Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association

Fresh Facts
Providing knowledge and leadership to grow the farm fresh experience.

President’s Message……Get OFF the Farm

Last Saturday, we left the farm and headed west. Much to Channing’s chagrin we left the winter
maintenance (don’t tell him it is now spring) for another day. We set off for a day of fun exploring
to three other OFFMA member farms. I love networking – gathering new ideas, becoming more Newsletter #257
efficient at what we already do, and filling my folder with future dreams. April 2010
Volume 25, Number 4
Our first stop was McCully’s Hill Farm
where we were greeted by the most
friendly gentleman as soon as we
stepped out of the van (I wanted to steal
him for my farm). We enjoyed an inter-
Inside this issue:
active horse drawn wagon ride teaching
us about maple syrup that had great vis- Members News 2
ual displays. I was impressed with their
Culinary Camp where they team up with Disney World Honey- 3
Sheldon’s Berry Farm to pick blueberries moon
then come back to the farm to make blueberry muffins. During the week long camp they also
make freezer jam, a pie from scratch, and pizza. What a great way to educate the younger gen- Award Season 4
eration on how things grow and the value of local produce. A new venture for them this summer
is a Community Garden Co-Op where “would-be-food-gardeners” can cultivate their own 10’ x 10’ Food Safety Risks 6
garden plot. I can’t wait to hear how their new endeavour goes.
Clovermead Bees & 7
Honey
Next stop, Appleland Station! This wasn’t our
first time to see Ernie, Sharon, and Lindsay. Upcoming events 8
They were crucial in the start up of our scratch
bakery 4 years ago and we were long overdue
for a visit. Since then they have built a 50’ x
50’ market and added a café. I walked in to
this beautiful market and was once again
greeted warmly by a woman behind the
counter. I was immediately in love with their display racks, the layout, the colours in the café and
an oven that bakes 96 pies at a time. My sons, Lucas and Evan, loved the sand pile that was
three times the size of my house! One other feature that I found on their website, that was very
helpful was under ‘driving directions – from your house’ – it connects you to google maps with
their coordinates already in the final destination and you add your start location.
Fantastic! A must add to our website.

Finally, we headed to Foley Farm & Carolinian Winery. Once again we were
welcomed as soon as we stepped foot into the door. Great job, Ontario on-farm
markets – something as simple as a smile and warm welcome goes a long way
to making customers our loyal ambassadors. They have a gorgeous new build-
ing as well with a partial second floor with additional seating and an outdoor
patio. Great ambience for wine tasting!

So, Get Off the Farm, no excuses about being too busy, and take a day before
November to visit 2 or 3 farms near you. Don’t forget your camera and notepad
to gather your new ideas and learn from the best out there – OFFMA members!

Amy Strom, OFFMA President

Page 2 Fresh Facts

MEMBERSHIP NEWS New Members

This issue of the FRESH FACTS newsletter is dedi-
cated to you, our members. We often search far Adventure Farms
and wide to find leaders in our industry and exam- Larry Lorimer
ples of excellence. Yet we have so many excellent Simcoe, ON
examples right here in Ontario, and more specifi- 226-567-0955
cally part of OFFMA.
Several are profiled albeit briefly in this issue. Orchard Home Farm
Make sure you follow up, visit their web sites or Jerry & Lola Brubacher
go for a drive if you want to source some addi-
St. George, ON
tional information and ideas. Wishing all our
members a fabulous 2010 season. 519-448-1111

Foodland Recipe Booklets Johnstons Farm Market

Many of you would have received some Craig & Merissa Johnston
Foodland Recipe Booklets with OFFMA Bailieboro, ON
“Get Fresh. Visit a Farm” stickers. 705-939-1737
Please take a few minutes to apply the
stickers to the booklets. This is the
Associate Member
compromise we came up with since
Willsie Equipment Sales
Foodland felt they couldn’t print our logo right on
Garry Willsie Thedford, ON
the booklets.
519-243-2616 or 1-800-561-3025
OFFMA has been working with Foodland to secure
these booklets for you. OFFMA provided Foodland
If these new members are located
close to you, take a minute and
with a list of members who are open in the spring
wish them a hearty welcome. The
and would probably be interested in distributing
more members we have the
this material. We are planning on doing something
stronger the voice of direct market-
similar later in the season with another recipe
ing can become in Ontario.
booklet that focuses on fall products, so don’t feel
like you missed out if you didn’t get any of the
spring version. Please send any feedback you have The OFFMA office will often
about this project to the OFFMA office. send out e-mails if the infor-
mation is time sensitive or
Classifieds easier to distribute through
FOR SALE: the Internet. If you haven’t
People/School Tour Wagon seen any e-mails from the of-
8ft x 2-ft people wagon with railing and seats.
Wooden frame with steel steps, flotation tires.
fice in the last month, please
$3500—1 of 2 to choose from. For more info, contact send us your e-mail address as
John at 905-838-2990 we may have one that is incor-
rect.
Taylor Soft Serve Ice Cream Machine For Sale
Model # 142-12 Soft Serve Ice Cream machine. Re-
furbished in Spring 2009. Asking $4500, for more John Stanley CD Now Available
info contact John at 905-838-2990 If you attended the John Stanley
Workshop in February, a CD has
Classified ads are free to all OFFMA members. been enclosed with this newsletter.
Classified ads will be printed in the next newsletter and on If you are interested in purchasing
the web site in the classified ad section. Make use of this the CD, contact the OFFMA office.
membership benefit, if you are looking to sell or purchase
an item, send the relevant information to the OFFMA of- Cost for the full day workshop CD is
fice. We’ll make sure it is posted. $40 + GST.

Honeymoon at Walt Disney World
By Paul Brooks, Brooks Farm, Mount Albert, ON
www.brooksfarms.com
It was 8:45am when we arrived at Disney’s
Magic Kingdom. There was a wonderful
excitement in the air. People were flooding
in from all directions - the monorail, the
boats, and the buses from the resorts.
Just before 9am, the Mayor of Main Street,
USA came out in his tuxedo and top hat to
welcome everyone. Naturally, the Mayor
had his dancers, and music to help set the
stage and the mood. Excitement was build-
ing, as around 2000 people waiting were
singing and dancing along.
“In just a few minutes, Mickey and all his
friends will be arriving from Toontown,” he
announces loudly. “It’s the opening of Main
Street and the Magic Kingdom!”
I was impressed! They sure know how to
start the show. My new wife, Kelly, and I
were spending our honeymoon at Disney
World in Florida and this was truly a magi-
cally moment. I think I was as excited as
any child there!
The train whistle blew and the smoke from
the locomotive was right around the corner.
It pulled into central station, and we all
cheered as Mickey, Minnie, Donald, Goofy,
and friends all disembarked.
“I now open the Magic Kingdom,” Mickey
announced from high above our heads.
Cheers rang out!
WOW! I haven’t been to the magic kingdom
since I was 2 years old, and I had a wonder-
ful experience. You can’t ruin a day that
starts like that.
But honestly, what can I take home from this
adventure? How can Disney, a massive,
worldwide, multimedia giant, have any prac-
tical lessons for our small, family farms?
Vision! When Walt Disney was planning
the Magic Kingdom he said, “I just want it to
look like no other place in the world….and
be surrounded by a train”
Walt had a vision and made it happen. Do
you have a vision? Do you see your farm in
five, ten or twenty year’s time? What does it
Newsletter #257 Page 3
look like? I believe that
it’s absolutely vital to
dream big about where
you want to be.
If you’re producing pick
your own fruits, or oper-
ating a CSA, or a farm
market or participating
as a vendor at a farm-
ers’ market, you need to
realize that we are the
heroes right now. We
need to dream about
where we’re going to be
in the years ahead. I
believe our true value is
just being realised by
the public and I know we
have so much more to
grow. Our farms are The newlyweds, Paul and Kelly Brooks
magical places….we
grow food, we grow fun!
Memories! I believe that memories are built
on tiny moments. The spark begins in the
ordinary and builds to the extraordinary.
Just like the opening of the park; it’s all
about making a lasting wonderful impres-
sion. On our farms, it’s a wagon ride to the
pumpkin patch, seeing a baby lamb for the
first time, finding a fresh warm egg in the
chicken coop, or picking fresh strawberries
on a warm June day. It’s about all the sim-
ple moments that arrive unexpectedly. My
favourite, of course, is a six shot blast from
the Pumpkinator, but that’s just me!
Now what will I do when I get home? Well
I’m planning a wonderful opening to the
farm! Just like at Disney, the train needs to
pull in after our customers are waiting, I
need fresh popcorn at the entrances, I need
small, more personal moments with our
mascots, and I need more shows than ever!
Go out and give your customers that little
extra…let your vision shine, and lasting,
wonderful, farm memories will grow.
Check our Paul’s latest video at
http://www.youtube.com/user/
BigGeorgeHamburger
 Page 4 Fresh Facts
OFFMA members shine during the Award Season
It’s the awards season, not only do we
hear about the Academy Awards, Golden
Globe Awards and Juno Awards but many
agricultural organizations have developed
awards to recognize excellence in their
particular field. In the last few months,
OFFMA members are popping up as rec-
ognized winners around the province. We
consider all our members winners but it is
nice that other organizations are recog-
nizing the fact that they are special.
Here’s a glimpse of what makes some
members stand out.
“We produce a wide variety of the best
quality vegetables using sustainable and
organic farming practices.” Those words
sum up the goal of the 2010 Ontario Out-
standing Young Farmers, Steve and Lisa
Cooper. The Coopers of Cooper’s CSA
Farm and Maze near Zephyr, received the
top honour at the provincial awards cere-
mony held in Belleville on Tuesday March
30th. The Coopers have been OFFMA
members since 2005. Winners of this
award are chosen based on career pro-
gress; environmental and safety prac-
OFFMA members Katie Normet, Lisa and Steve Cooper, and Amy and Channing Strom were all
selected as semi-finalist at the recent Ontario Outstanding Young Farmers Award event held re-
cently in Belleville, ON.
tices; crop and livestock production his-
tory; financial and management practices;
and contributions to society.
The Coopers were chosen from a group of
six farmers including Matt Fischer
(Fischer Family Poultry, Listowel), Hugh
and Arlene Hunter (Maple-Ain Dairy Farm,
Smith Falls), Amy Strom –OFFMA member
(Strom’s Sweet Corn and Pumpkins,
Guelph), Anthony and Marg Sjaarda
(Sjaarda Caprine Farms, Wyoming) and
Katie Normet – OFFMA member, (River’s
Edge Goat Dairy, Arthur).
Steve and Lisa’s story began after meet-
ing at the Ontario Agricultural College at
the University of Guelph. Upon graduation,
they took over the running of a family cat-
tle and sweet corn business. They quickly
realized that weather, low commodity
prices and a diminishing cattle market
were not going to provide them with finan-
cial stability nor meet their desire to farm
full-time. In the late 1990’s they put in a
market garden and delved into direct mar-
keting by helping to establish farmers’
markets in Newmarket, Aurora, Uxbridge,
Gravenhurst and Os-
hawa. Some of which
they still attend as ven-
dors today. In 2000, the
cattle were sold and re-
placed with meat goats,
and the cropping end of
the farm was altered
into growing a variety of
vegetables and later an
agri-tainment area with
a corn maze, kids’ play
area and fall festival
and even more recently
an expanded pick-your-
own section.
According to Steve Coo-
per, his AHHA moment
came when a customer
exclaimed, “What a
great place. I would
really like to be a part of
this farm.” In 2007, the

Coopers entered into a Community Shared
Agriculture program for the marketing of
their fruits and vegetables. Fifty families
signed up and paid to receive a weekly bas-
ket of vegetables for 20 weeks. In 2008,
this was expanded to 235 families from all
across the GTA. They continue to expand
this aspect of their farm with the building
of a small greenhouse and planting late
spinach and greens in order to extend the
growing season and now deliver food 23
weeks of the year. They have also added
pasture beef and pasture raised broiler
chickens to the product list.
Steve attributes part of their success to
‘being on the right side of a trend.’ “We
were really lucky to have had a business
that we could quickly expand when the lo-
cal food movement started to gain momen-
tum”.
As with many successful young farmers,
Steve and Lisa understand that education
and networking are critical to their suc-
cess. They Have participated in many
OFFMA workshops and several bus tours.
Both Lisa and Steve are graduates of the
Advanced Agricultural Leadership Program
and have also completed the George Morris
Centre’s C-Team program for farm business
managers.
John Steele, co-chair of the 2010 event
noted that “the pride that these finalists
had in their operations, and the love they
had for their communities was very infec-
tious. Spending time with such imaginative
and successful young farmers reminds us
all that farming is a rewarding occupation
and we need to keep that in mind more as
we deal with our daily challenges.”
Steve and Lisa will now represent Ontario
at the National Competition being held
from November 18–23 in Victoria, British
Columbia, where they will compete with
other farmers from across Canada for the
title of Canada’s Outstanding Young Farm-
ers. We wish them the best of luck and are
proud of their provincial achievements.
Newsletter #257 Page 5
Friend of the Greenbelt Award
As a part of the Greenbelt’s 5th anniver-
sary celebrations, five Greenbelt farm-
ers were recognized. Of the five win-
ners, three are OFFMA members.
Eric and Jennifer Bowman from Gallery
on the Farm, Durham, were selected
for their commitment to food and agri-
cultural education initiatives.
Karen and Doug Whitty from Whitty
Farms Market, Niagara, were winners
because of their commitment to the
Niagara local food movement.
Paul Gray from Dixie Orchards, Peel
was recognized for his support of envi-
ronmental and student nutritional pro-
jects.
Congratulations to these farmers for
their hard work, their creativity and
their perseverance.
Marketing Tip
In most cases it takes a considerable
amount of time and energy to success-
fully fill out application/nomination forms
for the various awards that are presently
being offered. If you are successful at
being awarded the top prize it is impor-
tant to get some return on your invest-
ment. Last year’s Outstanding Farm Mar-
ket Winners, Colleen and Walter Pingle,
planned to celebrate their win by hosting
a huge ‘Awards Luncheon’ once their
primary crops of asparagus and straw-
berries were ready to harvest. Invitations
were printed and distributed, the media
was invited and they worked with a chef
to made delectable creations with their
produce. The Award Logo has been on
their website all year and the actual
award itself is proudly displayed in their
on-farm market.
When you receive any sort of recognition
make sure your customers and the me-
dia know about it. Your customers will be
thrilled for you and the media will help
spread the word to bring even more cus-
tomers to your farm. Ultimately that’s
what it is all about.
Page 6 Fresh Facts
Food Safety Risks Associated with Horticulture/Livestock Operations
Don Blakely, Food Safety Programs Branch, OMAFRA
There is an emerging consumer preference to
purchase fresh local food products at farmer
markets and roadside farm stands. These
products are grown on farms tending to be
small in size and producing mixed commodities
of fruits, vegetables, livestock and poultry.
Many view these products as safer than those
from large factory farms. This is not necessarily
a valid assumption. Food safety, whether farms
are small or large, is achieved by following
good agricultural practices. Mixed farms, where
both horticultural and animal products can be
found, pose special risks. There are increased
hazards from cross-contamination and steps
must be taken to reduce those risks.
Any farm where manure is produced or used
must deal with the risks associated with patho-
gens such as E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella and
Campylobacter. These pathogens pose a risk
of serious illness if fruit or vegetables are con-
taminated. Here are some good agricultural
practices to follow when fruit and vegetables
are grown and harvested in proximity to live-
stock production:
1. Growing site - Ensure crops are grown on
ground where no runoff occurs from livestock
housing or pasture areas.
2. Use of manure and compost – As a rule
never use fresh manure on land where you
intent to harvest fruits and vegetables within
120 days. Manure must be properly composted
before use to ensure pathogens are reduced to
acceptable levels.
3. Irrigation water – Ensure water used to irri-
gate is free of hazardous pathogens. Be aware
of hazards associated with your water source
and test water before use. Employ drip irriga-
tion to prevent water from getting on the sur-
face of crops such as lettuce or spinach.
OMAFRA takes food safety seriously
 Check out the ministry’s web site for additional resources that can help you prevent,
detect and control food safety risks.
 Explore the Advantage Good Agricultural Practices Manual, templates available on
the web
 Find available funding
 Attend training events
For more information contact: 1-877-424-1300, ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca
Or www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/food/foodsafety/producers/index.htm
4. Traffic patterns and personal hygiene – Be
aware that hazardous pathogens can be
spread by manure on footwear and soiled
hands. Limit movements between the livestock
housing areas and vegetable growing areas
unless footwear is changed or cleaned. Always
wash your hands after contact with livestock
and before handling any ready to eat harvested
fruits and vegetables.
5. Harvesting – Ensure the tools used for har-
vesting such as knives are cleaned and that
your harvested products are put into clean bas-
kets and containers. Never let harvest contain-
ers sit on the ground.
6. Wash water – Washing produce is the most
critical practice in preventing food safety haz-
ards. Some fruits and vegetables can absorb
water, and pathogens along with it, if the water
temperature in dump tanks is too cold. If dump
tanks are used, a small amount of contamina-
tion can be passed to all products. If water is
recycled, there can be a five-fold increase in
the amount of contaminated product. Test wa-
ter before washing and treat it if necessary to
kill pathogens. Treat all recycled wash water.
It is required by law that the final rinse of fruit
and vegetables must be potable.
7. Getting the Product to Market – Transport
farm product in clean containers and vehicles.
Display it away from any further possible cross-
contamination. For example, do not set up a
road side sale stand right next to a cattle pas-
ture. Flies love cows and manure. They can
easily transfer pathogens from manure to the
fruits and vegetables in your sales stand
Preventing food borne illness is vital. By follow-
ing these good agricultural practices, a farmer
can ensure consumers are confident they are
purchasing healthy, nutritious farm produce.
 Newsletter #257 Page 7

Clovermead takes home top on-farm marketing prize

In 2007, Clovermead Bees and Honey was a Blossom,
Regional Award Winner of the Premier’s Golden Rod and
Award for Agri-Food Innovation Excellence. In Bee’s Secret.
2008, OFFMA nominated Clovermead for On- Christy has also
tario’s Outstanding Young Farmers’ Award and created new
they won. In February, OFFMA recognized Clo- uses for honey
vermead with the Outstanding Farm Market with a line of
Award. eleven honey
spreads. These
So what makes this business such a winner!! are infused with A brave,
Chris and Christy Hiemstra learned early on flavours such as bee beard
that they would have to focus and create a root beer, lico- contestant
unique experience in order to be successful. rice, ginger, strawberry or amaretto to
Having only 11 acres to work with they name a few. Clovermead also carries a line
needed to make sure they focused their ef- of honey salad dressings and honey mus-
forts on a specific product and because Chris tards.
grew up in a beekeeping environment, bees They feel they are unique on Ontario’s coun-
have always been near and dear to his heart, tryside because they offer educational Buzz
so they became the core of their company. Tours and Bee Safaris. They also have an
The couple purchased the farm from Chris’ enchanted bee yard trail, a bee discovery
parents in 2000 and have grown it into one of station and ‘the birds and the bees’ themed
the largest honey farms in Canada. People can flower gardens.
visit the farm and buy honey, pollen and bees-
wax as well as enjoy the numerous displays Maybe it’s the product but they have also
and tour the attractions. become masters at developing puns and
saying around honey, from ‘cutting sweet
Some of the things that make the Hiemstras’ deals’ to holding an ‘un-bee-lievable’ festi-
business unique are: val they take it all in stride and remain hum-
The annual bee beard competition. Yes, you ble as the awards shelf grows larger and
read that correctly, a bee beard. Contestants heavier. Congratulations!
are weighted before and after the contest to
record how many bees they
were able to attract to their
face, head and neck. (Just
seeing that is worth the
price of admission.) Accord-
ing to the Hiemstras, the
competition has been re-
sponsible for a lot of free
media exposure and created
many ‘WOW! Word of
Mouth” moments.
Once in the bee store, the
fancy honey tanks help cre-
ate a special winery feel
and allow Clovermead to
subtly suggest to customers
that this is the best place to
get their honey. They have
six floral sources of honey
on tap; such as Summer

Stainless steel honey tanks create an upscale ambiance.

 Page 8
Ontario Farm Fresh
Cathy Bartolic, Executive Director
2002 Vandorf Rd. Aurora, ON L4G 7B9
Phone: 905-841-9278
Fax: 905-726-3369
E-mail: info@ontariofarmfresh.com
www.ontariofarmfresh.com
2010-11 OFFMA Board of Directors
Amy Strom, President
Strom’s Farm
Jesse Lauzon, Vice President
Springridge Farm
Mark Saunders, Past President
Saunders Farm
Paul Brooks, Brooks Farms
Jay Howell, Brantview Apples & Cider
Anne Just, Kurtz Orchards
Marg Land, Annex Publishing
(Associate Member)
Colleen Pingle, Pingle’s Farm Market
Geri Rounds, Rounds Ranch
Steve Smith, Smith’s Apples
Dorene Collins, OMAFRA
(Advisor to the Board)
Fresh Facts
Upcoming Events
April tbd Food Handlers’ Certification Course—we are running into challenges with
this program, as soon as we have some information we will send an e-mail
out to members
April 13 & 14 Beyond the City Lights, Smith & Wilson Winery, Blenheim, ON
Contact: Chatham Kent Tourism, 1-800-561-6125
April 28 Beyond the City Lights, Brooklea Golf and Country Club, Midland, ON
Contact: South Georgian Bay Chamber of Commerce, 705-526-7884
June 17 & 18 Comprehensive Elderberry Conference & Farm Tour, Jefferson City &
Hartsburg, Missouri For more info contact terry Durham at 573-999-3034
or visit riverhillsharvest.com
August 11 Annual Potluck Social at Whitty Farms, St. Catharines
Nov. 7-9 Bus Tour in Central Ontario, contact Cathy Bartolic at 905-841-9278
April 4-7, 2011 Bus Tour to UK, contact Cathy Bartolic at 905-841-9278
Jane Eckert Consultations Social Media Workshops
OFFMA is bringing Jane Eckert back to do one-on- OFFMA will be offering a Social
one consultations again this summer. We are look- Media Workshop in SW and
ing at the second half of August. If you are inter- Eastern Ontario in May and July
ested in this opportunity, let the office know. respectively. Info will be shared
Jane is particularly interested in working with small
a soon as it becomes available.
or start up businesses who are looking for some
guidance on how they can increase their revenue. Seating will be limited.