Demonstration plots support lake water quality
With site preparation and plot setup planned for May, early-season photos above show the landscape where the demonstration plots will soon take shape. On the left is early March, where snow melt resulted in accelerated melting along an ephemeral stream. On the right, April showers created an ephemeral stream flowing into a small unnamed creek on the Bourgeois Farm.
Demonstration plots at Bourgeois Farm will support soil health and water quality in Lake Huron watershed
At Bourgeois Farm in Tiverton, a new chapter is taking shape along the Little Sauble River.
The 37-acre farm, located in Bruce County, before the river flows into Inverhuron Provincial Park and Lake Huron, was donated to Ontario Farmland Trust (OFT) through the estate of Ann and Eugene Bourgeois. As the first-ever donation of farmland to OFT, the property carries a meaningful legacy: to continue serving the community.
That vision is beginning to grow.
OFT, in partnership with Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA), is delivering a two-year demonstration plots project at Bourgeois Farm focused on improving soil health and protecting water quality in the Lake Huron watershed. Supported through the 2025–2027 Canada-Ontario Agreement and Lake Simcoe Program, of Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA), this work brings practical, on-farm best management practices (BMPs) to the forefront.
The project’s goal is to support agricultural practices that reduce nutrient loading into Lake Huron while strengthening soil health and long-term farm resilience. At Bourgeois Farm, demonstration plots will show how these practices work in real farm conditions and how they can support both productive farmland and clean water.
The location of Bourgeois Farm makes it especially valuable for this work. Conversations with ABCA staff, including Healthy Watersheds Manager, Mari Veliz, have highlighted how the farm can support learning at more than one scale.
On the ground, the demonstration plots create a place to study how specific management practices influence soil, water, nutrients, and crop performance. Across the surrounding landscape, the site also helps people to see how field-level decisions connect to broader watershed conditions, including runoff, drainage, land use, and the health of the Little Sauble River and Lake Huron.
“Bourgeois Farm is a powerful place to have these conversations because you can see the connection between the field, the Little Sauble River, and Lake Huron,” said Chelsea Gowton, Demonstration Farm Project Manager at Bourgeois Farm.
Through soil samples, crop observations, and other indicators, project partners will evaluate how different BMPs influence soil health, nutrient retention, crop performance, and water protection under local conditions.
Several BMPs are being explored at the Tiverton Demonstration Farm, including mulch trials, cover crops, and adaptive grazing. These practices are being selected and refined with input from local farmers and technical experts to ensure they are practical, scalable, and relevant to local farms.
Alongside field research, Bourgeois Farm is becoming a place for gathering and learning. Field days, peer-to-peer events, educational materials, and community conversations will help reduce barriers to BMP adoption and support practical stewardship across Lake Huron’s southeast shore.
At its heart, the project demonstrates how shared goals for food production, farmland stewardship, and water quality protection can work together.
“The BMP project is about soil and water, but it is also about relationships,” said Gowton. “Those relationships are what will help this farm thrive.”
Through the demonstration plots project, Bourgeois Farm is helping to carry forward Ann and Eugene Bourgeois’ legacy. Their gift of farmland is becoming a place for learning, stewardship, and practical action toward a healthier Lake Huron watershed.
To learn more, visit OFT’s website and the Bourgeois Farm web page.
For questions, upcoming events, or opportunities to get involved, contact Demonstration Farm Project Manager Chelsea Gowton at chelsea@ontariofarmlandtrust.ca