Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association

Fresh Facts

Providing knowledge and leadership to grow the farm fresh experience.

Presidents Message

Newsletter #304

The generation gap will never disappear, it just changes. When I was young it was
mainly about our music and how we dressed. Now we have the baby boomers, gen Xers and the millennials, all with different takes on the world. Our personal world is so
much more global than our parents ever was and communication has changed.
Some have embraced social media with a passion and we have some very engaged
and talented OFFMA members. I thought I could pass on this social media stuff and
have my kids do it for me. They seem to be so connected with their phones. Times are
changing and my kids are millennials; a good and bad thing. They are our customers
of the future; problem is they are disengaging from Facebook. We still need to connect
with all ages. I have now taken over the Facebook postings as they no longer want to
be bothered with it especially for themselves. Instagram is being used more and more,
another tool I need to learn. Jim has finally learned how to get onto the internet and
move the mouse around. His motivation more auctions are now online. He is learning the definition of user friendly websites and is becoming quite the critic.

Volume 31, Number 3

April/May 2015

There is a fun side to Facebooking as I watch the number of people reached with each
posting climb (or not), trying to figure out what grabs the publics attention. On the other hand I dont monitor my other pages of what my friends are posting as I can get
sucked into a time warp and emerge hours later.
OMG some of you may be thinking; after all those sessions and workshops on social
media how can they still be such a novice. I just enjoy talking with others; I believe in
face time over phone time, and choosing life over likes. The allure of seeing the totals
of number of people reached is fun, numbers that I know I couldnt possibly talk to personally while trying to get our message out.
I did get some things right. Ive spent this winter working on updating our website, making it mobile friendly. Just in time, for I have been told Google is going to penalize sites
that aren't mobile friendly by April 21st. You can test your website at https://
www.google.com/webmasters/tools/mobile-friendly/ It will be worth doing an update if
needed as you really can improve your standing in SEO (search engine optimization).
OFFMA now has a member only Facebook group where you can interact with other
members, asking questions, posting interesting information etc. It is a closed group so
the posting canonly be seen by other OFFMA members. An invitation was sent out to
all, have you searched for Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association and requested to
join the group. It is another benefit of being in the OFFMA family. Its also a great way
to network with fellow members virtually. Im still learning.
Looking forward to planting weather.

Leslie Forsythe
OFFMA President

Inside this issue:

Membership News

Local Food Week

Flexible Benches
and Tables

Member Profile
Kristin Ego MacPhail

Do you have animals on your farm?

Podcasts

Page 2

Fresh Facts

MEMBERSHIP NEWS
Classifieds
FOR SALE:
Huglis Blueberry Ranch in Pembroke has its own line of wholesale
gourmet blueberry products that include bbq sauce, jam, syrup, hot
pepper jelly, pure juice, dressings
and salsa. For inquiries, contact
Judy at info@blueberryranch.ca
*This product can also be found in
the Members Marketplace on the
OFFMA website.
FOR SALE:
Delhaven Orchards Ltd., Blenheim,
ON Frozen, pitted sour cherries
available for wholesale and retail
Call 519-676-4475 or e-mail
delhaven@ciaccess.com
WANTED:
Bulk Frozen Berries
Looking for a good supply of frozen
Ontario raspberries, blueberries and
blackberries. Contact Heather Fraser, heather@harvestgoodies.com,
905-783-7383
WANTED:
Cardboard Bins
Looking to purchase used/new cardboard bins. Call Sharon at 519-6472415 or cell 905-379-6769,
shearlea.acres@sympatico.ca
WANTED:
On-Farm Marketers who like to
write. FreshFacts is always looking
for OFFMA members who want to
share their experiences with other
on-farm marketers. Contact the office if you have a story to share,
want to review a marketing book, or
just want to vent about one of your
challenges. This newsletter may be
the forum for you.
Classifieds are free for members. Send
your information to the OFFMA office
and it will be included in the next newsletter.

The OFFMA Office will be

closed from April 20 to May 5.
Cathy and Gary will be scouting for the November Bus Tour
in British Columbia and taking
a few holiday days.
Phone messages and emails
will be responded to as soon as
they get back into the office.
New Memberswelcome to the OFFMA Family.
You are in great company. Take advantage of all the
knowledge of this groupcome out and network.
You wont regret it!
Melanie Holmes
MeadowSweet Farm, Gormley, ON
416-574-6234
www.meadowsweetfarm.ca
MeadowSweet Farm is a certified organic 65 acre
farm that grows babyleaf salad greens, heirloom
veggies (tomatoes, beans, beets, kale, zucchini,
cucumbers and more), grass fed beef, heritage breed
pork, chicken eggs, hops & honey. Their products
are available at their farm stand and at several artisan grocers. They also operate a CSA program.
George & Eva Joao
The Farm-acy, Millgrove, ON
905-689-5466
www.thefarm-acy.com
Their fruits and vegetables are farm grown, fresh
tasting and chemical free. In their market stand, you
will find asparagus, strawberries, peas, corn, garlic,
tomatoes, onions, peppers, potatoes, raspberries,
lettuce and pumpkins, along with flowers, jams and
more.
Associate Member
Origin Imports
David Kitchen, Oakville, ON
905-337-2442
www.originimports.com
Origin Imports sources unique, one of a kind products from smaller artisan producers across Canada,
United States and around the world. They have
grown to become one of the most dynamic and innovative specialty food suppliers in the Ontario market.
They focus on healthier food options in snack food,
grocery, and food service categories.

Newsletter #304

Congratulations

A note from Browns Berry Patch

To Janis and Mark

Harris, Harris Flower
Farm, on the birth of
their daughter, Megan
Isabelle June. Born on
March 24, 10lb, 21.25
in. A little sister for
Cameron & Nathan
and granddaughter for
Cathy McGregor-Smith
& Gary Smith.

Browns Berry Patch is located in New York State.

They have been OFFMA members for several decades and many of you may remember meeting them
at various workshops and tours.
When we did not get their membership dues this year,
we sent them a note and here is their response

To Brenda Daniel,
From the Meadow,
whose daughter gave
birth to her first child,
a son, on March 30,
2015. Brenda is looking forward to having
a another red head to
help out on the farm.

You could not have served us any better. Your newsletter & organization are both great!
We are not going to be opening our market this year
as farmers Brown is retiring after 30 years of fruit, fun
and memories. We will miss your newsletter & the
many friends we have made.
Bob & Deborah Brown
rrb2@brownsberrypatch.com
We wish them all the best in this new chapter of their
lives.

Never get so busy making a living,

that you forget to make a life.

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Fresh Facts

Lets Celebrate Local Food Week June 1st to 7th

By Jessica Kelly, Direct Market Lead, OMAFRA
As an OFFMA member, you understand the importance of local food.
The Ontario government is also committed to supporting the good things
grown, harvested and made right here
in our province. In 2013, as part of a
broader strategy, the Ontario government created the Local Food Act to
help foster successful and resilient
local food economies and systems,
increase awareness of local food and
beverages, and help develop new
markets for them. As part of the Act, a
number of initiatives Local Food
Week, the Food Donation Tax Credit
for Farmers, new food literacy goals
have been established to strengthen
our local food culture and, in turn, our
province.
Ontarios second annual Local Food
Week is June 1-7 and is a great opportunity to not only celebrate the
good work that you do, but to help the
public learn more about where their
food comes from and the benefits of
buying and eating local. What better
way to deliver these important messages than through conversations
with consumers at your on-farm market, agri-tourism attraction or farmers
market stall?
During last years celebrations, many
OFFMA members used creative ways
to mark the occasion. Fraberts Fresh
Food in Fergus featured different local
food products each day and hosted a
local food festival with farmers, suppliers, and food samples. VG Meats of
Stoney Creek committed to donating
one pound of ground beef for every

pound sold in its stores on the Saturday

of Local Food Week. Online, a Twitter
Party, led by Farm and Food Care Ontario generated 16.7 million estimated
impressions from 6,489 mentions of the
#loveONTfood hash tag during a 24
hour period.
How can you participate in Local Food
Week?

Visit www.loveONTfood.ca to
download a logo, graphics and a
tip sheet on how to promote Local
Food Week.
Include #loveONTfood in all your
social media postings.
Share your event plans with
www.loveONTfood.ca for the Local Food Week Events Calendar.
Plan a special on-farm event, barbecue or dinner.
Offer an in-store promotion or
have a customer contest.
Check Foodland Ontarios Twitter
page in May for Twitter Party registration details,

However you choose to celebrate, be

sure to spread the word when speaking
with customers, local media, and other
food-related businesses in your community.
We look forward to celebrating Local
Food Week with you from June 1st to
7th!

Newsletter #304

An Idea to ShareFlexible Benches and Tables

Submitted by Carl Fletcher, Direct Marketing Enthusiast.
Like the look and style of wooden picnic tables but find storing the tables cumbersome? Alldredge Orchards, www.alldredgeorchards.com, of Platte City Missouri have found a solution - benches that can be assembled to form tables as
well.
All of the benches can be used as seats. To form a table, two of the benches are
placed side by side, lifted up and the bottoms of the bench legs are inserted into
a slot in a stand that is placed at each end of the table. A simple wooden crosspiece on the inside of the bench leg prevents the bench leg from sliding down
creating the appropriate height for the table. The benches used as seats are free
standing from the tables.
The benches are built with collapsible legs and with sides that
create enough depth to allow
the end legs to be folded in and
be stacked in a sturdy and com-

pact way as shown in the picture.

I believe that these benches were custom
made by local craftsmen.
Flexible seating and dining with compact storage options and solid craftsmanship an idea
worth sharing with OFFMA members!

Ontario Bee Association

OFFMA is partnering with OBA to recruit beekeepers who are selling honey directly to the consumer to become OFFMA members
and to let OFFMA members know about the products that OBA has
available. If you are selling Ontario honey at your on-farm market and want
some promotional material, have a look at OntarioBee.com. Simply let them
know you are an OFFMA member when you are ordering.
The OBA website has aprons, gatepost signs and brochures and pamphlets to
purchase. Educational resources are also available to help with your school
tours or as a handout for your customers.

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Fresh Facts

Member ProfileKristin Ego MacPhail

Last fall, one of the stops on the Ontario Farm Fresh Simcoe County/
Muskoka Bus Tour was Egos Garden Centre & Farm Market. Owner
Kristin Ego McPhail made a presentation to the tour group impressing
us all with her enthusiasm, vitality,
and vision for her garden centre/farm
Kristin Ego MacPhail
market business. Now, its time to
share her experiences with the rest of
the members of Ontario Farm Fresh.
Kristin grew up in the farm market and
nursery business that her parents Laury
and Lorraine started in the mid -1970s
on their farm on Horseshoe Valley Road
near Coldwater. She was transplanting
seedlings in the spring, selling fresh
strawberries at the farmers markets in
the summer and helping with the fall
harvest of corn and pumpkins.
Through the 1980s and 1990s, the
business gradually grew to include more
greenhouse growing area and an expanded farm market.
After completing her BSc in agriculture
in 1998, Kristin came back to the business. Shortly thereafter, the original
small greenhouse was replaced by
18,000 square feet of greenhouse plant
production and over 20,000 square feet
of growing area.
Another evolution of Egos Farm Market
and Greenhouses took a major step in
the fall of 2006, when
Kristin and her husband,
Gary MacPhail, purchased the nursery business from her parents.
From this moment on,
Kristin and her husband
have been expanding
and improving upon the
business. Working 60 to
100 hours a week and
now employing 12 staff,
theyve built upon the
greenhouse and nursery
operations as well as the
farm market, pick-yourown strawberries and
Linen and tablecloth display

raspberries and roughly 160 aces of

field crops, hay, sweet corn and other
vegetables. In addition, the farm shop
also features quality linens, seasonal
home decorations and hort couture.
Just recently, Egos began offering custom wreaths as well as decorative evergreen containers during the Christmas
season.
Kristins role on the farm is managing
the greenhouse production, all the HR
and all the marketing and communications for all parts of the business. In the
area of HR, she tries to hire people who
have knowledge about plants and good
people skills. Because farming is seasonal, she likes to hire young retirees
and students. In the area of social media she uses an e-newsletter very effectively, driving everything back to their
web site.
Egos Garden Centre & Farm Market
has a business plan that embraces diversification and sustainability while
supporting themselves and their family
as well as contributing to the community. Kristin loves the dynamics of farming,
as she sees lots of opportunities to try
new things with which to challenge herself.
Following in her father Laurys footsteps
(OFFMA Director of the Board 1985-87),
Kristin Ego MacPhail has also recently
been elected to the Board of Directors
for Ontario Farm Fresh.

Display of decorative urn inserts

Newsletter #304

Do you have animals on your farm?

The OFFMA Office received a note from a member about a month ago
concerning visits from the OSPCA. He only has 7 goats, a llama, 2 calves
and 60 laying hens and he was categorized as a zoo because he invited
the public onto his property in the summer and fall. This was a good reminder to review the Ontario SPCA Act. The following information was
taken from the Food and Farm Care website, it is easier to understand
but you may want to have a look at the actual Act as well if you have animals on your farm, Here is the link to the information highlighted as
well as more detailed information. http://www.farmfoodcare.org/
images/pdfs/OSPCAFAQ.pdf
Entry and Enforcement Powers of the Ontario SPCA
(as provided for under the Ontario Society for the Prevention of Cruelty
to Animals Act or Ontario SPCA Act, RSO 1990, revised 2008 and in
force as of March 1, 2009)
Protecting animals since 1873, the Ontario Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals (Ontario SPCA) is a non-profit charitable organization
with a province-wide network of 50 plus community SPCAs and Humane
Societies.
The Ontario SPCA's mission is to facilitate and provide for province-wide
leadership on matters relating to the prevention of cruelty to animals
and the promotion of animal welfare. The Ontario SPCA is one of the
largest animal welfare organizations in the country, providing care and
shelter for tens of thousands of animals every year. Visit
www.ontariospca.ca to learn more.
Here are the headings to some answers to commonly asked questions
about the Ontario SPCA regarding entry and enforcement. Changes to
the Ontario SPCA Act were passed by the Ontario Legislature in November 2008 and the new law came into force March 1, 2009.
AUTHORITY TO ENTER PROPERTY ORDERS
THE ANIMAL CARE REVIEW BOARD (ACRB)
PROVISION OF FOOD, CARE OR TREATMENT REMOVALS
DESTRUCTION OF AN ANIMAL
COSTS INCURRED
CHARGES
STANDARDS OF CARE
EXCEPTIONS FOR AGRICULTURAL ACTIVITIES
INVESTIGATORS IDENTIFICATION
BIOSECURITY
OTHER AUTHORITIESAUTHORITY TO ENTER PROPERTY
You may also want to review the act itself at http://www.elaws.gov.on.ca/html/statutes/english/elaws_statutes_90o36_e.htm

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Fresh Facts

Upcoming Events
November 2015

Bus Tour to British Columbia

Stay Tuned for various Farm to Fork and Webinar offerings

Ontario Farm Fresh

Cathy Bartolic, Executive Director
2002 Vandorf Rd. Aurora, ON L4G 7B9
Phone: 905-841-9278
E-mail: info@ontariofarmfresh.com
www.ontariofarmfresh.com
2015-16 OFFMA Board of Directors
Leslie Forsythe, President
Forsythe Family Farms
Nicole Judge, Vice President
Spirit Tree Estate Cidery
Brian Hugli, Past President
Huglis Blueberry Ranch
Kristin Ego MacPhail, Ego Nurseries Ltd.
Hollis English, Murphys Farm Market &
Bakery
Cara Epp, Associate Member
Edana Integrated Marketing
Steve Martin, Martins Family Fruit Farm
Dana Thatcher, Thatcher Farms
Karen Whitty, Whitty Farms
Jessica Kelly, OMAFRA Advisor

There are still a few spots left for Leslie Groves to come to your market and help you with
retail merchandising. Dont miss out on this great opportunity.

NEW podcasts
Four new podcasts have been added to the Member Section of the
OFFMA website. You can download these presentations and listen to
them while you are in the tractor or off doing a supply pick up into
town. You will also find 7 podcasts that were posted last year on everything from Farm Birthday Parties to Tips on Hiring and Retaining
Employees.
Point of Sale Podcast Larry Wolfe, Armagh
School Tour Podcast Leslie Forsythe, Forsythes Family Farm
Succession Planning Resources and personal story, Dyann Birtch
Trends in Food Tourism John Stanley, John Stanley Associates