Addison McInnes, 8, shows off some Earthworms at the Protect Our Species event held at the John M. Cuelenaere Public Library Saturday. (Brady Bateman/paNOW Staff)

By Brady Bateman

A worm a day keeps the fertilizer away

Celebrating Earth Day

Apr 20, 2019 | 4:42 PM

Earth Day is the yearly acknowledgement of our reliance on the planet, and focuses on furthering the conversation as to how humans can continue to thrive while also making changes that help the planet.

In recognition of the annual day, the John M. Cuelenaere Public Library hosted a Protect our Species event, which featured a variety of entertainment, ranging from kids’ activities, demonstrations of green fertilizers and composting services, and hands-on demonstrations with earthworms.

Nancy Carswell with the Prince Albert chapter of Council of Canadians, co-hosted the event in partnership with the library and talked to paNOW about its importance.

“Earth Day is to celebrate our dependence on the Earth. This year’s theme is Protect our Species,” Carswell said.

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“The larger groups may go for the more appealing animals, but we recognize how important earthworms are, so we chose to put a focus on them.”

Carswell added that earthworms are critical to regenerative agriculture, as they aerate soil to allow plants to draw carbon. Carswell noted that the more regenerative agriculture humans produce, the healthier our food and planet become.

Byron Tenkink, owner of LilyPlain, described the importance of his naturally sourced, locally produced fertilizer. (Brady Bateman/paNOW Staff)

“Every forkful of processed food you eat supports the fossil fuel industry,” Carswell said. “The more food on your fork that is locally owned, sustainable and regenerative agriculture could help make a difference in the world.”

Several local businesses were in attendance of the event, showcasing products they have produced which they believe fall in line with the values of Earth Day, and regenerative agriculture.

Local business owner Byron Tenkink believes his naturally-produced fertilizer could benefit gardeners and farmers across the globe.

“Basically we use compost, and break it down into a compost tea. Using a microbial process similar to making yogurt, we take compost-tea and brew it into a shelf stable compost tea,” said Tenkink.

“It’s got the same nutrient value as compost, it’s just as easy to use as chemical fertilizer … and it’s 100 per cent chemical free and produced entirely locally. As the garden season picks up I see a great opportunity for us to preserve the planet, and help buy local.”

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brady.bateman@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @TheDigitalBirdy