The organic farming movement in Peterborough is in its infancy.
Our goal is to increase the demand for locally grown produce to support Peterborough area organic farmers and to encourage more farmers to explore the bounties of organic farming.

Our goal is to be part of a sustainable local food system that will provide increasing amounts of local organic produce to the Peterborough community in the coming years.

Here are some of our area pioneers in organic, sustainable growing. All of the produce and products sold by the By The Bushel Community Food Co-op come from local farms.

• Tall Tree Farm
• Wyl-Win Farm
• Earthly Farm
• The Sprouthouse
• Cedar Grove Organic Farm
• Chick-a-Biddy Acres
• Sun Root Organics
• Deep Roots Farm
• Wooler Dale Farm
• Black Duck Wild Rice
• Circle Organic
• Wholearth Farmstudio
• Stoddart Family Farm
• O'Brienview Farm
• Beavermeadow Farm

Amanda and Dave have a fabulous farm just east of Havelock. They farm 98 acres, producing rare and unique heritage vegetables, starting from seed sourced locally. Organic and in tune with nature, the farm also produces honey and maple syrup. Harvesting firewood for boiling down the maple syrup as well as hauling the sap from the woodlot is all done with their horses. How's that for limiting fossil fuel dependency?

We are in farm start-up mode - the market garden being the 1st part of the farm plan. The balance of the workable acres are in hay. No chemical fertilizers , herbicides or pesticides have been used on this farm for 7 years. We want to develop the farm slowly, ecologically and keep it diversified.

The market garden is approximately 4 acres in area. I use the deep bed method. The beds are 45" wide and range from 50 feet to 120 feet in length. I use only untreated and/or certified organic seeds - no GMOs. I practice biological control - encouraging natural predators into the garden.

Gisèle Roy has recently begun vegetable growing at Earthly Farm. The 50 acre land supports a puny orchard of apples, Asian pears and heart nut trees. These will produce crops in a few years.

Tomatoes and cucumber will be the summer crops from the large greenhouse and salad greens as the winter harvest. A variety of other vegetables with an emphasis on winter storage root crops are being grown in the quarter acre garden beds.

This year a modest shiitake mushroom plan is in effect and will produce for the first time next April.

The Sprouthouse is an urban micro farm run by Lucinda Rose and Jan Laurie. We produce high quality, nutrient dense sprouts including legumes, grains and micro-greens. The Sprouthouse is a truly local business with all produce grown right here in Peterborough. We use organic seeds, our own homemade compost and absolutely no chemicals or pesticides. The results are top-quality, nutritious sprouts for you to enjoy!

Les came to farming through his farming grandparents in New Brunswick and his job as produce manager at the Big Carrot in Toronto in the mid-80's. At that time, Cedar Grove was called the Kawartha Hills Organic Farm and was owned by a group of shareholders from all over Southern Ontario. Due to organizational and other factors, the farm struggled. When the shareholders decided to sell, Les pursued his desire to leave the city and become a farmer. When he purchased the property in 2001 he had many challenges to overcome - broken-down equipment, depleted soil, overgrown fields. Slowly and steadily Les has re-invigorated the land and today turns out lovely rhubarb, potatoes, garlic, shallots, peas, beans, greens, artichokes and celery. He keeps animals for work, food and manure, grows his own hay for feed and runs both his car & tractor on biodiesel.

Chick-a-biddy Acres operates on a 72 acre farm near Peterborough, in the beautiful Trent Hills. Surrounded by lush pastures, dairy farms, woods and many rivers, the area is largely free of big scale mono-crop farming which ensures clean and relatively pesticide free surroundings.

Although not yet certified organic, they never use herbicides, pesticides or chemical fertilizers on the land. Rich compost, crop rotation, tilling and good management are the tools used to maintain the soil and grow healthy, natural food.

Through its C.S.A. program, Chick-a-biddy Acres is pleased to provide a healthy alternative, one that allows people to eat what is fresh and in season. Eating in season, means getting the most nutritional value appropriate to the seasons. And, very importantly, the eater has personal contact with the grower of their produce and a connection to the land that feeds them. Eating locally serves all of our interests. "Organic" means little otherwise.

Sun Root Organics provides a source of seasonal, fresh, locally and ecologically grown food for the Peterborough community through their Market Garden and Community Supported Agriculture (C.S.A) projects. Sun Root Organics aims to responsibly grow this food using ecologically sound agricultural practices that nurture the land and the community of people who rely on the land for their nourishment.

At Deep Roots Farm we offer a variety of organically grown vegetables and herbs specializing in heirloom and unique vegetable varieties, as well as culinary and medicinal herbs. Through bio-dynamics, companion planting, green manuring, composting, and crop rotation, Deep Roots Farm respects its place in the ecosystem. We enrich and nurture a healthy soil, which in turn grows a health and hardy crop. No synthetic sprays or additives are ever used.

We believe in providing nutritious, local food to the community we live in. So much of the food we eat is grown commercially, burns fossil fuels in transport, and is sprayed with chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Eating locally grown food will ease the strain on the environment and will benefit our community. It will ensure that your food is as fresh, alive, and nutritious as possible. Your taste buds won't lie.

The van der Heyden family, including four daughters, have been growing vegetables for 25 years. Nestled in the Murray Hills of Northumberland County , The Wooler Dale Farm is situated on loamy clay soil and follows a fourteen year crop rotation that sustains soil fertility. The farm is completely self-sufficient. Sustainable farming is accomplished through growing a variety of crops and a committed family effort. Enjoy healthy, locally grown, organic vegetables all year round, starting with greens, asparagus and strawberries right through to the winter storage vegetables such as potatoes, squash, carrots, onions, garlic, and herbs.

The wild rice is gathered, cured and roasted with tradition, in an all natural manner which gives it its unique toasty nutty flavour. From gathering in the lakes, throughout every step, Black Duck Wild Rice is grown without using chemicals, additives, colorants or artificial flavors.

Circle Organic (formerly Kitigan) is a 2-acre organic garden located in Bailieboro, overlooking lovely Rice Lake, about 20 minutes south of Peterborough. We have a small C.S.A., and also sell our vegetables, herbs and fruit at the Peterborough Farmers’ Market. We promote diversity in our garden, with over 50 different foods and 150 varieties grown. Our produce is certified organic, grown without chemical pesticides, fertilizers or genetic modification. Our vision is to work intimately with the land and closely with our community to improve access to the healthiest, freshest organically grown food.

Wholearth Farmstudio is a hopeful partnership of sustainable agri“CULTURE”, inspiration, nature conservation, compassion and creativity. They’re dedicated to traditional ‘slow food’ principles, by conserving rare heritage breeds and heirloom seeds with care and producing a superior ‘real taste’ experience for the table.

They raise rare Shropshire lamb; pastured Tamworth pork; Jersey Giant chickens, Bourbon Red turkeys (all which happen to be on the Slow Food Ark of Taste List), Wishard Bronze turkeys; eggs, berries, vegetables and more. They are dedicated to sustainability principles and non-toxic practices, with no place for synthetics, growth hormones, herbicides, chemical fertilizers or confinement agriculture. Their animals are raised naturally, free-ranging outdoors in grassy meadows, enjoying the sun, rain and breeze. Sometimes they have to convince the odd wandering piglet they have no business in the pumpkin patch, but generally they all live together peacefully.

Their first annual Wholearth Heritage Harvest Feast is coming up...a farm field-to-table food celebration, with superchef Jamie Kennedy & top local chefs creating a memorable outdoor dining experience with ingredients grown on their farm and on some of the other farms listed here. Come to the farm!...it’s not too late if you’d like to reserve a place at the table!