There was a lot of buzz about ALUS on April 2, 2017, when ALUS Elgin held a bee-themed benefit at a boutique in southwestern Ontario. Taking quite literally the benefit event’s hashtag (#CheersToPollinators), a capacity crowd brandished many glasses of mead (a traditional honey-based wine) in support of their local ALUS program.
“We are donating 50% of the profits from our mead to ALUS Elgin, because we want to help their program expand and make even more habitat for native bees—they need our support!” said Stephen Hotchkiss, ALUS Elgin participant and co-owner of the New New Age, a beyond-organic herb farm, apiary and general store in Port Stanley.
The New New Age’s partners, the Last Castle Brewing Company, brewed up a special batch of mead using honey and herbs produced at the Hotchkiss farm, where ALUS is helping to enhance pollinator habitat. Stephen and Katie Hotchkiss have previously contributed jars of the New New Age’s honey to ALUS Canada’s national launch event at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair, and donated a percentage of their limited edition “Flower Power” herbal tea to ALUS Elgin last fall.
“The Hotchkiss family has been strong advocates for our local ALUS program since they started as participants in 2016,” said Alyssa Cousineau, program coordinator for ALUS Elgin, who reports that the Hotchkiss farm has enrolled more than 40 acres in the ALUS program, including reforestation, tallgrass prairie and wetland projects.
“ALUS has been wonderful to work with, helping us every step of the way to plan and implement regenerative projects that have improved our farm and landscape in meaningful, long-lasting ways,” said Katie Hotchkiss. “Our ALUS projects have positively impacted not only us, but our entire watershed. We are delighted to give a little back to ALUS Elgin.”
As noted by the Chair of ALUS Elgin’s Partnership Advisory Committee (PAC), John Stewart, the ALUS Elgin program is a partnership between ALUS Canada and the Long Point Region Conservation Authority, one that also partners with other regional organizations to develop projects that are best suited to landowners’ needs in Elgin County.
ALUS Elgin’s current priorities include increasing pollinator habitats, controlling the invasive species Phragmites australis, and preventing the erosion of gullies and banks, which causes sedimentation and phosphorus-loading in rivers and lakes.
The CEO of ALUS Canada, Bryan Gilvesy, spoke enthusiastically about ALUS Elgin, one of 21 ALUS communities operating across the nation where farmers and ranchers are helping to produce cleaner water, cleaner air and more biodiversity, including pollinator habitat, for the benefit of everyone. Gilvesy also introduced the “New Acre Project,” an innovative way for Canadian corporations to support these acres on the ground through their corporate social responsibility funds.
In keeping with the bee theme, the event’s guest speakers included two pollinator experts from the University of Guelph. Both Dr. Nigel Raine (Rebanks Family Chair in Pollinator Conservation) and Dr. Andrew MacDougall (Associate Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology, and winner of the 2016 Weston Family Ecosystem Innovation Award) conduct scientific research on ALUS project sites. Dr. Raine presented insights on how to integrate pollinator habitat on a farm, as well as the benefits for native wildlife and to the farming operation, while Dr. MacDougall described his upcoming research work, involving beneficial insects and carbon sequestration on ALUS farms.
“This event exemplifies what ALUS is all about,” said Cousineau. “It’s wonderful to see the community coming together to support pollinators, and farmers, through the ALUS Elgin program.”
Click here for more on ALUS Elgin.
All photos courtesy DMP Photo Video.
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- ALUS Elgin’s Program Coordinator, Alyssa Cousineau, presents a certificate to Stephen Hotchkiss in recognition of his generous support.
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- There was a lot of buzz about ALUS at a bee-themed benefit hosted by the New New Age, a boutique in Port Stanley, southwestern Ontario.
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- Guests of honour at the ALUS Elgin mead benefit, April 2017. Front row, L to R: Aleksandra Dolezal (master’s student, University of Guelph), Katie Hotchkiss (co-host), Alyssa Cousineau (Program Coordinator, ALUS Elgin), Dr. Andrew MacDougall (Professor, University of Guelph). Back row, L to R: Annalisa Mazzorato (master’s student, University of Guelph), Dr. Nigel Raine (Rebanks Chair, University of Guelph), Stephen Hotchkiss (co-host), Dave Reid (Eastern Hub Coordinator, ALUS Canada), Cynthia Tosswill (Assistant Program Coordinator, ALUS Norfolk), Bryan Gilvesy (CEO, ALUS Canada), John Stewart (PAC Chair, ALUS Elgin).
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- The CEO of ALUS Canada, Bryan Gilvesy, spoke enthusiastically about ALUS Elgin, one of 21 ALUS communities operating across the nation where farmers and ranchers are helping to produce cleaner water, cleaner air and more biodiversity, including pollinator habitat, for the benefit of everyone. Gilvesy also introduced the “New Acre Project,” an innovative way for Canadian corporations to support these acres on the ground through their corporate social responsibility funds.
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- Katie and Stephen Hotchkiss, ALUS Elgin participants and owners of the New New Age, raise a glass of mead made from honey and herbs from the Hotchkiss farm. As hosts of the ALUS Elgin mead benefit, they are donating 50% of the profits to support pollinator habitat in Elgin County.
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- ALUS Elgin’s current priorities include increasing pollinator habitats, controlling the invasive species Phragmites australis, and preventing the erosion of gullies and banks, which causes sedimentation and phosphorus-loading in rivers and lakes.
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- The Chair of ALUS Elgin’s Partnership Advisory Committee (PAC), John Stewart, gave a few words on the past, present and future of the ALUS Elgin program.
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- ALUS Elgin’s priorities include increasing pollinator habitats in southwestern Ontario.
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- Dr. Nigel Raine (Rebanks Family Chair in Pollinator Conservation, University of Guelph) presented insights on how to integrate pollinator habitat on a farm, as well as the benefits for native wildlife and to the farming operation.
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- Three dozen guests attended the ALUS Elgin benefit at The New New Age store in April 2017, including many farmers participating in the ALUS Elgin program.
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- Dr. Andrew MacDougall (Associate Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, and winner of the 2016 Weston Family Ecosystem Innovation Award) described his research work involving beneficial insects and carbon sequestration on ALUS farms.
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- Three dozen guests attended the ALUS Elgin benefit at The New New Age store in April 2017, including many farmers participating in the ALUS Elgin program.
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- ALUS Elgin’s Program Coordinator, Alyssa Cousineau, enjoys a glass of mead with ALUS participant and supporter Stephen Hotchkiss, at the New New Age benefit event in April 2017.
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- Mead is traditionally quaffed from a cow’s horn, as pollinator researchers Annalisa Mazzorato (on L) and Aleksandra Dolezal (on R) demonstrate in front of ALUS Elgin’s #CheersToPollinators poster.
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- True to the event’s hashtag, #CheersToPollinators, ALUS Elgin supporters raised many glasses of honey mead at the bee-themed benefit in Port Stanley, Ontario, in April 2017. 50% of the profits will go toward local pollinator habitat and other environmental priorities in Elgin County.
