Event Details

July 24, 2024
5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
Benjamin Bridge Winery 

Session Description

Come out and ask the experts! Cover crops play a vital role in vineyards including reducing erosion, accumulating nitrogen, improving soil tilth, and water infiltration. Benjamin Bridge and Perennia are joining together to answer your questions on selection, environmental conditions, management, and decision making all around cover crops within viticulture systems.

Guest Speakers

Steve Ells 

Steve Ells grew up on a mixed livestock and crop farm in Sheffield Mills NS. After graduating from NSAC, he split his time between agriculture and trucking. In 2010, he and his wife Karen decided to plant a vineyard at the family farm in Sheffield Mills, which has grown to 55 acres of vines with a 50/50 mix of hybrids and vitis vinifera. Having been around agriculture his whole life, Steve has a deep appreciation for soil health and has worked to improve the structure and sustainability of the soils in his vineyard. Steve currently manages the vineyards of Benjamin Bridge as well as his own vineyard.

Katarina Vucic 

Katarina is Perennia’s viticulture specialist. She has fifteen years’ experience in the wine sector and holds an MSc in Viticulture and Oenology from the University of Bordeaux Science Agro- France and Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Diploma Level 4. With diverse experience both in Canada and Europe, she brings a holistic approach to the industry with expertise in sales, marketing, vineyard management, R&D and wine production. Her entrepreneurial ventures include contributions to wine publications and guest lectureships demonstrating her commitment to the field. 

Caitlin Congdon  

Cailtin is Perennia’s Fields Crops Specialist. She is passionate about cover crops in all systems. Caitlin has a BSc (Agr) from the former Nova Scotia Agricultural College where she majored in Plant Science and minored in Pest Management. Her background in agriculture comes from a deep family history of farming, supported by her work experience on both crop and livestock farms. 

Dr. Mehdi Sharifi

Dr. Mehdi Sharifi is a distinguished research scientist specializing in soil nutrient management at the Summerland Research and Development Centre in British Columbia, Canada. Prior to his current role, Dr. Sharifi served as a professor at Trent University and Dalhousie University. He has completed two postdoctoral fellowships, in 2005 and 2008 respectively. Dr. Sharifi has made significant contributions to the field through numerous peer-reviewed scientific journal publications and presentations at national and international conferences. His research focuses on enhancing the environmental sustainability and resilience of agricultural systems through groundcover vegetation management and the use of organic soil amendments. Additionally, Dr. Sharifi is deeply involved in Indigenous Food Systems research, contributing to the propagation and ethno-agronomy of culturally significant food-plant species.

Registration

Registration is required. The registration deadline is July 22, 2024. There is no cost to attend.
This event has limited registration, so we encourage you to register early. 

For those who are not able to attend in person, please reach out to Anita James at ajames@perennia.ca to discuss virtual viewing options.

The OFCAF program in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador is implemented by Perennia Food and Agriculture Corporation. and funded by the Government of Canada | Copyright © 2024 | All Rights Reserved

QUESTIONS?

Georgia Lewis
Phone: 902-670-9655
Email: glewis@perennia.ca 

Katarina Vucic
Phone: 902-599-1390
Email: kvucic@perennia.ca