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Norm Lamothe of Woodleigh Farms stands in front of his new pyrolysis unit. This machinery is part of a system that will ultimately produce biochar, a carbon-sequestering beneficial soil amendment, from waste wood. (Photo provided by the Lamothe Family).
By Jackie Donaldson, Green Economy Peterborough hub coordinator, GreenUP
Nestled in the rolling hills of Cavan, Woodleigh Farms is a six-generation family farm that’s quickly transforming into a hub of agricultural research and innovation.
Once welcomed to this picturesque yet unassuming property, visitors learn that beyond farming, the Lamothe family have another goal: to demonstrate that the secret of becoming an economically successful and environmentally sustainable family farm is to regenerate the organic material and nutrients in soil that’s been lost through decades of agricultural practice.
Woodleigh Farms grows grain and hay, raises sheep, produces maple syrup and operate a market garden, all on about 500 acres. Like other family farms, Norm and his family have witnessed some of the changes and challenges farmers face to maintain their livelihood.
“I want to prove that a small farm can be successful and can feed a family,” Lamothe says. “[At Woodleigh Farms] we’re blending concepts together and proving that we can make money, be ecologically sustainable and not have the need to expand our acres.” Lamothe believes that one such concept is to use waste wood and biomass to support soil health.
In North America, agricultural practices have depleted organic matter by 50 per cent over the last 100 years, meaning today, most farmers apply amendments and practices that contribute notably to both their costs and carbon footprint.
In this photo, a forester is collecting residue to be used in a Woodleigh Farms Catching Carbon pilot project to improve soil health and reduce the need for fertilizers. (Photo provided by the Lamothe Family).
Woodleigh Farms, a member Green Economy Peterborough — a GreenUP program for local businesses that recognize the necessity of transitioning to a low carbon economy — has set a target to become operationally net zero.
In addition to introducing best practices like cover cropping, rotational grazing, and composting at Woodleigh Farms, the Lamothes are piloting Catching Carbon, a first-of-its-kind-in-Canada project to produce and trial biochar, a carbon-sequestering organic amendment that supports crop and soil health.
Biochar is a stable form of carbon produced through pyrolysis. Through the Catching Carbon project, Woodleigh Farms will transform biomass and wood chips from local, unmarketable, unusable sources into an amendment that is able sequester up to four tonnes of CO2 per tonne of biochar. “We’re taking waste materials and converting them into something meaningful,” Norm explains.
The biochar facility is a marvel of circular economy thinking, which promotes the sustainable reuse of what already exists rather than the production of new goods. Wood chips are carefully processed through a system that captures and reuses gases, minimizing waste and emissions.
Norm Lamothe of Woodleigh Farms holds a piece of biochar. Biochar is a carbon-sequestering soil amendment. It is made by heating waste wood and biomass in a non-oxygenated environment. This creates a product that improves soil porosity, water retention, nutrient cycling and provides habitat for soil microbes. (Photo by Ashley MacRae).
The resulting biochar acts like an “apartment building for microbes,” improving soil porosity, water retention, and nutrient cycling.
By introducing biochar, Lamothe expects to reduce fertilizer costs and improve crop yields.
“When you have an economic benefit and a sustainability benefit, those are the wins for me. These are not decisions based in emotion. It’s crystal clear,” he states.
Over time, Lamothe and the numerous academic and agricultural partners he is working with, hope Catching Carbon can be scaled up, marketed, and shared with others. “We see our projects as a knowledge transfer opportunity.”
Woodleigh Farms creates their own compost using waste wood they collect from the municipality. Eventually, biochar will be added to this compost for distribution in their fields. (Photo provided by the Lamothe Family).
With agriculture on the front line of climate change, Woodleigh Farms represents a new breed of farmer — data-driven, environmentally conscious, and economically savvy. Lamothe’s message is simple: sustainability is not a sacrifice, but a strategic advantage.
“I’m not here to say I have all the answers,” he states. “I’m here to prove that things can be done differently.” And in doing so, Woodleigh Farms is cultivating hope for a more sustainable agricultural future.
Woodleigh Farms is a lead member of GreenUP’s Green Economy Peterborough (GEP) program. GEP works with business owners to understand and strategically implement actions to reduce climate impact and increase efficiency. To learn more about what GEP can do for your business, contact Jackie.Donaldson@greenup.on.ca, or click here.