Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association

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

A word from the President- Newsletter #322

July-Aug. 2017
I am not under any false illusions that most of you have any time to read this right now. Volume 33, Number 5
What with berries going full swing, early tree fruits just starting, sweet corn, beans, new
potatoes and all that other stuff just begging to be merchandized, all make for busy
times. And then there is that one new issue that has never come up in your 10 to 30
years in the business that just now needed your attention. Inside this issue:
In this business we have become quite used to the curve balls that are thrown at us on
a regular basis. If it isnt late frosts, drought, or too much rain, it is that new blight or
insect that we have never seen before. Perhaps it involves losing a key staff person at Membership News 2
the worst possible time, juggling the needs of your customers with the realities of grow- Proposed Mini- 3
ing things, or trying to keep that new neighbour happy that just moved in and has dis- mum Wage
Increase
covered some of the realities of country living.
Maybe some of you can identify with this English retail store owner who posted this Farmer Mental 4
Health
sign:
We have been established for over 100 years and have been pleasing and displeasing De--stressing Tips 5
customers ever since. We have made money and lost money, suffered the effects of Celebrating Direct 7
coal nationalization, coal rationing, and government control. We have been cussed and Marketing through
discussed, messed with, lied to, held up, robbed, and swindled. The only reason we Census Data
stay in business is to see what happens next. ** Upcoming Events 12
I think most of us have come to understand the many variables in our business and
have learned to roll with them. Perhaps that is why the announcement of last month
from the Ontario government hit many of us so hard. That many changes so fast seem
like they will be almost too much for us to handle. And perhaps for some it will be. For
some retirement just started to look real good. For others that is probably not an option.
I am not going to sit here and try to tell you that I have a lot of answers. However let
me offer a few positive points that I hope you can think about.
Our industry is made up of some of the most resilient and innovative people you will find
anywhere. I have seen that first hand.
We are a caring group who really does want the best for our employees and our cus-
tomers not just because it is the right thing to do but because in many cases they are as
close to us as family.
We understand better than anyone the long term ramifications of some of the decisions
that are being made and we have some good ideas as to how to find compromises, at
least we would if we could get anyone to listen to us.
Many of you have already given some good input through our surveys indicating how
the proposed changes will hurt you. We continue to welcome your feedback. We also
are open to any suggestions that you might have that we can pass on to the rest of the
membership as to how you intend to deal with these new challenges.
One small suggestion I might make is to try and bring your staff into the discussion.
Explain to them what some of the implications will be. Help them to develop a message
that they can convey to your customers as they try and explain the need for considera-
bly higher prices in the near future. Invite their thoughts as to how you can become
Continued on Page 3 Continued
Page 2 Fresh Facts

MEMBERSHIP NEWS
Classifieds FOR SALE
Gourmet, all natural, locally produced
ice pops and freezies available for
FOR SALE
wholesale. www.popstandtoronto.com
1. Batch Ice Cream FreezerTaylor
Please contact Kari at
Model 104
karithepopstand@gmail.com for more
Make up to 3L of soft serve or hard ice
information.
cream, gelato and ices. Slightly used,
but well maintained and in excellent
working condition. Will come with FOR SALE
pans, utensils, and counter. Makes
great tasting ice cream....could hardly
keep it in stock.
2. Hot dog steamer in great condition.
3. Many different face hole signs
pumpkins, corn, cooking, animals etc...
Contact: Valerie McDonald formerly
with McMaze at info@mcmaze.ca

FOR SALE
Our own grown &
pressed ciders & One stationary food stand chip stand
fruit blends as well Approx. 11' x 18', semi portable struc-
as jams. ture, no wheels but can be lifted on to
No preservatives, a trailer.
pure, natural, great 10' hood with fire suppression and
shelf life & deli- proper ventilation, steel interior with
cious. stainless steel around cook area.
Please contact Building is 4 years old, very spacious
Bayfield Berry Farm for more infor- and nice to work in. Asking $22,000.
mation 519-482-1666 or salesberry- Contact Jordan at
farm@tcc.on.ca info@willowtreefarm.ca

FOR SALE Looking for unique Ontario products

made by fellow farmers? Check out
the Member Marketplace on the
OFFMA website in the members only
section. It contains many value-added
products that may just fit into your on-
farm market.

Ads are free to OFFMA membership, send to the

2L and 4L plastic baskets, made in
Canada, sturdy handles, strong dura-
ble plastic, weatherproof, reliable deliv-
ery. www.shouldicefarm.com
Contact: shouldice1@bell.net,
613-838-4203
office and we will make sure they are included in
the next newsletter.
This is your newsletter, make the
most of it. Want to review a book
you have read? Write an article?
Let the OFFMA office know and we
will make it happen.
 Newsletter #322 Page 3

from page 1 more efficient,
explaining that efficiency more than
ever may become an absolute neces-
sity to stay in business.
I am confident that together as an in-
dustry we can find solutions. The al-
ternative to me is unthinkable and that
would be a very sad day for our prov-
ince.
In closing I have one more little bit of
seasonally appropriate advice given to
me by my friend Bruce Dickieson.
Never stand in front of a growing zuc-
chini. It is liable to bowl you over.
Hmm. Come to think of it. Zucchini and
government may have something in
common.
Steve Martin
OFFMA President
**Faith in the Fast Lane
Copyrighted 2003 by Ken Owen
Published by Harvard House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon
Used by permission

What OFFMA has done in response to the proposed

Minimum Wage Increase?
OFFMA is not a lobby organization and does not have the capacity to launch a full scale cam-
paign against the proposed minimum wage increase that has been announced by the provin-
cial government. But we do have connections with other groups that have positioned them-
selves as lobby organizations. OFFMA is working with the Fruit & Vegetable Growers Asso-
ciation (OFVGA) and the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) to provide statistical infor-
mation about our membership and to solidify a united agricultural stand against the quick
implementation of this proposal.

The OFFMA website has an area in the members only section where you can find:

1. The results to the Membership Survey that was conducted recently. We had 75 re-
sponses from our membership in a short space of time.
Thank you to everyone who responded. Please contact the OFFMA office if you
are having trouble getting into this section. We can step you through the process or
send you this information in a separate email.
2. Speaking notes around the Proposed Minimum Wage issue. We encourage all our
members to consider attending one of the proposed meetings that are being held across
the province. Details at http://www.ontla.on.ca/lao/en/committees/monthly-calendar/
The Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs is looking for feedback from
the general public. This is your chance to voice your opinion.
3. A template for a letter you can use to send to your member of provincial parliament, the
Agriculture Minister and the Premier. Several members have written excellent letters
that can be found on Facebook. Fraberts, Kevin Howe and Morris Gervais are some of
the examples, we are aware of at this point.

Make sure you are part of the OFFMA members only Facebook page. We are posting timely
information there for our members. To join, simply search for Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing
Association (you need to search for the complete name) and ask to join the group. If you are
asking someone other than the owners of the business to join the group, you will need to
send Cathy Bartolic a note to make sure she allows that person to join.
 Page 4 Fresh Facts
Farmer Mental Health A Conversation that Matters
By: Jessica Kelly, Direct Farm Marketing Specialist, OMAFRA
That project taught me some im-
portant lessons like just because
something looks profitable in Excel
does not necessarily translate into ac-
tual profitability. That project was an
unmitigated disaster from a production
standpoint and the timing coincided
with a run up in corn values and col-
lapsing hog prices. As fall turned to
winter in 2012, our financial position
deteriorated rapidly and losing every-
thing that Mum and Dad had built be-
came a real possibility. I internalized
this, blaming myself entirely for the
failure of the project and causing the
extra level of vulnerability for my
parents finances. I could not sleep
nor could I communicate with loved
ones as I retreated down the dark path
of depression. My self-hate knew no
bounds, I would scream at myself in
the barn when I made simple errors, I
would be paralyzed in the seat of my
car when I got to the barn, dreading
actually going in to the building.
This is an excerpt from my husband,
Stewarts blog that he published on
January 25, 2017 Bell Lets Talk
Day. Maybe you can relate to ele-
ments of this story; maybe someone
you love has walked a similar
Be brave enough path. Mental health is so in-
to start a credibly important no one in
the OFFMA family needs to be
conversation that reminded of that.
matters. Until very recently, there wasnt
-Margaret Wheatley data about mental health of Ca-
nadian farmers. Dr. Andria
Jones-Bitton and PhD Candi-
date Briana Hagen of the Ontario Vet-
erinary College are changing that. In
Phase 1 of their project (September
2015 to January 2016), they conduct-
ed a nationwide survey on producer
stress and resilience, with 1,132 farm-
ers responding. The results showed
that approximately 45 percent of farm-
ers surveyed were classified as high
stress, while 58 percent were classi-
fied with varying levels of anxiety and
35 percent met the definition for de-
pression.
Evidence of higher than average stress
levels among farmers is perhaps unsur-
prising given the unique patchwork of
risks and challenges drought, pests,
disease, extreme weather, volatile pric-
es, pressure to carry on family legacy,
etc. However, these scores were two-
to-four times higher than previous stud-
ies of farmers in the United Kingdom
and Norway using the same scales.
Even more alarming, the results
showed that we have a long way to go
on the stigmatization of mental health:
40% of farmers said that they would
feel uneasy seeking professional help
because of what other people might
think and one-third said that seeking
such help can stigmatize a persons
life.
Dr. Jones-Bitton and Hagen are pas-
sionate and committed to transforming
these results into action that will leave
a positive impact on our industry. For
Phase 2 of the project, they will be con-
ducting one-on-one interviews with pro-
ducers, industry support staff, govern-
ment personnel, and veterinarians to
discuss their thoughts and experiences
with respect to mental wellness and
resilience in the agricultural community
as well as hear ideas about what re-
sources and support the industry
needs. From these interviews, a men-
tal health literacy training program will
be developed specifically for agricul-
ture, along with a mental health emer-
gency response model for times of cri-
sis (i.e. outbreaks, barn fires).
What an opportunity this is to have con-
versations about our experiences as
producers, including health and mental
health, and to reflect on our past expe-
riences and hope for the future! Please
consider making time to participate in
this worthwhile project.

Interviews will take approximately 1
hour and can be scheduled in a loca-
tion of your convenience between now
and the end of September, but contact
them before the end of August. In ap-
preciation for your time and valuable
insight, an honorarium will be provid-
When you feel like quitting,
think about why you started.
De-stressing Tips from a Fellow Farmer
By Erin McLean, McLean Berry Farm
People often joke that stress is a part
of life. We were promised in books and
movies that our stress levels would de-
crease rapidly with the invention of
technology - but we all know this has-
nt always been the case...and as busi-
ness owners we know that stress is
one of the biggest parts of our day.
Someone called in sick (again), a trac-
tor is broken (again?!), the goats got
out and are eating the raspberries
(seriously - AGAIN!?). Or else theres
too much rain, not enough rain or just
enough rain that you can never get an-
ything done but not enough that the
soil has had a good soak.
Stress can have a major impact on the
lives of us and our families. It leads to
physical health problems such as heart
disease, headaches and beyond - as
well as mental health issues such as
depression and anxiety. Not only can it
affect our physical and mental health
but it can also affect our relationships
with friends and family and how well
our business operates.
Next time youre feeling stressed...try
one or all of these things:
1. Remember to take deep breaths.
In through nose, out through your
mouth. Repeat ten times or until you
feel yourself relaxing.
Newsletter #322 Page 5
ed. Please contact Briana Hagen
(bhagen@uoguelph.ca or 306-381-
8927) or Dr. Andria Jones-Bitton
(aqjones@uoguelph.ca or 519-824-
4120 ext. 54786) if you are interested
in participating.
2. Take a time out. Five minutes to
go and sit and cry, scream, play a silly
game on your phone or just close your
eyes, listen to your favourite song and
regroup.
3. Find a buddy. Reach out to some-
one who you can trust that you can
make a deal that you can each vent to
each other for two minutes when
things are feeling overwhelming. Take
your two minutes and get out all of
your frustrations. Sometimes just say-
ing them out loud (or typing them out
loud!) without having to actually solve
anything can take a weight off your
shoulders.
4. Communicate. Tell your team
when you need a break. Make a point
to talk things through and schedule in
time to actually talk to each other
about what you need from each other
and what you can all do to help bring
down everyones stress levels.
5. Drink water. Eat good food.
Repeat more then once a day. Grab a
refillable water bottle and keep it with
you. Remember that fueling your body
with good food will help you keep go-
ing when they days are long and keep
healthy snacks nearby so you can grab
something on the go when the day
gets busy. Butter tarts are deli-
Page 6 Fresh Facts
cious...but they wont keep you going
all day.
6. Stop working. We all have days
and weeks where it feels like the
alarm clock goes off, our work day be-
gins and it doesnt end until we fall
into bed - and even then we wake up
at 2am remembering that thing we
forgot to do and realize we were
dreaming about work. Make a point to
talk about other things with family and
friends. Have work free times where
family dinners are about family and
things outside of work - and not about
whats growing well or selling well or
who needs to pick up this or drop off
that.
7. Make a list. Give yourself four
minutes to write down ALL of the
things you need to get done. Then give
yourself one more minute to prioritize
them. Then start at the top and work
your way down through the list, cross-
ing each one off with satisfaction.
8. Go for a walk. We spend all day
running around on our feet - but get-
ting in some exercise while slowing
down the pace will help you to relax
and unwind. Take in the beauty of your
farm without rushing to go somewhere
or do something.
9. Get enough sleep. Turn off the
screens and get a solid 6-8 hours of
shuteye. It often makes the days prob-
lems disappear and everything that
much easier to deal with in the morning
when a new day attacks.
10. Remember that youre human.
Remember that you can only do so
much. That despite your best intentions -
youre not a superhero and you cant do
everything - especially all in one day. You
are doing amazing work and have so
much to be proud of. Give yourself a pat
on the back for all of the things you DID
get done and all that you HAVE accom-
plished because you deserve it. Serious-
ly.
11. Get off the Farm. Sometimes, a
break is as good as a rest. Go visit a fel-
low farm marketer. Plan to attend the
OFFMA Potluck on July 17th and con-
nect with people who are in the same
business as yourself. Learn that you are
not alone and others have similar issues
and challenges.
 Newsletter #322 Page 7

Celebrating Direct Marketing through Census Data

By Jessica Kelly, Direct Farm Marketing Specialist, OMAFRA

For the very first time, the 2016 Census of Agriculture asked, did this opera-
tion sell any agricultural products directly to consumers for human consump-
tion? With this simple question, we now have a glimpse into direct sales of
Ontarios local foods that weve never had before!
Ontario leads the country with 7,474 farms reporting direct-to-consumer sales,
followed by British Columbia and Quebec with 5,667 and 5,459 farms respec-
tively. Overall, 15.1% of Ontarios farms are making local foods available for
direct purchase by consumers.
At the regional-level, fascinating patterns emerge in the prevalence of direct-to
-consumer farm sales. Ontarios Central West Region is a direct marketing
powerhouse with over 330 farms engaging in direct-to-consumer sales in each
of Grey, Wellington, Niagara, Simcoe, and Waterloo. It is also notable to look
at regions with the highest proportion of farms engaging in direct-to-consumer
sales. By this metric, Haliburton leads the province with 53% of farms engag-
ing in some form of direct sales, followed by Muskoka with 48%. In Thunder
Bay, Algoma, Parry Sound, and Kenora, roughly 40% of all farms are engaging
in direct-to-consumer sales an indication of the importance of direct market-
ing as a sales channel for Northern Ontario producers.

Top 5 Regions for Number of Farms

Selling Value-Added Products Di- What is being sold?
rect-to-Consumer Nearly all of Ontarios direct marketers (97%
County/Region # of farmsor 7,265 farms) are selling unprocessed agri-
1 Niagara cultural products, while only 12% or 907
54
2 Simcoe
farms are selling value-added products. This
45
represents a potential area for growth as On-
3 Grey 41
tario is lagging behind Quebec, most Mari-
4 Durham 36
time Provinces and the national average of
5 Prince Edward 32
14%. Niagara Region has the highest number
of farms reporting direct sales of value-added products at 54.

How is it being sold?

The predominant sales channel for Ontarios direct marketers is on-farm retail
Continued on Page 8
 Page 8 Fresh Facts

Upcoming Events
July 17 OFFMAs Annual Potluck at Thatchers Farm, Rockwood, starting at
4:30pm
Nov. 14-16 Foodie Tour of New York City

April 2018 Tour to Ireland

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
2017-18 OFFMA Board of Directors
Steve Martin, President
Martins Family Fruit Farm
Kristin Ego MacPhail, Vice President
Ego Nurseries Ltd.
Leslie Forsythe, Past President
Forsythe Family Farms
Cara Ferguson, Associate Member
Edana Integrated Marketing
Nicole Judge, Spirit Tree Estate Cidery
Erin McLean, McLean Berry Farm
Colleen McKay, Your Farm Market
Jordan McKay, Willowtree Farm
Dana Thatcher, Thatcher Farms
Karen Whitty, Whitty Farms
Jessica Kelly, OMAFRA Advisor
OFFMA Membership Benefit
Become a member of E-LearningU
Central Counties Tourism (CCT) members now have access to 150+ recorded tourism
marketing webinars - all complimentary as a member of Central Counties Tourism.
Cathy Bartolic is on the Board of Central Counties Tourism and as such is able to ex-
tend this offer to all OFFMA members.
Set aside 1 hour a week, a month, or whenever it's best for you and your staff to learn
online from the convenience of your own location. Some of the webinar topics you will
find are:
Taming the E-mail BeastManaging the Insanity
Growing Your Tourism Business on Instagram
Developing a Reality-Based Tourism Marketing Roadmap
Some of you may remember Susan Sweeney who did a workshop at the Ontario Fruit
& Vegetable Convention when it was still located at Brock University. This program is
tapping into her E-learning University. The webinars generally cost $49.95 each so this
has great value. Dont wait to take advantage of it. Use Coupon Code CCT to get the
webinars free.
Register as a user now and check out all the pre-recorded webinars, start by going to
http://centralcounties.ca/b2b-opportunities/e-learning/#

Continued from page 8

(farm gate/stand/kiosk/u-pick) with 90% (6,709 farms) using this channel. Farmers markets are
the second most common channel: 1,619 farms sell their products at one or more farmers mar-
kets. This represents 3.3% of all Ontario farms, just above the national average of 2.8%. In Ontar-
io, Niagara Region has the most farms reporting farmers market sales (122 farms) while Kenora,
Thunder Bay and Algoma have the highest proportion of farms reporting farmers markets sales.

Across Ontario, 403 farms report selling through Community-Support Agriculture or CSA. These
farms are fairly evenly dispersed throughout the province; eve- Top 5 Regions for Number of Farms
ry county/region has at least one farm reporting CSA sales, Selling through Farmers Markets
with the exception of Rainy River. Grey, Durham, and Welling-
County/Region # of farms
ton have the highest number of CSAs at 19 farms each. 1 122
Niagara
2 Simcoe 85
Of the 24,510 Canadian farms reporting direct-to-consumer
sales, 30% call Ontario home! This Local Food Week, lets cel- 3 Haldimand-Norfolk 72
ebrate the value of our direct farm marketing sector, not only 4 Wellington 67
for the economic opportunities it creates, but also for the ac- 5 Grey 65
cess to local food it affords, the community it fosters, and the
agriculture and food literacy it builds.

Note: all data for this blog was sourced from CANSIM Table 004-0244 Census of Agriculture, farms
reporting selling agricultural products directly to consumers in the year prior to the census.