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Soil Conservationist of the Year

MacIsaac
The 19th Annual Soil Conservationist of the Year Awards were presented at the PEI Soil and Crop Banquet on March 20th, 2007 in Charlottetown to Erik and Sharon Terbeek of Southampton and Lily Pond Farms of Bear River. The award is judged by directors from the association on practices that conserve or protect our soil and water resources.
The MacIssac's of Bear River have been farming for more than 130 years. Brothers Kevin and Blair, along with their father Joe, and their families are continuing the family tradition, producing 600 acres of potatoes, along with small acreage in soybeans and canola.
Lily Pond Farms has completed an Enhanced Environmental Farm Plan in March of 2006 on all properties, including rentals. With the work they have done, their current Action Plan would be considered 70% complete.

In regards to soil conservation, 75 to 80 % of their farm, including rented properties, would have acceptable soil loss rates. They have improved soil erosion rates on 210 acres or 7 farms through terracing, grassed waterways and strip cropping. They identify the severe slopes and apply hay mulch in the fall after potato harvest.

The rotation is 3-years with potato, grain, and hay. Manure is obtained locally and applied to about 75 acres annually to areas with low organic levels. Grain is taken off as early as possible to allow a large biomass of red clovers to develop in the first year; and the hay is flail mowed twice, adding back to the soil. In the last 2-years, 66% of the plowing was done in the spring.

The Award Committee was impressed with the efforts made in Lily Pond's fertility management. Besides taking manure and legume plow down credits into account, they follow the fertility and liming recommendations based on the soil test results; in 2006 they applied 14 to 15 different fertilizer blends as a result.

Lily Pond has planted 1,000 trees in 1988 and enhanced wetlands on the farm in 2004.

Kevin is a Past President of PEI Soil and Crop and was one of the leaders, at that time, who saw the need and an opportunity for this organization to be a leader in sustainable agriculture research, demonstration and promotion.

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