Oxford County couple land award for planting more than 6,000 trees on their farm

Steve and Cobi Sauder's love for nature is what brought the Zorra Township couple together.

For 30 years they've fostered that love to help grow a forest of more than 6,000 trees on their 105-acre Woodland Farm. The couple has used the property — which backs onto the Wildwood Conservation Area — to improve soil health and water quality, and teach kids outdoor education.

The Sauders recently received this year's Oxford Stewardship Award from Oxford County which acknowledges the county's landowners for contributions to protecting the natural environment.

"It's been really great to not only learn about the outdoors but help children understand about food sources and how things grow, and how important that is to each and everyone of us in our lives," said Steve. 

"It's really nice to have that recognition, but it's also a tool to see that others can do these things."

The pair met more than three decades ago teaching outdoor education at the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. They've continued the practice on their farm teaching the next generation how to take good care of the land.

Learning soil biology to improve agriculture

The couple has planted more than 50 different tree species native to southwestern Ontario including tulips, sycamores and different oak tree species, they said.

But taking care of the trees has come with a steep learning curve. When they first bought the farm, they discovered there is a large population of deer in the area who enjoy feeding on their trees, Cobi said.

The Sauders have found ways to protect their trees, from using soap as a repellent to putting fences around their forest, she added.

The trees help them slow down water erosion, so when rainstorms or high winds come, soil can be prevented from running off the farm. The Sauders have also made changes to how they do crop rotations and using specialized tillage practices to manipulate soil in efforts toward more sustainable agricultural practices. 

"We wander a lot, so you just learn from being out there," said Cobi. "Immersion is such an important part of learning. So the more you're out there experiencing it, the more you start thinking about how we can change things, so the landscape is working more in its natural state."

"Something we're moving toward is really understanding the biology of our soil as well so that we can help nature along to help us produce food," Steve added.

They believe it's necessary to give back to soil and make sure it's healthy so it can provide for the future, Cobi said.

"Building organic matter is really important especially in regard to climate change, because it's able to retain moisture in the soil over a long period of time — and that helps when we have hot dry weather in our summers," said Steve. 

The couple is looking forward to the several projects they have lined up this year, which include adding more herbaceous plant species on their farm and continuing to slow down water erosion and enhance their landscape.