Our General Store

Find out where to buy certified organic food products

The Certified Organic Producers Co-op has done an excellent job with their website. It is informative and easy to use.

Visit their site to find out who is producing what and where on the Island. If you are farming organically and want to post your information on their web page contact David MacKay (Executive Director) at 902 849 9999 or email him at organicpei@canada.com.

http://www.organicpei.com/

Why not get out of the 'big box' and SHARE THE HARVEST!

Robert Pendergast of St. Louis PEI writes......

Carrie Ann and Chris Dunbar are the enthusiastic, young owners of Atlantic Heritage Gardens. http://www.ahgardens.com/
It is a large-scale market garden that they have started as a way of keeping alive some delicious heritage varieties of fruits and vegetables while serving a curious and hungry public! They live on the western bank of the Kildare river with their one year old daughter Laurel.

Last year, while following a leadership course, Chris came upon the idea of a member-supported business concept known as Community Supported Agriculture (C.S. A). He and Carrie Ann have been living on the farm that has been in the Dunbar family since over a hundred years ago. What was old has become new once again. They will be growing and providing freshly harvested seasonal fruits and vegetables each week for 20 weeks this year. They feel that it is a unique way to help others become reconnected with the land around them. A hand-harvested mixed box of colorful, flavorful fruits and vegetables will cost $18 per week. They are looking for households interested in becoming members of their C.S.A for their first session in operation.

Speerville Flour Mill- A community, amazing products and a bright future ahead!

Since moving to PEI, Speerville Flour Mill has definitely been highlighting my cupboard and kitchen. Personally, I have been enjoying the Speerville oats. My partner, Robert Pendergast the 'Sea Salt Baker' has been successfully experimenting with the rye, spelt, unbleached and whole wheat flours. And my mother has been enjoying the pancake mix and and unbleached white flour to concoct her favourite comfort foods.
I was not aware that these great products had such a supportive community behind them. That is until I met Todd Grant, Speerville Flour Mill manager, at the ACORN organics conference. I was immediately taken by his commitment to supporting his values within his company. He, and his crew, have been devoted to building this organic business and are helping to promote a regional food system.

The conference was busy and our time was limited so I asked him to send me more information on their company and products. He sent me three, informative brochures. I was amazed at the available certified organic product list! Check it out! Email them : n6speerv@nb.aibn.com
Or call them at 1 866 277 6371,to order directly.
FOR MORE INFORMATION READ ON.....

Grains in the fields- 'New Found Oats - Hopey's comforting oatmeal -The food chain aha!

I scooped the first spoon of creamy, textured oats from my bowl, lifting it to my mouth so that i could smell the earthy and sweet aroma.
Mmmmm memories of brekkie at my Granny's house in England. I find that many of my memories are triggered by smells. To me oat porridge is not very hot, a wee bit salty and always fills my stomach in an incredibly comforting way. This morning I stopped, before I scraped the bowl clean, and reflected on how these oats came to my saucepan; and then to my eager mouth. Before the bowl they had been in the pot, before the pot they had been in the bag 'New Found Oats' from Speerville Flour Mill ( 1 866- 277 6371) and the journey to that bag had been relatively short. The Speerville Flour Mill is located in the Saint John River Valley. These oats had been cold rolled in their mill to keep the flavour and nutrition. I decided to delve deeper. Where had these delicious oats been grown? Now that I was exploring the food community on PEI I could perhaps make the connection. Bingo, after shuffling through my collection of files I found what i was looking for! Brian Turner and his wife Joanne, Winsloe PEI have been selling organic crops for the last 12 years. I looked into the Speerville catalogue and saw that it was this couple of energetic organic farmers that had been growing the oats. What a discovery!

I looked at my remaining bowl. The soft oats, clinging to the sides of the bowl looked like a story to me now. Not only were they a trigger for great childhood memories and a hearty way to start out my day, but I knew the chain of people and processes behind the oats arriving in my mouth. How many of you stop to think about the story of your food, or how it got to your table/mouth?

PEI Certified Organic Producers Co-op

The Certified Organic Producers Co-op (COPC) was established in 2002. The mission of COPC is to increase the awareness and interest in organic farming by other farmers as well as the general public.

Our vision of the future entails a vibrant, growing organic industry in PEI. An industry that provides a fair income to farmers, healthy food for consumers while protecting and enhancing the environment.

For more information and to contact the Steering Committee (Fred Dollar, Gary Ogle, John Hardy, Raymond Loo, Karen Lynn-Townshend, Allister Veinot)
902 894 9999
www.organicpei.com, organicpei@canada.com
NATURALLY GROWING

SEASPRAY ATLANTIC- Delivering the Local Harvest

WHO SHOULD YOU CONTACT-
If you are a Maritime producer or processor and want your product marketed throughout the region at a fair price, OR, If you would like to pick up SeaSpray Atlantic products at one of our convenient drop-off centres and develop your own local distribution service CALL : Norbert Kungl, of Walton, N.S
902 633-2292
>minga,norbert@ns.sympatico.ca

Homegrown organics-NS

Geordie Ouchterlony, owner and operator of Homegrown Organics (HGOF), was at the ACORN conference this weekend. I have not seen him for years. I had no idea that he had created such an incredible community service/business.

The website is very informative and user-friendly. Geordie has been committed to 'Sustainable thinking for a sustainable future' for many years now.
Check it outhttp://delivery@hgof.ns.ca/index2.php

Food Share

I have been exploring the internet to find other food system models. I have found many exciting businesses and non-profit organizations. As I discover them I will post them on The General Store for your feedback.

Food Share- in Toronto is a great model.
Debbie Field, executive director of Food Share is providing an important service and model for a sustainable food system.
Their mission is
"Working with communities to improve access to affordable and healthy food- from field to table"

"At FoodShare we work on food issues "from field to table" - meaning that we focus on the entire system that puts food on our tables: from the growing, processing and distribution of food to its purchasing, cooking and consumption.
We operate several innovative grassroots projects that promote healthy eating, teach food preparation and cultivation, develop community capacity and create non-market-based forms of food distribution."

Debbie will be speaking at the ACORN ORGANICS CONFERENCE in Cornwall - for more information about this organization and her involvement check out - http://www.acornorganic.org/pages/debbiefield.html

Farm to school programs

We eat everyday of our lives! But how many of us really know that much about what we are putting into our bodies. More and more people are looking for a more healthful approach to eating. But, as most people realize, it is extremely difficult to change lifelong habits of poor diet and lack of exercise.

Learning about nutrition should be a part of every person's life; espeically during habit forming years.
Most individuals establish their personal food and exercise habits in their first 10-15 years of life, so it is important to introduce positive nutritional messages early. The ability to choose nutritious diets is not instinctive, but a skill that is learned from experience and their surrounding environments.

I have been surfing the web to find models for locally supported school lunch programs. I found alot of models that have been successful. Most of my findings were based in the US.

CAFF (community alliance with family farmers) has started a Farm-To-School, lunch program that brings fresh local produces into schools, teaching kids to make their own healthy eating choices, and giving them the opportunity to try new foods. By serving fresh, local foods in schools, and teaching children about local food systems and the food ethic in the classrooms helps build awareness and close the information gap.

"Farm-To-School creates a previously untapped outlet for farm products by opening school lunches to direct marketers."

They offer - salad bars, giving children the chance to make healthy choices
-School gardens
-Composting and recycling programs to help develop an understanding of environmental stewardship responsibilites
-Nutrition and cooking classes
-Local Farm visits to help children develop a connection with local food and farming systems and an appreciation for the people that grow the food.

What a great model!! They are helping to produce "strong bodies as well as strong communities".

PEI has an overwhelming number of obese children. Not to mention the alarming rate of diabetes!!! Children are not being underfed, rather they are eating all the wrong things. There has been a great deal of discussion around developing our own school lunch programs. Lets take it a step further and provide children with the connection needed to approach food in the right way for the rest of their lives.

I think that many of the CAFF initiatives could be implemented on PEI.