Above is a picture of an apple tree growing with an abundance of apples.This is one of the new crops suggested.Ontario is the province with the largest production of apple cider; production was valued at $200 million in 2016.Apples are grown commercially on the other side of Owen Sound in Meaford and Thornbury.Farms in this area cannot all grow hay,corn and graze cattle or start lumber planing operations with lumber from local sawmills.Experimenting should be done with new crops like wheat, barley,rye and hops (for beer) and looking for new uses of corn.There is also room for chicken slaughterhouses and small meat processing operations like Beefway in Kincardine. The agricultural processing that arises can increase considerably gross county income.For example, a small pet feed mill in Owen Sound creates income of $500,000 a year and a small craft beer mill can make $5 to $10 million a year and employ 15 to 20 people.While a small hardwood mill can make $2 to $5 million a year.And a small apple cider plant(like in Thornbury) can make $10 to $20 million after 3 to 5 years of operation.
Soil and Growing Conditions
The soil in this area is not like in the Holland Marsh around Newmarket which has that deep black soil and can grow all kinds of vegetables and fruits.However it can grow corn and hay and some kinds of wheat and barley and maybe hops.Also lots of places can grow softwood in great quantities to have softwood mills.But hardwoods grow in smaller quantities and can grow in sufficient quantity around Lake Huron.Hardwoods can be grown for more of a finished product and a small hardwood mill can produce $2 to $5 million a year.But reforestation is required to ensure the future of the mill.
Lots of corn is grown in this area but primarily for cattle feed;it is not grown for corn meal and corn byproducts needed for pet feed.Apples are grown around Owen Sound enough to run a small cider plant in Thornbury.And they can be grown here also.Maybe also some seasonal strawberries and raspberries.It is also possible to grow small quantities of soyabeans for soyabean oil and meal.
Forget the old Crops
Above is a field of corn.You cannot drive anywhere on Bruce county,Grey county nor Huron county roads and not see field after field of corn and hay.In fact the land is used too much for these crops and not for cash crops that can increase income and the population..Mostly corn and hay is being used to feed livestock and not as a cash crop.But corn can be sold for human consumption as well as for cornmeal which can be used for pet feed and other uses.But in order to do this a corn processing plant must be built.Apples are a natural as they make cider just on the other side of Owen Sound.There is no reason not to grow apples commercially in Port Elgin.Also oats and some kinds of soyabeans and hops can be grown to produce cereal, soyabean meal and beer.
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