Ever wondered about the origins of your food?
It’s quite astonishing how many folks these days seem to have lost touch with the basic idea of where and how our food is produced. Believe it or not, there are kids out there who think cheese or honey magically appears in supermarkets without any connection to cows or bees!
Here in YDH, we’ve got farms and farmers who are eager to set the record straight. Yes, cheese comes from cows, and those cows aren’t just faceless milk machines – they have names, personalities, and even families.
The trend these days is all about living sustainably and reducing your carbon footprint. One excellent way to do that is by buying directly from local, sustainable farms. When you witness the sweat, tears, and JOY that goes into growing crops and raising livestock, it can help you reconnect with your food, your health, and your local community.
Supporting these farmers isn’t just about getting fresher food; it’s about preserving traditional farming practices, boosting your local economy, and creating meaningful connections between consumers and producers. By embracing the farm-to-table journey, you not only enjoy tastier meals but also gain a newfound appreciation for the hardworking hands that cultivate the land and produce the nourishing food we all enjoy.
Below we have recounted the stories from 4 AMOOZING farms from buzzing bees, to pigs doing the farm work??? We’re confident that you’ll find these farmers’ inspiring stories just as enchanting as we do.
#DYK the Cow That Made Your Cheese Has a Name?
This is the case at Sheldon Creek Dairy! These dedicated farmers consider their dairy cows a part of their family. So much so that each cow has a name and a very detailed family tree. The family that owns and operates Sheldon Creek Dairy is committed to building a healthy and loving relationship with their cows. Located just outside Shelburne, Sheldon Creek Dairy is home to 75 cows that the family calls by name each and every day. The farm’s cows make up five distinct cow families, the Maggie family, Alda family, Dena Star family, Ina family, and Plum family.
Everything that the cows eat is produced right on the farm. The family even boasts that their cows eat better than them! Working with a dairy nutritionist, they have a meal plan for each cow and ensure they eat a balanced diet. Plus, the herd lives in a new barn that consists of comfortable sand beds and a robotic milking area. This voluntary milking system means the cows have control over when they are milked.
Sheldon Creek Dairy’s milk is fresh, natural and antibiotic and hormone free. So, if you’re looking for fresh dairy visit their on-farm store, or visit their website to see where Sheldon Creek Dairy is sold near you. You are guaranteed to love it!
What Even is Regenerative Farming?
Regenerative farming relies on a few key principles that’s all about improving soil health and working with nature. The principals include increasing diversity, keeping soil covered, minimizing soil disturbance, introducing livestock, and maintaining living roots year-round. Regenerative farming is on the rise and Heartwood Farm and Cidery is the perfect example of a regenerative farm. Located in Erin, Heartwood is all about learning from nature to create a farm system that mimics it.
Heartwood invites visitors to their small family run farm through a variety of experiences that include farm tours and cider tastings. Another fantastic way to experience the farm is by staying at one of their glamping sites. Along with a farm tour, this immersive stay lets you reconnect with nature in a fun and fascinating way. While visiting the farm you’ll learn all about how and why they plant a variety of different plants, rotate their fields, and use animals to groom the land.
Another fascinating aspect about regenerative farming that you’ll learn about at Heartwood Farm and Cidery is how important mushrooms are. Mushrooms and their interconnected systems beneath the ground tell a lot about soil health. Mushrooms rely on the plants and the plants/crops rely on them for nutrients. The people at Heartwood are passionate about the land and what they do. Visiting them will not only enrich your life but inspire you to be more sustainable.
Learn About the Importance of Pollinators
Did you know that a third of the world’s food production depends on bees? You can learn all about the importance of pollinators at Ontario Honey Creations. This family-owned business is home to over 50 apiaries that host over 600 hives with over 300 million honeybees. With apiaries spread out over the GTA and beyond, their bees are pollinating a long list of things, including natural landscapes and your own flower garden.
At Ontario Honey Creations their focus is creating the finest honey products by working in partnership with honeybees. They produce a variety of items like seasonal terroir honey and Meads. All of their honey is 100% raw and unpasteurized so that it maintains all of the natural enzymes and local pollen. Raw and unpasteurized honey contains an abundance of nutrients and health benefits that is diminished through the pasteurization process.
Guests can visit Ontario Honey Creations at their Mulmur location. You can get up close and personal with bees. They offer a variety of things to do, including a Beekeeping and Farm Experience. Don a bee suit and get hands on in their honey house. Guests get a behind the bee scene experience and learn about how vital bees are to food security. Another fun opportunity is their Bottle Your Own Honey where you can learn how honey is produced, harvested, and bottle your own jar to bring home.
A True Commitment to the Land & Their Animals
Another farm in the Headwaters region that is committed to the land as well as their animals is 4th Line Cattle. Set in the scenic countryside of Hillsburgh, this family owned and operated farm is run by first generation farmers who want to make a difference. They are dedicated to the farm to fork movement that inspires people to buy directly from farms. 4th Line Cattle is home to Longhorn and Hereford cattle, as well as pigs and chickens.
These farmers are dedicated to providing a comfortable life for their livestock. All of their animals are born and raised on the farm. Grass fed and pasture raised, the animals have access to their barn to come and go as well as to fresh food that’s grown right on the farm. In addition to caring for their animals, the family participates in regenerative farming too. Managing the land naturally, they rotate the pastures their cattle grazes on. This ensures that the land has the opportunity to restore, rejuvenate and reproduce.
4th Line Cattle takes pride in producing quality, incredible tasting beef and pork that are available at their farm store. Thanks to how their animals are raised and live, their meat is healthier and more flavourful. Plus, the Longhorn cattle has leaner meat than other cattle, making it a healthy alternative. The farm is so passionate about creating a sustainable future that they’ve hosted a number of farm to fork events. Partnering with other local farms, these dining events help inspire the public to see how tasty and rewarding eating locally is.
Sustainable living is on the minds of many people these days and an easy way to live more sustainably is to support your local farmers. By visiting these farms and learning about how food goes from the farm’s fields to your table makes us appreciate the hard work these dedicated farmers are putting in to create better food and a better environment for us all.
