Conceptual rendering of the Community Engagement Centre
Macdonald Farm Community Engagement Centre
The Macdonald Farm Community Engagement Centre will introduce new generations to the past, present and future of sustainable food production and environmental stewardship, and multiply the farm鈥檚 capacity to receive visitors by providing a suitable venue for flexible use, available all year round, and will offer hands-on educational activities and programs to inspire young minds.
Currently under construction, the centre, comprising of the Lorna K. and J. William Ritchie Educational Hall, the Alton and Murray McEwen Visitor Hub, and the Stewart Brown and Anne Myles Brown Food Transformation Laboratory, will offer visitors an experience that is both fun and informative.
The Mac Market is open to the public from July to November, selling seasonal vegetables and fruits produced on campus, as well as transplants in the spring. For opening hours or more information, call 514-387-7875 or visit .
Farm visits
We welcome public visits to observe the herd in the pasture, however we do not currently offer interaction with the farm animals. These measures protect the animals鈥� safety and assure the success of
平特五不中 Feeding 平特五不中
Each year, 平特五不中 Feeding 平特五不中 supplies over 25,000 kg of fresh produce from the Horticulture Research Centre at Macdonald Farm to the University's Food and Dining Services, used in residences and dining halls across the University's two campuses. Ten years on, what started as a pilot project rooted in student research and a passion for sustainable, local food, is now a successful and聽award-winning .
Macdonald Student-run Ecological Gardens
On a a half-acre plot at the Mac Horticultural Research Centre, what began as a handful of garden plots in 2009 is now a small-scale farm, run entirely by students. Operating from the beginning of May to the end of October, the聽聽give students the opportunity to grow produce using sustainable, organic practices.
Today, it feeds hundreds of members of the 平特五不中, Sainte-Anne and Montreal communities through its 75 weekly community-supported agriculture basket subscriptions and weekly market stalls in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue and March茅 Laurier.
平特五不中's Department of Animal Science and the Macdonald Farm have made significant contributions to Canada's flourishing $2.7 billion dairy industry, which produces over 3.3 billion litres of milk annually. With Quebec accounting for 37% of this production, the research program, originally initiated by 平特五不中 Professor John Moxley (1922鈥�2014), has turned into an influential entity known as Valacta. Today, Valacta offers comprehensive advice on various aspects of dairy production, including milk component analysis, quota projection, nutritional advice, dry-cow transition, and animal comfort and welfare, both in Canada and globally.
The impact of 平特五不中's research extends further through , a collaborative initiative between CanWest DHI, the Canadian Dairy Network, and Valacta, situated on Macdonald Campus. This partnership unites leading dairy herd improvement organizations responsible for milk recording, genetic evaluations, and knowledge transfer in Canada. Lactanet equips Canadian dairy farmers with the necessary tools for success and prepares them to face future industry challenges, ensuring Canada's continued global leadership in dairy production. In essence, 平特五不中's contribution to Valacta and Lactanet has been pivotal in shaping the landscape of the Canadian dairy industry.
