Oyster Cove Farms has received a farming award.
The business, located in Oyster Cove, P.E.I., is the recent 2020 recipient of the Gilbert R. Clements Award for excellence in environmental farm planning.
John Ramsay, his brother, Bobby, his wife, Linda and their three adult sons, Ben, Matthew and Michael, received the award at the P.E.I. Federation of Agriculture’s annual meeting on Jan. 31 in Charlottetown.
This award, named after the late environment minister, is given annually to a farm which is economically viable, environmentally sound and socially responsible in the production and/or marketing of high-quality food from a sustainable system.
Oyster Cove Farms was originally a dairy operation until the mid-1990s, when it transitioned to processing potato production.
Most recently, the farm operates as a split operation, producing certified organic grains, oil seeds, hemp and potatoes, along with conventionally managed cereals and processing potatoes.
The farm’s production systems are focused on cover crops and soil-building crops, with a goal of maintaining winter cover on a minimum of 75 per cent of its acreage.
The Ramsay family continuously explores production opportunities that contribute to the balance between the economic and environmental health of the farm.
The practices used by Oyster Cove Farm show a dedication to building soil health, using sustainable production practices and on-farm research.
