Regenerative Organic Oats Field Day: Balcarres, SK

Ah, beautiful Balcarres! Nestled in the gently rolling valley landscape between the small town of Balcarres and Fort Qu’appelle stands the Schill Family Farm – host of the Regenerative Organic Oats (ROO) 2024 Saskatchewan field day.

Spending the day on the Schill farm was like meeting family again for the first time. This intimate tour led us on foot across a landscape that featured innovation and a love of place that defies words. The ever adapting mixed farm featured livestock, pasturelands and crops lands all doing battle with the summer drought that had left the landscape without rain for the preceding month. Amidst it all, a revelation in an oat field.

Though short of stature and unlikely to provide a bumper crop, the field of oats stood untouched by the grasshoppers who were out in force along the field’s edges. A quick brix measurement revealed a reading of 19! The oats were so sweet that the grasshoppers wouldn’t touch them! This is where we saw the power of regenerative organic agriculture – challenged by drought and stress but untouched by pests – the crop healthy because the soil is healthy.

Ruth Knight (pictured above) – our resident champion of community engagement and ROO’s own agronomy consultant getting the day off to a great start with a bit of inspiration and some food for thought before we set off to explore the farm, meet new people and make new friends.

ROO Program Coordinator Dru (pictured above), takes time to demonstrate the effect of bale grazing on water infiltration in an oat field. Guess what? We saw a difference – in water infiltration, brix and soil aggregate stability! Bale grazing is a great way to keep working towards soil health even during the winter months.

The best way to find out how your crop is doing is to take a look. Participants examine the roots of a lentil (legume) looking for nodulation and signs of nitrogen fixation. Livestock integration is key to regenerative agriculture. Although we often get caught up considering the benefits of cattle on the landscape, the impact that this simple chicken tractor was having was clear! Better yet, it’s being moved by hand – no machinery required!

Let’s talk machinery, innovation and home made compost tea! Our host Rob is never one to be told he can’t do it!

Thank you to Schill Family Farm for welcoming us for a spectacular Field Day!

Want to learn more about how COG supports Prairie organic oat growers in adopting regen organic practices? Check out our Regenerative Organic Oats program.


Author: Dorthea Gregoire

ROO Program Manager 

Regenerative Organic Oats

Regenerative Organic Oats (ROO) is a three-year pilot project funded by Nature’s Path, Riverside Naturals Foods producers of the snack brand MadeGood and MGM Seed and Grain that supports and bolsters the growth of the Canadian regenerative organic oats supply in the face of climate change. ROO supports Prairie organic oat growers in adopting regenerative practices and transitioning to regenerative organic management.