Born & raised in Norfolk County, owners James Bradshaw and Michael Sheppard, knew “Ontario’s Garden” was the perfect place to build Velocity Green, a company that makes sustainable, eco-friendly fertilizer alternatives available to local farmers, greenhouse operators, and turf managers. The headquarters and brew station are both located in Waterford, ON, and they’ve expanded in the last two years, setting up dealer brew stations across Canada.
Their mission is to make a positive impact on the environment through soil remediation and health. They do this by producing 100% organic, biological solutions that improve yield gain, soil health, food quality, and clean water, and make it affordable and accessible to local growers. They have been doing this one customer at a time through dedicated service, and trial work with growers in Norfolk County and across Southern Ontario – from strawberry growers to potato farmers, specialty crops like peanuts and grapes, vegetable growers, orchards, turf and beyond.
Their flagship product, ACF-SR is a live-brewed, liquid fertilizer that is made from a combination of 5 beneficial bacteria. It is designed to provide plants with a diverse range of nutrients and beneficial microorganisms that can help to improve soil health and plant growth.
As growers face the challenge of balancing reduced N, P and K fertilizer applications against farm profitably, Ontario-based Velocity Green is looking to fill the gap with a science-based approach that offers effective, affordable bio-solutions.
Together with the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, Velocity Green has produced some of the most significant biological trial work with Ontario vineyards, berry production and vegetable crops to date.
“Working with third-party consulting and research facilities like Vineland Research is a key part of our mandate to incorporate biologicals into conventional and organic farming across the Country,” says James Bradshaw, CEO of Norfolk County-based Velocity Green Inc.
Qinglu Ying PhD, Research Scientist, Plant Production at Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, spearheaded the project to capture the fruit composition analysis on a plot at Southbrook Wineries. The key findings of this research show grapevines were generally healthier with ACF Fruit and Vegetable applications, indicated by higher relative chlorophyll content in the early season; higher relative chlorophyll at harvest.
Healthier plants within the treated block were also associated with reduced sprays, higher level of nutrition and minimal sour rot and/or bunch rot. Reducing the need for spraying is a big draw for ACF-SR Fruit and Vegetable.
In another study with ACF-SR was mixed with water and delivered at transplanting and 4-6 weeks after planting, the onion grower observed that root mass was much larger and showed zero and no signs of pink root rot; and tunics were healthier and much greener which is a results of healthy white roots.
On the hay & livestock side, projects in Willsonville and Norwich, ON saw significant weight and bail increases in addition to improved nutritive value for their livestock.
“With 5 beneficial bacteria species to rapidly enhance your soil and plant health, ACF Fruit and Vegetable can safely and quickly accelerate the health and growth of your soil and crops,” he explains.
What gives ACF Fruit and Vegetable a proprietary edge is the patented brewing process, which allows the function-focused bacteria to reproduce rapidly before application. That, and the ability to grow the 5 species together to perform key functions in the soil, including fixing nitrogen from the atmosphere, solubilizing essential nutrients, such as phosphorus and potassium, and producing phytohormones, which provide the full spectrum of Plant Growth Promoting (PGP) functions in the soil.
More findings come out of West Kelowna, BC with local grower Stephan Lavigne of Okanagan Properties, noting “In year one, with use of ACF Fruit and Vegetable, we had a 17% increase in the Pinot Noir Vineyard that received the ground applications. At harvest we had a more uniformed fruit. The Riesling vineyard was much the same!”
“Data collection, trial digs and customer satisfaction have been the key to our early success. This work has created the expansion of use of ACF Fruit and Vegetable with the majority of our clients. With the help of DSW Consulting we hope to continue to lead the marketplace in biologicals through this approach,” concludes Bradshaw.
Check out Velocity Green’s trial work at www.velocity-green.com
