Holland Marsh - Agriculture

Agriculture

The flat reclaimed areas consist of fertile organic soil, ideal for growing market garden crops such as onions, leafy greens, celery and carrots. Organic matter consists of living plant tissues and organisms found in soil. Organic matter improves the physical condition of soil, and residues from its decomposition play an important role in holding plant nutrients and water. Organic matter in soil undergoes change as it breaks down and decomposes and new material is added. Careful management of this soil is necessary to prevent wind erosion. Much of the fertile, organic soil has been depleted due to unsustainable use by farmers over the years. Submerged decayed trees contribute highly to the valuable fibrous nature of the soil, but without human assistance and ingenuity, the area would have little fertility.

The main crops of the area are vegetables which reflect each wave of immigration into Canada, and have traditionally been grown by immigrants for ethnic markets in the Greater Toronto Area and for export. The agricultural plots were originally divided into 5-acre (20,000 m2) "market garden" family farms, and produce was taken to local markets. In the 1920s the main crops reflected eastern and western European tastes - yellow onions, potatoes, carrots, head lettuce, radish, etc. From the 1950s to the 1980s, Italian greens started to be grown, for example dandelion, escarole, and endive. Demand for Asian greens, such as bok choy, began in the 1990s. With the opening of Highway 400 in the 1950s, farmers quickly gained access to the Ontario Food Terminal in Toronto, vastly expanding their market. Yonge Street and the CN rail (Toronto - Barrie) are situated to the northeast. When the federal government relaxed food import rules in the 1990s and grocery stores consolidated to form large chains across Canada, small family farms growing diverse crops were, for the most part, no longer financially feasible, but a few small family farms still survive. Corporate farms that had bought land in the 1950s sold their plots and a few family farms consolidated, growing mostly onions and carrots for grocery stores, export and food processing companies. Recently the Greenbelt family farmers market introduced by the Ontario government has helped some small family farms.

At the nearby Muck Crops Research Station, located on the southernmost polder, various studies research the effects of altering specific agricultural practices. These typically focus on, and are intended for implementation, on Holland Marsh farms.