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Melanie Andersen's Website God | Family | Health | Education | Environment |
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Family
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Organic Farming in Ontario Organic farming is farming without the use of chemicals. I wouldn't use chemicals in my home garden. I don't want farmers using chemicals on the fruits and vegetables that I buy. I don't want the farmers health to be compromised and I don't want my families health to be compromised. Especially from spring to fall, I try to buy only local organic fruits and vegetables. I'm blessed to live in an area where it is not too difficult to do this. For family and friends who live in the area, I'm creating this page as a resource for you to be able to do the same. Recently, I went to my local supermarket (it was August) and I noticed that the green beans and broccoli came from the United States. Meanwhile, I know of at least 3 farms within biking distance of that grocery store that grow and sell green beans and broccoli. It upsets me that pollution was created in trucking that food across the continent unnecessarily and I know that it won't be as fresh as my local produce. I enjoy supporting my local farmers - especially in the GTA where there is so much pressure to sell their land to developers to turn their fields into housing or a strip mall. I'm happy to report that I now (2007) buy almost exclusively local organic fruits and vegetables from spring to fall (still have to buy bananas and oranges from the grocery store since we don't grow those locally). I'm hoping to eventually be able to go all year round with only local organic fruits and vegetables and get closer and closer to a true 100-mile diet. When berries are in season, I buy crates full and freeze them. I buy local honey and try not to use sugar from the grocery store anymore. I'm hoping to eventually grow my own grains and buy a grain-mill so that I don't have to buy flour from the grocery store (but that's at least 5 years down the road). It's now late summer and I'm hoping to buy carts full of local organic fresh fruits and vegetables and spend my weekends cooking up pots of stews, sauces, etc. to freeze and store for the winter. Good luck and ENJOY! You really won't be able to find juicier, sweeter, more heavenly tasting fruits and vegetables than local organic.
MacWilliam Farms has become my favourite place to shop for fresh fruits and vegetables from May until September. They sell local organic maple syrup and honey as well. They also have a unique system with certain crops at certain times during the season where if you pick your own and give half to them, your half to keep is free! They offer a surprising variety of fruits and vegetables, including blueberries and fingerling potatoes.
ORGANICS FARM
SPRINGVIEW FARMS Pick your own chemical-free strawberries (mid-June) and raspberries (July).
Pick your own organic apples
from August to October. They also sell ready-picked organic apples,
organic apple cider, local honey, and locally
grown organic produce. Check out their website!
Offering a Harvest Share Program where you can pick up your share of
fresh organic produce each week. They also have a farm store open to
the public every Saturday. Saturdays are also "Get Dirty Days" where
you can be an organic farmer for the day. Bring the whole family in dirt-friendly
clothes and be ready to weed and plant with the farmers at Everdale.
They also have MANY sustainable living workshops all year long. Don't
miss
their
annual
Feast
of Fields
event
where you
can tour their farm, walk through the fields while tasting abundant samples
of local wines, craft beers and farm-fresh organic delicacies created
by
top Southern-Ontario chefs. Check out their website for all that's happening
at Everdale! Have organic groceries delivered to your door.
Health food store with abundant organic meat and produce in Newmarket.
A great place to buy organic flour etc. in bulk.
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Health Education Environment |