ROTATELLER

 

Submitted by Will Arscott

 

 

The meeting was held in the Main Dining Room at the Saskatoon Club.  President Jack was under the weather so there was some last-minute scrambling to complete the roster. The MC duties were ably handled by Paul Gauthier. Greeter was Don Lepp who also introduced visitors and guests. Cashier was Donna Gauthier. Zoom option was not available for the meeting.

 

The meal was interesting and different. I believe it was the first vegetarian meal we have had in my time in Rotary. It was very good.  It was unfortunate that our vegetarian-in-residence, Steve Wilson was unable to attend the meeting.

 

The meeting began with members singing O Canada. We always do better when we have Gary Rusu to lead us. The blessing was asked for by Elaine Zakreski. As always, she reminded us of our commitment to service.  As an aside she asked for us to remember the people in Malawi who are facing a drought created by the late arrival of needed rain.

 

 

We welcomed two prospective members to our meeting. This writer apologizes to Claire and Justin as I am unable to publish their last names.  Prospective members are always most welcome. Also present was our guest speaker Joseph Andre-Yves LaCroix who was introduced later in the meeting.

 

 

Our President Jack was under the weather but not seriously ill.

 

Mark Gryba’s wife Dorothy had a nasty fall and severely broke her leg. She was still in hospital at meeting time. We wish her a speedy recovery and rehab.  Mark was unable to attend our meeting.

 

Wayne Palmer was also away due to undisclosed medical issues with his wife Denise. We also wish her the best.

 

 

Gary Rusu announced he had found a small supply of the “In Case Something Happens” binders.   This is a binder developed by Rotarian Harold Empey to help people collect the information their family will need following their demise or incapacitation.   Gary will sell the binders for $20 which is a true bargain.

 

Linda Petrow was not present to talk about the Craft Fair which, on all accounts, was highly successful. We look forward to hearing about the results at a future meeting.

 

The Zoom workshop on district grants will take place Tuesday November 19 at the Saskatoon Club. Those that are attending were reminded of this event and there is room for additional members to attend. The event will start promptly at 6:30 pm.

 

The regular club executive meeting will be held this Wednesday at the Saskatoon Club at 4:30. [NOTE: This meeting has since been moved to 4:00pm THURSDAY November 28.]

 

Donna Gauthier again reminded us that grocery cards are available from Sobey’s and Co-op.  Please call Donna ahead of the meeting and she will have them ready for you.

 

 

 

Joseph was introduced by Gary Rusu: “Joseph Andre-Yves LaCroix is a long-tenured student in soil microbiology. He has studied at the University of Alberta and is a member of several permaculture guilds worldwide. He has collaborated with several institutions in the advancement of sustainable agricultural practices. His work has contributed to the implementation of permaculture in industrial agricultural systems. He has a background in indoor horticulture, hydroponics, organic nutrient manufacturing, sustainable agriculture systems, and advanced technology. He has over twenty-five years of experience in plant cultivation and a decade in robotics, automation, artificial intelligence and software engineering. 

 

Joseph’s current projects include the Auto-Intuitive environmental monitoring. This has evolved into an initiative focused on smart, community-driven infrastructure. Today, Jospeh is here to discuss the AIE (Auto Intuitive Environment) project. This project aims to provide sustainable food sources for the local food bank and generate biofuel for carbon sequestration.  The project also focuses on soil remediation, using methods like biochar and soil stimulation with mitochondrial production to remove toxic substances and enhance soil health.

 

Jospeh’s work embodies the Rotary Club’s spirit of service and innovation seeking to make a tangible impact on both community and environmental well-being. Other interests include the Proper Bass Collective which started as a speaker-making company supporting local musicians and has since evolved into an initiative focused on smart, community-driven infrastructure.

 

The presentation began with Joseph explaining that it had come as a shock to him that there were human beings who were hungry. As a child he became obsessed with this and explored many ideas about how the problem could be addressed. The problem is not that we cannot produce more than enough food, but that food is produced inefficiently and in a manner that does environmental damage.

 

After some technical problems we were able to view a very short video of a back-yard system that grows multiple vegetable crops on a continuous basis. The system uses a sensor system on rails that continuously monitors the plants on 700 parameters. The microbiology of the soil is of prime concern. All watering is done from below so that water is conserved through limiting evaporation. The yield is vastly beyond any yield possible with current conventional agriculture.   This type of micro-agriculture can be done inside any backyard or inside a building.

The rail system used is too expensive to be used on large plots. The next stage is to adapt this system to work in larger applications.

 

Recently a larger plot of land has been obtained outside of Saskatoon. The plan is to build a larger system relying on cables rather than rails to move the machinery. It is being partly sponsored by the Food Bank which hopes to obtain a reliable source of produce. The produce will be more nutritious and better tasting than regular store produce. The plots will also grow vastly larger crops than can be grown on the same amount of land through traditional methods.  Joseph reports that a three-acre plot could supply produce to feed a small city. It is obvious that Joseph is very committed and excited about his project.

 

[[Editor’s Note: In the course of his presentation Joseph made many claims that, if true, would be most disturbing. He claimed that current agricultural methods will inevitably lead to all current agricultural lands becoming deserts. This writer does not begin to have the expertise to tell if this is true. If it is true, it has not been widely reported. The presentation fits perfectly into a particular vision that Joseph holds. I would recommend that members hold some of his claims with some reserve. A possible subject for a future meeting might be to have a speaker from the soil science department of the U of S to speak on whether current agricultural practices are sustainable. Again, I am not claiming anything that was said was not true.]]

 

Joseph was thanked by Paul and the regular donation will be made to Bethany Homes in honor of his presentation.

 

 

Next meeting is on December 2.  Elaine Zakreski will be giving an update on ongoing projects in Malawi.