It's Autumn in Ontario....that means apples! 09/30/2009
 Nova Scotia Spy Apples Well it is clear over the last couple of days that fall really has arrived here in Ontario. Now is the time to gather all the local treats that can keep you nourished all winter long - root vegetables like beets, carrots, parsnips and rutabagas; grains like wheat, barley, rye and spelt; and of course the lovely and delicious Ontario apple. Avalon Orchards is (as far as we know) one of the only certified organic, pick your own orchards in Ontario. It is located in Innisfil - south of Barrie, right on Lake Simcoe. They grow a variety of apples that naturally have strong immune systems and don't require pesticides and fertilizers to thrive. These include Nova Scotia Spy, Liberty, Freedom, Redfree, Prima and Nova Scotia Macintosh Avalon Orchards can arrange tours for groups or you are free to pop in and pick your own apples on the weekends. They have a store that sells their own apple cider, apples and local honey and jams. Visitors are also welcome to explore the woodland trails and enjoy the natural scenery. For more information, visit their website. Enjoy! 2 Days at Everdale 08/17/2009
 We were lucky enough to spend TWO days at Everdale Organic Farm last week. On Friday we faked a Field Trip in order to get filmed for two different TV shows. Candice Batista of a GREENER TORONTO met us at the farm, along with a few 'extras', in order to film us for her new show GREEN DIARIES and TORONTO LIVING. It was a great day! Our 'extras' included friends, a Mom, nieces, family, an aunt, work collegues, an Australian traveller, kids and adults. They got a tour of Everdale and a chance to get discovered! Thanks 'extras'! The shows will not be aired until January. It seems like a long time to wait, but how nice will it be to watch the beautiful farm on a warm summer's day on a cold winter's day?   Day 2 was a real Field Trip. We had a fantastic group, who happened to be the most stylish group we have ever had on the bus(see photo). They were provided with an excellent tour from farm manager Gavin Dandy. He spoke about the social, economical and environmental importance of buying local foods, supporting organic and traditional farmers as well as Everdale's very important role of 'growing new farmers'. Everdale is involved in both CRAFT and Farmers Growing Farmers, programs that help young people get the training they need to become new farmers.  The great news is we have booked two more FIELD TRIPS for the fall. So if you haven't had a chance to get out yet or want to come one(or two) more time(s) the dates are: Sunday September 20 - Cookstown Greens Sunday October 4th - Wheelbarrow Farm  New Fall Dates 08/13/2009
We've just secured two more dates for this fall! Check 'em out here! A return trip to Cookstown's sure to be great with some of the autumn harvest and our first trip ever to the lovely Wheelbarrow farms with farmer Tony Neale - a young farmer with lots going on. Hope to see you there! More Photos from Cookstown, August 2, 2009 08/05/2009
A quick slideshow of this past Sunday at Cookstown.... Cookstown Greens - What a wonderful day! 08/03/2009
 When we first sat down to talk about the concept of FIELD TRIP I knew that quite simply, getting people out of the city to see how their food grows would have an impact on them. I also realized that while this important RE-connection to our food is an indescribable moment, it needed to be backed up by the science, strategy and stories to complete the experience on a day trip.  Enter Cookstown Greens. In the larval stages of planning FIELD TRIP we got to the point where we had the concept, a plan and heaps of enthusiasm but we needed farms! And we both knew that farmers are busy people who may not have time to entertain a bus load of city folk for an afternoon. So I picked up the phone (Megan's rotary phone) and dialed Cookstown Greens. We had sent out a press kit to the farms a few weeks earlier so I crossed my fingers and listened to the ring tone. Eventually Deb answered the phone at Cookstown and at first she had no clue who I was (remember farmers are busy people) but then it clicked and she exclaimed, "Oh, are you those two girls in the city that want to bring people here for tours? That's so cool!" I gave Megan the thumbs up!  What we quickly learned is that people who are farming organically and traditionally often have a mandate that includes education but sometimes do not have the time to organize the educational days. This created a perfect relationship for FIELD TRIP and farms like Cookstown Greens. We need farms to visit and they need people to organize buses and people to come to the farm, a match made in heaven! Our August 2nd Field Trippers were a lucky group. They received an amazing tour filled with history, farming strategy, stories of what can go wrong, in addition to celebrations of what can go right. We were surrounded by fields of what can go right, edible flowers, ornamental kale, Jerusalem artichokes, asparagus, fingerling potatoes and their famous salad mixes!  It goes without saying that David Cohlmeyer and his staff are farming heroes. In addition to being extremely warm and welcoming people they are growing beautiful food in a traditional method that puts the health of the planet first. Do yourself a favour and click on the link below to learn more about why supporting local, traditionally farmed suppliers is so important. David has so eloquently summarized the current state of agriculture in North America (and the world) as well as explaining some of his farming practices. For more information on how they do what they do so well at Cookstown Greens http://www.cookstowngreens.com/page/How_We_Do_What_We_Do.html In the News 07/27/2009
We are halfway through our first season of Field Trip and feeling fine!  alpaca Harvest Wednesday at the Gladstone 07/10/2009
 This past Wednesday was the season opener for "Harvest Wednesdays" a local food event put on by the Gladstone Hotel. Because it's focussed on local foods there's lots of Ontario farmers, fresh food and flowers and because it's put on by the Gladstone there's a lot of the latest fashions, slick decor and urban agriculturists. And isn't it great that these two sides of the same coin have a venue to mingle with each other in? We think so. Mapleton's slideshow 07/01/2009
As requested, here are some more pics from our latest trip to Mapleton's Organics in form of a slideshow - hope you enjoy! (Music: Peirson Ross - local, Toronto artist). Mapleton's June 28 06/29/2009
 My aunt Liz was right. She said, "I think you guys are smart to start with dessert." We had our first FIELD TRIP on Sunday and if we do say so ourselves, it was great! It was a rainy start but the sun came out about the exact moment that we pulled into Mapleton's Organic Farm and Dairy (famous for their ice cream). We had a Magic Bus full of wonderful, supportive and interesting individuals from all walks of life. A few super supportive friends, several volunteers from Food Share and some people who just found a brochure and liked the idea. On our ride up we talked about digestion and how our bodies use the food we consume. We talked about why we started FIELD TRIP and our intentions for the tour. We chatted in small groups and got to know each other.  Once at the farm Martin de Groot and his daughter Arwa talked about the history of the farm, why the family decided to go "organic" and some of the struggles of becoming and staying a farmer. Martin is clearly an experienced and wise farmer who has seen a lot. We spent some time in the demo barn petting baby goats, holding teenage turkeys and nudging noses with Alpacas! We then jumped on the tractor drawn wagon and took a tour of the farm and reRoot CSA/vegetable garden. Arwa's children stopped the tour to give us all a fresh strawberry, a crop that has been delayed by the colder weather! We sighted the dairy herd in the back field grazing in the grass and a few of us caught them as they returned to the barn at 4:00pm for their regular milking.  The highlight, of course, was the ice cream cones in flavours like dandelion and ginger! Everyone went home with a full belly, some with farm fresh eggs and cheese and everyone with a better understanding of how much work goes into growing and producing the foods we consume! Thank you to everyone who made it a great first trip! Feedback "I was inspired, not just from the farm but from Megan and Sarah's passion for nutrition and how they incorporated it into the trip. They are cool people. I don't own a car, neither a license, so I guess one of my intentions was to get to a farm without worrying about which bus or transfer to take by GO train. I didn't know we would be with a lot of super neat people, so I got a lot out of this." "This is a cool idea and I'm spreading the word about it. Good job!" "Beside eating ice cream, I wanted to remind myself that I am not eating "greens", "proteins" or "carbs" but food! I also wanted to get out of the city while learning something." "One of my favorite moment on the trip was the wagon ride, and a strawberry tasting, picked by two super cute kids" Who wants a t-shirt? 06/18/2009
 Check out our new FIELD TRIP T-SHIRTS! Available in regular men's and a more fitted girlie version! $20 a pop Sweat Shop Free + soy-based ink!  Look how happy you will be! Girlie colours : brown only (not so girlie) - S, M, L, XL, XXL (They seem to fit small so go a size higher than you normally would) Dude colours: brown, royal blue, navy and kelly green S, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL We have a few in stock or you can order your size and colour + we will have it made especially for you! | Sarah + Megan
We'll use this blog as a space to write about our Field Trips plus our thoughts and experiences with local food and nutrition. ArchivesSeptember 2009 CategoriesAll |
RSS Feed