EP 86 – Making Marginal Land Work for the Farm
What if some of the least productive acres on a farm could become an opportunity to improve farm efficiency and support biodiversity?
In this episode of the Rural Routes to Climate Solutions podcast, host Derek Leahy speaks with Joe Lovell, a crop producer near Clive, Alberta, about his experience participating in a research project led by the Prairie Precision Sustainability Network (PPSN).
Together, they explore how harvest data, satellite imagery and farm profitability information can help producers identify marginal land and consider alternatives to farming areas that consistently underperform. Joe shares how the project has encouraged him to look more closely at the costs of farming certain areas, from awkward field corners to a reclaimed gravel pit. Around 20 acres of his farm are being converted to a perennial forage blend, although unusually dry spring conditions delayed seeding.
Their conversation also turns to shelterbelts and beneficial insects, and the potential role of habitat in supporting more diverse and resilient farming systems. Joe talks about how research can help him understand what it costs to farm his least productive acres and whether there are better alternatives. For him, the work needs to go beyond a report, giving producers real numbers and practical solutions they can act on.
For Joe, the question is where farming makes economic sense and where another use, such as perennial forage or beneficial habitat, could better serve the operation over the long term. His perspective looks beyond the next growing season to the future of family farms and rural communities.
“I’m more than happy watching my neighbors replicate my success.” — Joe Lovell
In this episode
00:00 – Introduction to the Restoring the Margins series
04:07 – Meet Joe Lovell and learn about his family’s farming background
05:06 – Connecting with PPSN and the marginal land project
07:55 – Identifying marginal land and selecting areas for perennial forage
09:37 – Using farm data to understand profitability
10:27 – Making field operations more efficient
12:21 – Dry conditions and the challenges of seeding
14:49 – Rethinking profitability and the cost of farming marginal land
15:41 – A stewardship-based approach to farming for the long term
16:54 – Biodiversity, shelterbelts and beneficial insects
19:54 – Monitoring pest pressure and the role of beneficial insects
21:17 – Turning agricultural research into practical solutions
23:21 – Knowledge sharing and learning from other producers
24:43 – Prairie pest research and early-seeding findings
27:18 – Supporting family farms and rural communities