Cookstown Greens Sees Consistent Crop Improvements with Wollastonite

Simon Ffrench of Cookstown Greens has been incorporating Canadian Wollastonite into his farm’s fertility program for several years, applying the calcium silicate mineral on 18 different vegetable crops. Located in Ontario’s Holland Marsh region, Cookstown Greens specializes in high-quality vegetable production where consistent yields and crop quality are essential for profitability. When we spoke with Simon last week, he shared how wollastonite has become a cost-effective cornerstone of his soil management strategy, delivering measurable improvements in crop performance.

After four years of using Canadian Wollastonite at Cookstown Greens, Simon Ffrench has become a strong advocate for this natural soil amendment. Working with high-pH soils, Cookstown Greens applies 1200 lbs/ac on each field every three years as part of its fertility program with impressive results, “I wouldn’t want to do without it, we have fewer concerns about crops overall.”

“Wollastonite is very cost-effective for our farm,” he notes, emphasizing the economic benefits alongside the agronomic improvements. His potato crops have responded very well, but the most dramatic improvement has been in their beet production.

“Our beets had too much leaf spot. After applying wollastonite, we are certain it made a big difference. There is very little to no spotting in our beets since we started using it.” Simon explains. When asked if he believes wollastonite is actively working in his soil, Simon’s response is: “Absolutely.”