Roxanne Beavers, M.Sc., P.Ag.

In September 2005, I finished my Masters of Science in Agriculture at the Nova Scotia Agricultural College, under the supervision of Drs. Andy Hammermeister and Ralph Martin. I studied the effect of increasing seed rate on crop-weed interactions in organic wheat. This allowed me to combine my research interests in plant ecology and organic agriculture in a project with practical implications for the organic community. I enjoyed working with farmers from across Canada who are passionate about research into sustainable production methods.

OACC is a constant buzz of activity: cross-Canada research trials, visits with farmers and researchers, sampling, harvesting, analysing and writing. As a research technician at OACC I get to be a part of it all. My position is focused on feed grain experiments and horticultural crop trials, helping obtain organic certification for the Brookside pasture at NSAC, and preparing presentations, papers and reports. I have become familiar with all the different research activities undertaken at OACC by editing a series of research bulletins that help communicate interesting results.

Originally from Ontario, I moved to Nova Scotia to start school in 2003 after living for four years in the NWT. I have a Bachelor's of Environmental Science from the University of Guelph, where I gained research expertise in diverse areas: macadamia nut agroforestry in Guatemala and the genetics of endangered red mulberry populations in southern Ontario. Up north, I was employed in water quality research and environmental assessment. This provided me with a different set of skills - planning fieldwork by helicopter or drilling though four feet of ice to collect water samples. Presently, in addition to my work with the OACC, I work as an organic farm inspector in the Maritimes and run a market garden specializing in really good lettuce with my partner Jamey and our sled dog.

Roxanne Beavers MSc PAg
Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada
PO Box 550 Truro NS B2N 5E3
Tel: (902) 893-7256
Fax: (902) 896-7095
rbeavers@nsac.ca