Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60FOCUS - APRIL 2017 47 our fields, especially those areas of the property with sandy soil. And it would also serve as food for earth- worms – and they’re a key to maxi- mizing the soil’s nutrition. “That’s where Bob Campbell came into the picture and turned out to be so valuable to the process…he was a real champion.” At one time a farming profes- sional himself, Bob then worked for Courtice Auto Wreckers and proved an ally in Zac’s process. He was able to supply some of the required organic material, having developed an organic compost area on the Wreckers’ property. He also played a role in its transportation to the farm. “He was able to manage that as- pect, and that was important to our success because we couldn’t have done that ourselves.” Creating the compost proved to be only the beginning. “A certain number of weeds are inevitably part of any compost, and those of course are detrimental to the crops. So that presents one challenge. “But distributing the composted material in the fields is another: as you’d expect, the spreader is heavy, and the soil is compacted as it passes. So we gave careful thought to which fields we’d put it on, and at what point in the growing season we’d ap- ply it. That turned out to be August, which proved ideal.” The timing was also perfect to combat last summer’s dangerously dry conditions. “The moisture retention of the compost counteracted the drought,” he says. “You’d expect the sandier soil to be most af- fected by the lack of rain, but that’s where much of the compost was spread, so we noticed little effect from the weather conditions.” Zac’s crops – soy beans, corn, oats, and wheat – flourished. “One particular field yielded five times as much as it had before. And we could measure the organic mat- ter – from the earthworms – in the soil, and it had risen a full percentage point.” Zac stresses that his manufactured compost does not replace conven- tional fertilizers in his fields. “This is just a supplement,” he says. “You have to be a dedicated land manager in my business.” That business is a family-owned and operated enterprise. In fact, Zac reports he’s the latest in a long line of agricultural professionals. “It’s been my passion since I was six years old. Even at that age, I wanted to drive the equipment and be a farmer. My siblings and parents are still involved as well.” Managing 12 farms spread over 1,200 acres demands relentless hard work as well as an innovative and entrepreneurial spirit. His task, he explains, is similar to running any business: to extract the largest profit with the least input. But his passion for farming still burns as brightly as it did for the youthful Zac. “Agriculture is a profit-making enterprise, of course. But it’s more to me than that. It’s a lifestyle, not a way to get-rich-quick.” Zac’s three children, who range in age from nine to fifteen, show early signs of following in the family tradition. “Both of my daughters are very interested in horses, and my son is tending a rabbit farm. They certainly have the opportunity to be part of the business, if that’s what they want, and I’d love to see them keep it going.” In fact, Zac’s philosophy hints at that future. “I look at it as if I’m ‘renting’ my land and my business from my chil- dren,” he says. And innovation has helped to fuel that vision. In the modern world, where “green” is a widely sought- after objective, Zac’s inventive com- posting makes constructive use of materials which otherwise may have crowded landfills or been consigned to a corporate incinerator. And the environmentally-conscious results of that process, he’s learned with ex- perience, have boosted his farm’s productivity. Now that’s working smart. By Scott Mercer, Focus on Scugog 216 Queen Street, Port Perry 905-985-2171 1-800-377-9139 www.waggfuneralhome.com … Port Perry’s only locally owned and operated Funeral Home since 1846… Myles O’Riordan FUNERAL DIRECTOR/OWNER Mark Fletcher FUNERAL DIRECTOR PRE-ARRANgEMENT COUNSELOR Pre-planning and pre-paying your funeral is one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give to your family. It’s easy. Anyone can do it. 1680 Reach Street, Port Perry 905-985-4441 www.emmanuelcc.ca Join us for the Good Friday Walk April 14 at 9:30 a.m. in Palmer Park. Good Friday Service at 11:00 a.m. C o m m u n i t y C h u r c h Sunday 10 a.m.