small changes can spark powerful, positive results.

Grade 4 students got hands-on with soil and water at Barrhead Water Works Day, learning how nature works beneath their feet, just as rain began to fall from above.

Learn about the RDAR Producer Research and Evaluation Program (PREP). For the latest information please refer to the official page on the RDAR website

Watch back the Alpaca 101 Webinar Recording

Watch back the Sheep 101 Webinar Recording

Watch back the Goats 101 Webinar recording

Learn the basics of Carbon and Carbon Credits! A workshop by Graham Gilchrist of Biological Carbon Canada