From the Field to your Table
April 16, 2009 by Stephanie D'Angelo
Filed under Green Living
As the temperature rises and the flowers bloom, farms across the province prepare for a lush season of bountiful, chemical-free fruits and vegetables. Shopping at local organic farms that do not welcome pesticides, fertilizers or hormones is a great way to support the community, protect the planet, and improve your health.
Zephyr Organics
Located in Zephyr, Ont., this farm boasts over 80 acres of certified organic vegetables for you to enjoy. With generations of farming experience, Ted Eng and his family grow everything from asparagus to zucchini and share it with local residents and restaurants. Zephyr also offers a Farm Share program, where consumers pay in advance for a share of the garden. Pick up your share of organic produce each week for 20 weeks – or have it delivered to your home – for a great way to save on groceries and maintain your health with nutritious, fresh foods. www.zephyrorganics.com
Beretta Organic Farms
A family-run farm located just outside of King City, Beretta Organic Farms is committed to providing organic meat products to health-conscious consumers. Mike and Cynthia Beretta, along with their three children, work daily to produce safe, great tasting products for their community. All crops are free of chemicals, genetically modified organisms and artificial fertilizers, and no antibiotics or growth promoters are used in raising the livestock. A truly organic farm, Beretta does its best to respect the environment by harvesting its products without the use of non-renewable and polluting energy sources. www.berettaorganics.com
Harmony Organic
At Harmony Organic, cows are part of the family. The company’s name is a reflection of its commitment to work with nature harmoniously. Harmony believes that treating its cows with love and respect helps produce the best milk. The company offers the only organic buttermilk on the market, as well as Nature’s Whole, a non-homogenized milk. Harkening back to a simpler time, the cream in this milk rises to the top, so you can choose to skim it off and enjoy it with strawberries or drink it as it is. What’s more, Harmony’s milk comes in refillable glass bottles, which improves taste and reduces waste. www.harmonyorganic.com
ManoRun Organic Farm
Tucked away in Lynden, Ont., ManoRun Organic Farm spans 40 acres that produce vegetables, herbs, fruit, meat and bread. Owners Chris Krucker and Denise Trigatti have been farming organically for over 10 years and offer organic products through a “farmer-to-eater” relationship known as Community Supported Agriculture (CSA). A family run farm, Krucker and Trigatti work with local staff, intern volunteers and their four children to plant, cultivate, harvest and deliver the vegetables, manage the livestock and bring in the grain and hay crop. www.manorunfarm.com
Stephanie – thank you for this article! I have referred to it a couple of times before with some interest in eating local foods…I have recently finished reading “Eating Animals” and learning of the real and global impacts of factory farming has changed a simple level of interest to action. I am glad to have this information as a start to our new lifestyle, and to doing my part to support local, organic farmers. I hope you will continue to write similar articles providing resources for all kinds of things to folks in this community.
Thanks again,
Sue